"We now see what is happening on the left bank of the Euphrates River, our colleagues know that. This territory is under the protection of our American partners, they rely there on the Kurdish armed forces. But they obviously did not work it through, members of Daesh remained in several settlements," Putin said at the annual Valdai Discussion Club meeting in Sochi.You can listen to Putin describe this issue as a disaster, about which Western governments are keeping quiet, in this video, starting from 4:46. The reason they do not wish to talk about it is, of course, that it is not only an embarrassment for US coalition forces, but that it highlights their transparent intention to prevent the stabilization and reconstruction of war-torn Syria.
The president further stressed that Daesh had recently started expanding its presence, taking 130 families hostage, which is nearly 700 people, including US and European nationals, in part of Syria controlled by US-backed forces.
"They [terrorists] put forward ultimatums and certain demands, and warned that if these ultimatums are not followed up to, they will be gunning down 10 people everyday. The day before yesterday they executed ten people," Putin stressed.
"Our information shows that several citizens of the United States and [some] European countries were also taken hostage [by Daesh]," Putin added.
What Happened
Major-General Vladimir Savchenko, from the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria, has provided details of the abduction. On Saturday 13 October, ISIS launched an assault on El Bahra refugee camp in Deir ez-Zor - which is controlled by the Kurdish militia known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - taking hundreds of people to the town of Hajin on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river, where ISIS inexplicably retains a 20km strip of land between that settlement and al-Susa. Savchenko pointed out that as a result of "inaction of the US-backed armed units... The US-led coalition and the Pentagon-controlled Kurdish forces continue to imitate [sic; simulate] the fight against Islamic State in the south of Deir ez-Zor province," without making actual steps to eradicate the terrorists.
A Russian military-diplomatic source - presumably Savchenko himself, or someone close to him - explained that the SDF was trying to launch an offensive on ISIS with the support of the US coalition, but it failed due to multiple mistakes made by the US military coordinating the operation. Meanwhile, ISIS attacked the refugee camp. Adding to the mess, two US-led coalition F-15 jets bombed Kurdish forces 'by mistake', killing six, wounding 15 and allowing ISIS to gain ground. While this last incident appears to have taken place days after the kidnapping of the refugees, it is significant that it happened near the town of Hajin, where the hostages were taken. A Russian news outlet reported that a number of American soldiers and SDF militants were kidnapped by ISIS - were these the ones Putin was talking about? Alternatively, were American and European aid workers at the camp when it was attacked?
Are these example of extraordinary incompetence, the continuation of a malicious strategy to perpetuate the conflict in Syria, or some combination of both? If the US military has been thus far reluctant to finish off the ISIS pocket within its 'sphere of influence' on the Euphrates, now it has a convenient excuse not to do so due to '700 human shields'. The source spelled out the obvious: "The imitation of fight against terrorists in this region of Syria has already lasted more than six months and is used by Washington to justify its illegal presence in this country."
While Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for the US-led Operation 'Inherent Resolve', acknowledged that the F-15 'friendly-fire' event was under investigation, and Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson admitted to an attack on the camp near Deir ez-Zor, the latter also issued a carefully-worded denial (of sorts) regarding the hostage situation: "We have no information supporting the large number of hostages alleged by President Putin and we are skeptical of its accuracy. We are also unaware of any U.S. nationals located in that camp." Notice that the point in question is "the large number of hostages" and whether any of them were American. Does that mean that there is indeed a hostage situation, just not with as many of 700 of them? Interestingly, the anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), based in the UK (and run by a single man, Rami Abdulrahman, who claims to have contacts on the ground in Syria), declared that the hostage crisis was real - except that the number of people kidnapped was 250, including 90 women and children. Thus, the US military will not deny the situation unequivocally, and even those supposed to be on their side have at least partly confirmed the information.
