Investigative Report
Syria...A War In The Shadows
By: Diane Sori and Craig Andresen / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

Misinformation is a key strategic component of any battle plan. George Washington knew this as being the nature of war in regards to the public and the press.

The war in Syria has for many years been classified by both the mainstream media and by politicians at large as the Syrian Civil War, but nothing could be further from the truth for the fact is that the civil war in Syria is a proxy war being waged by just about everybody except the Syrians themselves.

To fully understand this concept one must first know the players involved in what’s happening inside Syria and why they are so engaged.

And while we hear daily about the “rebels” who are trying to oust duly-elected Bashar al-Assad from power, know that for the most part those “rebels” are not all Syrians per se but are outsiders being driven and financed by entities outside of Syria.

In fact, the “rebels” are proxy fighters being controlled in large part by Iran with a number of said “rebels” actually being ISIS fighters, and with smaller factions bearing allegiance to various independent terrorist organizations. And with the smallest number of “rebels” actually being Syrians engaged in trying to overthrow al-Assad to better their own country, even those actual Syrian “rebels” have been taking up with Iranian proxy fighters out of both desperation and a lack of resources. They are of little consequence in the grand scheme of things.

Simply, Iran has sent their proxy fighters to Syria for one reason...to take control of a country that borders Israel in their effort to establish a launch point for military action against the regions only true democracy. Iran wants Israel to be wiped from the map, and they need a close-in base for such an undertaking.

And at the same time ISIS fighters in Syria are battling for their own chunk of regional real estate...a home base if you will after losing their grip on Iraq thanks to President Donald J. Trump. Remember, Obama did all he could to establish ISIS in Iraq and ISIS doesn’t want to just wipe Israel off the map...ISIS is seeking the Levant...as in regional control of the Middle East...which puts ISIS in direct conflict with Iran, and rest assured Iran does not want to play second fiddle in the region to anyone.

That means that within Syria both ISIS and Iran are trying to rid al-Assad of power, so as to control a country from which they can attempt to destroy Israel, and yet both Iran and ISIS are also battling each other...“rebels” against “rebels” in their quest for regional superiority.

And other terrorist factions engaged in Syria are apt to be playing a sort of follow the leader, helping whichever of the Iran/ISIS entities they feel has the best chance of coming out on top or whichever of those two entities is currently gaining the most ground...more mercenary than committed.

On the other side of things in Syria, we have the al-Assad regime which quite frankly is using Russia as its proxy to engage both Iran’s proxy fighters, ISIS, and other various terrorist factions for the purpose of maintaining control of Syria.

Russia is playing both ends against the middle by being on friendly terms with Iran and being friendly with al-Assad, but Russia when push comes to shove will most definitely side with al-Assad because Russia’s real estate interests inside of Syria are specific...as in Russia wants Tartus...a deepwater port on the Mediterranean and make no mistake both Iran and ISIS want Tartus as well. But should either Iran or ISIS control Syria neither will allow Russia access to Tartus, but should al-Assad remain in power, he would allow Russia said access.

Therefore, Russia has a vested interest in defeating all the various factions lined up against al-Assad and should Russia...specifically Putin...have access to Tartus he would be more than willing to turn his back on any economic gains he and Russia get from being friendly to Iran. And this brings us to why the port of Tartus is so important to all the key players involved as Tartus is the geographical lynchpin for why all said players are engaged in Syria.

It must be understood as fact that Russia wants the deepwater port at Tartus as its permanent Mediterranean base of operations. Leasing access to Tartus in a 1971 multi-billion-dollar debt write-off with Syria, the then Soviet Union was Syria's main arms supplier and Tartus was used to receive Damascus bought Soviet weapons. Becoming the Soviet 229th Naval and Estuary Vessel Support Division in the mid-1980s, Tartus then became the 720th Logistics Support Point for the Soviet Navy with the Russian Navy continuing to use Tartus after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union.

And while some Russians officials continue to mimic the 2012 words of Ruslan Aliev, the former head of information at the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) in Moscow that, “Tartus is not a real naval base”... that..."It is just a point on the map to replenish food and water and carry out some occasional repairs..and that from a strategic point of view [Tartus] is insignificant"...nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, a past report on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty stated that, "Russia's greatest strategic and geopolitical interest in Syria is the use of a deep-water port at Tartus.” How so...when first reported and continuing to this day, Tartus can accommodate both nuclear submarines and missile cruisers at its docks; it remains the receiving port for Russian made weapons shipments to Syria; it is a much needed refueling port and a commercial cargo loading and unloading stop; as well as being directly linked to a well-developed network of roads and railways...railways that just happen to encompass military transport routes from Tartus to major cities across Syria...railway routes Russia needs to transport weapons to al-Assad's government forces.

