The Threats of War Continue to Grow

Hizballah And Israel Are Close To Clash

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The first US-Turkish backed steps for creating “safe havens” in Syria and possible strategic bombardment of the Syrian army have brought the Middle East close to two dangerous junctures:  The Syrian army’s use of chemical weapons, and an outbreak of hostilities between Hizballah and Israel, debkafile’s military sources report.

The creeping Western involvement in the Syrian conflict was not previously acknowledged and the Lebanese Shi’ite Hizballah rarely figured publicly as a fighting prop of the Assad regime. That is until the dam burst Friday and Saturday, Sept 7-8. The United States then admitted that US officials and intelligence agents were training and aiding Syrian rebels [ who belong or have connections with Al Quaida ] from positions on the Turkish border – and therefore are directly intervening in their operations.  This admission came on the heels of the debkafile disclosure of Sept. 6 that Turkish officers backed by US agents had taken command of two Syrian rebel brigades. Britain and France came next to report they were sending aid directly to the Syrian opposition, a more cautious admission than the American reference to officials and agents, but clearly on the same track, which adds up to their direct intervention in Syria for the creation of “safe havens.”

French and British foreign ministers attending a European Union meeting in Cyprus called Friday night for sanctions against Hizballah, meaning that mounting Western pressure on Assad has been extended to his Lebanese ally. But the big event thus portended is still to come.  It will now be up to the Syrian rebels, backed and steered by a US-led Arab-Western-European-Turkish coalition, to fight for the “safe haven,” purge it of forces and militias loyal to Assad and expand it for control of large tracts of territory in eastern and western Syria.

Despite fairly large-scale defections, the bulk of the Syrian army still maintains its allegiance to the Syrian ruler and doesn’t appear ready to turn against him. The rebels therefore face a long, arduous and hazardous haul before they can secure a substantial “safe haven” – unless it can be shortened by a step now under consideration in Washington, London, Paris, Ankara and at least two Arab capitals: aerial bombardment of the Syrian army’s toughest backbone, the 9th Division commanded by the Syrian ruler’s brother, Gen. Maher Assad.  The same treatment could be meted out to smash Hizballah bases and strategic centers.

The thinking in some circles in Washington is that Russia’s disengagement from its support of the Assad regime and cutoff of essential weapons, have opened the way to severing the military bonds tying Assad, Hizballah and Tehran together. As long as those bonds are viable, it will be that much harder to bring Assad to heel and subjugate his armed forces.

The revelation by British military sources Friday, Sept. 7 that 150 elite officers and troops of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards had flown into Syria was intended as a warning to Tehran that the time had come to pull its hand  out of the Syrian fire.

This rush of events may bring closer to reality the action feared most by Western powers, Israel, Turkey and Jordan that, as his enemies close in, Assad will bring out his chemical and biological weapons.  Consciousness of this approaching threat led Washington sources to disclose Friday that Syria’s chemical arsenal was bigger and more widely scattered than suspected hitherto. It was also an admission that Washington was no longer fully apprised of the scale of this arsenal or its locations.

Last week, Israeli media were too preoccupied with the likelihood of war with Iran to notice that Israel and Hizbollah had moved up to the brink of a major clash.  The war alert declared by the Israeli armed forces in mid-week had only partly eased by Saturday.

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Source: DEBKAfile

ANGELA CHARLTON -Associated Press

Western powers are preparing a tough response in case Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime deploys chemical or biological weapons in its civil war, France’s foreign minister said Monday.

Syria’s leadership has said the country, which is believed to have nerve agents as well as mustard gas and Scud missiles capable of delivering them, could use chemical or biological weapons if it were attacked from outside.

Read full story at Breitbart

Franklin Delano Roosevelt manipulated Japan to attack Pearl Harbor. South Korea was used to instigate war on the North. Lyndon Johnson wanted war on Vietnam and got it.

Fake threats sent US marines to Grenada. Manufactured incidents precipitated America’s Panama invasion.

Saddam Hussein was head-faked into invading Kuwait. The [Persian]Gulf War, two decades of sanctions, another war, and occupation followed.

September 11, 2001 was the mother of all false flags. It’s the big lie of our time. Eleven years of imperial wars followed. One segues to another without end. Syria is Washington’s latest. Iran may be next. Proxy wars always rage. Media silence makes pretexts unnecessary.

On August 20, Barack Obama perhaps signaled US intervention intentions. He told reporters:

“I have indicated repeatedly that President al-Assad has lost legitimacy, that he needs to step down. So far, he hasn’t gotten the message, and instead has double downed in violence on his own people.”

“I have, at this point, not ordered military engagement in the situation. But the point that you made about chemical and biological weapons is critical.”