Perhaps the US military is trying to fix or cover up this disaster, and is doing so in the only way it knows how to fix things: by bombing hard and indiscriminately. On the same day the hostages were taken, the US-led coalition dropped white phosphorus on several districts of Hajin, where some 10,000 civilians live. This is not at all the first time that American forces have used the incendiary agent on civilian areas - a practice that is explicitly prohibited by the Geneva Convention, and which makes even more hypocritical American and European crocodile tears about the mere suggestion of Assad using chemical weapons the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has verified his forces no longer have.
Later, on 19-20 October, American 'coalition' bombs killed up to 62 civilians in the villages of al-Suseh and al-Bubadran in the same region. According to SOHR, only three terrorists died. None of this has stopped ISIS from going on the offensive in the area.
A Strategy of Spitefulness
The US military believes many top ISIS leaders have fled to Hajin, and at some point the group's founder, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was rumoured to be in the area. No doubt it is the seat of an important ISIS command center, as it was this town, together with Abu Kamal, that was targeted by the missiles launched by Iran as 'retaliation' for the September 22 terror attack during a military parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz, in which 29 people were killed.
On August 14, Major-General Felix Gedney, British deputy commander for strategy and support of the coalition, stated that only 1,000 ISIS fighters remained in the Euphrates valley. Yet last Thursday, Col. Ryan increased the figure to 1,500 - 2,000, while another anglophone source speaks of 5,000. Either ISIS has grown stronger in the area in spite of F.UK.US airstrikes, or Western sources are simply manipulating the numbers as it suits them. Most likely, the contradicting figures are the product of arguing both that 'America eliminated ISIS' and that America is still needed on the ground because ISIS remains strong. 'Dynamic narratives' - aka, speaking out of both sides of your mouth - are all-important in a hybrid information war, especially when you're losing.
But there is more to Hajin, and to the Euphrates valley and the Deir ez-Zor region in general. The map below illustrates the situation in 2015-2016, when Russia was just stepping into the scene, and when ISIS could steal Syria's oil wells and refineries largely undisturbed and smuggle it across the border into Turkey.
Notice that ISIS happened to concentrate along the Euphrates river, specifically in Deir ez-Zor, where most of Syria's oil fields are located. While the area remains in chaos, Syria will not be in a position to exploit its natural resources and rebuild. Recent comments by US Air Force Brigadier-General Leah Lauderback suggest that this is the whole point - along with obstructing Russian influence and business in the country:
"Great power competition was an objective by Russia [in Syria]... They saw us as a peer, and they wanted to take advantage in any way that they could," Lauderback stated.So the problem, as America sees it, is that Russia gets to profit and Syria gets to stabilize and prosper. No wonder, then, that ISIS is still wreaking havoc right in the middle of the largest oil fields. 'Losing' a few hundred hostages are worth it if that postpones America's defeat in the race for Syrian oil. Last week, NBC reported that the US government is developing a new strategy for war in Syria that would withhold reconstruction aid from areas in which Iranian and Russian forces are present. It would also impose sanctions on Russian and Iranian companies working on reconstruction in Syria. It cannot get any more spiteful than that.
Specifically, Lauderback said in a summary of the anti-Islamic State campaign, Russia has looked into taking oil fields that dot Syria to fund Syria's recovery and the stabilization of areas hit hard by conflict. "Economically, they wanted to seize oilfields, they wanted bids and contracts to develop Syria for infrastructure in order to stabilize Syria over the long term," she said.
Before becoming president, Donald Trump appeared to be reluctant to perpetuate US involvement in Syria and thus confront Russia. However, once in office, he has on occasion been shown to be uninformed and somewhat naive - in part, no doubt, due to the carefully controlled information he is provided by his advisors - and he has thus been proven manipulable by the 'Deep State' agents he professes to be fighting, at least when it comes to issues 'out there on the frontier'.
For example, it was not until recently that he learned that a large offensive was being prepared on the northwestern region of Idlib and, according to his own declarations, he thinks that it was he who stopped the offensive with his calls for Russia to do so on Twitter. In reality, this was the consequence of an agreement reached between Russia and Turkey in Sochi, which Trump could easily supplant with make-believe because the American media didn't report on it, so 'it never happened'. Also, Putin doesn't use the internet, much less follow Trump - or anyone else - on social media.