And Tartus is a touch point beyond just a Russian naval base as it's also a touch point in transporting natural gas to Europe. Lying under the Persian Gulf and being shared by both Iran and Qatar is the largest natural gas field in the world, and with Qatar forging ties with the European Union, Qatar along with Saudi Arabia and Turkey now want to build a pipeline link, but said link would need to pass through Tartus. And being that al-Assad and his ally Russia, as well as “rebels” supporting Iran having interest and competing proposals for said pipeline...again going through Tartus...this translates into he who controls said link controls the discrimination of the natural gas. And with a full quarter of Europe's gas energy needs now being met by Russia imagine the influence and power Russia would have if they controlled the Tartus natural gas pipeline link.

Now as for the actual physical logistics of why Tartus is so important to Russia. As it stands now Russia's most important foreign naval base is the Black Sea Fleet base of Sevastopol in Ukraine.To deploy beyond the Black Sea and especially into the Mediterranean, Russian warships based at Sevastopol must pass through the Bosporus Strait, but said strait has been militarized by NATO-member Turkey. As per the 1936 Montreux Convention, the Bosporus Strait was deemed an international shipping lane with military restrictions, and a 1982 amendment gave Turkey the right to close the Strait at its “discretion” in peacetime as well as during wartime. Because of this “discretion” the only unfettered way out of the Black Sea for Russia is through the out of the way Dardanelles, thus Tartus becomes a must have vital strategic naval asset.

But no matter the reason, Russia today desperately needs said port if they are to remain a key player in the Middle East, and that, in our opinion, is why neither Russia nor Putin will ever abandon al-Assad or his government. And when you add in that al-Assad struck a deal to confer territorial sovereignty of the base to the Kremlin, it means that as long as Russia continues to veto any and all U.N. Security Council resolutions against al-Assad as well as continues to sell weapons to his regime, their alliance will remain unbroken while at the same time it becomes highly unlikely that any opposition government who might someday replace al-Assad would allow Russia's current rights to Tartus to remain in place.

But what of Iran whom Russia to some degree continues to play footsie with?

The simple fact is that if Iran were ever to rule Syria even via a puppet government, Iran would then see Tartus as their Mediterranean base of operations and would never allow Russia to keep or even have access to Tartus. And why...in a word 'payback.' Remember, while Russia currently backs al-Assad, in October 2017 Russia also made an agreement with Iran's enemy Israel...an agreement seeing a 10-15 mile “off limits buffer zone” being placed along Israel's border with Syria...a buffer zone intending to keep both Iranian and Hezbollah forces from entering and attacking the Jewish State. Simply put, the Iranian mullahs have a long memory and they will not ignore the fact that while Russia was playing footsie with them, at the same time Russia was also making nice, if you will, with Israel...and that is something Iran will neither forget, forgive nor reward.

And this alone means that as much as al-Assad needs Russia to remain in power, Russia in turn needs al-Assad to have access to Tartus.

So as you can see from all stated, U.S. involvement in Syria has a very specific goal...with that goal being preventing Iran, ISIS or Russia from either controlling or having full access to Tarsus, but as with any U.S. military involvement anywhere, a shadow entity is to some extent pulling the strings.

And we’re talking about the gathering and dissemination of intelligence used in guiding both our military and the military forces of our allies in their efforts. Gathering intel is tricky, but not as tricky as disseminating intel and misdirection...the manipulation of gathered intel has always been a key factor not only in military operations, but in the court of public opinion regarding the use of military operations.

The C.I.A. was present in Benghazi, and most likely was a key player in the illegal transfer of weapons from “rebels” in Libya to “rebels” in Syria...actions that eventually resulted in the murders of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans...all of which the Obama administration and Hillary Clinton tried to pin on a YouTube filmmaker's video.

But, if you think such involvement by the C.I.A. is something relatively new, think again. Look at the involvement of the C.I.A. in such covert actions as Operation Mongoose https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2018/01/operation...and Operation Northwoods http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/northwoods.html...and know that those are just the very tip of the covert ops iceberg.

It is well known that we have about 2000 U.S. troops on the ground in Syria, but what isn’t widely known is that the C.I.A. has embedded...as in operatives...in Syria as well. And know that what has transpired in Syria over the past couple of weeks has been known to the C.I.A., and that certain intel we now believe has been manipulated by the C.I.A. in its dissemination not only to our allies but to the American public as well.

The latest volley of American cruise missiles fired into Syria was in response to what has been referred to as an “alleged” gas attack perpetrated by al-Assad...right? Not so fast as our military strike on Friday night, April 13th was actually in response to what our sources have told us was evidence and intel manipulated and carefully disseminated by the C.I.A. for specific purposes.

Intel from the ground, most likely gathered by the C.I.A. or by C.I.A. informants over the last couple of years, pointed to several buildings in various locations that were at one time key elements of al-Assad’s chemical weapons program. But the C.I.A. knew well that those very buildings had not only been evacuated in the days prior to our cruise missile attacks, but in fact had been emptied out long before last Friday’s strikes, which is why casualties were less than a handful and why virtually nothing of any great importance has been shown to have been destroyed.

That, however, is not where the careful manipulation of intel ends. It is, in fact, where it begins.

