04 Inter-State Conflict – Page 84 – Public Intelligence Blog

Post-Assad Syria: Turkey’s Perspective

I just finished reading the Bipartisan Policy Center‘s paper U.S. – Turkish Cooperation Towards A Post Assad Syria. I knew I had been missing nuance but I did not realize how much complexity there was in the relationship between the two countries.

First, Syria has been spilling refugees all over the region. Jordan is poor, Iraq is fragile and even their smaller contingent is causing trouble. Lebanon experiences a fragile balance of ethnic and sectarian tensions. The 420,000 new residents upset that balance and threaten to tip the country into chaos like it had in the 1980s.

Second, the Kurds were mostly at peace with Turkey until Syria fell into disorder. The Syrian government withdrew from Kurdish turf to reduce their interest in the fighting, then it is possible both Syria and Iran had a hand in setting the Kurdish PKK‘s insurgency back in motion against Turkey. Neither Iran nor Syria wants any trouble with the Kurds in their territory, both want to preserve the Shia arc from Iran to Syria, Sunni majority Turkey has been trending more Islamist in its thinking, and has chosen to back the Sunni majority rebellion in Syria.

The Turkish choice to focus on the Sunni aspect of the rebellion rather than an inclusive government that would respect the Alawite, Druze, and Christian minorities is a sticking point for the U.S. If things go badly Syria may become a bigger, badder, bloodier version of what Lebanon was like thirty years ago.

Continue reading “Neal Rauhauser: Syrian Refugees in All Directions, Destabilizing Region”

2013/06/17

Berto Jongman: Epidemic of Congenital Birth Defects in Iraqi Cities — US Invasion & Occupation = 17-Fold Increase

04 Inter-State Conflict, 07 Other Atrocities

Metal Contamination and the Epidemic of Congenital Birth Defects in Iraqi Cities

M. Al-Sabbak • S. Sadik Ali • O. Savabi •G. Savabi • S. Dastgiri • M. Savabieasfahan

Bull Environ Contam Toxicol (2012) 89:937–944DOI 10.1007/s00128-012-0817-2

Abstract Between October 1994 and October 1995, the number of birth defects per 1,000 live births in Al Basrah Maternity Hospital was 1.37. In 2003, the number of birth defects in Al Basrah Maternity Hospital was 23 per 1,000 live births. Within less than a decade, the occurrence of con-genital birth defects increased by an astonishing 17-fold in the same hospital. A yearly account of the occurrence and types of birth defects, between 2003 and 2011, in Al Basrah Maternity Hospital, was reported. Metal levels in hair, toe-nail, and tooth samples of residents of Al Basrah were also provided. The enamel portion of the deciduous tooth from a child with birth defects from Al Basrah (4.19 lg/g) had nearly three times higher lead than the whole teeth of children living in unimpacted areas. Lead was 1.4 times higher in the tooth enamel of parents of children with birth defects (2,497 ± 1,400 lg/g, mean ± SD) compared to parents of normal children (1,826 ± 1,819 lg/g). Our data suggested that birth defects in the Iraqi cities of Al Basrah (in the south of Iraq) and Fallujah (in central Iraq) are mainly folate-dependent. This knowledge offers possible treatment options and remediation plans for at-risk Iraqi populations.

Continue reading “Berto Jongman: Epidemic of Congenital Birth Defects in Iraqi Cities — US Invasion & Occupation = 17-Fold Increase”

2013/06/152013/06/15

Franklin Lamb: Obama, Surrounded by Liars and Untried Youths, Declares War on Syria — USA Working for Iran (Again)

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 05 Iran, 06 Genocide, 06 Russia, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Proliferation, 08 Wild Cards, 09 Terrorism, Government, Idiocy, Peace Intelligence

Why Obama is Declaring War on Syria

Veterans Today, 15 June 2013

(Beirut) – The short answer is Iran and Hezbollah according to Congressional sources. “The Syrian army’s victory at al-Qusayr was more than the administration could accept given that town’s strategic position in the region. Its capture by the Assad forces has essentially added Syria to Iran’s list of victories starting with Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq, as well as its growing influence in the Gulf.”

Other sources are asserting that Obama actually did not want to invoke direct military aid the rebels fighting to topple the Assad government or even to make use of American military power in Syria for several reasons. Among these are the lack of American public support for yet another American war in the Middle East, the fact that there appears to be no acceptable alternative to the Assad government on the horizon, the position of the US intelligence community and the State Department and Pentagon that intervention in Syria would potentially turn out very badly for the US and gut what’s left of its influence in the region. It short, that the US getting involved in Syria could turn out even worse than Iraq, by intensifying a regional sectarian war without any positive outcome in sight.

Continue reading “Franklin Lamb: Obama, Surrounded by Liars and Untried Youths, Declares War on Syria — USA Working for Iran (Again)”

2013/06/142013/06/14

Mini-Me: Jordanian King Manipulates Obama & Light-Weight National Security Team — French & British Lie on Chemical Weapons — Susan Rice Ignored

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 06 Russia, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Proliferation, 08 Wild Cards, Corruption, Government, Idiocy, Ineptitude, IO Deeds of War, Military

Huh?