Similarly, Trump seems to sincerely believe that America under his command completed the job of ridding Syria of ISIS. Again, the truth is that the credit goes entirely to Syria, Russia and Iran. If Trump had a firm hold of what the US military does and an accurate understanding of the situation, he would do his best to order them to get out of the way and let those three countries sort out the Euphrates valley as they have done elsewhere.
Unfortunately, the US military - or rather, the Military-Industrial complex, which is an important element of the Deep State - has an agenda of its own. Its plan was never to eliminate ISIS, but to use it as a battering ram to topple the Assad government, which explains why US, Saudi and Israeli weapons got into ISIS hands, and why the 'anti-ISIS Operation Inherent Resolve' campaign conducted by US-led coalition has been so atrocious at completing its declared mission. Now that the battering ram strategy has failed, the remnants of ISIS are being used as drops of poison in the (oil) wells that require the American antidote. It's an utterly futile business plan in the long term, but long-term thinking isn't exactly an American virtue.
Reader Comments
All countries that aren't part of the GW Bush termed "Axis of Evil" are a disease
including mine NZ..We 're part of the 5 eyes bs here.
The pot calls the kettle black here in IMF owned land
Spying to keep evil safe from the light.
You not very good with English Andrés Perezalonso. Off course you put whatever definition you like in that quote. I see the problem, English is not your first language, your Mexican. Are you an immigrant, or a wetback. Do you have left leaning sympathies because it is important to be unbiased in your presentation. At least to get a deplorable like myself.
Well, let me school you, there is a clear difference between 'imitate' and 'simulate'. Imitate relies on following a pattern, whereas simulate, is made to look genuine but it is fake. But hell its your piece, doctor this narrative as much as you want.
What is apparent is it s a Trump hit piece. "
[...] multiple mistakes made by the US military coordinating the operation." And that is on the word of WHO, ah Major-General Vladimir Savchenko. A Russian General with a clear military bias and at war with the west. And since this is Putin's baby!
Or did he get that information from Al Jazeera. Don't tell me the Major-General is believing his own country propaganda. That a, RT link there Pepe' and those are his words. You have no other source, hm?
"The kidnapped civilians... can be used by terrorists as a 'human shield'"
Wow, 'Human Shields'. Weaponized language and all. You Left leaning Journalists (sic) are an interesting bunch.
I think Savchenko is telling porky pies, what do you think Pepe. Is he making it up as he goes. He is the only source for this, can he verify it with another New Agency (unbiased) or is this Putin talking...
"Adding to the mess, two US-led coalition F-15 jets bombed Kurdish forces 'by mistake', killing six, wounding 15 and allowing ISIS to gain ground."
Pepe my man, both your sources again, One is from Iran and other RT, that's Russian again. Did anybody without an axe to grind see this objectively. I guess you don't like Americans. Or American Alt-right news.
Al Jazeera have been making videos in the area, ya know, staged videos. Did you know that? Why are all the pictures involved in this from the same source? Why are they all use the identical source information and numbers? In every read it is the same story. Kinda reminds of MSM here in America.
" '700 human shields'."
...more RT facts. Weaponized rhetoric... I'm not going to give you much more time Pepe. This whole thing is built on what?
Informal fallacy built on relevance through presumption. Deductive reasoning, by false authority, and you are not very good at this. Have you considered going by back brushing up on your journalism again, maybe take a logics course. Stop cutting and pasting conjecture.
All the sources are Russian and biased, the conflated story is supported by using other Russian sources supporting identical facts like the 700 and bombs and all the other bullshit.
Who are your sources? Putin, TASS, RT, Sputnik....(yawn) All Russian news agencies. A Russian General. The Independent, owned by an Russian Oligarch, who was KGB officer under Putin. The Saker at SouthFront, an ex analyst who has Russian sympathies, and whose love of Putin borders on Idol worship. Al-Monitor, a Syrian mouthpiece in Washington. Matfey Shaheen from Russian Insider. And as you are not afraid to toot your own horn -- you used yourself as a source. Far too funny.