The U.S. led military strike against what we have been led to believe were al-Assad’s key chemical weapons facilities was supposedly in response to al-Assad’s gassing of his own people a week prior. Killing a reported 70 or so people...mostly children...a barbaric act if indeed it actually happened, this is what certain elements of our primary overseas intel agencies want us to believe, but we aren’t buying it.

Through our RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS sources and through what we have been able to piece together from other sources, we believe the truth contradicts the manipulated intel. We have good reason to believe Bashar al-Assad did not do what he is accused of doing.

And why do we believe this...first let’s have a look at the two types of chemical weapons most often mentioned in press briefings and widely spread throughout the mainstream media that either sarin gas or chlorine gas was used by al-Assad.

First, sarin gas would have had a greater kill rate than what was reported, and sarin gas also leaves behind a residue making it impossible for unprotected responders to handle sarin victims for some time...and we have all seen the images of unprotected responders trying to assist the Douma victims. Sarin gas also kills its victims at the most in mere minutes, while the Douma victims remained alive, some for more than an hour, after the alleged al-Assad gas attack occurred.

Simply, it was nor sarin gas...which must be vaporized into an aerosol form...nor was it chlorine gas that killed those people for something forgotten about chlorine gas is that it blinds its victims both temporarily and in most cases permanently, and we have not heard or seen any reports of the victims in Douma being blinded. Chlorine gas also produces a very recognizable pineapple odor as well as a specific yellowish-brown colored cloud, neither of which have accompanied any of the reports or has been stated by any of the witnesses or surviving victims...so it wasn’t chlorine gas either.

Our RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS sources tell us that the gas in question was most likely CS or CS4 gas...commonly known as CS/tear gas...that killed the people in Douma. And know that CS gas is the same potent tear gas used in riot control situations by law enforcement world wide. And while in most cases CS/tear gas is non-lethal, probably because it is most widely used in outdoor settings, a study of CS/tear gas was conducted by Prof. Dr. Uwe Heinrich* and commissioned by John C. Danforth of the United States Office of Special Counsel. Investigating how the F.B.I. used CS/tear gas at the Branch Davidians' Mount Carmel compound outside Waco, Texas, the study concluded that the lethality of CS/tear gas used would have been determined mainly by two factors: whether gas masks were used and whether the occupants were trapped in a room. Prof. Heinrich suggested that if no gas masks were used and the occupants were indeed trapped then, "there is a distinct possibility that this kind of CS exposure can significantly contribute to or even cause lethal effects."

Large concentrations of CS/tear gas also produce a cloud of white smoke or vapor, which is completely consistent with reports provided by Syrians on the ground and in photos taken immediately after the alleged al-Assad gas attack occurred...but if it wasn’t al-Assad then who did it?

Because CS/tear gas is readily available and is easily packaged in small easy to transport canisters, we have every reason to believe the CS/tear gas in question was in the possession of the Jaysh al-Islam “rebels” in Douma. We also have reason to believe that those Jaysh “rebels” knowing a setback was eminent due to the breakdown of negotiations with the al-Assad regime, set in place their own covert op by which their knowing of the sensibilities of the West regarding harm done to children...something the barbaric islamist Jaysh “rebels” have no problem with...they gathered up just enough children from their own area...possibly children of average Douma citizens...enclosed them in unventilated rooms and set off more than enough CS/tear gas canisters to cause the required 20% fatality rate so as to incur the wrath of the West while blaming the alleged attack on al-Assad.

There are several reasons why we believe this to be the absolute most likely scenario.

The militant Jaysh al-Islam “rebels” who were in control of Douma at the time immediately hightailed it out of Douma following the “alleged” al-Assad gas attack. Running to the north of Syria to regroup under the protection of Turkey, the Jaysh “rebels” hoped that by blaming al-Assad they could garner more support for their cause, and the C.I.A. would have been fine with that as they would have also seen a benefit in getting more civilians unaffiliated with terror groups to rise up against al-Assad especially if a “rebel” covert op perpetrated against those civilians was allowed to occur. And if those unaffiliated civilians knew it was the “rebels” who were responsible and thus began to actively oppose such “rebel” factions...the C.I.A. would be okay with that too.

And by carefully manipulating and disseminating the intel not only to our allies but to the American people as well, and by doing so by spoon feeding us said information via the mainstream media, outrage over a harsh military strike against al-Assad would be minimized. So let’s be honest here...it’s so much easier to sway public opinion in favor of U.S. military action when the public is led to believe a brutal dictator gassed his own people...gassed children...than it is to gin up support for military action related to a sea port...Tartus...clear on the other side of the world.

But know that there is also another player in Syria...a player who has very strategic reasons for engaging in limited operations within that country as it is a matter of their national security. And that country is Israel who, over the past two weeks, has made two bombing runs inside Syria. The first occurred on April 8th hitting a target east of the city of Homs with the second strike occurring on April 14th hitting targets just south of Aleppo, and both are so important when one considers the misdirection in which covert ops so often engage.