“That’s an issue that doesn’t just concern Syria. It concerns our close allies in the region, including Israel. It concerns us. We cannot have a situation where chemical or biological weapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people.”

“We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. That would change my calculus. That would change my equation.”

“We have communicated in no uncertain terms with every player in the region that that’s a red line for us and that there would be enormous consequences if we start seeing movement on the chemical weapons front or the use of chemical weapons. That would change my calculations significantly.”

These comments signal possible intervention. The New York Times said Obama’s warning advances things “a step closer to direct American intervention.”

Syrian Foreign Ministry Jihad Makdissi clearly said chemical weapons won’t be used internally. Nor will they be used against other nations except in self-defense.

Of course they won’t. Why would Assad give Washington and other NATO countries reason to intervene?

No matter. Incidents are easy to manufacture. Scoundrel media hyperbole manipulates readers and viewers to expect it. Propaganda hypes fear.

On August 17, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined “Syria’s neighbors braced for chemical threat. Assad warns Turkey on Stingers,” saying:

“The US and its allies are discussing a worst-case scenario that could require up to 60,000 ground troops to go into Syria to secure chemical and biological weapons sites following the fall of the Assad government, an unnamed American source said Thursday night, Aug.16.”

Securing weapons is deceptive cover perhaps for a planned chemical false flag blamed on Assad. DF, Obama, other officials, and Western media are manipulating public opinion to accept another full-scale war.

Alleged Iraq WMD threats facilitated Shock and Awe and occupation. Others initiated NATO’s destruction of Libya. Expect something similar for Syria. Washington’s bag of tricks contains all dirty ones.

Chemical warfare threats are hyped. DF said US Special Forces are positioned in Jordan, Turkey and Israel. “Reconnaissance teams from potentially targeted countries have infiltrated Syria.”

Medical preparations have been made. “Israeli hospitals are on war alert.” Fortified emergency wards were opened. “IDF Home Front Command units embarked on a series of chemical attack drills….”

Soldiers wore anti-contamination clothing. Underground parking areas are ready as bomb shelters. “Assad is resolved more than ever to stand fast” and fight.

DF hyperbole sounded like Western media reports during the Blitz.

On August 21, Voice of Russia headlined “Russia denies sending chemical weapons to Syria,” saying:

Colonel Vladimir Mandych, deputy head of Russia’s Federal Department for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons, said none were sent to Syria, adding:

“Chemical weapons are weapons of mass destruction. (Their) use leads to colossal consequences for people involved in armed conflicts and the civilian population and inflicts irreparable damage to the environment.”

“Of course, the international community should take measures to prevent the use of chemical weapons in different regions in the 21st century.”

At the same time, SANA state media reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejects outside intervention and safe zones. He said:

“Statements saying (the Geneva agreement) is as good as dead imply that someone seeks a pretext for military intervention. This is worrying as it can only lead to catastrophe in the region.”

He added that Russia continues discussions with “everyone” to prevent what’s bad getting worse. He fears it for good reason.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland expects no Security Council resolution. On August 20, her follow-up comments suggested intervention, saying:

Washington’s position is well-known. “We don’t think there’s going to be peace in Syria until Assad steps down and the bloodshed ends.”

America’s agenda remains unchanged, “that is to get to a political transition strategy, to get to an end to the bloodshed, and to get to a real transition with those countries who are willing to participate, outside the UN if necessary.”

On August 19, SANA state media reported Britain’s Sunday Times saying UK intelligence “is covertly aiding the armed terrorists to launch terrorist attacks in Syria….”

A Syrian opposition figure was quoted saying:

UK authorities “know about and approve 100%” of intelligence from their Cyprus military bases. It’s being sent through Turkey to the foreign-backed Free Syrian Army forces.

“British intelligence is observing things closely from Cyprus. The British are giving the information to the Turks and the Americans and we are getting it from the Turks.”

Information includes Syrian army movements in Aleppo. CIA elements are involved. So is German intelligence. The Bild am Sontag weekly reported that a spy ship off Syria’s coast uses Federal Intelligence Service (BND) technology. It provides information to insurgents.

Germany’s Defense Ministry confirmed its presence. The vessel Oker provides early warnings, communications and reconnaissance. It’s able to monitor troop movements up to 600 km inside Syria. Information is sent to Washington, Britain and insurgents.

BND agents are also stationed in Adana, Turkey. They’re monitoring Syrian telephone and radio communications.

Oker is part of Germany’s UNIFIL mission (UN Interim Force in Lebanon since 1978 until August 31, 2012 unless renewed). It’s not authorized to conduct Syrian intelligence. No parliamentary mandate approved it.

