Syrian Government and Chemical Weapons Attack
At noon on Tuesday April 4, 2017, a flash announcement on CNN said, in as many words:
''The Syrian government have carried out a chemical attack on their own people.''
The first suspicion I have is based on the following:
Why on earth, when President Assad now has the support of President Donald Trump, would he be crazy enough to launch a chemical attack on his own people?; especially as his forces are winning the civil war in Syria.
Secondly, I can suggest someone who would be crazy enough:
Those bloodthirsty murderous beasts affiliated to Al Nusra and ISIL our governments have been giving unconditional support to since the start of the Syrian civil war.
(This is the greatest war crime – those who encouraged and logistically supported the myriad of entities affiliated to the Islamic State.
So abhorrent were their treatment of ordinary Muslim people that even Al Qaeda [Osama Bin Laden's outfit] disavowed the Islamic Caliphate/ISIS/ISIL.)
I have always said that President Assad is his own worst enemy.
His inability to (internally) reform the Ba'athist structure coupled with the assassinations, tortures and murders of political opponents prior to the civil war years are all contributing factors to a highly unstable and volatile environment which provided cover for (at that time Turkish government backed) ISIS and a myriad of (Sunni) Salafist groups – all masquerading under different banners which we were happy to encourage with heavy weapons – to overthrow Assad and replace him with a Salafist theocratic government, controlled by Turkey and Saudi Arabia. (read my blogs from 2-3 years ago to appreciate the misperceptions in U.S. State Department foreign policy which preferred theocratic Salafist and Wahhabist-orientated Arab countries than the type of 'democracy' we are more familiar with.)
Democracy and Islam Cannot Co-Exist
Since Man's Laws Contradict Allah's
To summarize, the belief was that democracy, as we understand it, simply would not work across diverse Arab and Muslim lands of the Middle East and North Africa. 'Tribal' 'superstitions, mediaeval perceptions of Islam irreconcilable with twenty first century pluralism, the influence of Imams – especially those espousing extremist values in the interpretation of the Qur'an and Qur'anic law (Shariah law) and the need to provide longer-term political and economic stability across such culturally diverse lands, all confluenced to suggest that the interests of the West were best served by religious theocratic governments (or 'new' autocratic leaders who would impose theocratic Islamic values as opposed to the Western general public perceived democracy) arising from the 'Arab Spring'.
The New Islamic Theocratic Order
Muslim lands, it was concluded, as a matter of policy, were best 'reformed' by religious autocrats than democrats. I thought that this was crazy at the time and I think it is crazy today.
The political chaos, civil wars, internal terror and suppression which abound today across all of those 'Arab Spring' lands pretty much support my skepticism.
I was horrified by this view coming from the State Department in Washington.
I could not believe that anyone sane could turn over the fate of the Muslim Sunni world to Saudi Arabia so that they would control it on our behalf in the advent of the Arab Spring.
Think of it for one minute. Saudi Arabia is the main reason why there has been no Middle East peace between Israeli and Palestinian.
You will not hear this view from Tel Aviv nor Jerusalem – anxious as they all are not to 'upset' Washington's relations with Riyadh.
The secondary reason is of course Iran – but even the Iranians are a better more honest brokers for a permanent Middle East peace than are the duplicitous Saudis. But all of the West's economic interests lie in the Sunni world, at present.
(see my blog from 3 years ago about the Caspian Sea region – if you really want to be informed about now and the future of politics in that region.)
(see my blog from 3 years ago about the Caspian Sea region – if you really want to be informed about now and the future of politics in that region.)
Afghanistan: – The Forgotten War
We have given up on Afghanistan – [preferring instead to enable Pakistan to 'sort out' the mess we left after we abandoned the Afghan people to the mercy of ISIL, Al Qaeda and the Taliban.]
People will compare this betrayal to that of South Vietnam.
They are however, two completely different environments. There was something called 'redemption' or 're-education' for 98% of all South Vietnamese when the Viet Cong took Saigon.
Believe me, ISIL, their affiliates will show no mercy to defenceless civilians who have supported NATO and U.S. forces (and even NGOs) when they take over provinces in Afghanistan.