In the April 8th mission Israel overflew Lebanon, which even at the time we questioned, as Israel had no real need to take that air path into Syria, as they share a small common border. So, why did they? The second supposed Israeli strike, the one near Aleppo on April 14th struck an Iranian used military base, destroying it and the ordinance stored there... ordinance used by Iran’s proxy “rebel” fighters.

And while we have no direct confirmation of this, we ask that you consider what we believe to be a very plausible scenario...could Israel have taken the flyover route across Lebanon for nothing more than to be “seen”...to intentionally be observed heading into Syria for that April 8th mission...and could the accusatory Israeli presence over Aleppo on April 14th been nothing more than a misdirection?

Let us explain…in the U.S. led strikes of April 13th we have all been told that 105 cruise missiles were deployed yet, according to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS sources, official satellite images fail to show either the level of destruction nor anywhere near the number of impact craters produced by said cruise missiles when all three sites our strike reportedly hit are added together. That tells us that between those three targets considerably less than 105 cruise missiles were actually used. By the way, each of those sites could have been successfully taken out with between one to five direct hits alone.

So, what happened to the rest? Could the next day's Israeli bombing of April 14th near Aleppo been a misdirection...a misdirection set up by the previous week’s much noticed and much talked about Israeli overflight of Lebanon. Could the Israeli war planes been nothing but a mere distraction while American cruise missiles hit the targets...making people believe Israel was dropping bombs, when in fact they were just providing cover. The idea being a coordinated strike to see what cruise missiles could do against a hardened, underground facility such as those Iran is infamously fond of constructing and then using.

In other words, could we have been working in concert with Israel in setting the stage for a not so distant future strike directly against Iran? And dare we forget that Benjamin Netanyahu was informed ahead of time about our soon to come bombing of April 13th so there is no reason why we could not have been working in concert on the 14th...if the possibility we laid out is indeed the case. Just something to think about as the lack of impact craters at the three sites we and our allies bombed says it all as witnessed by this Department of Defense photo presented as part of a briefing at the Pentagon last Saturday. This photo clearly shows the preliminary damage assessment from the Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Storage Site with maybe five impact craters at best.

Over the past five years Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has been accused of committing all the chemical attacks in Syria...attacks on both rebel factions and civilians. However, few if any have definitely been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to be his handiwork. And something the world also knows but refuses to accept as fact is that the so-called “rebels”...the proxy army of Iran...are also in possession of chemical weapons...of gas. And yet the world blames the easy target for to uncover the truth might indeed cause even more problems than exists today. Better in the world's eye to remove an easy target than deal with the true enemy...Iran.

Remember, the rules of war are solely written by the winners.
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* Professor of Toxicology and Aerosol Research at Hanover Medical School, and Director of the Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Aerosol Research, Hanover, Germany
Copyright © 2018 Diane Sori and Craig Andresen / Right Side Patriots / Investigative Reports / All rights reserved.

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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!

Today Friday, April 20th from 7 to 9pm EST on American Political Radio, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori present a Special Report: Syria...A War In The Shadows; and important news of the day.

Hope you can tune in at: http://listen.samcloud.com/w/73891/American-Political-Radio#history

Op-ed:
Syria...Beyond the Red Line
By: Diane Sori and Craig Andresen / Right Side Patriots on American Political Radio

War is a dirty game replete with casualties. Collateral damage...as in civilian deaths...is part of the nature of war, but when it's children who die only then does the world mourn. And when those children are gassed and die gasping for breath only then does it seem that the world gets a conscience and a will to fight back.

“The evil and the despicable attack left mothers and fathers, infants and children, thrashing in pain and gasping for air. These are not the actions of a man; they are crimes of a monster instead,” President Trump said upon hearing that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had once again (allegedly) used chemical weapons against innocent civilians.

Using 105 missiles...double the number used last year after we took out targeted chemical warehouses after the gas attack at Khan Shaykhun...an attack never definitely proven to be the handiwork of al-Assad's government forces...President Donald J. Trump announced on national television at 9pm EST last Friday night (see the announcement here: http://video.foxnews.com/v/5770144065001/?#sp=show-clips) that the United States had unleashed controlled and measured 'hell' on Damascus with the assistance of military jets from both Great Britain and France.

Striking several targets including the Barzah Research and Development Center (which is connected to both research as well as the construction and delivery of chemical weapons) located in Syria's capital city, as well as the Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Storage Site and the Him Shinshar Bunker Facility in Homs, the sudden but not unexpected attack lasted no more than 15 minutes. Designed specifically to minimize civilian casualties while visiting destruction on said carefully selected targets, this action was taken partly in retaliation for the April 7th chemical attack at Douma...an attack that tugged at the heartstrings of the world what with the non-stop barrage of pictures of dying, foaming at the mouth children.

Now also saying that the strikes were a direct result of Russia's failure to prevent al-Assad from using chemical weapons, what these strikes really did was show the world that Barack HUSSEIN Obama's 'red-lines' Syria crossed without so much as a blink of an eye were now 'red lines' President Trump actually erased...erased via what's being called “proportional provisional coordinated strikes”...strikes also sending a warning to both Iran and North Korea that using weapons of mass destruction will in no way be tolerated.

