"Syria opposition rules out talks before end to Russian air raids" Reuters

 

"In a barely veiled swipe at one of the Middle East’s leading powers, the United Nations’ special envoy for Syria accused Saudi Arabia of undermining his efforts to bring a broad slate of Syrian opposition groups to upcoming peace talks designed to end Syria’s brutal civil war.

In his confidential Jan. 18 briefing to the U.N. Security Council, which was obtained exclusively by Foreign Policy, Staffan de Mistura said Riyadh is complicating his efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the Syrian conflict by trying to tightly control which opposition groups will be allowed to participate in the negotiations.

His comments came shortly after a slate of Saudi-backed Syrian opposition groups, organized under the banner of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC), rebuffed his personal appeals to allow other groups to take part in the talks. De Mistura complained to the council that the Saudi-backed opposition coalition and its “sponsors insist on the primacy and exclusivity of their role as ‘THE’ opposition delegation.” While de Mistura did not name Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is the main international sponsor of the HNC. The group, however, is backed by France, Turkey, and Qatar."  Foreign Policy 

http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/01/20/u-n-envoy-signals-that-riyadh-is-obstructing-syria-peace-talks/

********

"The Saudi-backed Syrian opposition ruled out even indirect negotiations with Damascus before steps including a halt to Russian air strikes, contradicting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's insistence that talks will begin next week.

With the five-year-old Syrian war showing no signs of ending, it looks increasingly uncertain that peace talks will begin as planned on Jan. 25 in Geneva, partly because of a dispute over the composition of the opposition delegation.

Peace efforts face huge underlying challenges, among them disagreements over President Bashar al-Assad's future and tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Russia on Friday denied a report that President Vladimir Putin had asked Assad to step down last year.

The Syrian government has said it is ready to take part in the Geneva talks on time. The office of U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura said he was still aiming "at rolling out the talks" on Jan. 25, and would be "assessing progress over the weekend".

Russia said the talks could be delayed until Jan. 27 or 28 because of the disagreement over who would represent the opposition."  Reuters 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idUSKCN0V01S6

*********

"Clinton has been drawing attention to a comment Sanders made in Sunday's NBC News Democratic debate when he said, "I think what we've got to do is move as aggressively as we can to normalize relations with Iran."

That shows a level of naiveté, Clinton insists. In an interview with NPR Wednesday, Clinton drew attention to his position, calling it a "fundamental misunderstanding of what it takes to do the patient diplomacy that I have experience in."

After noting that Iran "seeks the destruction of Israel" and is "flouting international law with its ballistic missile threats," Sullivan said in the video, "it's not at all clear why it is Sen. Sanders is suggesting it."

In a conference call held for reporters Thursday, Sullivan reiterated his concern, saying normalizing relations with Iran is "a bridge too far" even for supporters of diplomatic relations with Iran."  nbcnews.com 

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/clinton-campaign-attacks-sanders-over-normalizing-relations-iran-n501271

-------------------

Well, pilgrims,  Clinton once sounded as though she actually understood international relations, but, no more.   The Clintonian drive to power before all else is evident now.  Triangulation is everything both in foreign policy and in her shameless pandering to Blacks in South Carolina.  It is known now that she is one the main instigators and supporters of the R2P/neocon driven Syria policy/lunacy.  She continues to say nonsensical things about; regime change, the need to install a replacement government that would include salafi jihadi elements, "no fly zones," unending and absolute hostility to Iran, and support for Erdogan's post-secular turkey.   All of these things are on the Likudnik agenda.  To top off the list of her "problems," her presentations are so over-rehearsed that they look wooden and phony. 

Saudi Arabia is trying hard to win in the negotiations what its Wahhabi friends have not been able to win on the battlefield.  That will not happen.  Basic Tip:  First you win on the battlefield, then at the peace talks.

IMO Syria and Russia are "playing along" with the peace talks meme for the purpose of demonstrating the futility of such an approach.  That will work.  pl 

Comments

[YT]

Hear, hear...

[LondonBob]

Whilst I am loathe to tell other people how to run their own country's affairs if, as looks likely, it is Trump Clinton there is no need for you lefties to feel bad about voting Trump.

Here is lefty journalist Patrick Cockburn pseudo endorsing Trump.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/donald-trump-is-much-derided-but-he-is-right-about-the-middle-east-a6698171.html

I also saw prominent diehard lefty Piers Morgan, a friend of Trump, saying on British TV he would make an excellent President and that he hopes he wins.

Somethings are just bipartisan, and frankly too important.

[Fred]

Charly,

Mexicans arrive in the US with an ethic of "work, work, work" and are all Christian, mostly Catholic and have been westernized since the end of Aztec rule. That is not true of this recent round of those immigrants now entering Europe. There has been little talk of the need to reform the corrupt government or businesses in Mexico. In fact the richest man in the World, Carlos Slim, has been gouging poor Mexican's ever since he and the Salinas administration "privatized" Mexico Telecom right into his hands. An oil crisis and peso devaluation just added some spice to all the other deals. The liberals have been rather silent about all that. Being the largest individual shareholder of the NYT of course has no influence on such reporting.

