Keep Calm and Kill the Bastards - TTG

MOSCOW, November 25. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described as correct the offer of French President Francois Hollande to take steps to close the Syrian-Turkish border. He said as much while talking to reporters on Wednesday.

"Going back to the news conference of Presidents of France and the United States Francois Hollande and Barack Obama in Washington, I noticed that the French president suggested taking steps to close the Turkish-Syrian border to stop both the flow of militants and terrorist financing," the Russian minister said. "It is significant that President Obama did not respond to this in any way, but I think it’s the right suggestion."

"I hope that President Hollande will brief us on the issue tomorrow (during the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin)," the Russian foreign minister said. "We would be ready to seriously consider the steps necessary for this."

"Many say that, by closing this border, we will effectively curb the terrorist threat in Syria," Lavrov added.  (TASS News Agency)

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This guy Lavrov, like his boss, is a pretty cool character. He made an astute observation concerning yesterday’s Hollande-Obama news conference. I think the Russians are going to push hard for a joint declaration calling for the closing of the Turkish-Syrian border when Hollande sees Putin tomorrow. At that point, it is my opinion that both Obama and Erdogan will not know whether to sh*t or go blind.

The R+6 are already pushing to accomplish this border closing with vigorous and violent pushes further north towards the border. Convoys of any kind are being struck if they move to or from the border areas. The SAA seized control of the Raqqa-Aleppo road just east of Kuweires Airbase and cut an IS supply route.

R+6 forces are operating near the border crossings according to a description of the rescue of the SU-24 navigator. An 18 man Syrian commando team linked up with a 6 man Hezbollah already sitting near a border crossing point to effect the rescue. That Hezbollah team was performing a SICTA (strategic intelligence collection and target acquisition) mission. Such teams are probably all along that border right up to Jarabulus. 

Syrian Kurds are ready to start cooperating with Russia. Salih Muslim Muhammad, the leader of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), said, “Until now we haven’t had the opportunity to establish cooperation with Russia. But we would be happy if such opportunity appears. Russia hasn’t yet approached our region as it is active in the west. I think in the future we’ll be able to establish a dialogue on military cooperation with the Russian side.” It’s only a matter of time. 

Closing the border and neutering Erdogan’s ability to support IS and the unicorns is the best revenge for the deliberate downing of the SU-24 and the execution of Lt Col Oleg Peshkov. It is also the most effective COA to eventually destroy IS.

TTG

Comments

[CaliHalibut]

Totally agree.

I am still having a hard time grasping how such an incompetent person was able to became president. Very little of his background is known to the general public. He is one of the most mysterious presidents in recent American history partly because we were never allowed to fully scrutinize him, his background, his past experience (or lack of), his policies, intellect, character, etc.

He basically woke up one day and decided that he should be president, and the powerful media helped him accomplish it in less than a year.

We are very close to having an incompetent flunky bring the world to an end soon. Democracy is a fucking joke.

[pA]

keep in mind even after the islamic state is destroyed as a state, it will simply revert to being an insurgency, and with the sunni having enemies who hate them pressing in from every angle its hard to see their base simply disapearing.

in fact at least to the world outside their territory, an islamic state reverted to and insurgent/terrorist group would be much more dangerous.

[pA]

did you see the story about the grand mufti in russia asking putin to annex syria israel and mecca?

[J]

Putin does a beautiful ippon seoi nage Judo move.

As a young child, one of my dreams was to study at the Kodokan, however life had other plans for me, to include push hands.

[Amir]

He is more intelligent than GWB but lacks roots. And the latter is important to lead, I think. The office of presidency does not attract people with pedigree though, apparently.

[Amir]

The Russian Plane Made Two Ten Second Transits of Turkish Territory:
Amb. Craig Murray's take of the event: https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/11/the-madness-of-war

[J]

TTG,

Can you or anyone else please explain why it appears Langley has such a hard-on for Assad (at least $2 Billion worth and counting)? It's like when Assad breathes in, Langley goes apoplectic. What gives?

[Tyler]

pA,

No, but I did hear that Putin is being looked at as a new Tsar/living Saint across Syria and Lebanon by Orthodox Christians (burning candles in front of his portrait, praying to him for intercession, etc).

The Grand Mufti thing makes for interesting reading though. The world is trembling right now. A man can make his name resonate through history with bold strokes at the right time.

[Tyler]

Cali,

"Democracy is a fucking joke".

Indeed it is, especially with the universal franchise. What is the worth of something that everyone gets?

But yeah, anyone who says with a straight face "We will rebuke the terrorists with our climate change conference" is either foolish or mad. Regardless its not a good look.

Looking forward to Making America Great Again.

[Tyler]

Cali,

Also here, Steve Sailer makes the argument that as the first true Muslimist president (contra Arabist), Obama should have a handle on this based off his background. So either he's a real fool, doesn't care what he's doing, or knows exactly what he's doing.

http://www.unz.com/isteve/syria-and-obama-the-muslimist/#comments

[MRW]

Ibn Khaldun: first economist. The man who invented double-entry accounting to prevent theft and corruption. Brilliant man.

[MRW]

"He basically woke up one day and decided that he should be president, and the powerful media helped him accomplish it in less than a year."

The Chicago tribe woke up one day and decided . . . and now Pritzker is Commerce Sec. Or should I say "how Pritzker" became Commerce Sec.

