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Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Kerry: A planned "Cessation of Hostilities" Syria
Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Kerry: A planned "Cessation of Hostilities" Syria
As described by Kerry: "So, a ceasefire has a great many legal prerogatives and requirements. A cessation of hostilities does not." He goes on to note that "a ceasefire in the minds of many of the participants in this particular moment connotes something far more permanent and far more reflective of sort of an end of conflict, if you will. And it is distinctly not that. This is a pause dependent on the process going forward."
So why the insistence on non-permanence? Especially if, as Kerry says, the ultimate objective is to "obtain a durable, long-term ceasefire" at some point in time?
According to the 29-year career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, India's former ambassador to Uzbekistan and Turkey M. K. Bhadrakumar, it is plainly because "the Russian military operations have met with devastating success lately in strengthening the Syrian regime and scattering the Syrian rebel groups," leading "the US and its regional allies" to "stare at defeat." Therefore, they "forthwith need an end to the Russian operations so that they can think up a Plan B. The Geneva talks will not have the desired outcome of President Bashar Al-Assad's ouster unless the tide of war is reversed." Therefore, "a cessation of hostilities in Syria is urgently needed."1
Hint: Wall street isn't giving her millions of dollars if they aren't expecting a return on their investment
The extraordinary ambition displayed in the careers of Bill and Hillary Clinton defies description. They have spent much of their adult lives soliciting money from others for their own benefit. A 2014 story in Time magazine said this:
"Few in American history have collected and benefited from so much money in so many ways over such a long period of time...the Clintons have attracted at least $1.4 billion in contributions..."Time failed to dig deeply enough. A more thoroughly researched expose' in the Washington Post a year later doubles the amount to $3 billion.
Comment: While Hillary Clinton claims to be a populist presidential candidate, her actions clearly show that she just panders to Wall Street. She and Bill have been wreaking havoc on the American people for decades, while getting paid by Wall Street to do it. How many times do her chronic, significant lies have to be exposed for the American people to realize what she is: The enduring awfulness of Killary: A case study in narcissism... or psychopathy
© Sergei Guneev / Sputnik
The annual meeting of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), which is the successor organization to the Soviet-era KGB is an important occasion to take the temperature in the 'East-West' relations. (The Cold War cliche is becoming useful once again.) President Vladimir Putin's customary address at the FSB meeting was the hallmark of the occasion on Friday in Moscow.
The sensational part of Putin's speech is his disclosure that the FSB is in possession of definite information that plots are being hatched in the West to stir up political turmoil in Russia as the country heads for crucial parliamentary election in October. Putin avoided the use of the expression 'color revolution' but hinted at it.The various U.S. services and the neocons in the State Department would certainly like to invite some revolt in Russia. But the chances for a successful putsch in Moscow are tiny. There is no competent opposition to the current government and a bit of economic trouble is not what incites Russians to take on the state. They would have hanged Yeltsin every other day if it were so.
Comment: The full text of Putin's address to the FSB can be read here. Here's what he had to say on the election:
Colleagues, we will hold elections to the State Duma this autumn. All constructive political forces and parties want these elections to go ahead in full compliance with the law, in a spirit of fair and open competition, and hope their results will be objective and reflect the real mood and opinion of our country's people.Putin also discussed the FSB's role in fighting corruption, combatting terrorism (including further cooperation with the UN, SCO and CSTO), monitoring refugee flows, catching foreign spies,and information security.
The FSB and other agencies have the task of doing everything necessary to prevent the activity of those who attempt or might attempt to use nationalist, xenophobic or radical slogans to divide our society.
Of course, you must also prevent any attempts from outside to intervene in our election and our country's political life. As you know, such methods exist and have been put to use in a number of countries. Let me say again that this is a direct threat to our sovereignty and we will respond accordingly.
During this week the Ukrainian military shelled our positions 16 times, thus breaking the ceasefire regime.
Thus:
- on February 20, there were registered 4 shellings (there were made 15 shots from the IFV, 69 shots from the automatic grenade launchers, and 6 82-mm mortar mines were launched);
- on February 21, there was registered 1 shelling (there were made 10 shots from theautomatic grenade launchers);
- on February 23, there were registered 3 shellings (there were made 10 shots from theautomatic grenade launchers and 1 shot from the rocket anti-tank launcher)
- on February 24, there were registered 3 shellings (there were made 8 shots from the IFV and 15 shots from the automatic grenade launchers);
Comment: Further reading:
Ukraine's forces shelled from mortars the territory of the airport and Volvo Center in the northern suburb of Donetsk overnight, a source in law enforcement agencies of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said on Saturday.
