The Syrian Crisis

[pmaitra]

Russia Restructures Cyprus Debt; Cyprus Prohibits US Strikes On Syria

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/31/2013 15:00 -0400

Yesterday afternoon, Russia agreed to restructure Cyprus' EUR 2.5 billion loan terms to a much more affordable 2.5% semi-annual coupon through 2016 and a principal re-payment over the following four years. While probably still out of reach for the desparate economy, it was a positive step. Of course, this 'offer' by Russia has its quid pro quo. This morning, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides has stated that Cyprus territory will not be used to launch military strikes against Syria, as "Cyprus wants to live up to its responsibility as a shelter if needed for nationals of friendly countries who evacuate from Middle East". It would appear Obama's influence is fading everywhere...

Source: Russia Restructures Cyprus Debt; Cyprus Prohibits US Strikes On Syria | Zero Hedge

Read the full article with several references.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

I still think it is wise of him to do what the Constitution requires him to do. He gets my credit, which I wouldn't give Bush.

Many people seem to have forgotten that Bush had approval of Congress, and that of 38 allied countries plus the UN for the Iraq invasion.

 

[pmaitra]

Many people seem to have forgotten that Bush had approval of Congress, and that of 38 allied countries plus the UN for the Iraq invasion.

That was a case of putting the horse before the cart.

Invasion start: July 10, 2002
Authorization: March 3, 2003

Getting a Declaration of War isn't exactly the same thing as the War Powers Act 1973. From my understanding, that Act is meant for a situation where there is an imminent threat to the US. There was none from Iraq. The Constitution requires the President to get a Declaration of War from the Congress, not an authorization or endorsement of the President's action under War Powers Act.

I see this as abusing power using a loop hole.

 

[nrupatunga]

I dont understand the 'Iran will be emboldened' part. Iran, as leader of the Shia Muslims is a rival to Saudi Arabia not rest of the world. Perhaps a danger to Israel as it supports Hezbollah and indirectly enemy to US.

I meant if a usa president though who wants to bomb syria but delays or even goes on to call off strikes(?), will be seen as weak by rest of world. Also if usa doesn't have stomach to take on syria, can it take on iran?? Hence iran will be emboldened.

Also by setting a precedent, he himself maybe putting restrictions on any future military actions of usa.

 

[pmaitra]

'Syrian rebels take responsibility for the chemical attack admitting the weapons were provided by Saudis' - source

In an interview with Dale Gavlak, a Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press and Mint Press News, Syrian rebels tacitly implied that they were responsible for last week's chemical attack. Some information could not immediately be independently verified.

"From numerous interviews with doctors, Ghouta residents, rebel fighters and their families"¦.many believe that certain rebels received chemical weapons via the Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, and were responsible for carrying out the (deadly) gas attack," he writes in the article.

The rebels noted it was a result of an accident caused by rebels mishandling chemical weapons provided to them.

"My son came to me two weeks ago asking what I thought the weapons were that he had been asked to carry," said Abu Abdel-Moneim, the father of a rebel fighting to unseat Assad, who lives in Ghouta.

As Gavlak reports, Abdel-Moneim said his son and 12 other rebels died in a weapons storage tunnel. The father stated the weapons were provided to rebel forces by a Saudi militant, known as Abu Ayesha, describing them as having a "tube-like structure" while others were like a "huge gas bottle."

"They didn't tell us what these arms were or how to use them," complained a female fighter named 'K'. "We didn't know they were chemical weapons. We never imagined they were chemical weapons."

"When Saudi Prince Bandar gives such weapons to people, he must give them to those who know how to handle and use them," she warned. She, like other Syrians, do not want to use their full names for fear of retribution.

Gavlak also refers to an article in the UK's Daily Telegraph about secret Russian-Saudi talks stating that Prince Bandar threatened Russian President Vladimir Putin with terror attacks at next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi if Russia doesn't agree to change its stance on Syria.

"Prince Bandar pledged to safeguard Russia's naval base in Syria if the Assad regime is toppled, but he also hinted at Chechen terrorist attacks on Russia's Winter Olympics in Sochi if there is no accord," the article stated.

"I can give you a guarantee to protect the Winter Olympics next year. The Chechen groups that threaten the security of the games are controlled by us," Saudi Prince allegedly told Vladimir Putin.