" The imitation of fight against terrorists in this region of Syria has already lasted more than six months and is used by Washington to justify its illegal presence in this country. "
BTW, I'll digress for a moment -- I do like your presentation, bold prints. No typos.
Sputnik has been accused rightly Pepe of fake news. Think of them as the CNN of Russia, and they are backed by the Russian Federation. As in the above quote.
Sputnik : The voice of Mother Russia, RIA Novosti, established by the Russian government. Headquarters in Moscow ( hell they might as well be in the Kremlin Pepe) Did you know that Sputnik's mandate is to service a non-Russian speaking audience. They make propaganda for America and the English speaking world. They are disinformation peddlers.
Are you a spook?
Can you fix cars? How about cook?
Mexicans are good at cooking aren't they. Because this shit ain't flying Pepe. Your gonna need a good job after you crash and burn.
"While Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for the US-led Operation 'Inherent Resolve', acknowledged[...]
"Who is Fighter jet World? Pepe they quoted Sputnik again, is all the sources on this pack of lies the Russian government or Russian news sources or, guys running Fighter Jet websites that quote Russian Sputnik sources (yawn).
I'm getting tired, Pep, I think the whole thing is made up and you are pasting lies together to create fake News. Create a hit piece.
The question is Pepe, why are you doing?
That the one that I am curious about...because this a Limited Hangout of sorts, without any truth, it's mean to be passed on..do you have "Trump Anxiety Disorder (TAD) Pepe, because you sound like one of those stone cold bitches, that wear pussy hats.
Lemme see, your Mexican, your living in Europe. And you hate Trump. Now where can I go with that, could it have something to do with the caravan, or the INF treaty -- Trump called the Russians on...maybe it has to do with the S-300, that Russia has brought into the mix, escalating the weaponry.
Or is the Midterms in three weeks and time to roll the 'Trump Hate', reality machine that you left leaners like to play. I'm still thinking, I'll figure you out.
"Pentagon spokesperson Cmdr. Sean Robertson told Fox News: " While we have confirmed that there was an attack on an IDP camp near Deir Ezzour last week, we have no information supporting the large number of hostages alleged by President Putin and we are skeptical of its accuracy. We are also unaware of any U.S. nationals located in that camp."
"We reject Russian assertions that the U.S. and Coalition have failed to address the threat posed by ISIS. On the contrary, the Coalition has liberated more than 99 percent of the territory previously held by ISIS."
700 hostages where did that number come from -- Phosphorus bombs. White phosphorus? That is not good, it is not a violation though, if it was used against military objectives. You do know that white phosphorus is not used as a weapon, but only as camouflage for troop movement or civilian movement.
That is if it was used at all, but the source says, SUSPECTED use.
Could it have been used to help those 10,000 civilians hide, that live in the areas that you claim the US bombed with phosphorus?
But truthfully. Can your support that allegation of white phosporus?
How do you know it was 'White Phosphorus'?
Because 'YOU' clearly say it happened, and your source, a SOTT news article by Sputnik, claims it is SUSPECTED . Which is doubtful and questionable. But again, I'd say a fallacy, but seeing your record in this article, I will say you are a LIAR. With an axe to grind, and that doesn't make you a journalist, but a propagandist for the Russian government. And a creator of fake news.I think your source "Unsubstantiated bullshit", lies and disinformation and the Russian Trolls running those websites, that call themselves News Agencies.
"Before becoming president, Donald Trump appeared to be reluctant to perpetuate US involvement in Syria and thus confront Russia. However, once in office, he has on occasion been shown to be uninformed and somewhat naive - in part, no doubt, due to the carefully controlled information he is provided by his advisors"
You gotta stop reading your own press Pepe, it hateful lies, and are you confirming previous Fake news, and planting seeds, Does open Society help you out?...I'm on to you meh.