Perhaps Angela Merkel is freelancing on her own. She’s part of NATO’s imperial regime change coalition. Germany is also involved with the “Economic Reconstruction and Development” working group.

Last May, the foreign-backed Syrian National Council’s (SNC) Finance and Economic Affairs Bureau (FEAB) adopted a post-Assad privatization plan. Dozens of countries and 10 organizations are involved. Germany and the UAE lead the initiative.

They want Syrian spoils carved up among them. Plunder is their mandate. Subterfuge masks it. They call it a mission to benefit all Syrians. They plan erasing the Syrian Arab Republic and remaking it in their own image.

They envision unfettered capitalism unleashed in its most savage form. They want Syria replicating the new Iraq and Libya. Profits, not people, matter. Iraq more closely resembles hell than “the cradle of civilization.”

Violence ravages Libya. No end of conflict and human misery is imminent in either country. Full-scale war rages in Afghanistan. American-style liberation is more charnel house than democratic freedom.

Syrians experienced it for months. No end in sight is near. The worst is yet to come. Bet on it.

Related articles

• | Syriana Unlimited: Yet Another False Flag Planned? (truthaholics.wordpress.com)
• Tilling the Ground for the Seeds of Terrorism (toolwielder.wordpress.com)
• Congressman Kucinich Warns Of Al Qaeda False Flag In Syria (alexanderhiggins.com)
• US and Turkey meet to discuss Syrian chemical weapons (guardian.co.uk)
• Source

After more than 10 years of war against al Qaeda and the accompanying global “war on terrorism,” we have failed to learn that our actions create reactions. Our presence creates destabilization, then radicalization. Occupations create insurgencies. In Afghanistan, we have fueled the very insurgency we struggle to fight.

Al Qaeda had relatively little if any presence in Iraq prior to the U.S. invasion. The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, and the subsequent destruction and violence, enabled al Qaeda to flourish. Al Qaeda and its affiliates are now conducting an accelerated campaign of relentless attacks and suicide bombings in Iraq.

Last year’s intervention in Libya is another example. The U.S. and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies spurred a civil war, taking sides despite persistent questions about the nature of the opposition. The war and the chaos that followed have allowed radical groups to gain another foothold.

In Syria, prominent leaders in western nations are trying to make the case for intervention, despite the fact that our own intelligence agencies do not know exactly what is transpiring on the ground or who is doing what to whom. We do know that the chaos has provided al Qaeda the opportunity to expand, as recently reported by The New York Times:

The evidence is mounting that Syria has become a magnet for Sunni extremists, including those operating under the banner of Al Qaeda…

Daniel Byman, a counterterrorism expert who is a professor at Georgetown University and a fellow at the Brookings Institution, said it is clear that al Qaeda is trying to become more active in Syria. As it has already done in Somalia and Mali, and before that in Chechnya and Yemen, the group is trying to turn a local conflict to its advantage.

Headlines in papers around the world eliminate any doubt. The Guardian: “Syria: Foreign jihadists could join battle for Aleppo” and “Al-Qaida turns tide for rebels in battle for eastern Syria.” The New York Times: “As Syrian War Drags On, Jihadists Take Bigger Role.” The Washington Post: “In Syria, group suspected of al-Qaeda links gaining prominence in war to topple Assad.”

Recently, despite the presence of extremist elements among the opposition, President Obama stated:

“We cannot have a situation in which chemical or biological weapons are falling into the hands of the wrong people… We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.”

This situation is rife with potential for a “false flag” operation.

Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria — al Qaeda surfs instability created or supported by U.S. interventions. Al Qaeda is ready to exploit resentment toward the U.S. while capitalizing on the openings created by U.S. interventionism. As a result our U.S. tax dollars are being used to fuel the rise of extremism.

Have we learned nothing from the Soviet Union’s demise as a result of its adventure in Afghanistan? Will we continue to spend tax dollars to create even more U.S. enemies which will then be used to justify the expenditure of more U.S. tax dollars, thus setting the stage for an accelerated downward spiral for our economy and our own decline as a great power?

Dennis Kucinich : U.S. Representative from Ohio’s 10th District

Related articles

• Al Qaeda in Iraq video details deadly raid in Haditha (longwarjournal.org)
• Al-Qaeda Infiltrating Syrian Opposition, With US Support (news.antiwar.com)
• UN Designates ‘Free Syrian Army’ Affiliates as Al Qaeda (thetruthseeker.co.uk)
• Lashkar-e-Jhangvi publishes beheading video (longwarjournal.org)
• US Desperation Surfaces in Syria (dprogram.net)

The dangers associated with Syria’s chemical weapons (CW) are a dire example of why non-proliferation of unconventional weapons must be a top international priority. Up until a few short months ago, Syria’s chemical weapons were typically seen as for deterrence purposes only. Offensive use of the weapons was deemed suicidal and hence unlikely.