[Will]

snout counting has its drawbacks & Obama is a Narcissist first class. But McCain or Romney admins would have been devastating! They are in the pockets of the israeli Firsters even more so than BOH

[LondonBob]

I noticed Ray McGovern was wondering whether the Borg didn't encourage the Turks into this, as with South Ossetia and the Donbass. Perhaps Erdogan should have spoken to Saakashvilli and Poroshenko before listening to those neocons whispering bad advice into his ears.

Anyway I don't think this will go too far, it really isn't in either sides interest for it to go too far, there will a number of rich and powerful Turkish businessmen livid at the moment and the Russian elite have more than a bit invested in Turkey. Hopefully results in a free hand for Russia in Syria and Erdogan makes the required apologies.

[BostonB]

The evil old maid from South Carolina speaks:

Lindsey Graham: Turkey punched Russia in the nose, good for Turkey

https://youtu.be/t1IU8t18Ggk

[Chris Chuba]

1. The presence of S400's would allow the Russians to provide air cover for the Kurds up to Manbij Syria so an alliance with the Kurds to seal the border starts to become feasible. The Kurds are beloved in the West, even the Borg couldn't spin allowing the Turks to prevent the Kurds from attacking ISIS territory.

2. The prospect of sealing the northern border elates me as much as the downing of the Russian plane elates the heartless Borg. While this would not be the instant defeat of ISIS, it would setup the table for their defeat. I don't think it will be easy for them to replace that supply line to anything close to that capacity given the rest of their border.

3. I am worried that the Turks can create their own no fly zone rather easily even without direct U.S. support. They might push for the re-installation of Patriot Missile batteries siting the need to counter the S400's. Given how much Obama and the Borg are in the bag for the Turks, it's a compelling argument and the Patriot was originally designed as an anti-aircraft weapon. It's range is good enough to protect the northern border of Syria from Russian planes.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy :-(, Erdogan is a persistent bad actor with stalwart western backing. It frustrates me to no end that 'our moderate Sunni allies' get such good press.

[Nancy K]

"Incompetent flunky" you are of course talking about Donald Trump and it is a "fucking joke" and I fear our country will become one if he should be elected.

[William R. Cumming]

IMO partition of nation-states to promote collective security and order [largely a feature of the 20th Century] is about to become a key strategy for the same reasons in the 21st Century.

Leading candidates:

Iraq;
Syria;
Turkey;
Mexico; Brazil;
parts of Sub-Saharan Africa;
parts of S. Asia;
parts of E. Asia.

[Cee]

Macgupta,

This makes me think a forensic accountant should examine the funds of all opposed. Rats.

[rjj]

"old maid" is discriminatory, ageist, and hurtful.

[The Beaver]

Oh but they are ready and willing to find the other scapegoats:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/us/politics/us-announces-sanctions-on-2-accused-of-dealings-with-assad-or-isis.html?ribbon-ad-idx=9&rref=world/middleeast&module=Ribbon&version=context&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Middle%20East&pgtype=article

Hypocrisy as usual from some govt agencies.

[rjj]

suggest "spinster" - though I see LG as a genteel valkyrie.

[confusedponderer]

Graham's quip is IMO quite representative for the attitudes of the neocons and the mere exceptionalist imperialists who pretty much enthuse over Turkey having 'chastised Russia' and who have been itching for a more violent confrontation with 'Putin, Purin, Putin' for a long time. Because the empire must reign supreme!

It's these folks who make sure that NATO's response to Turkey's recklessness is so muted.

I for my part assume that Turkey did the shoot-down as well as the savbotage in Crimea on their own in reatlaiation for Russian success of late.

They likely did not do so with NATO approval, because there are NATO members (France and Germany in particular) who would have vehemently proposed this for the dumb idea that it is.

Turkey likely acted independently and expected forgiveness later. They could count in that on the tacit consent and/or generally anti-Russian attuitudes of folks like the evil old maid and her transatlantic fellow travellers.

[ex-PFC Chuck]

Tyler, that same type of cyclic pattern is evident in the history of Christianity. Prior to the Reformation it played out most visibly among monastic orders, as new ones were founded by someone who was repelled by the laxity and corruption into which the pre-existing ones had fallen. The Reformation itself was the mother of all these turning points, but afterwards within the protestant movement there began a seemingly endless series of splintering into denominations, synods, etc. I don't know enough about eastern religions ( Bhuddism, Hinduism, etc.) to know whether the same cyclic patterns exist but I wouldn't be surprised if they do.
Here in the upper midwest where the former prairie meets the wooded lake country there is a joke circulating about Sven, the Norwegian-American bachelor farmer, who is disgusted with the wayward ways of the people of his church and community and decides to pick up stakes and move to a small uninhabited island a few miles out in the lake. Although the people recognized that he was somewhat cantankerous they were sad to see him go because he had been an industrious citizen and church member. A decade passed and no one had heard a peep from Sven so the pastor of the church organized a group to visit him and see how he was doing. As the boat approached the island the party was surprised to see a number of neatly constructed buildings. Sven greeted them at the dock looking hale and hearty and without being asked offered to give them a tour of the island. As they walked he pointed out his solid looking house, his well built barn, his silo and after walking a ways away he said, pointing, "and this is the church I built." At this one of the visitors asked, "But then what was that building that looked like a church a few hundred yards on the other side of the house?" To which Sven said, "Oh, that's the church I used to go to."
Happy Thanksgiving Day to all here in the states and elsewhere.

[sillybill]

israel says jump, every administration - dem or repub - jumps. it's really that simple. how they managed such control is a bit of a mystery to me tho.