The trolls are running over time on this one, over at the troll factories -- all this brought to you by the Kremlin.
And Russian news sources, and accusations by the Boss of Russian Bosses in Russia VLADIMIR PUTIN.
YOU ARE CLEARLY A LIAR AND GUILTY OF FAKE NEWS AND PROPAGANDA PEPE...turn you press card in.
Also illegal invasion warmongers US have been using white phosphorous since 2017, reported by New York Times [Link] and Human Rights Watch [Link] Just like you, these US agencies hate Russia as well
So who do we believe? Your brain work? Or documented evidence?
2. I'm not a "wetback", if by that you mean an illegal alien. I am also not paid for writing articles such as this one.
3. Perhaps you missed that a source that normally sides against Assad and Russia (the SOHR) confirmed the abduction, although it differed in the numbers. Also, Commander Sean Robertson didn't actually deny it, if you read his words carefully. Then there's the Russian sources. So, while I wasn't there to confirm it, it seems to me very likely that it did happen, although details may be different.
4. Likewise, I believe the white phosphorus attack to be most likely true, and that has a lot to do with the US military's history of using it in the Middle East, starting with Falluyah.
5. I'm not a spook, I don't consider myself a 'leftie', I personally don't care that much about the outcome of the midterm elections (but I'll be paying attention), and believe it or not, I don't hate Trump. But I do think that as far as foreign policy goes, he is often manipulated into doing the wrong thing or looking the other away. Why do you think he supports Saudi Arabia and Israel?
6. Do you honestly believe everything that comes out of the mouths at the Pentagon?
7. My name is not Pepe.
If 'Putin = KGB' is meant to make people quake in their booties, it's patently not working. Given that he is the most-respected politician on Earth, pretty much single-handedly restoring honor and dignity to that profession, and assuming that it is his being a member of the KGB that made him so, then the US is clearly in dire need of KGB officers appearing everywhere: taking over US media, becoming mayors of US cities, becoming senators and presidents of the USA, buying out US corporations, running the Fed, etc. The Saker is separate from South Front. And anyway, better Russian sympathies that American antipathies. Shaheen is at The Duran. Al-Monitor's being in Washington is what makes it part of your team. And Americans accusing others of 'tooting your own horns' is as rich as Saudi oil fields. Day-in, day-out the whole world hears The American Horn blaring, like a Jonestown PA system on repeat they can't escape from. You're a queer creature. That's what The Gods of The Intelligence Community, via CNN, told you to think. No, they're providing the most coherent, competitive counter-narrative to the American Horn's saturation of the planet's airwaves and fiber-optics. Are you an NPC? Can you shine shoes? Lay bricks? How's that wall coming along? Aint you got things to be doing? I can't wait till the dollar goes, and with it American largesse at everyone else's expense. You sound like one of those aggressive, narcissistic, ugly Americans the whole world detests. You're, not 'your'.
Well, look at you Michael, a good, little patriotic American to the bitter end. You're exactly the sort of person Adams had in mind when he wrote: "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." "Ahm unumurikan! You aint from 'round here, now 'r ye boy? Shine ma shoes, commie Mexican wetback nigger!" "This message was brought to you by CNN, courtesy of US CorpGov - thinking for you so you don't have to!" Meh, here's a better idea. Take your scummy, racist (online) self and park it on some 'American alt-right news' bubble-site, where you can circle-jerk to the booming soundtrack about how fucking awesome y'all are.