There is now a real alarm that Syria’s chemical weapons might be used, and not just in response to nuclear threats or foreign invasion. The worry, rather, is that the Assad regime might deploy the weapons against his Syrian opponents or that the weapons could be seized by radical forces aligned with al-Qaeda or other groups that might seek to use them in terrorist attacks elsewhere. Hence President Obama’s stern warning on Monday that Syria would face American military intervention in the event that chemical weapons are moved or prepared for use. An aide later clarified that Obama’s warning about ‘moving’ the weapons meant movement that would make the arsenal more vulnerable to seizure, not movement intended to secure the arsenal.

The concerns are not fanciful. Although a Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman last month said the weapons would never be used except in the case of external aggression, the government has repeatedly characterised the opposition forces as foreign instigated. And just as Saddam Hussein in 1987-88 infamously slaughtered Iraqi Kurds with mustard gas and nerve agents, it is conceivable that in the demonisation phenomenon of a sectarian civil war, Assad loyalists might see their opponents as deserving targets of chemical attack, especially in a last-ditch defense of the regime.

The prospect of chemical weapons ‘falling into the wrong hands’ is even more real, given the degree to which the stockpiles are dispersed and the number of fighters in Syria with shadowy links to al-Qaeda and other radical groups. Syria reportedly has some two dozen CW storage sites, some close to areas of unrest. Western intelligence agencies have a better picture of Syria’s CW following the defection of military officials involved in Syria’s program. Yet the intelligence agencies cannot be completely certain, and they are mindful of the recent Libyan experience. There, despite a relatively benign environment and cooperative attitude on the part of the Libyan government after Gadhafi agreed in December 2003 to abandon his nuclear and chemical-weapons program, not all of the Libyan CW was fully accounted for. Additional storage sites turned up in October 2011. The likelihood that this was more a case of bureaucratic oversight than purposeful deceit does not allay concerns. Dispersing stockpiles increases the margin for error and offers more leeway for looting and insider collusion. Individual chemical weapons can be carried or carted away.

The effect of a single chemical weapon would be limited, of course. Even a barrage of artillery-fired CW canisters would not produce mass casualties. This is why the term ‘weapons of mass destruction’ is a misnomer in lumping chemical and nuclear weapons together in the same category. The latter are many magnitudes more destructive. Yet chemical weapons are inhuman and problematic enough. As explained in an IISS Strategic Comment earlier this week, chemical weapons are seen as a way to cause terror and disruption. According to a monograph by my IISS colleagues Mike Elleman, Dina Esfandiary and Emile Hokayem published late last month by the EU Non-Proliferation Consortium, Syria is believed to have developed and stockpiled hundreds of tonnes of VX, sarin and mustard gas.

Obama’s warning extended to biological weapons, words he used twice in his short comments at the unscheduled Monday press conference. Although there is scant evidence in the public domain, the US intelligence community has concluded that Syria ‘has a program to develop select biological agents as weapons’. An additional reason for concern is that Syria has not ratified the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention.

Concerns about Syria’s chemical weapons underscore why it is important to stem the spread of nuclear weapons, particularly in nearby Iran. The parallels are imperfect, of course, but still telling. As in the Syrian case until recently, it seems highly unlikely that Iran would purposely use nuclear weapons or transfer them to terrorist groups. Yet the circumstances under which such weapons might be used, by mistake or miscalculation, for example, or fall into the hands of non-state actors willing to employ them against civilian populations cannot be wished away. The Syrian nightmare would be far worse if the regime had stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

This article originally appeared in Al-Monitor.

Only now, when things are at their worst, does Obama come out in full force aggression of the lips to the Assad regime, warning that the Syrian government faced “enormous consequences” should they use or move chemical and biological weapons in a threating way, he said the use or threat of use of chemical weapons would be a red-line to US intervention. Well this is all high and dandy, but frankly it’s too little too late, this so called “red-line” has no validity whatsoever, it offers only something that the Syrian regime can’t do, Obama only said these consequences would occur if Assad used the weapons, nothing was mentioned about his continued systematic torture and murder of civilians and rebels alike through use of MIGs, gunships, fighters on the grounds and the torture of foreign journalist, aswell as children and members of the Free Syrian Army. 