“Right now this is a one-time shot.” So said Secretary of Defense General James Mattis regarding last Friday night's military strikes in Syria.

And so Sec. of Defense Gen. James Mattis spoke to the press from the Pentagon regarding the strikes saying that he was “absolutely convinced” that al-Assad was the one responsible for the chemical weapons attack in Douma. Adding that Great Britain and France, our allies who joined in the strikes, were also convinced of al-Assad’s guilt, Mattis spoke of how the evidence provided by intel from said allies coupled with intel on the ground in Syria clearly pointed to al-Assad's guilt. See the actual French declassified intelligence report on the Syria gas attack here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-france-intellige/french-declassified-intelligence-report-on-syria-gas-attacks-idUSKBN1HL0N1

But is it clear that al-Assad was responsible for the chemical attack of just more than a week ago?

Not to us…at least not initially...as reports coming from Syria were sketchy at best. Using photos from between one to five years old led us to question the accuracy of said reports. There were other questions we had as well...questions like why did most of the images published...images claiming to be from the week old attack...show mostly children but very few adults and even fewer women? And why did and still do the reports coming from Syria, as well as from other “sources” from around the world, continue to refer to the recent Douma gas attack as a “supposed,” or an “alleged” chemical attack?

And while we know that such “sources” are not always accurate nor are they adept at getting to the “scene” in a timely manner to capture all-important images as they happen...real time images from which the rest of the world can truly assess the situation...in their reports these “sources” relied instead on years old stock images in an attempt to pass them off as the current event, and they did so with no disclaimer to that affect. A 'red flag' indeed that points to something being both amiss and misleading. So why do this at all?

Then there’s the question of why would al-Assad unleash even a small amount of chemical agent so close to Damascus...his home base...as Douma is but 10 miles from downtown Damascus? But the most important question of all remains what would al-Assad have to gain by using chemical weapons against his fellow Syrians?

To answer the above stated questions one must speculate that a desperate dictator is apt to take desperate actions. And with the rebel stronghold of Douma sitting just on the outskirts of Damascus...as in it simply being a bit too close for al-Assad’s comfort...that still doesn’t really answer why he would not have used conventional ordinance or even ground troops rather than risking the world's condemnation by deploying chemical weapons... condemnation he surely knew would come for while Bassar al-Assad is a brutal man the one thing he is not is a stupid man.

So, could the answer be something that most folks have overlooked...something that seriously needs to be considered as the last remaining Jaysh al-Islam "rebels" in Douma scurry off to the north to regroup (and know that this group whose name means Army of Islam is a Saudi-backed coalition of Salafist islamist militants who are believed to have carried out many of the terrorist attacks in France)...could it be that Bashar al-Assad at this point in time is actually not in absolute control of his own army? Could it be that someone in the Syrian army went “rogue”...for what is al-Assad's government itself but a rogue regime of sorts...and that whomever said person might be ordered or even helped carry out the chemical attack without al-Assad’s approval or knowledge? Things like that have happened before in some of the world's armies, but with al-Assad at the top of the chain of command he and he alone must shoulder the responsibility and be afforded the blame.

Or could it be that the islamic militant Jaysh al-Islam "rebels" were the ones who set off the gas as they cowardly retreated from Douma after the 'supposed' peace talks with al-Assad collapsed? Now wouldn't that be a nice little gift to leave for one's enemy...just something to really ponder over.

And while some might choose not to give these above stated possibilities little if any consideration or credence, just know that with Syria being in a true state of chaos it would not be surprising if some in the cast of characters started to cross over and infiltrate into the other side with ISIS plants now being in both the rebel forces and in al-Assad government forces as well. Remember, what are the rebels but tentacles of ISIS, al-Qaeda, el-Nusra and other assorted terrorist groups.

Something to think about we'd say...something that must be considered especially as Bashar al-Assad continues to say that neither he nor his forces gassed Douma.

So the bottom line, as we both see it, becomes that when looking for answers to both the questions and the many inconsistencies regarding the recent events in Douma, at this point in time we know that it was official intel gathered by U.S. agencies and operatives combined with intel from other government agencies and operatives around the world...intel that is not accessible to any but those at the highest levels of various governments...is always going to be intel more comprehensive and fact based than intel from a war-torn region where reporting is always somewhat suspect.

And with that said, the military strikes led by the United States in concert with our allies Great Britain and France leads us to believe that President Trump got it right in the actions he took, but that there might very well be more to those actions than appears on the surface. And regardless of the evidence we have seen and the evidence we may well never be privy to, one key fact remains...there can be no quarter given to any who use chemical weapons no matter the shadowy details. That of course now leads directly to questions regarding the strange alliances that are part and parcel of what’s going on inside Syria today.

On the surface it’s the al-Assad regime versus the “rebels,” but the truth is that it goes much deeper than that. The “rebels,” at least the vast majority regardless of specific factions, are the proxy force of Iran, and we, for reasons that simply are not clear, are backing the “rebels.” Russia, on the other hand, is backing al-Assad while at the same time maintaining an alliance of sorts with Iran...seemingly working both ends against the middle...with the middle being the key geographic and strategic point known as Tartus.