Mint Press News stated that some of the information couldn't be independently verified and pledged to continue providing updates on this topic.

Voice of Russia might be more credible than US government – Internet users

Recent publication by the Voice of Russia 'Syrian rebels take responsibility for the chemical attack admitting the weapons were provided by Saudis' received a strong outcry among the Internet users as some of them claiming that the company's reports are more credible than allegations against Syrian government made by US authorities.

'It's more credible than the US saying we have real evidence of Assad using them [chemical weapons]. Assad doesn't get weapons from Saudi Arabia. They don't have ties. The US will use any reason it can to go to war. Even if it means creating one', writesDylanJamesCo on Reddit.
Meanwhile, not everyone shares such this point of view.

KoreyYrvaI writes that 'The Voice of Russia wants us to believe that the Rebels totally were responsible for the chemical attack, and it was an accident"¦ because Russia has been impartial throughout all of this and I don't think America(or anyone) needs another war, but this is hardly credible'.

But one thing unites the users: they believe the US government wants and needs another war in the Middle East.

'America is just getting better at proxy wars. They have firm ties with the Saudis, and they would have no problem destabilizing Syria if it meant the US could eventually target Iran and its oil reserve', writes NineteenEightyTwo.

Voice of Russia, Mint Press News

Read more: 'Syrian rebels take responsibility for the chemical attack admitting the weapons were provided by Saudis' - source - News - World - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events,

 

[W.G.Ewald]

That was a case of putting the horse before the cart.

Invasion start: July 10, 2002
Authorization: March 3, 2003

Getting a Declaration of War isn't exactly the same thing as the War Powers Act 1973. From my understanding, that Act is meant for a situation where there is an imminent threat to the US. There was none from Iraq. The Constitution requires the President to get a Declaration of War from the Congress, not an authorization or endorsement of the President's action under War Powers Act.

I see this as abusing power using a loop hole.

Please read:

Iraq Resolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[pmaitra]

Please read:

Iraq Resolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks.

Yes, I am aware of the Doe vs Bush case. As I said, Bush abused his powers using a loophole. The link does not address the confusion between War Powers Act 1973 and Declaration of War.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

As for Voice of Russia article:

"They didn't tell us what these arms were or how to use them," complained a female fighter named 'K'. "We didn't know they were chemical weapons. We never imagined they were chemical weapons."

No thoughtful person can believe this "oops, we did did it" can they?

Launching a chemical attack is not trivial. It requires planning, training and assessment of weather and terrain, calculations of target area and weapons payload. Only Syrian forces have that capability.

And what evidence is there, or has ever been, about Saudis having chemical weapons?

It pains me to see obvious propaganda posted on DFI without comment or assessment by a poster.

[edit]

It is not just propaganda, it is deliberate disinformation.

 

[pmaitra]

No thoughtful person can believe this "oops, we did did it" can they?

I am not seeking your approval about my thoughtfulness. I would certainly appreciate it if you could avoid getting personal. Thanks.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

I am not seeking your approval about my thoughtfulness. I would certainly appreciate it if you could avoid getting personal. Thanks.

I will avoid commenting on your tin-foil hat as well.:accepted:

 

[pmaitra]

I will avoid commenting on your tin-foil hat as well.:accepted:

We have diametrically opposite views on Russia, Israel, and Adolf Hitler. I am quite comfortable with the fact that you think I am not a thoughtful person. I just choose not to be candid about what I feel about those that I disagree with. Keep that tin-foil hat to yourself. I did not grow up under Cold War propaganda, so we will never see eye to eye when it concerns Russia.

 

[amoy]

Cairo's Al Azhar's top Sunni cleric opposes military action - Al Jazeera Blogs

Al-Azhar in Cairo, Sunni Islam's highest authority, declared its firm opposition to any US strikes on Syria, saying this would amount to "an aggression against the Arab and Islamic nation".

and an interesting comment

tanweer
AL-Azhar clerics are Egyptian government(military coup backed) sponsored. This is proved by there stand on the current political situation and targeted killing of MB.
They have always been like state run TV.
just another mouthpeace for the military

 

[The Messiah]

@W.G.Ewald

 

[The Messiah]

double post.