There has been a great deal of inane discussion as to the next step forward, with Russia and China paving the veto path, not much can be done without severely severing the ever disintegrating ties America has with the countries, but standing idly by as civilians die in the streets is something America doesn’t do, unless there’s oil. The oil-junta of America has frequently attested to its name, and continues to do so.

But of course, the main worry here is not that the Syrian regime will use chemical weapons against its own people, but that the destabilization of the regime will give great opportunity for terrorists to try and gain these weapons of mass destruction for their own goals, which is a true and real possibility. Syria, either out of desire or accident, acts as a central hub for Middle-Eastern jihadist terrorist, who are eagerly awaiting the fall of the regime’s command centers, so that they may force their way, easily I might add, into the bases where chemical weapons are stored.

The likelihood of this happening is great, and if not falling into the hands of terrorists, they will surely fall into the hands of the Free Syrian Army, a great number of whom are more than likely terrorists who have infiltrated the group. Naturally at the absolute sign of Assad falling, America or some nation will have boots on the ground to collect Syria’s massive stockpile of dangerous toys, which include mustard gas and nerve gases used by the Third Reich in the Second World War.

A FAIR VIRUS

A short story of 2,300 words.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Sure, we thought there would be riots, but only in Afghanistan, until things blew over. Not in Washington D.C., New York City, or Raleigh-Durham, for pete’s sake. No one predicted this outcome.”

To titters from the audience in the gallery, he drew a deep breath. The world was watching.

“The solution to forty five years of war in Afghanistan was within grasp. After twelve years on the ground, here was our reality: Afghanistan was fifteenth in the world in underdevelopment, the population could barely expect to live to fifty years of age, and ten percent of them were involved in illegal drug trade. After twelve years of American involvement, something needed to be done. Afghanistan was the worst kind of pit. It sucked in soldiers, careers, and money. And what did we, the West, have to show for our commitment?”

His fingers reached inside his heavily decorated jacket by force of habit. For the millionth time, they came back empty. It was a nervous habit, reaching for his cigarettes, as he was on government property, where smoking was not allowed. His empty fingers reached forward to the microphone to bend it a hair closer. He spoke again.

“You want to know how it started? Do you remember that article published in The Atlantic magazine in 2012? The one about a cat virus that changed the behavior of mice? It was a remarkable article about a remarkable virus. Of all things, this virus, Toxoplasma gondii, makes mice want to be near cats, cats that would gladly kill them! But what if? What if it could be used as a weapon? It was then, in April 2012, that I formed a team. We discussed it for hours, arguing the pros and cons as my team combed through scientific papers. Was it possible? We thought so. The real question was, could a tweaked Toxoplasma parasite do what guns, bombs, and new infrastructure funding couldn’t?”

He stood up and lifted a black briefcase onto the table. With two clicks, the old-fashioned clasps flipped open. He raised the lid. The Lieutenant General lifted two dozen copies of the magazine article and carefully set them on the table. An aide stepped forward. He put the briefcase on the floor as the aide began to distribute the article among the Senators serving on the United States Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. He was careful to keep his eyes on the man on the left, the one who headed the Investigation.

“After twelve years on the ground in Afghanistan, there was only one way to find out. We gave the project to a university down South along with funding. Ample funding. With financial motivation, it didn’t take long until they figured out how to alter the enzyme activity. We named it Toxoplasma democracii.”

The woman on the right spoke.

The Lieutenant General nodded, ready to answer. “Testing? You want to know about testing? We tested it. And it wasn’t hard to find someone willing to help us. A corrections company that fudged prisoner rights all over the place caught the eye of the Justice Department. We went right to them, and boy, were they glad to see us. They were having unresolved problems at one particular prison. We went down there with the virus in a liquid solution and distributed it in the soap. Worked like a charm. You can check the record – they haven’t had any problems since then. It’s a model prisoner population.” He paused, then added, “The prison book club went from a dozen prisoners to everyone in the prison. The literacy rate jumped from 46% to 99%. The prisoners are not only literate, now some of them write the books they review in the book club.”

His lawyer leaned over and whispered as several Senators on the Subcommittee laughed. The Lieutenant General waved him away.

“In answer to your question, yes, we tested it. And then we deployed the solution. It was easy enough to make the live particulates, and with test results better than projected, we rubber-stamped a factory we’d put on standby to start production around the clock. Then we dusted stacks of freshly minted U.S. dollars and Afghanis in smaller denominations with the live particulates. We called them Fairbucks. We targeted the smaller denominations in hopes that the less advantaged Afghans would have just as much opportunity to come into contact with Toxoplasma democracii.”