And where will those great bastions of truth - CNN and Fox News be - as men, women, and children are being roasted alive, stoned to death for petty crimes and forced to murder their own siblings and relatives. I will tell you where they will be:silent; having also 'cut and run'. Besides, the American public want to hear 'success' stories not (yet again) more abysmal failures of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, Iraq, The Yemen and Afghanistan, on their nightly mainstream news.
I said so much many years ago in my blogs, so this is just a repeat.
Where are events in Afghanistan on your nightly news these days?
The odd bombing reported – if Westerners are killed or injured or something so horrific happens they cannot avoid but report it for the shame of not doing so 'in the court of public opinion' by the rest of the world media – even in totalitarian states. The conclusion of the Taliban and ISIL is therefore that foreigners are 'higher value' targets for international publicity than locals – which is why the war of attrition against the remaining foreign NGOs, intensifies.
They Died For Nothing
Where have they told you about the Taliban, ISIL, Islamic Jihad and a myriad of Salafist groups overwhelming provinces abandoned by U.S. and coalition forces? You did not know about this?
(Afghanistan is a predominantly Sunni country -approximately 90% of it's people affiliate with Sunni as opposed to Shia Islam.)
And what about all those (mainly) young recruits who died for nothing
in Helmand, Kandahar (Spin Boldak), Paktika, Wardak and elsewhere?
Such are the fortunes of war. The 'glorious dead' are a better inspiration to the next generation than the disfigured and crippled veterans who came back alive – but not in one piece.
And what was it all for? By the time you ask your political representative that he or she will say 'I wasn't in politics then' or 'it happened long before my time so what can I say, except what I read in the history books.'
Afghanistan:
On The Verge Of Collapse As A Unified Country
(Get Better Informed)
You did not know that the Taliban and ISIL are on the brink of taking over the entire Southern provinces of the Afghanistan? You need to be better informed than what you see on CNN and Fox News.
You did not know that they will be gearing up for a protracted 'civil war' against the Northern 'warlords'?
So as not to 'witness to the world' the extent of this humiliating defeat in Afghanistan, the Western media has, to a greater extent, also abandoned the country and its people to the fate of the Taliban and Islamic State affiliates.
[As I understand, even Kabul is now too dangerous to operate from for Westerners – especially NGOs. Most of such services have been ''delegated' to 'hapless' locals – who are regularly targeted as 'collaborators' and 'easy prey' by the insurgents.]
Afghanistan is a very beautiful country – as are its people - with a very rich and varied history, but this 'agony' it is going through is likely to be continued, remorselessly, relentlessly and with little mercy on all opposing sides, for a very long time to come and I am not optimistic at all for the immediate future.
Again, you need to be better informed than CNN, Fox and mainstream networks to really appreciate what is happening in the world today.
The Taliban
I know of the Taliban. I have never, to the best of my knowledge, conversed nor discussed nor broke (shared) bread nor a meal with any of their affiliates.
I have travelled 'under the protection' of Salafist-linked groups, on two occasions, in a particular part of the world.
You need to remember that a time existed (not too long ago) when it was still possible to travel without being an 'embedded journalist' in semi-war and war zones. That era also, has now passed and the advice now would always be to either travel embedded as a journalist with either protagonist or antagonist forces.
So what I say is not out of disrespect as much as it is disagreement to their interpretation of the Qur'an as misguided and doing more harm to Islam as a religion of peace than any other factor existing.
I have said it many times in the past, but for the rise of fanatical Islam, by now the religion (and lifestyle of Islam – by voluntary choice) would be numbering near to one third of the entire peoples on this planet.
[Sadly I already know their answer: Islam was always a religion of the sword and peace can only exist when Allah's kingdom, the Qur'an as interpreted in the way of the Prophet, through [Taliban] Mullahs and Imams, is in governance and all submit and adhere in practice to its teachings.]
Some time ago I said that what Islam really needs today is a Martin Luther, John Wesley and John Calvin and in many parts of the authoritarian African Muslim world, a Martin Luther King.
Perhaps even a few Henry VIII's in the autocratic Muslim world would be helpful.
[Of course I was not very popular with such a viewpoint.]
To understand my position you need to read my previous blogs over the years since 2012.
Back to today's CNN 'newsflash' about Assad using chemical weapons in Syria:
Information Overload
Several months from now, when the truth of the matter is widely circulated and the issue of this newsflash has long been buried by CNN and forgotten by mainstream media. What will you remember?