Tartus is a sea port Russia claims to be insignificant, although what Russia says outwardly on the matter of Tartus doesn’t meet well with reality as Tartus would become a key Mediterranean port of Russia’s navy if they can control it. And know they want to control it or at the very least have unfettered access to it regardless of who ends up securing power in Syria.

To that end Russia is hedging their military bets by defending both the al-Assad regime while also befriending and supporting Iran who, like we said, controls most of the various “rebel” factions within Syria. That way it doesn’t matter who comes out on top for no matter the winner in Syria, Russia will have access to or complete control of a very strategic Mediterranean port.

As for our part in the whole of things we’re backing the “rebels,” most of whom are Iran’s proxy and surrogate, even though with Trump at our helm we stand solidly against Iran. And that alone makes for one very convoluted situation, for no matter whom we backed in Syria we would find ourselves opposing someone or some faction that Russia favors.

Now to add to this so convoluted and quite confusing situation, two previously silent voices suddenly spoke up...two voices forming an unlikely alliance yet two voices who know and understand who the real enemy is...Iran. And to that affect early this past Saturday morning the Saudi Press Agency reported via China's Xinhua News' website Xinhuanet.com that the Saudi kingdom backs the airstrikes on Syria launched by the U.S., Great Britain, and France. In fact, an official from the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry stated that the operations were a “response to the use of banned chemical weapons by the Syrian regime against innocent civilians and for its years of horrible crimes."

Continuing on by saying that the Syrian government was responsible for such a military attack and that the international community shares blame for not taking serious steps against al-Assad's regime in the past, one has to wonder why this was first reported in a Chinese news agency instead of being issued directly from a Saudi news agency itself.

And then on Saturday afternoon a statement was issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in which BiBi said Israel “fully supports” the pre-dawn airstrikes on Syria and that, “A year ago, I made clear that Israel fully supports the decision by [US] President [Donald] Trump to stand against the use and spread of chemical weapons,” referring to American strikes against the Syrian regime in April 2017. And to that Prime Minister Netanyahu added, “Trump’s resolve and Israel’s support remain unchanged.”

Also, Israeli Housing Minister Yoav Galant, who is a member of Israel’s Security Cabinet and a former Israeli general, gave his assessment of the situation. Saying that, “The American strike is an important signal to the axis of evil — Iran, Syria and Hezbollah. The use of chemical weapons crosses a red line that humanity is no longer willing to accept,” what we take from his words is something not said but something that laid the foundation for the nightmare that is Syria today. And that foundation is Obama's red lines deliberately crossed by Syrian factions that went unpunished and going unpunished is directly what led us to the situation we and our allies now find ourselves in.

And something to ponder in regards to said actions and statements issued is that contrary to media reports, Benjamin Neyanyahu was indeed informed of the soon to come Syrian strikes before they actually happened. And this leaves open the possibility that perhaps this limited strike was a test run that leaves the door open for a possible strike courtesy of a new U.S., Israel, Saudi alliance against Iran itself.

But that is down the road for the current situation could easily explode tenfold. In fact, also this past Saturday, our U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley addressed an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council who were called together to respond to both Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia's “complaint” about the U.S. led airstrikes against Syria and to vote on a resolution condemning said strikes. Saying the U.S. will not allow the regime of Bashar al-Assad to continue the use of chemical weapons, Hally said that, "The time for talk ended last night." And by her adding that, "We are prepared to sustain this pressure, if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will," Halley let those assembled know that as per President Trump, "the U.S. is locked and loaded," if al-Assad dared to cross that particular chemical red line again. You can see that speech here: https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/syria/haley-at-un-if-assad-uses-chemical-arms-again-u-s-is-locked-and-loaded-1.5995761

And as for the failed Russian resolution and Nebenzia's complaint that the U.S. and "foreign intelligence services" were the ones that staged a “suspected” nerve gas attack on the Syrian town of Douma last Saturday and that the destroyed scientific facilities were only used for peaceful activity, sounds a bit too much like the Iranian rhetoric that they want nuclear capabilities for peaceful purposes alone...something we know is not the case. Adding that Russian experts found no traces of chlorine when they investigated the “supposed” drop site, Nebenzia also claimed that the U.S. and its allies struck before the U.N.'s chemical weapons watchdog launched an official investigation.

But does any of that really matter for Syria as both al-Assad's government and the rebel factions...factions also suspected of being in possession of chemical weapons... have been warned before not to use those weapons but said warnings went unheeded time and time again. And why...because those previous warnings were issued courtesy of useless red lines drawn by islamic condoning Barack HUSSEIN Obama and not by Donald J. Trump...a president who puts America's interests first.

Now sending a decisive message to all the world's rogue regimes, Iran and North Korea included, Friday's strike also let Vladim Putin know that the U.S. is complacent no more as well as letting the world know that thanks to President Donald J. Trump America is back and leading not from behind but from the front.