He continued, “This is how we projected it work: Afghans would get paid with Fairbucks. They handle it, wipe their eyes or touch their mouths a few times, and before you know it, the war is over. One by one, Afghans would wake up and want more for themselves and their families. They would demand fair treatment from the Taliban. From their government. From the United States. This virus would change the behavior of millions of Afghans. Not only would they want a better way of life, they would want democracy, true democracy, not some phony government propped up with local level bribes. And each individual would do their part: treat their neighbors with respect, dig up land mines, stop sowing their fields with poppies, acknowledge women’s rights. Then they would put their guns down and come to the table to work out a solution. And the Taliban would stop stealing our cheese. The Taliban would either disband as they all went home to their families or become a humanitarian organization.”

There were murmurs throughout the gallery but the Senators’ gazes had softened. Except for that of the female Senator from Wisconsin. She was frowning. She obviously didn’t appreciate the cheese joke.

She asked, “But Lieutenant General, what did your office do when it received the first requests to immigrate to the United States two weeks after the Fairbucks went into circulation?”

“Requests to immigrate? We’ve received those since the first day of Operation Enduring Freedom. Did the amount increase once we started handing out Fairbucks? Yes. Did it mean anything other than the program was going as planned? No. It wasn’t until late 2014 that the metaphoric waves of immigrants began crashing up against the Statue of Liberty. We knew we might have a problem in early 2014 when reports of Afghans wanting to join the U.S. Military were received. We didn’t think much of it. We figured it was just a matter of education and time until they could join their own army, and serve their own country while things sorted themselves out.”

He looked from face to face. Any levity was gone from their expressions. They stared right back.

“And on what date did you know the Fairbucks program had truly gone awry?” The younger Senator from Texas smelled blood.

“September 22nd, 2014.”

“What happened on that date?”

The Lieutenant General glanced at his very expensive counsel. They nodded. The room was so quiet he could hear individuals in the gallery shifting in their seats.

“The Afghan Treaty Conference in Kabul.”

The Texas Senator leaned forward. “And what happened at the Afghan Treaty Conference?”

“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan asked to become a territory of the United States.”

There was a stifled cough from the back of the silent gallery.

“And was that the purpose of the treaty the United States proposed?”

The Lieutenant General swallowed. He knew the bead of sweat forming on his brow would appear life size on TV under the bright lights. “No, Senator.”

“What was the purpose of the Treaty?” The Senator asked.

“It was a resolution to cease hostilities between Afghanistan and the United States, proposing a plan with projected target dates for establishing a democratic Afghan government and removal of American troops from Afghanistan.”

“And when the Prime Minister of Afghanistan declined to sign the treaty and instead proposed becoming a territory, what happened?” Out of the corner of his eye the Lieutenant General saw the lady Senator pick up her copy of the article.

“The United States declined the request.”

The Senator from Rhode Island said, “Lieutenant General, how many Afghans demonstrated in front the United States Embassy in Kabul the next day?”

“We estimated two million.”

“And how many throughout the country?”

“Another fifteen million. Half the population.”

“And how did the U.S. forces respond?”

“In various ways.”

“Why is that, Lieutenant General?”

“They were confused, Senator.”

“Why were they confused?”

It was like his lawyer said. Each member of the Subcommittee had an agenda, none of which coincided with ending the war in Afghanistan.

“Well, Senator, excuse my French, but it really trashed the mission. Our forces were used to having RPGs shot at them. When Toxoplasmosis democracii spread through the country, our forces on the ground began receiving a high volume of invitations from high ranking assets crucial to winning the war of Afghan hearts and minds. Then we received invitations from resources less crucial to winning the war of Afghan hearts and minds. Wanting to make the most of every opportunity, almost every team on the ground went from house to house, village to village, drinking tea until their bladders almost exploded. After three months, there were no enemies left to target. So when the demonstrations started, our guys, well, the mission for the troops was unclear. We wanted to be their friends. They wanted to be our friends. Only they wanted something the military is not in the business of providing. Citizenship. So they surrounded our installations to demand visas.”

“And what was our response?” The lady Senator obviously knew the answer but asked it anyway.

“We got the hell out, Senator. Full scale troop evacuation.”

“And why was this chosen over other options?”

“Shooting your friends looks bad. Plus, most of the important military assets had already been moved out of the country.”

The Senator on the left chuckled. “Sounds like a rout to me!” The gallery laughed.

The Lieutenant General took a sip of water. His throat was dry and he knew they weren’t done yet. A few more Senators were handling the articles.

He felt it now, courage. It began to well up and his anxiety vanished.

“The disorderly withdrawal was necessary.”

“And why is that? Because we looked like damned fools!” The Senator from Texas had an election in two months time.