You will recall that the Syrian President used chemical weapons to kill his own people.
Yes Assad is a tyrant. Yes he has murdered his own people. But Obama and now Trump is dealing with so many murderers (some of whom have openly admitted to murder – such as the President of The Philippines) so Assad is no exception. He might even argue that he did so to protect the unity of his country and that the assassinations were necessary to protect the national interest. [Where have you heard this before? Erdogan in Turkey might argue the same for his support of ISIS – until Trump was elected.]
Believe me, both Assad and Erdogan will make up 'like long lost brothers' when it is in both their interests to so do.
And what about the carnage, slaughter and pillage on all sides?; well, that was yesterday - they will both agree.
And this charade will continue – until one can 'remove' (assassinate or overthrow) the other.
And your mainstream media? where will they all be? they will all go along for the ride, as usual.
Which is why I again say folks, you'd better look for alternative news sources to mainstream media to make any sense of what is really going on out there.
Rapprochement
So if, as is now likely, Assad survives, expect a rapprochement between Turkey and Israel while the Turkish government plots its next move to oust Assad – this time using the Israelis.
Turkey's ultimate ambition is to bring the whole of the Levant under its nominal political influence, part of a new Ottoman Empire extending through the Caucasus. [Crimea, for the present, is out of the equation. As with the Irish (and indeed some other countries) their memory goes back a long way – and they celebrate both victories and defeats (as victories) on the battlefield. ]
It's Only Business – Nothing Personal
You saw how Turkey 'threatened' the European Union at the height of the chaos in North Africa, Syria and Iraq (see my earlier blogs.)
But that was yesterday – and everyone now wants to forget about ISIS, about the defunct Islamic Caliphate State, about war crimes and war trials where Islam - Salafism and Wahhabism – are in the dock as war criminals (and who does not 'have blood' on their hands?) and just get on with business, trade and investment.
(Besides, there are enough cupfuls of warm blood to go 'round for all at the table to relish, should show trials, Nuremberg-style, be the order of the day.)
So when today's 'newsflash' is proven to be 'fake news', where will you be?
©Patrick Emek, April 2017
DABIQ:-The Islamic State's Flagship Magazine Since Before The Creation Of The Caliphate
I have read Dabiq from Issue number 1 so I am well familiar with it's content.(I may even, unwittingly, have been a party to 'chat' since before it's creation - of this I cannot be certain.) I have not featured it before now on my blogsite so as not to 'encourage' potential naive (or curious) individuals to join the (then) 'thriving' Islamic Caliphate or indeed 'seek it out' for further 'inspiration'; Sorry folks - I work to my own agenda (!)
To appreciate events, your time will not be wasted reading these 5 articles and two pdf files, one featuring the Islamic State's flagship magazine, DABIQ. You need to understand how appealing its content is to many young [naïve] Muslims yearning for a 'golden-age' Caliphate which will restore pride, traditional values and order in societies where the Qur'an and Quranic values are practised and who consider today's world as one lost to Satan and total apostasy.
(In some respect, it is similar to evangelical Christians in that the ideal is God's kingdom here on earth. Their methods and the fact that ISIS are prepared to murder and butcher wholesale everyone who does not accept their values, is the main difference.)
From a purely personal viewpoint and as a later contemporary of Leni Riefenstahl, I think that, were she alive today, she would be very impressed by the 'purity' of the propaganda and the fact that there still exist today individuals capable, in this digital age of the visual and sound media, of using simple graphics and words to so strongly convey ideas and ideologies.
All that above being said, this does not recuse the fact that they (ISIL) are a bunch of murderous animals who in the 'process' (slaughterhouse) of 'creating' something beautiful (the 'perfect' Islamic State and Islamic World - or, indeed, the 'perfect' National Socialist State and World) will stop at nothing – nor is there is any act of monstrosity and pure evil that they will not commit – or direct others to commit on pain of a terrible death - in order to achieve their objectives.
But........we do not live in a perfect world.
As the Christian Bible says
'let he who has not sinned cast the first stone......'***
***
***When Jesus Christ came across a righteous mob preparing to stone an adulterous women he said "He who is without sin should throw the first stone." The woman did not die that day.