Copyright © 2018 Diane Sori and Craig Andresen / Right Side Patriots / All rights reserved.

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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE!

Today, Tuesday, April 17th from 7 to 9pm EST on American Political Radio, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss the Syrian airstrikes and its ramifications in detail; and important news of the day.

Hope you can tune in at: http://listen.samcloud.com/w/73891/American-Political-Radio#history

 

Op-ed:
Pushing America Out of the Way
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / Right Side Patriots on cprworldwidemedia.net

“There is no other way to settle the Syrian conflict other than by strengthening the existing legitimate government agencies, support them in their fight against terrorism.”
- Vladimir Putin speaking to the media prior to his September 28th private meeting with Obama

Vladimir Putin is on a roll...in just a few short months he has created a so-called 'forward' base of operations...a front-line base for all tactical undertakings in Syria...including what will be an expanded permanent base at Latakia, which will help secure Russia's naval base at Tartus, as well as being close to Israel's northern border (perhaps to come to Israel's aid if need be). And Putin has fortified said Latakia base with tanks, built housing for hundreds if NOT thousands of troops, and most importantly dozens of combat aircraft and helicopters have been deployed from that location. Now add in that the Russian navy has launched cruise missiles from ships in the Caspian Sea, and Iranian Quds forces are under Russian command on the ground, all while the Russian air force continues to bomb the hell out of ISIS...that is ISIS in the guise of the Free Syrian Army and other so called 'moderate rebels' who are anything but.

And Obama and crew look like deer caught in the headlights as they do so, as Putin is directly challenging Obama's Syrian policy...or should I say lack thereof...turning the Syrian conflict into a Russia vs the United States proxy war...more specifically a Putin vs Obama war...and I can guarantee you that with Obama as the steward of America's ship that it will be Vladimir Putin and 'Mother Russia' who will emerge victorious.

And why...because Putin is dedicated to and focused on rebuilding the Russian Empire and he will NOT let Syria nor Obama stand in his way. And now he is showing the world just how Russia flexes its muscle with his ground zero of sorts being Syria. And Putin's show of force is going beyond just bombing runs against the ISIS affiliated rebels, as Moscow recently announced that naval exercises will begin in the eastern Mediterranean sometime later this fall...exercises that will include the guided missile cruiser Moskva...Russia's Black Sea fleet's flagship...as well as smaller escort vessels and large amphibious assault and landing ships.

And Putin is oh so cleverly orchestrating all this as our military...Obama's version of our military that is...announced for the world...for our enemies...to hear that the USS Theodore Roosevelt...an aircraft carrier that has been pivotal in the fight against ISIS...is being pulled from the Persian Gulf. And so as of now we have NO aircraft carrier in the area...none...and military command saying it's for 'routine maintenance' is an out-and-out lie because this is part of Obama's on purpose military budget cuts...cuts that should prove to one and all where this man's true allegiances lie.

“Without that carrier, there will be a detriment to our capability there,” said current Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson. And while the USS Harry S. Truman is supposed to replace the Roosevelt, that will NOT happen for at least two months...if it happens at all...for if truth be told within two months time or less Vladimir Putin will be in control of Syria and moving outward from there...and Obama knows this and apparently just does NOT care.

And know that Obama just does NOT care that the base at Latakia will afford Putin's pilots the ability to fly combat air sorties, do intel surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as launch drones across the entirety of the Middle East, including into Iraq. And it's Iraqi leaders who are currently meeting with Russian leaders to work out a deal for them to help Russia fight ISIS in their country. So much for all the American lives lost, blood spilled, and treasure spent on Obama's watch after our troops, under George W. Bush, had freed that country from the brutal Saddam Hussein regime.

Wanting Russia to NOT only become a key player in the region but to become the world's number one superpower, Putin is directly countering Obama's version of democracy...a version of democracy that is anything but...and if Putin is successful in Syria and moves forward into the Middle East, know that he will NOT stop there as true empire building...as true superpower supremacy...requires that Putin have domination NOT just over the Middle East, but domination over Europe to some degree as well.

And Vladimir Putin will stop at NOTHING to get his so-wanted strategic naval bases in Cyprus and Montenegro to first, help Russia attain its long sort after naval and air power presence in Europe and second, this would ensure that Russia can send forces into the eastern Mediterranean, which NATO has dominated since the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. And Putin knows that he has to neutralize, so to speak, NATO's military capabilities, coupled with the fact that he must bring the former Soviet Baltic satellite countries...now independent Baltic states who remain NATO's weakest and most vulnerable members...back into the embrace and good graces of 'Mother Russia.'

And now thanks to Obama's many weaknesses as America's leader, Putin has a window of opportunity to do just that for remember when back in March 2014, then-presidential candidate Mitt Romney appeared on 'Face the Nation' and said Obama had been "naive" about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions all along, and that Obama abandoned our missile defense system in Poland as, “a gift to Russia" after he, Romney, had said that "Russia is our number one geopolitical foe." Well, NOT only was Romney right about Obama playing footsie with one of America's enemies, but his words have come back to haunt ten-fold and in a very dangerous way.