The lady Senator added, “So let me get this straight,” she paused for a moment to peer down at him. It didn’t matter. His work was done here. “- the Fairbucks program had the unintended consequence of forcing the mighty U.S. military to pull out of Afghanistan almost overnight, and you believe it was necessary?”

“My apologies Senator, but where I come from, we have a saying. If you break it, you buy it. Once we saw that the demonstrations would continue until we acceded to their demands, it was the only humane thing to do. Well, that, or accept their request.”

Now the elderly Senator from Oregon spoke up. “Accept their request?”

The Lieutenant General could hear the whirl of lens zooming in. “To grant them the right to become a territory of the United States of America.”

There were gasps throughout the gallery.

“Lieutenant General, are you proposing that the United States of America should admit Afghanistan as a territory?”

“No, Senator. But I believe that is what this Subcommittee will do in two weeks’ time.”

The lawyer closest to him gripped his elbow. The Lieutenant General moved to lay his hand on it. Spreading a little extra particulate couldn’t hurt.

The Senators were all speaking at once. The Lieutenant General decided it was time. He stood. He waited. A few minutes later, the most powerful Subcommittee of the most powerful government body quieted as they waited for him to speak.

“We broke Afghanistan. We own it. And it is not the only country we broke. We’ve meddled with almost every country on the Earth. So here’s what’s going to happen. In two weeks time, this body will propose a World Treaty of Peace and the armies and navies and air forces around the globe will disband when their nations become part of the United Nations of America.”

In the moment he dreamt of night after dark night, he gestured to his own personal copy of the article on the table in front of him.

“Those articles about Toxoplasmosis are covered in democracii as were the ones sent to the Washington D.C. office of every Senator and Representative last week. Very fitting, don’t you think? To share the virus that brings humanity closer to one another? For we are no longer the cats. We are all the mice. I understood that when the Pakistanis flooded into Afghanistan a week after we pulled out. Inadvertently, the Fairbucks spread democracy to Pakistan. Soon, Toxoplasmosis democracii will spread to every corner of the Earth. War as we know it will cease to exist. Humanity will know true peace for the first time.”

He turned directly to the cameras. “On behalf of the United States of America, I apologize to our friends in Afghanistan for not accepting your request to become a territory. To the world, I say, the greatest moment humanity has ever dreamt of will arrive soon. We welcome and value your friendship. And to the citizens of this great country, the United States of America, you can leave your xenophobic demonstrations. Return to your homes to care for your families. The people of Afghanistan will have no further need to sail to our shores, for they will soon be Americans, as will the rest of the world.”

In one final gesture, the Lieutenant General reached up to his shoulders and unbuttoned the three stars from each epaulette. To a chorus of chaos, he set the stars on the table.

***

When an FBI agent goes missing, Adam Lynch will do whatever it takes to manipulate Kendra into helping find him. Lynch is an expert at getting people to do what he wants but nothing has prepared him for a woman who can see straight through him and his manipulation. Can they find a way to work together to find the missing agent, catch a serial killer and save the world?

Iris and Roy Johansen, mother and son, excel at writing thrilling suspense while developing characters that seem real. Some of Kendra’s talents reminded me of the TV shows Mentalist and Psych, which for me added to the appeal.

Comments (2)
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1. Finally someone said it.
Sergio HaDaR Tezza, (30/7/12)
2. and these same countries own the Israeli government (n.c)
Rudy, (30/7/12)
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Main Favorites Personal Messages Exposé: Iran and Syria's Nerve Gas is Made in Europe – Op-Eds – Israel National News.

Symbols for Hazardous Materials (Credit: NBC)

Forget Iraq when talking about Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), forget Libya too when talking about sophisticated weaponry, and even forget Iran’s rhetoric of bombing Israel with a nuclear bomb when talking about the threat to peace in the Middle East. It is in-fact Syria that poses the threat by having the fourth largest stockpile of chemical and biological weapons in the world. After yesterday’s excellent contribution from Jonathan Bertman on the subject, I too thought I would add my thoughts.

Since the 1980s Syria has been amassing huge numbers chemical weapons including mustard gas, sarin nerve agent, VX nerve agent and cyanide gas that worryingly can be fitted to ballistic missiles and high tech shoulder-fired rockets. With the slow disintegration of the Syria’s security apparatus it is thought that these weapons will eventually fall into the hands of extremist groups. The recent news that President Assad ordered the transfer of some of these weapons from highly secure compounds to unknown locations has sparked fear in the International Community, that some of these weapons could fall into the wrong hands sooner than expected.

