| by Gordon Duff
( May 22, 2013, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The timing of events in Syria has been a particular disaster for the United States. Through “sequestration,” the governments imposed austerity measures, military forces in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean have been scaled back as have other operations including intelligence gatherin."
Syria has surprised everyone. They were supposed to have collapsed long ago. They didn’t, far from it. There is every indication that the Syrian government is winning what really isn’t a civil war.
Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and “others” have brought the dregs of the terrorist and criminal world into Syria and “delegitimized” moves against the government, which had once been based on real sectarian and political differences.
We now have Israeli artillery, one American nuclear “bunker-buster” and even Israeli vehicles as evidence that this is an aggression and not another “Arab Spring.”
Thus far, three Turkish F 16s and, we are told, one Israeli, have been shot down.
There is also undeniable proof, in the form of videos, that rebel forces include units involved in unspeakable acts against Syrian civilians.
BALANCE OF POWER
As Syria has done more than simply “hold on,” Russia has become emboldened. In his recent Press TV article, Jim W. Dean outlines the “game changing aspect” of the re-emergence of Russia as a naval power in the Eastern Mediterranean.
What is important is that America has “taken its eye off the ball.” America’s hyper-focus on Iran and the Persian Gulf has led to a drawdown of American capabilities in the Mediterranean, once considered “an American lake.”
America has pulled back from the Mediterranean, chasing oil and power, chasing globalist dreams in the Indian Ocean. Its bases, Crete, the proposed fueling depot at Port Said, the secret airbase outside Mogadishu, all abandoned.
The “neocon nightmare,” Israel as America’s “aircraft carrier” in the Middle East, or America’s “junk-yard dog,” is a policy the Obama administration now openly admits is an utter failure. That policy allowed “the tail,” Israel, to “wag the dog,” the United States, pushing America into wars intent on empowering the Likudists as rulers of that “greater Israel” they dream of.
“Greater Israel” would be paid for by three trillion US taxpayer dollars and thousands of American lives lost, hundreds of thousands damaged and a world facing economic ruin and world war.
AMERICAN COLLAPSE
The dream of “Greater Israel,” allowing “the tail” to “wag the dog,” has been fostered by a multi-faceted attack on every aspect of America. America has been “propagandized” into self-hatred, class warfare and sectarian strife.
America has been inundated with cultural meltdown, rampant unemployment, poverty, and broad acceptance of totalitarianism and injustice as a requirement for security.
The American people are now continually reminded of the threat through carefully orchestrated false flag terror attacks, now so blatant that none can miss the intended message.
FICTION IS REALITY
Last week, America’s most popular TV drama, NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) revealed a “fictional” criminal conspiracy against the United States.
This show, seen around the world, has long featured plot lines involving Iranian terrorist and has been broadly supportive of Israel.
It now claims, fictionally of course, that the hostilities between Israel and Iran and even with North Korea are orchestrated by the CIA through false flag terrorism and assassinations.
It says that America’s aggressive actions overseas are meant to deceive its people about a more serious threat, one originating from inside the United States.
Before the Boston or Sandy Hook attacks, no television show would have been allowed to follow even a fictional story line like this. The show, Rubicon, tried it and was quickly cancelled.
American intelligence officials, in private, have expressed shock at what they see as “pre-conditioning” of the public to accept the CIA as an organization involved in domestic terrorism.
VACUUM
The timing of events in Syria has been a particular disaster for the United States. Through “sequestration,” the governments imposed austerity measures, military forces in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean have been scaled back as have other operations including intelligence gathering.
What America failed to see was the vacuum it created. “Nature abhors a vacuum.”
As America withdrew, albeit quietly, Russia reasserted its position in the Middle East, most obviously in defense of its longtime ally, Syria.
Russia has also, “albeit quietly,” made inroads into the Caucasus, the Caspian Basin and has become more aligned with Iran.
