{"id":108148,"date":"2014-02-17T18:59:00","date_gmt":"2014-02-17T18:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/?guid=ac3eba027b860d817403cf660916b301"},"modified":"2014-02-17T18:59:00","modified_gmt":"2014-02-17T18:59:00","slug":"obama-plans-intervention-against-syria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/editorials\/obama-plans-intervention-against-syria\/","title":{"rendered":"Obama Plans Intervention Against Syria"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\"><b>Obama Plans Intervention Against Syria<\/b><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">by Stephen Lendman<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Neocons infest his administration. They want Assad forcibly ousted. Manipulated to fail diplomacy may be pretext to do it.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Two rounds of Geneva talks deadlocked. Expect no change going forward. US strategy call for regime change. It&#8217;s comin the old-fashioned way. Toppling Assad violently is planned.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On February 17, the <a href=\"http:\/\/syrianfreepress.wordpress.com\/2014\/02\/17\/red-allert-american-israeli-and-british-intelligence-services-in-jordan-are-planning-an-attack-with-moderate-takfiris-to-create-a-mini-state-in-south-syria\/\"><span style=\"color: #1255cc;\">Syrian Free Press Network<\/span><\/a> (SFPN) headlined &#8220;RED ALERT: American, Israeli and British intelligences services in Jordan, NOW, are planning an attack, with (so-called) &#8216;moderate&#8217; Takfiris, to create a mini-state in south Syria.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On Friday, so-called &#8220;interim government&#8221; defense minister Asaad Mustafa resigned. Allegedly it was over internal disputes.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">As the same time, so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) head Salim Idris was fired. Abdel Alah al-Bashir replaced him.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\"><span style=\"color: #1255cc; text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/english.farsnews.com\/newstext.aspx?nn=13921128000249\">Fars News<\/a><\/span> said Idris fled to Turkey en route to Doha, Qatar in December. Syrian terrorists &#8220;took over his headquarters and warehouses of US-provided military gear.&#8221; They&#8217;re located along the Turkish\/Syrian border.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman called for &#8220;mak(ing) Jordan and its borders with Syria a major gateway for US and Europe(an) advanced military equipment (for) Syria(&#8216;s) armed opposition,&#8221; said SFPN.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Plans call for turning southern Syria into &#8220;a mini-state.&#8221; The idea is to launch operations against Damascus, SFPN added.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem addressed the issue. His government and army are ready for whatever is planned, he said.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Washington Post editors support war on Syria. They urge direct US intervention. They cite one discredited anti-Assad accusation after another.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">They want regime change. They want force replacing diplomacy. They want Assad condemned for failing to comply with US demands.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">They claim he&#8217;s dragging his feet on eliminating chemical weapons. According to Russia, things are moving ahead as planned.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Extreme caution must be taken. Key is keeping CWs out of insurgents&#8217; hands.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">WaPo&#8217;s drumbeat for US intervention continues. John Kerry promotes escalated conflict. He replicated Colin Powell&#8217;s infamous moment. He did so multiple times.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">In September, he lied claiming Syria attacked Gouta with sarin gas. Clear evidence proved otherwise. Insurgents bore full responsibility.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On February 17, he lied claiming Assad stonewalled on peace talks, saying:<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">&#8220;Right now (he hasn&#8217;t) engaged in the discussions along the promised and required standard&#8230;&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">False! Agreed on procedure is following Geneva I&#8217;s communique items. It&#8217;s doing it in order of importance. Stopping terrorism and violence matter most.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Assad&#8217;s delegates &#8220;refused to open up one moment of discussion&#8221; of transitional government, Kerry added.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">False! They expressed willingness to discuss all Geneva I items. They want them addressed in order of importance.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Resolving other issues depend on halting violence and terrorism. Doing so matters most. Helping Syrians depends on it. Assad delegates want their wishes addressed above all others.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">They rightfully insist international law must be observed. Syrians alone will decide who&#8217;ll lead them.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Outside interference won&#8217;t be tolerated. International law prohibits it. Kerry didn&#8217;t explain. Lies substituted for truth.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">&#8220;It is very clear (Assad) is trying to win this on the battlefield instead of coming to the negotiating table in good faith,&#8221; said Kerry.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">False! Assad wanted no conflict in the first place. He wants none now. He wants peaceful resolution. He&#8217;s going all-out to achieve it.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He has no legitimate peace partner. Without one peace is impossible. Opposition delegates represent Washington. Obama wants war, not peace.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On February 17, WaPo <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/kerry-says-russia-undermines-syria-talks\/2014\/02\/17\/c6e88386-979c-11e3-ae45-458927ccedb6_story.html\"><span style=\"color: #1255cc;\">headlined<\/span><\/a> &#8220;Kerry says Russia undermines Syria talk.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He bashed Russia and Iran. He accused them of undermining peace talks &#8220;by stepping up military support and aid&#8221; for Assad.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He ignored Washington&#8217;s involvement in recruiting, arming, training and directing death squad invaders. CIA and US special forces are involved.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Obama bears full responsibility for war on Syria. Kerry shares it. His job is promoting imperial lawlessness.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">It&#8217;s endorsing toppling one independent leader after another. It&#8217;s justifying mass slaughter and destruction.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">It&#8217;s turning a blind eye to unspeakable human misery. Kerry benefits from ravaging and destroying countries. He&#8217;s a billionaire.