The cease fire seems to be going well ...

"Over a hundred rebel unit commanders agreed to the ceasefire and signed a corresponding agreement. Over 1,000 militants laid down their arms in the Damascus province and have since been relocated from the battlefields.

Field commanders of Mujahideen Khora and El-Furqan formations which operated south of Damascus in the Kafar-Shams district likewise signed ceasefire documents, as did Maamum Shukru al-Habbusa, the leader of Burkan Khoran. This meant 600 more militants laid down their arms.

Two major formations in Deraa province, Armiya al-Ababil and Jaysh al-Yarmuk, agreed to the ceasefire and their leaders signed the declaration forms. This action took 2500 militants off the battlefield."  Southfront

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

 Wall to wall, the R+6  are progressing in the task of running a marvelously successful  ANTICOIN campaign.  The Syrian government has declared an amnesty for non-jihadi rebels.  As you can read above that seems to be doing well.  It is better to work on re-integrating them than to kill them all which is the alternative policy choice.

Across the country the war goes on against the jihadis.  ground is being regained everywhere, ground that will be useful in the final battles needed to make Syria jihadi free.  The attritional battle is also going well.

Turkey appears to be stymied by the threat of Russian arms and the War Party hawks in the Borgist US government is "turning and burning" in frustration.  The post-Dempsey US Defense Department and JCS is now completely in the hands of the Borgist war party who obviously lust for a confrontation with Russia.  It would be tempting to attribute this "bloody mindedness" to male hormonal excesses but, unfortunately the worst of the worst are women.

IMO the war in western Syria will be largely ended in the next couple of months.  After that, the R+6 will make their contribution to the destruction of IS (the enemies of God).

The Iraqis?  We will see...  pl  

https://southfront.org/syria-battlefield-update-march-2/

PS  Don't let Southfront starve to death.  They are hard up.  pl

 

Comments

[James Vanasek]

Col. Lang,

I don't know if this is appropriate here (feel free to move it to a different tread or not post it if it isn't), but I saw this Politico article which describes how the Borg are moving to back Hillary Clinton since Donald Trump doesn't seem to share their view of remaking the Middle East:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/trump-clinton-neoconservatives-220151

I thought it might interest you since it flips over the rock so you can see all the usual cockroaches (Kagan, Kristol, Boot, Cohen, Abrams, et al.) scurrying about.

[kooshy]

"After that, the R+6 will make their contribution to the destruction of IS (the enemies of God)"

Pat, Inshallah

[Fred]

Col.,

Message above received and acted on.

"The Syrian government has declared an amnesty for non-jihadi rebels. "

That sounds like the right way to end a civil war.

[Bill Herschel]

Trump's success arises from the fact that the people who have been asked to make the greatest sacrifices to further the interests of the Republican elite have also been thoroughly screwed by them. And today the Republican elite is finding out both that they know it and they are really, really angry about it. There is every indication that it is a "movement" that is going to grow, not fade and disappear. They have a spokesperson, Trump, and an example, Putin, of how it should be done.

This is an extremely dangerous moment in American history. Were, for example, Trump to be assassinated, every single solitary media site in the West would say that he deserved it and that the world is better off for his death. They're already saying that! That is a very dangerous situation. Very, very dangerous. It takes institutional lawlessness to the next level.

We are spectators, and the temptation to turn away from this drama is overwhelming. The only ray of hope is the utter incompetence of the elite. They are going to lose in Syria unless they start WWIII, and that they will never do. There is no money to be made from WWIII.

[optimax]

Fred

Let us hope the rebels receive the proper sensitivity and diversity training to "make the country whole again," thus spoke Hillary.

[ex-PFC Chuck]

In like manner, the legacy grass roots base of the Democratic Party is being screwed over by their party's nomenklatura. Thus Bernie.

I agree with you that the heterodox candidates are in danger. Trump especially since it's more likely at this point that he'll win the nomination.

[Dubhaltach]

Colonel, All,

Some articles with maps outlining the affected areas found via Russian Insider and then clicking through to The Guardian:

http://russia-insider.com/en/military/russian-map-showing-syrians-areas-covered-ceasefire-agreement-marked-yellow/ri13082

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/26/syria-ceasefire-to-begin-us-expecting-violations

[readerOfTeaLeaves]

One more 'tea leaf', this one from David Stockman, who once upon a time was Reagan's ambitious young tax-cutter.
http://davidstockmanscontracorner.com/the-trumpster-sends-the-gopneocon-establishment-to-the-dumpster/
Presumably, less neocon interference will benefit the chances of the cease-fire in Syria.

As for the Dems, only one of them raised $40,000,000 in small contributions in the month of February.
It wasn't Hillary.
Bad news for The Borg.