***
***When Jesus Christ came across a righteous mob preparing to stone an adulterous women he said "He who is without sin should throw the first stone." The woman did not die that day.
Now read on.
** Afghanistan, is on the verge of collapse as a unified country. If you really want to know what is going on and why now only a large permanent commitment of U.S. and coalition forces can save the country and it's people, visit:
http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/27713-farah-province-on-verge-of-collapse-officials
http://www.rasad.af/en/2017/01/02/afghan-strategic-sangin-city-is-on-the-verge-of-collapse-provincial-officials/
http://afghanistantimes.af/taliban-seize-control-of-strategic-district-in-helmand/
https://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/taliban-forces-seize-strategic-district-in-embattled-helmand-province-1.460127
All the signals coming from Washington are that the United States will not commit anything like the numbers of ground troops and logistical support required to push back ISIL and the Taliban in order to save the country. The likelihood is that Afghanistan will split between the Northern Alliance warlords and ISIL/The Taliban who will take control of the Southern provinces.
The Islamic Emirate (ISIL) State's website for Afghanistan (and it's 'new' flag below)
https://alemarah-english.com/?cat=2
** Afghanistan, is on the verge of collapse as a unified country. If you really want to know what is going on and why now only a large permanent commitment of U.S. and coalition forces can save the country and it's people, visit:
http://www.tolonews.com/afghanistan/27713-farah-province-on-verge-of-collapse-officials
http://www.rasad.af/en/2017/01/02/afghan-strategic-sangin-city-is-on-the-verge-of-collapse-provincial-officials/
http://afghanistantimes.af/taliban-seize-control-of-strategic-district-in-helmand/
https://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/taliban-forces-seize-strategic-district-in-embattled-helmand-province-1.460127
All the signals coming from Washington are that the United States will not commit anything like the numbers of ground troops and logistical support required to push back ISIL and the Taliban in order to save the country. The likelihood is that Afghanistan will split between the Northern Alliance warlords and ISIL/The Taliban who will take control of the Southern provinces.
The Islamic Emirate (ISIL) State's website for Afghanistan (and it's 'new' flag below)
https://alemarah-english.com/?cat=2
New video message from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: “Interview of Surrendering Police in Waghaz District of Ghazni Province”
Mainstream Media:
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/world/middleeast/isis-chemical-weapons-syria-iraq-mosul.html?_r=0
http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?306363-what-do-Salafis-believe
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/09/us-military-hits-another-islamic-state-chemical-weapons-facility-in-iraq.php
https://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1111/830847-syria-islamic-state/
http://shoebat.com/2014/08/19/isis-true-islam/
Watch children behead their parents, Kafirs (disbelievers/Christians) captured prisoners of war and stone gays to death at
http://heavy.com/news/2016/12/isis-islamic-state-amaq-news-my-father-told-me-video-syrian-arab-army-saa-turkey-turkish-soldiers-mass-execution-gay-man-thrown-full-roof-execution-full-uncensored/
https://www.zerocensorship.com/uncensored/isis/throwing-stoning-execution-of-gay-man-in-iraq-video-251359
and playing soccer with decapitated heads at
http://clashdaily.com/2017/01/demonic-isis-video-shows-young-kids-shooting-beheading-enemies-watch/
http://shoebat.com/2015/04/11/isis-takes-a-man-cuts-his-head-off-and-plays-soccer-with-it-they-then-take-children-and-behead-them-in-front-of-their-parents/
Jordanian Pilot Burned To Death In A Metal Cage:
More than 325,00 men served with the Seabees in World War II, fighting and building on six continents and more than 300 islands. In the Pacific, where most of the construction work was needed, the Seabees landed soon after the Marines and built major airstrips, bridges, roads, warehouses, hospitals, gasoline storage tanks and housing.
These "Civic Action teams" continued into the Vietnam War where Seabees, often fending off enemy forces alongside their Marine and Army counterparts, also built schools and infrastructure and provided health care service. After Vietnam, the Seabees built and repaired Navy bases in Puerto Rico, Japan, Guam, Greece, Sicily, and Spain. Their civic action projects focused on the Trust Territories of the Pacific.
For more than 60 years the Seabees have repeatedly demonstrated their skills as fighters and builders. From the 