Frightening, to America at least, China is following Russia’s lead. Additionally, China is expanding economic moves throughout the region, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and throughout Africa.
With that, China’s political influence has also increased dramatically, of particular importance as Africa moves toward a cascade of terrorism, insurgency and civil wars.
THE DEATH OF THE “FALSE FLAG”
When Syria’s only visible friend was Iran, Israel’s “two stage approach,” pushing the United States into a military confrontation with Iran, most likely through a large-scale false flag attack, had a chance for success.
However, in today’s world, any terror attack is now examined with more sophistication and far more cynicism. Few are doltish enough to imagine that international terrorist groups, increasingly shown to be controlled by intelligence agencies, could operate without full complicity of powerful factions within the “victim” nations themselves.
Any “Iranian outrage” would quickly be traced back to Tel Aviv.
LEBANON AND SYRIA
New Russian weapons combined with enhanced capabilities for Hezbollah forces, have changed the balance of power.
Israel has spent decades, not to speak of over a billion US taxpayer dollars, fortifying the Golan Heights. It is now being used as a base of operations, both Golan and the “compromised” Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as a base of operations for Israel’s attacks on Syria.
As few now doubt the nuclear attack of May 4, 2013, even fewer doubt Israel’s forays into Syria, armor and mobile artillery, in support of rebel forces now increasingly mercenaries, terrorists and criminal elements.
Conversely, with Hezbollah holding Syria’s flank, well supplied with, not only advanced anti-armor weapons but newly upgraded shoulder launched air defense systems as well, Israel’s ability to operate against Syria from Lebanon will end.
FORTRESS GOLAN AT RISK
Israel continually talks of the threat to Tel Aviv posed by Syrian missile systems. However, the Russian Iskander system places a price tag on Israel’s actions that Israel may not be willing to pay.
The Iskandar can not only take out Patriot III batteries but can quickly cripple Israel’s armored forces and fortification on the Golan Heights.
The Iskandar is powerful, extremely accurate and impossible to stop.
Iskandar batteries, protected by S 300 air defense systems, successfully counter Israel’s air defenses and leave both armor and fortification totally vulnerable,
The most important aspect, of course, is that these are purely defensive systems.
POLITICAL CONCERNS
It is increasingly obvious that a political settlement in Syria is going to be needed. Were it not for the interference of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Israel, and the plotting of the NATO powers, such a settlement conference would be underway.
Too many have died and each death benefits only: Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and NATO.
What is broadly recognized is this fact; the rebel forces as they are currently configured, were they to triumph, would lead Syria into a decade of civil war, one where the current body-count, be it 50,000 or 100,000 would seem insignificant.
One might also ask why Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and their friends would back forces closely aligned with terrorism and extremism.
DOMINO EFFECT
There is little doubt that a globalist agenda is behind the war on Syria. This is only a stage in a broader war on Iran, followed by subjugation of Afghanistan (good luck with that) and a forced collapse of Pakistan.
The rationale, of course, involves oil and gas. As the planet has proven to be awash with oil and gas reserves, enough for centuries, particularly if alternative energy technologies continue to be suppressed, only total control of supply, delivery and active and criminal manipulation of market pricing structures can offer an adequate return.
Control of world currencies, the Federal Reserve System in the US, the failed financial system of the European Union and the IMF are required.
The methodologies, each representing an attack on the citizenry of the world, driven by outmoded Malthusianistic principles, are intended to deprive billions of basic human needs and, of course, any human rights as well.
It may all be turned around in Syria if the world finally awakens to the real threat.
Gordon Duff is a Marine Vietnam veteran, a combat infantryman, and Senior Editor at Veterans Today. His career has included extensive experience in international banking along with such diverse areas as consulting on counter insurgency, defense technologies or acting as diplomatic representative for UN humanitarian and economic development efforts. Gordon Duff has traveled to over 80 nations. His articles are published around the world and translated into a number of languages.