 

[W.G.Ewald]

We have diametrically opposite views on Russia, Israel, and Adolf Hitler. I am quite comfortable with the fact that you think I am not a thoughtful person. I just choose not to be candid about what I feel about those that I disagree with. Keep that tin-foil hat to yourself. I did not grow up under Cold War propaganda, so we will never see eye to eye when it concerns Russia.

I really had no idea you really believed that FSA or other insurgents could use chemical munitions*, or that Saudis had a chemical weapons inventory which they suddenly would reveal and give to Assad's opponents.

[*Launching a chemical attack is not trivial. It requires planning, training and assessment of weather and terrain, calculations of target area and weapons payload. Only Syrian forces have that capability.]

As far as I know, the chemical weapons used in the 21 August attack impacted in areas controlled by FSA. Did they shoot at themselves?

Yes, I am an "unreconstructed cold warrior", but that has nothing to do with the facts about the chemical attack. Let's stick to those.

 

[The Messiah]

 

[The Messiah]

I really had no idea you really believed that FSA or other insurgents could use chemical munitions*, or that Saudis had a chemical weapons inventory which they suddenly would reveal and give to Assad's opponents.

[*Launching a chemical attack is not trivial. It requires planning, training and assessment of weather and terrain, calculations of target area and weapons payload. Only Syrian forces have that capability.]

As far as I know, the chemical weapons used in the 21 August attack impacted in areas controlled by FSA. Did they shoot at themselves?

Yes, I am an "unreconstructed cold warrior", but that has nothing to do with the facts about the chemical attack. Let's stick to those.

And what about those who defected from the army and not to mention that arms have been raided from the army.

The UN has also previously stated that the rebels used chemical weapons so how did they manage to do it or do you think the UN is talking nonsense ?

 

[W.G.Ewald]

And what about those who defected from the army and not to mention that arms have been raided from the army.

The UN has also previously stated that the rebels used chemical weapons so how did they manage to do it or do you think the UN is talking nonsense ?

Can you get more specific information on these points?

The major attack occurred on August 21 with many (~1500) casualties. I doubt insurgents had the capability to do it.

 

[SajeevJino]

USS Nimitz carrier group rerouted for possible help with Syria​

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and other ships in its strike group are heading west toward the Red Sea to help support a limited U.S. strike on Syria, if needed, defense officials said on Sunday.

The Nimitz carrier strike group, which includes four destroyers and a cruiser, has no specific orders to move to the eastern Mediterranean at this point, but is moving west in the Arabian Sea so it can do so if asked. It was not immediately clear when the ships would enter the Red Sea, but they had not arrived by Sunday evening, said one official.


"It's about leveraging the assets to have them in place should the capabilities of the carrier strike group and the presence be needed," said the official.

President Barack Obama on Saturday delayed imminent cruise missile strikes by five destroyers off the coast of Syria, and sought approval from Congress, a move that effectively put any strike on hold for at least nine days.

The U.S. Navy doubled its presence in the eastern Mediterranean over the past week, effectively adding two destroyers to the three that generally patrol the region. The five destroyers are carrying a combined load of about 200 Tomahawk missiles, officials say.


The Nimitz carrier group had been in the Indian Ocean, supporting U.S. operations in Afghanistan, but was due to sail east around Asia to return to its home port in Everett, Washington, after being relieved in recent days by another aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman.The Navy has also sent the USS San Antonio, an amphibious ship with 300 Marines and extensive communications equipment on board, to join the five destroyers, diverting it from a previously scheduled mission that would have taken it farther west.

The USS Kearsarge, a large-deck amphibious ship that is part of a readiness group with the San Antonio, is also on the way toward the Red Sea after a port call in the United Arab Emirates, officials said. No further specific orders had been issued to the ship, they said.

The Kearsarge, which carries 6 AV-8B Harriers, 10-12 V-22 Ospreys and helicopters, played a key role in the 2011 strikes on Libya. Two Ospreys launched from the ship helped rescue a downed F-15 pilot during that operation.

Exclusive: USS Nimitz carrier group rerouted for possible help with Syria | Reuters

 

[prohumanity]

Very Interesting pictures...will some one be able to trust the "backstabbing" power? History repeats..those who ignore history.are doomed to repeat it.
India beware !