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He wants super wealth turned into more of it. He wants countries plundered to help do it.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He represents the worst of America&#8217;s dark side. So do many other likeminded extremists infesting Washington.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Assad is repeatedly blamed for US-supported insurgent crimes. Kerry condemned his &#8220;barbaric assault&#8221; on civilians.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He&#8217;s going all-out to protect them. He&#8217;s battling US-enlisted jihadist death squads.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Whenever Syrian soldiers liberate enemy-controlled areas, they&#8217;re welcomed for doing so. They cheered when they arrive.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cited statistics blaming terrorists for crimes blamed on Assad.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">They&#8217;re fueling crisis. Washington turns a blind eye. Lavrov addressed US officials pressuring Damascus, saying:<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">&#8220;(I)f political pressure is what they mean, then we&#8217;ve been telling (them) to work directly with the Syrian authorities.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">&#8220;That&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve been telling (Kerry) every time he has pushed for (new) sanctions&#8230;that he must act reasonably.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Russia has new information, Lavrov explained. &#8220;Certain sponsors of the opposition are starting to create a new structure (separate) from the National Coalition,&#8221; he said.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\"><span style=\"color: black;\">Then want the SNC replaced. <\/span>&#8220;In other words, they are taking a course towards secession from the negotiating track and once again putting a stake on the military scenario and powerful support from abroad.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Lavrov stopped short of blaming Washington. It bears repeating what earlier articles explained. Syria is Obama&#8217;s war. He deplores peace.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He wants a pretext for direct US intervention. He wants Assad forcibly toppled. He wants subservient pro-Western governance replacing him.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He want sole authority to decide Syria&#8217;s future. He wants Syrians having no say. Hegemons operate this way. America is by far the worst.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">On February 16, a Kerry <a href=\"http:\/\/www.state.gov\/secretary\/remarks\/2014\/02\/221702.htm\"><span style=\"color: #1255cc;\">press statement<\/span><\/a> addressed the Syrian conflict separately. Doublespeak duplicity defined it.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">According to Kerry, &#8220;the suffering of the Syrian people&#8221; continues. He ignored Washington&#8217;s full responsibility.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He wrongfully blamed Assad&#8217;s &#8220;obstruction.&#8221; He said they make tough talks tougher.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He ludicrously praised SNC delegates. They &#8220;demonstrate a courageous and mature seriousness of purpose and willingness to discuss all aspects of the conflict,&#8221; he claimed.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Fact check<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">SNC delegates obstructed talks. They demand regime change. Syrian delegates agreed on discussion topics. They want all Geneva I communique items addressed.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">SNC stooges objected. They want transitional governance agreed on. Assad must go, they demand. They&#8217;re mindless of what Syrians want. So is Kerry.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He wants Washington deciding Syria&#8217;s future. He wants continued mass slaughter and destruction.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He wants Syria&#8217;s conflict resolved belligerently. He wants obstructed peace talks wrongfully blamed on Assad as pretext to do it.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He repeats one Big Lie after another. He does it to justify Washington&#8217;s imperial agenda. He wants unchallenged US dominance.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">He wants the world made safe for corporate plunderers. He wants what Syrians reject. He wants what ordinary people everywhere deplore.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Direct US intervention looms. Obama seeking new policy options suggests it. Expect Washington&#8217;s proxy war escalating to full-scale conflict.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Expect Syria entirely ravaged and destroyed. Expect it replicating Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. Expect it turned into a dystopian wasteland. Expect Obama claiming another imperial trophy.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">How much more Syrian suffering is too much? How much longer will Washington get away with mass murder? When will aggressive wars no longer be called liberating ones?<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">When will devastating slaughter and destruction stop? When will enough be enough? When will might no longer justify right? When will monied interests no longer decide things?<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"color: #323333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">When will America be held to account for generations of crimes of war, against humanity and genocide.? When will the world&#8217;s greatest ever evil force be stopped?<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">His new book is titled &#8220;Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">http:\/\/www.claritypress.com\/LendmanII.html<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">It airs Fridays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size: 12px; min-height: 14px;\"><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px;\">http:\/\/www.progressiveradionetwork.com\/the-progressive-news-hour<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Obama Plans Intervention Against Syriaby Stephen LendmanNeocons infest his administration. They want Assad forcibly ousted. Manipulated to fail diplomacy may be pretext to do it.Two rounds of Geneva talks deadlocked. Expect no change going forward. US &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1217,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[461],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-108148","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorials"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108148","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1217"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108148\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rinf.com\/alt-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}