Michael1 isn't American, He's Canadian, according to his comments here:
Medicinal herbs that might live in your backyard
Last summer, I was helping my mom garden some of the beds in the back of her house when we stumbled upon something that looked too amazing to be true. A gorgeous Reishi mushroom was growing on the...In various camps like in Jordan and SA they traied their protegies and deployed them for their various terrorist and destabilization missions. In Syria under the Obama regime in the US, Al Qaeda was not getting the job done. The mercs were not aggressive enough and became very factionalized, and even integrated. ISIS was entirely a concept of the same Western axis and came on the scene with extreme acts of terror. Their purpose in Syria was to add more push to the Western effort to take over Syria. From the beginning these idiots were radicalized, recruited, trained, armed, paid, and deployed into Syria and they continued to get their instructions and supplies from our agents and from our special forces personnelle working on the ground in Syria. Meanwhile our jets bombed the shit out of Syria destroying uncountable homes, buildings, entire towns, and the nation's infrastructure. Our nations and people like Sheldon Adelson and yourself are largely to blame for this unpardonable crime, while the rest of us who sat on our hands and lapped up all the media lies and government bullshit have little excuse for our silence and for voting for warmongers like hag Hilary or turd Trump.
Many of these ISIS mercs were recruited out of our own nations like the US, the UK and Canada. They had and will continue to have the protection of our government agencies who were aware of the recruitment operations and assisted. They were fighting, killing, terrorizing for "our" side, so the word in the higher echelons of power is the give them cover and immunity. Just like they were extras for some movie, they now will be allowed to return to their homes in comfort without any disruption. The same will go for the White Helmets.
SEEMS YOU KNOW YOUR SHIT, FOOKIN IMPRESSIVE,
MAYBE PUTIN AND TRUMP ARE BOTH PING PONG PLAYERS, HAHA
PUTINS THE QUIET ONE, TRUMPS A LOUD MOUTHED EGOTISTICAL FUCKWIT, JUST SAYING!!
THE SAYING GOES, " BEWARE THE QUIET ONES"
I think he's being sarcastic, in his own weird way. I can attest to the fact that he's usually all balls out, all caps, raging against the (American) machine 110 percent.
While the US has a long history of blue on blue, I don't think this was a 'mistake. It's strange how time and tome again, ISIL have been incredibly fortunate benefiting from US interference. If you were a gambling man the odds would tell a story.
Real war refugees tend to go only as far away as necessary to be safe, not where it suits them best. 99 per cent of the so-called refugees in Europe have not intent to ever return home.
@Michael1: i was skipping your comment, for i know the offical us position already, normally opposite of truth. But, you are drowning in your black-hat white-hat cognitive dissonance. And you are malicious. I am a bit racist, too, for i love Andres and most mexicans.
Saying that you love most Mexicans is a bit generous, don't you think? Almost sounds politically correct. How many have you met to say you love most? I have Mexican American in-laws that are ok, have treated me nice so far, better than some other in-laws that come to mind. But i can also go to town, and bump into some that are not so nice, hate gringos, or are just having a bad day. Mexicans are just like anybody else. Some good apples, some bad. I don't even hate the illegal Mexican nationals. I just don't want them taking American jobs. My Chicano in-laws seem to resent them more than me. Not just competing for their jobs, but the Mexican nationals view the Chicanos as not true Mexicans, because some don't speak good Spanish, and the Mexican nationals are from a different culture, whereas the Chicanos view themselves as Americans, just as Blacks don't view themselves as "African American." The Dems were mistaken 2016 when they assumed they could count on the Mexican vote. Facts on the street tell a different story. The Chicanos I know show no solidarity with illegals, and voted for Trump, as they felt their position in society being threatened by these illegals.
The lack of coordination between the Kurds, and US forces, and the bombing of Kurds by US forces, all to the benefit of ISIS , is an all too familiar story. 'Mistakes' that are harmful to your agenda, are usually straightened out pretty quickly.
He was called a wetback and all!!! Holy moly....
If this is not grounds for a banning I don't know what it is. LOL
I've noticed SOTT is picking up some looneys nowadays along the right wing fringes. Suppose it comes with the territory...
Maybe all the non-white sott authors should hide their identity lest they you know... attract unwanted attention in this anti-left (somehow translated by some to be anti-minority) atmosphere.
#SNAP #hatecrimes #abuse #justiceforwetbacks #whatsawetback? #peaceandlove #fightfightfight
One day soon, the US are going to have to pack up their bags and leave Syria; you’d think it would happen quickly, like ripping off a band-aid, so they could be done with it.