[Old Microbiologist]

Hungary has a very hollow military. Zero helicopters and only 8 Grippen left in flying condition. There are roughly 10,000 in the military but all T-72's and BMP's were sold as "scrap" to a Czech businessman and all ended up in Ukraine in more or less working condition with only a few surviving the battles and have now ended up in the Donbass on the side of freedom. I wouldn't count on Hungary for any kind of effective fighting force.

[LeaNder]

OM, what's your take on the Czech republic among us Europeans outside Babak's Diocletian Line, can't help it, concerning the larger refugee crisis?

[Barish]

I do got to appreciate Israeli realism:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-us-prepared-to-defeat-islamic-state-in-syria-militarily/

"“We do know it would be better to reach a political solution,” he said after a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. “But we are prepared if that is not possible to having a military solution to this operation and taking out Daesh (IS),” he said.

An unnamed US official stressed to Reuters that Biden was talking about a military solution to Islamic State, not the entire Syrian civil war."

The "Biden supports military solution for civil war" line being peddled by some outlets appears to be wishful thinking on part of the hive-mind. I listened in into this recording of the press conference taken from Turkish TV:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SS8C2HiKfg&t=12m0s

And Biden's talking points are that he agrees with Davutoğlu that al-Nusra, Daesh and PKK - tellingly not including YPG - are terrorist organisations that need to be fought together, and that the Turkish border must be sealed for use by Daesh. He further went on to laud Turkish efforts to reach a peace deal regarding the (Northern) Cyprus question.

[YT]

Let god sort 'em out...

[The Beaver]

Colonel
FYI:

Over the holidays I found that site and have been checking it back and forth, schedule permitting. This morning i wanted to catch up on what is happening in Deir Ezzor and it looks like things are happening on different fronts:

https://twitter.com/PetoLucem

[LeaNder]

alba, must be hard work down (over?) there in Texas. ;) Prejudiced? If so forgive, met quite a few interesting people from Texas ... problem is, I never really heard, at least I cannot remember a pure Texas accent, and doubt I would recognize it. Would appreciate some links soundwise.

Here is billmon1, who concerning the spirit this message conveys, may well be my dear beloved legendary Billmon, militarily short as necessary on Twitter with this news:

"Heaven knows (bada-BOOM) the Catholic Church is ripe for criticism, but this seems...gratuitous."

https://twitter.com/billmon1

********

Interestingly I am struggling with the larger topic ... partly semi-consciously ... for longer now.

[YT]

All is flux...

[Babak Makkinejad]

Czech republic is not outside of the Diocletian Line.

The portion that was outside of that line, say east of 18-th Longitude, separated herself into Slovakia 20 years ago.

[Medicine Man]

This is a distinction which was not lost on a lot of Dem voters back in 2008. She didn't understand then how she was perceived and apparently still doesn't understand. In 2008 she was looking forward to the general election when Obama chopped her legs out from under her and now she's doing exactly the same thing.

[Jack]

Beaver

Below is an article with excellent map of Latakia front by the person you linked to.

http://southfront.org/map-decisive-days-in-battle-for-latakia-syria/

I've read that R+6 has now reached the outskirts of Rabia. They sure are on a roll in the NW.

[The Beaver]

@ Barish

Looks like Sec Def Ash Carter is pretty miffed at the Saudis et al :
In a separate interview with Bloomberg TV, Carter called the anti-Isis alliance a “so-called” coalition, highlighting frustrations the Pentagon has with some partners – particularly Sunni Arab nations – not doing enough.

“We need others to carry their weight, there should be no free riders,” he said.

[robt willmann]

Watch out for this dangerous proposed Senate Joint Resolution 29 (S.J. Res. 29), which the sneaky Senator Mitch McConnell (Repub. Kentucky), who is also the Senate majority leader, slipped in on 20 January 2016, and which has had its second reading and is on the general orders calendar for this coming Tuesday, 26 January. It is so new that right now it is only in the Congressional Record and is not yet on the bill's web page--

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/29/all-info?resultIndex=1

https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2016/1/20/senate-section/article/S133-1

It starts at the bottom of the second column of this pdf file version of the Congressional Record--

https://www.congress.gov/crec/2016/01/20/CREC-2016-01-20-pt1-PgS133.pdf

This is the Senate calendar for general orders for 26 January; it is the last item, number 352--

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CCAL-114scal-2016-01-26/html/CCAL-114scal-2016-01-26-pt6.htm

After a whole lot of paragraphs beginning with "whereas", in which ISIL/ISIS is hyped up to be more dangerous than Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and the Apache Indians combined, there is this unlimited language as to scope, location, and time--

"(a) In General.--The President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force in order to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, its associated forces, organizations, and persons, and any successor organizations."