Behind Obama's About-Face on Syria

Jolted by Hezbollah's Entry Into Civil War and Chemical Weapons, Administration Chose to Arm Rebels

Adam Entous

Wall Street Journal, 14 June 2013

EXTRACT:

In one sobering moment in late April, Jordan's King Abdullah II presented President Barack Obama and aides with a bleak scenario for Syria—showing them a map of how the country could split into warring, sectarian fiefdoms, with a tract of desert dominated by al Qaeda and its allies, U.S. officials said.

. . . .

In meetings with officials from the White House and other departments, King Abdullah told policy makers that Syria would become similar to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, or FATA, where al Qaeda has long been based.

“Syria is going to become the new FATA, the breeding ground from where they launch attacks,” the king said, according to a person in the meetings.

Read full article.

Continue reading “Mini-Me: Jordanian King Manipulates Obama & Light-Weight National Security Team — French & British Lie on Chemical Weapons — Susan Rice Ignored”

2013/06/122013/06/12

John Maguire: Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen Confirms DoD Development and Use of Weather Weapons

04 Inter-State Conflict, 07 Other Atrocities

Tom Bearden has been advising the public about Scalar-based weather-warfare for over 20 years, and he was well aware of this SoD quotation long before NaturalNews just recently picked it up. Here is his 1997 early warning.

Weather weapons have existed for over 15 years, testified U.S. Secretary of Defense

Thursday, June 06, 2013 by: J. D. Heyes

(NaturalNews) The development of so-called “weather weapons” has been dismissed by many as paranoid hyperbole, the work of science fiction movie script writers and conspiracy theorists, but the fact is they have existed, at least in the laboratory, for decades.

None other than former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen, in fact, has talked about the development of weather-related weaponry – or, more specifically, techniques to create weather events to support offensive military operations. During a question-and-answer session at the Conference on Terrorism, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and U.S. Strategy at the Georgia Center in Athens, Ga., in 1997, Cohen addressed them:

Continue reading “John Maguire: Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen Confirms DoD Development and Use of Weather Weapons”

2013/06/122013/06/12

Vladimir Putin: Syria My Way — An Overview

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 06 Russia, 08 Wild Cards, Government, Media, Military

Western-Backed Insurgents suffer “Stalingrad-like Defeat” in Qasair. Syrian Army wins Decisive Victories throughout Syria

Christof Lehmann (nsnbc),- On Saturday 8. June 2013 the Syrian Arab Army has won decisive battles over western-backed insurgents in Qasair and throughout the country. In Qasair, the last pockets of resistance in al-Budweia al Sharquia were fought down and the armed forces are restoring security and are bringing relieve to the cities occupants.

Syrian armed forces won decisive battles against the insurgents throughout the country and security is being reestablished in the country with the exception of small, residual pockets. The risk of terrorist attacks, sniper attacks, car bombs and the terrorism in general remains high, while major combat operations are most likely completed.

In a statement on Friday, Russia´s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov explained, that the number of remaining insurgents in Qasair was in the hundreds, rather than in the thousands, and that most of them are from European and regional countries, saying:

“Hundreds rather than thousands of gunmen are fighting the Syrian army and that those are of European nationalities and from the regions countries, which is why there is increased importance to end the crisis and create favorable conditions to hold the international conference on Syria”.

The total number of remaining foreign fighters is estimated be different sources, between 5.000 and 10.000. On Saturday, the Syrian armed forces initiated decisive operations and restored security in most of Syria. A Syrian military source stated about Qasair, that the army is:

“going ahead with removing the debris of destruction and the barricades set up by the terrorists, while engineering units are dismantling explosives which were planted or left behind by the insurgents”.

Units of the Syrian armed forces also inflicted heavy losses to insurgents in other areas and report of large numbers of killed insurgents.

Continue reading “Vladimir Putin: Syria My Way — An Overview”

2013/06/122013/06/12

Akbar Ahmed: Drones kill three bad guys — and 30 innocents

04 Inter-State Conflict, 07 Other Atrocities, 09 Terrorism, Government, Idiocy, IO Deeds of War

Drones kill three bad guys — and 30 innocents: Akbar Ahmed

Jun 12, 2013, 12.00AM IST [ Sameer Arshad ]

The latest drone strike to hit Pakistan's tribal region came days after the country's new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif demanded an end to such attacks. Academic Akbar Ahmed has authored The Thistle and the Drone on the dynamics of drone strikes. Speaking with Sameer Arshad, Ahmed discussed why drones are ineffective, the fall-out of using these, the US-Pakistan relationship — and how the Taliban has grown in power but could also face resistance:

What do drone strikes just before and after Nawaz Sharif's inauguration reflect about US policies towards his government?

These reflect a certain contradiction in American policy — these almost suggest a confrontation with the new PM which the US does not want.

However, Sharif is a seasoned politician. He will find a way out to maintain Pakistan's integrity while America pursues its aims. The relationship is mutually beneficial and important to both.

Are drone strikes making the world safer?

I can categorically answer that in the negative. Apart from the dubious arguments justifying drones, this is a highly ineffective method of checking violence. With every three bad guys killed, there are some 30 innocent women and children who die. And every strike feeds into anti-Americanism — after over a decade of using drones, neither have suicide bombers stopped, nor have those following them dwindled.

We need other methods of checking violence effectively.

Continue reading “Akbar Ahmed: Drones kill three bad guys — and 30 innocents”