[Dubhaltach]

In reply to Bill Herschel 02 March 2016 at 09:32 PM

"This is an extremely dangerous moment in American history. Were, for example, Trump to be assassinated, every single solitary media site in the West would say that he deserved it and that the world is better off for his death. They're already saying that! That is a very dangerous situation. Very, very dangerous. It takes institutional lawlessness to the next level."

At which point what? What happens then? Would there be an easily put down spasm of inchoate rage? OR would we see organised violence targetting for example the local Republican chairman?
To what extent would Trump sympathisers in for example local law enforcement make true the threat "we know where you live"?

"They are going to lose in Syria unless they start WWIII, and that they will never do. There is no money to be made from WWIII."

I wish I could be as sanguine as you. But I agree with the late Barbara Tuchman in "The March of Folly" and can see one slip or a series of them in the current Middle Eastern imbroglio could easily lead much as Sarajevo did to a sequence of events.

A few years ago I was kicking these topics around with my dad. He told me to go and read:

Conceptual models and the Cuban missile crisis by Graham T. Allison which to me served to illustrate Tuchmann's point further.

You can get it as a PDF here: https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/papers/2008/P3919.pdf

Google Search here: https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&gws_rd=cr&ei=kMtFVpjiMoObygPDnJ6oBQ#hl=en&q=conceptual+models+and+the+cuban+missile+crisis

[Old Microbiologist]

You are on point. This, of course assumes, that Trump is who he says he is and is not just a straw man for Clinton. I am suspicious because of their close personal friendship, especially between the daughters. But, let's assume things are as they appear. If so, he is in serious danger. On the other hand Clinton is universally despised by all underlings forced to serve her. Trump appears to inspire complete devotion and loyalty among his staff.

We are in very dangerous times for a variety of reasons. I have often wondered about the US use of military action making the case it is for National Security reasons. That never made any sense to me given the US hasn't been attacked on home soil since 1812. BUt, if we assume the neo-con agenda for global hegemony and that this world domination is considered National Security then it begins to make sense.

We are already witnessing the beginnings of global migration, mostly for economic reasons. This will be exacerbated by global population rising to over 10 billion coupled with dramatic stresses caused by global warming. This crisis point of 10 billion people and a 2 degree warming are going to occur roughly simultaneously around 2050. But, it could be much earlier. Models are only that and stressors always respond in dramatic global birthrate increases. Global warming models are consistently too pragmatic so again, this could accelerate quickly. Beyond that we have projections of job losses of roughly 60% of all jobs in America to automation within 10 years. This exacerbates the already extent problem of shipping jobs overseas due to idiotic trade pacts created to provide wealth opportunities for America's elite plutocracy.

While all this is going on we are having dramatic socioeconomic trends of wealth redistribution and the wealth gap is already beyond the tipping point. A second economic crisis, which looms in our near future, could provide the impetus for revolt. The Black President will be gone and that socioeconomic cultural group, arguably affected dramatically more than others, have remained mostly silent, I believe because they have their guy in office. When he is gone all bets are off. Lenin described the process of wealth inequality as a means to push populations into social revolt. I believe the Trump phenomena is a harbinger of this same process. So we are hitting several key point soon. Mass migrations due to socioeconomic problems caused by global warming and overpopulation bringing masses of unskilled and poor into areas of relative perceived prosperity and higher resources. The borders are being deliberately opened to provide additional chaos and refugees/immigrants are being aided by forces such as the neo-liberals like Soros. So, a perfect storm appears to be coming on the horizon. Perhaps, Trump can make the right choices, again assuming he is who he says he is, and he survives long enough to make these changes in the face of extreme resistance from the plutocrats.

May we live in interesting times.

[lally]

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon has announced that the Assad regime is using "chemical weapons" against civilians during the ceasefire.

http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=32141

Such is the assumption that any Israeli BS will be believed; proof is irrelevant.

[Medicine Man]

I remember reading that Assad's government has been offering an amnesty to rebels rallying back to the government for more than a year now. I wonder why the offer is being accepted now? A combination of the mounting military pressure on them from the R+6 plus foreign guarantees of their safety; more the former than the latter I reckon.

[VietnamVet]

OM

I agree with your post.

Earlier you mentioned that 200 American mercenaries were hired to fight in Ukraine for $250K each and were killed or captured. I assume you learned this since you’re living next door. Nothing like this has appeared in western media. But, if there is no reporting here that the Maidan Coup was sponsored by the West and it keeps repeating "Russian aggression"; anything becomes plausible.

It is astonishing to me is the complete incompetence of the West in dealing with the Russia, forcing regime change across the world, climate change and the Refugee Crisis. The only thing that makes any sense to me is that the ruling elite are dependent on war profits. They believe in free movement of capitol and people plus eliminating the power of sovereign democracies to tax and regulate them. They are unable to deal with reality but create their own. Or, as Donald Trump says “They are stupid”.