Kiev's forces continue shelling Donetsk, target airport & suburban areas
© TASS/Alexei Slavniy
"At around 10.30 p.m. Ukrainian forces opened fire from mortars with the calibers of 82 and 120 mm on the territory of the airport. Simultaneously, the forces began shelling the area of Volvo Center," the source said.
The shelling was carried out from the positions in the villages Pesky and Opytnoye. Kiev forces also used grenade launchers and small arms, he added.
Comment: Further reading:
Over the past two days the intensity of shelling has decreased. The 207 incidents of shelling reported by the DPR Defense Ministry are a less terrifying experience than the roughly 800 incidents of shelling before. Nevertheless they still threaten the lives of civilians and cause a considerable damage to their homes. According to the Ministry, the latest shelling resulted in two civilians being wounded in a suburb of Donetsk and a 10-year-old boy suffering shell-shock in Gorlovka, a city to the north of the capital of the DPR.
The heavy shelling forced the DPR Ministry of Transport to suspend repair works on the segment of the railway that had been damaged by a Ukrainian sabotage group several days ago. This part of the railway is the main line for transporting coal mined in the DPR, in particular to Ukraine. Due to the explosion, coal supplies to Ukraine were stopped. However, Kiev seems more interested in destruction of the DPR infrastructure than in the unencumbered functioning of Ukrainian industry.
Ukraine war update: Kiev breaks Minsk agreement with mercenaries, sabotage, & heavy shelling of civilian areas
© Khaled Abdullah / Reuters
Checking out the destruction from a Saudi-led air strike in Yemen's capital, February 27, 2016.
Checking out the destruction from a Saudi-led air strike in Yemen's capital, February 27, 2016.
At least 30 people, mostly civilians, were killed in the airstrikes that targeted Shiite fighters but hit a market area in the Nihm district near the capital, AP reported, citing Yemeni security officials. Body parts were strewn across the area, said officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
About 45 civilians were killed in the market, Xinhua news agency reported, citing residents. "Several Saudi-led airstrikes directly struck people gathered in a crowded market in Nehm district of Sanaa province and killed about 45 civilians while 50 others were injured at the scene," a resident in Sanaa told Xinhua by phone. Reuters reported 40 deaths and 30 wounded, citing locals.
Arab coalition forces led by Saudi Arabia have been fighting Houthi forces in Yemen, who are allied with Iran. Backing Yemeni government forces, the coalition has been providing air support for troops involved in fierce confrontations on the ground with Shiite Houthi fighters in a number of areas in and near Sanaa.
Comment: A year has gone by and the European Parliament is just getting around to a formal arms embargo against Saudi Arabia. Over 6,400 killed while they twiddled their thumbs and pondered whether arms sales were too lucrative to give up. What happened to humanitarian law and the EU's binding code to not export arms to countries in violation. Saudi Arabia is in violation.
See also: Clueless Cameron: 'Bril' UK arms deal meanwhile EU embargoes Saudi Arabia
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© Maksim Blinov / Sputnik
Mark Toner made the remarks on Friday, stating Washington had received assurances from Moscow that it's ready to stop bombing the so-called "moderate opposition," as is called for by the landmark ceasefire deal reached between the two sides earlier this week.
"I don't know how to put it any better than saying: 'It's put up or shut up time,'" Toner told reporters, adding it was time for Russia to demonstrate through actions, rather than words, that it is committed to the ceasefire plan for Syria.
© Armend Nimani / AFP
Members of the parliament disperse after a tear gas were thrown by opposition lawmakers during a extraordinary session to elect Kosovo's new President at the parliament in Pritsina on February 26,2016
Members of the parliament disperse after a tear gas were thrown by opposition lawmakers during a extraordinary session to elect Kosovo's new President at the parliament in Pritsina on February 26,2016
Scoring 71 votes in a 120-seat parliament, Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci, who had also served as prime minister, is now replacing Atifete Jahjaga as head of the breakaway province.
"I will always work to serve the country, all its citizens and respect the constitution," Thaci reportedly told the parliament after the vote.
Thaci's election has been, as expected, plagued by attacks by opposition parties, as well as mass protests outside the Parliament in Pristina.
Comment: While the cessation of hostilities in Syria will no doubt be used as the pretext for all kinds of provocations and lies from the U.S. and their allies, it also has the potential to expose their support for terrorists. By the letter of the agreement, they must provide information about participating groups to Russia. Either their moderate rebels will sign on to the ceasefire (in which case, Russia will know when and if they break it), or they will not (in which case, they'll become justified targets in the Syrian Army's advances). If few of the so-called moderates sign on, they'll be exposed as the al-Qaeda stooges they are.