With increasing numbers of Jihadi groups operating in the Syrian conflict a repeat of Libya is feared, where an estimated 20,000 missiles were taken during the revolution, and some eventually making their way into Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s (AQIM) hands. But with the extremist groups in Syria, many of who are openly hostile towards Hezbollah and Israel (for example Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and Jabhat al Nusra), and others who will carryout opportunistic sales of weapons to regional groups (such as Hezbollah and Hamas), there is a real threat that these weapons could not just affect Syria but also the region. Israel for one is worried out this fact on its northern border, though some experts stress that the threat is still low due to the expertise required to deploy these weapons effectively.

Despite Iran’s rhetoric (it is by most accounts still some years away from gaining “the bomb”) it is unlikely that the region will be affected by the Islamic theocracy anytime soon. It is Syria and the conflict there that the region and indeed the world should watch.

J Robinson - Twitter@ jprobinsons

This post was first posted on “The Old UAR”, a blog about events in the Middle East, run by Jonathan Bertman.

The Daily Beast

By Jim Campbell, 

Up until now, though Syria has tons of biological and nerve agents, Sarin among the most lethal, there is no sign that they have been used at this point. Nothing can be put past the Assad regime if  he sees control of his fascist theocracy beginning to slip away.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it, I’m J.C. and I approve this message.

Skud Missiles capable of delivering the payload to its own people in outlying areas as well as striking lethal blows on Israel.

Syria

On Thursday, July 12, test-fired advanced Scud D missiles capable of carrying chemical weapons and nerve gas and “hitting targets deep within enemy territory” as part of its war exercise.

In Washington, US officials disclosed that Bashar Assad had moved parts of his huge arsenal of sarin nerve agent, mustard gas and cyanide out of storage. One warned of “the precedent of WMD being used under our watch,” calling it “incredibly dangerous to our national security.”
DEBKAfile: Chemical weapons have been transferred to Syrian units.

See video from Sky News Here

Intelligence has emerged suggesting the Syrian regime has moved chemical weapons to the Homs region, a source has told Sky News.

A senior British intelligence official questioned about claims in the US that several streams of signal intelligence detailing the transfer of a chemical agent said they believed the account to be a “pretty accurate description” of what the UK believes is going on.

Fox News reported a senior US defense source as saying it was not clear weather the movement of the agent, possibly Sarin nerve gas, had been authorized by President Bashar al Assad or local Syrian military commanders frustrated by the ongoing uprising in Homs.

The agents, which may not yet have been weaponized, were moved from previously known stockpile locations, the report said.

Recent investigations by Sky News identified four sites where chemical agents are produced: Hama, Latakia, Al Safira, near Aleppo and at the Centre D’Etude et Recherche Scientifique laboratories in Damascus.

Storage sites were also found at Khan abu Shamat, Furqlus, Hama, Masyaf, Palmyra.

The US source was quoted as saying the Pentagon is particularly worried because Sarin can be used and released in canisters so there may not be weapons per se involved.

Also Sarin does not remain in the air after an attack so a lot of people could die and the regime would have “plausible deniability” that it had used a chemical agent, the source added.

According to Middle Eastern and other intelligence sources, Syria has the biggest stockpiles of Sarin and VX nerve gas, as well as mustard gas, in the Middle East.

Sir Mark Lyall Grant, the UK Ambassador to the UN, told Sky News he was unable to confirm the reports.

But he added: “Clearly if there was an suggestion the Syrian regime might start using chemical weapons that would escalate things to a whole other level.”

A single drop of Sarin the size of a pinhead can kill an adult. Some 13 commuters were killed when a religious sect released Sarin on the Tokyo metro system in 1995. A further 1,100 were injured.

Sky’s US correspondent Dominic Waghorn said: “The word of caution you have to add is we’ve heard similar claims from Israel – concerns about Syria’s chemical weapons – and we’ve heard similar claims being made in London as well.

“This is at a time when the West is trying to put pressure on Russia and China to rally around a concerted effort to remove Assad from power and anything that makes the situation in Syria look worse is possibly going to help that effort.”

He added: “Although we know Syria does have weapons of mass destruction, unlike Iraq which was proven not to have had any after the conflict there, I think people listening to this will be sceptical of intelligence agencies talking about weapons of mass destruction.”

Nations including Britain and America insisted that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction to justify the invasion in 2003. None were ever found.

The UN Security Council must now decide the future of the mission before July 20, when its initial 90-day mandate expires.

Russia has proposed extending the mission for 90 days, but Britain, the United States, France and Germany countered with a draft resolution to extend the mission for just 45 days and place Annan’s peace plan under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter.

Chapter 7 allows the council to authorize actions ranging from diplomatic and economic sanctions to military intervention.

But Russian Deputy UN ambassador Alexander Pankin said that Moscow was “definitely against” Chapter 7.

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