All of the words in this grotesque "authorization" are undefined, and it is directed at a "threat" (undefined), and is not directed at acts of violence which have been committed, or at the situation in which it is imminent that death or serious bodily injury to U.S. persons is going to occur. Also, notice that it does not declare war on ISIS / ISIL / Daesh, but instead lets the president use force to "defend" the "national security" of the U.S. "National security" would mean anything the president says it means, and the Bush jr. and Obama administrations have made their own secret definitions of words. One might also argue that authorization is given for force to be used within the borders of the U.S. and against U.S. citizens.

The resolution passed in 2001 only authorized force to be used concerning those involved in the events of September 11, 2001, but it has been wrongly used to justify all sorts of activity and force that it clearly has nothing to do with. But this proposed S.J. Res. 29 has no limit.

It must be stopped.

[Barish]

He makes for a good clown, don't he...

Today's Zaman summed up the gist of the meetings VP Biden had with both Davutoğlu and Erdoğan without giving way to hysterics and outright fabrication (admittedly, Biden the old fool did make an awkwardly ambiguous statement):

http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_davutoglu-reiterates-opposition-to-syrian-kurdish-group-after-talks-with-biden_410411.html

Just as the Times of Israel, it features Reuters's addendum which defuses Biden's rather murky statement.

Further, it mentions this as regards the meeting took place between Biden and Tayyip:

"After his meeting with Davutoğlu, Biden also met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in İstanbul. The meeting, which lasted more than two hours, took place at Yıldız Mabeyn Palace. Biden left Turkey after his meeting with Erdoğan. Altough the two leaders were expected to hold a joint press conference after their meeting, the joint press statement following the Biden Erdoğan meeting was abruptly cancelled in a last minute change."

Seems to me Biden was briefed to stop running his mouth and drive the point home to Erdoğan that there would not be some grand coalition to carry out Tayyip's very own "humanitarian intervention". If not that, at the very least there appears to be some serious disagreement.

[Babak Makkinejad]

You need to read the book "Strategic Depth" by Davutoğlu and his geometric model of power (and stability) in the Near East to partly understand why AKP government is doing what it is doing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6140100909?keywords=Davuto%C4%9Flu&qid=1453603871&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

I think that anyone that thinks in terms of "Strategic Depth" is not thinking in the right manner about his country or his neighbors'.

Pakistan also has insisted in thinking in terms of Strategic Depth when it came to Afghanistan - as though a disorganized and anarchic collection of Middle Eastern Hoi Polloi tribes is going to offer that country any "Strategic Depth".

In case of Pakistan and Turkey, the damn fools only created "Strategic Milestones" around their own necks....

[optimax]

He sounds like a Taoist.

[different clue]

YT,

Well, no . . . not quite that, really. Various Russian spokesfolk have said tantalizing words about working at some level with the "patriotic opposition" which I guess would mean what very few non-Islamist rebels and opponents actually exist. I suspect the Russian spokesfolk mean negotiating about how to bring the "patriotic opposition elements" in out of the cold, away from rebellion, and back towards acceptance of the legitimate authority of the SAR government. If I understand correctly what I think I have read, I hope the Russian efforts can work out as hoped.

Killoff should be reserved for the genuine jihadis and Sunni Islamists of all different letters and flavors.

[Tel]

Hillary Clinton would be an appalling choice for US President.

[alba etie]

LeaNder
I am a lazzies faire Methodist so I am not qualified to comment on Billmon or Catholic Church , ..

[alba etie]

DC & YT
If I am not mistaken the original Liver Eater jihad violent porn video was made by a now deceased Al Nusra Leader ..Yes exterminate all the Liver Eaters full stop ..

[alba etie]

Ulenspiegel
Would these cruise missiles be nuclear capable ?

[LeaNder]

the referral to Catholics looked at generously was some unnecessary addition, here used as an example for something like a private underlying greater theory. Less generously it could of course could be termed: LeaNder's usual silly babbling. Which it no doubt is.

But a Texas accent? I have been wondering about that for longer now. Your comment triggered this question: Would it be easy to find on the web?

http://www.dialectsarchive.com/texas

Hmm, I get an idea.

*************
Besides, it feels that Pat may decide similarly once events unfold like that. Thus nothing wrong about it.

Consider my comment innocent babbling, i do respect you and your comments here. And am pleased you are around, not least given your insights concerning Yemen.

[LeaNder]

Babak, will you give me a map. I promise if you do, I'll never ever again refer to it again in my own legendary nitwit ways.

My only possibly ill-focused approach on matters, so far, are other interesting aspects of Diocletian's life and decisions. But the line, seems to divide, besides no doubt important aspects of culture, people into groups one good the other evil, or beyond hope.