In a very dangerous way indeed for while Obama has now basically given carte-blanche to Iran becoming a nuclear power, he continues to draw down America's nuclear arsenal all while Russia, an ally of Iran, has NOT only maintained their arsenal, but has modernized their nuclear warheads, modernized their nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile delivery system, modernized their large fleet of long-range strike aircraft, and upgraded their already highly 'sophisticated' nuclear-armed submarines. Remember, that with the current Russian defense industry basically being rebuilt from the ruins of the old Soviet Empire, one might as well rebuild with all the newest 'bells and whistles'...and Putin is doing just that.

And let's NOT forget that America's most dubious ally...Turkey...is now thrown into the mix as well for while Turkey is in a love/hate relationship with Russia and sides with Obama against al-Assad and his government...remember that Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is himself an islamist of sorts and therefore logic dictates his siding with the ISIS-supported anything but moderate rebels...meaning that any Turkish military action against al-Assad's forces done in conjunction with or showing support for the U.S will have to be done with full NATO support...as per Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty*...as any Turkish involvement will be seen as confronting Russia, the very country they depend on for their energy needs. And despite a somewhat thriving economy, Turkey has NO significant natural gas or oil deposits, nor does it have nuclear power stations of its own, meaning Turkey is bound to Russia and to Putin, and Putin has used natural gas and oil supplies as leverage to 'punish' countries who cross him in any way...with a case in point being Ukraine. And with Turkey being geographically situated between Syria and Russia, to cross Russia would NOT be in Turkey's best national interest.

So much for Turkey helping the rebels or Obama...another feather in the cap for the 'Russian Bear.'

And so now Russia, and specifically Vladimir Putin, have become America's chief military rival NOT only in the Middle East but throughout the world, and it's all because of the ineptitude and traitorous actions of Barack HUSSEIN Obama. But those actions are NOT just confined to 'over there' as Obama now wants to bring the enemy right to America's door.

And we can point to Syria itself as our own ground zero of sorts for a muslim invasion, as the Obama administration is making plans to bring 10,000 Syrian refugees... refugees from a country which is a known breeding ground for Hezbollah militants and al-Qaeda, ISIS, and al-Nusra terrorists...into this country during this fiscal year which began on October 1st...up from the fewer than 2,000 or so admitted this past fiscal year. And the administration claims...with a straight face I might add...that those admitted will be subject to intense background and medical checks that can take as long as two years to complete and that they must apply through the United Nations. I cannot stop laughing at that one as we all know the U.N. is NO fan of America.

Saying that these refugees will be screened by the National Counter Terrorism Center, by the F.B.I.'s Terrorist Screening Center, and through databases maintained by the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and the intelligence community, is quite simply an out-and-out lie, because during a recent congressional hearing, Matthew Emrich, Director of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), admitted that they have NO way whatsoever of vetting these newest refugees because the Syrian government does NOT have an intelligence database to run checks against.

Translation: Obama will NOT be bringing women, children, or the elderly here nor will he be bringing Christians here...as most Christians have already been 'eliminated'...for we know where this man's true allegiances lie. And know he will use refugees as 'cover'...so to speak...to sneak 'operatives' into our country for those he brings in will be...like is the case in Europe...strong, healthy, young men, many with direct ties or allegiances to ISIS and the other afore named terrorist groups. And one only needs to look to the countries of Europe who foolishly allowed this muslim invasion to go forward...and know that it is indeed an invasion...to see how well it has worked out for them, for the simple fact is that when these people entered those countries crime in general increased, rapes and murders increased dramatically, all while the host countries were bled dry by those with their hands out who do NOT want to assimilate but who want to turn Europe into a caliphate state...and they scream 'allahu akkbar' every time they want something...or else.

And this, sadly, is exactly what our muslim-in-chief wants to happen here, and know that he will most likely acquiesce to the U.N. supported non-partisan advocacy organization 'Human Rights First' who demand that the U.S. commit to resettle NOT 10,000 Syrian refugees, but at least 100,000 Syrian refugees during this fiscal year. And know that this will most likely happen for last month John 'Swiftboat' Kerry laid the groundwork for just that when he appeared before our gutless and cowardly Congress urging them to raise the number of worldwide refugees we accept annually from above the 70,000 who came here in the 2015 fiscal year...and to Obama and crew what's another 30,000 terrorists or so.

And Syria is just one country out of many who are sitting back waiting for their brethren in blood, Barack HUSSEIN Obama, courtesy of his trusty pen and his phone, to let them do 'here' what they are doing 'over there'...and it now seems that Vladamir Putin and his quest for power will NOT only push Obama and sadly America out of the way, but he will be the only thing that stands in ISIS's way. And I NEVER thought I'd say this, but I'm rooting for the 'Russian Bear' and shhh...I believe Israel is too.

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* Article 5 is the basis of a fundamental principle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It provides that if a NATO ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members, and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked. This is the principle of collective defence. http://www.nato.int/terrorism/five.htm