[Thomas]

"I wonder why the offer is being accepted now?"

Impending death will focus the mind and help someone to see the light on the way to Damascus.

[Thomas]

VV,

"The only thing that makes any sense to me is that the ruling elite are dependent on war profits."

You should factor in the base human reaction of revenge for slights real or perceived from today, yesterday or 200 years ago.

[Trey N]

Long after the war, a veteran of the Army of Northern Virginia was describing the brutal fighting in 1864. Paraphrasing his quote: "The common soldier on each side hated snipers. We considered them simple murderers. The deaths they caused made no difference in the outcome of battles. I was always glad to see a dead sniper, no matter which uniform he was wearing."

When it comes to mercenaries, I agree wholeheartedly with the Southern soldier's sentiments regarding snipers. Mercenaries murder, rape, rob, and cause untold misery in this world for no worthwhile purpose, but for blood money for their own enrichment. They are simple murdering thugs for hire, no different than Mafia hit men. I rejoice whenever I here of the death of any mercenary anywhere in the world of whatever "side," and the day they are all dead and the world cleansed of this scum cannot come too soon.

[Kooshy]

I have the same suspicion on Trump, that he might be the Republican' Party popper sent/ setup by the Clintons/ DLC. One has to admit if so, unfortunately it is a brilliant strategy.
Is amazing how the Republican Party bosses are trashing/ rejecting their own front runner to the point that he makes threats to run as a third party candidate if a broken convention.

[MRW]

"every single solitary media site in the West would say that he deserved it and that the world is better off for his death.”

I suspect that people in the West might react by firebombing their local political offices at night. There’s a *lot* of support in the west for Trump, although I don’t know about California.

[MRW]

"They're already saying that!” [re: press]

Courtesy of the Israel Lobby machine, which is apoplectic at the thought of Trump’s control over foreign policy. Kristol can’t contain himself. Robert Kagan is writing screeds declaring love and support for Hillary and her dangerous foreign policy views. (Kagan’s wife, the Ukraine shit-disturber and one-woman State Dept. Victoria Nuland, would be out of a job, too.)

Listen to this, Bill, if only the first 10 minutes.
https://audioboom.com/boos/4250231-war-parties-on-the-march-in-syrian-ceasefire-stephen-f-cohen-nyu-princeton-eastwestaccord-com

[Pundita]

SouthFront was hacked today in an attempt to destroy its video section

https://southfront.org/southfront-website-is-under-attack-2/

[Fred]

optimax,

I'm sure that the campaign with the one way sign symbol will strike just the right cord for reconciliation. Maybe Hilary can put Victoria Nuland on the project. I'm sure she's got some great improvements from the "lessons learned" debriefing after all of her efforts in Ukraine.

[Fred]

MM,

I remember that too but I believe that the have been a number of "rebels" of various stripes who've taken that offer up. It also served to keep neutrals neutral. What the opposing side - essentially ISIS - offered was a deal best not accepted.

[Fred]

ex-PFC Chuck,

"In like manner, the legacy grass roots base of the Democratic Party is being screwed over by their party's nomenklatura."

Now I understand Reagan's meaning when he said he didn't leave the Democratic Party, it left him.

[Fred]

OM,

"While all this is going on we are having dramatic socioeconomic trends of wealth redistribution and the wealth gap is already beyond the tipping point. "

Nary a word from Pravda on the Hudson about the richest man on earth, the redistribution of Mexico's wealth into his hands, or the assistance of politicians like President Vicente "I won't pay to build that f*&'n wall" Fox in making all of that happen. Or the millions of economic refugees who came to America because of them. I'm sure being the biggest individual shareholder is having no impact at all on the editorial board or reports of the paper that prints "All the news that's fit to print".
Here's a little primer.

http://www.unz.com/isteve/the-fascist-roots-of-the-nyts-financial-savior-carlos-slim-helu/

[robt willmann]

Yesterday, 2 March 2016, a group of people calling themselves "members of the Republican national security community" published a letter entitled, "An Open Letter On Donald Trump From GOP National Security Leaders"--

http://warontherocks.com/2016/03/open-letter-on-donald-trump-from-gop-national-security-leaders/

This open letter "on Donald Trump", but not "to Donald Trump", comes from 95 people (I didn't count them) who call themselves "leaders" among Republicans on "national security". This letter is also the pot calling the kettle black.

Among the signers are Michael Chertoff, Robert Kagan, Max Boot, Roger Noriega, Philip Zelikow, and Robert Zoellick. Their 9 points include, "His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable". Notice that the use of torture seems OK and just fine, but the "expansive" use of torture is not! Just try not to make that use of torture too expansive!

They also declare that, "Furthermore it [his hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric] endangers the safety and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims". Actually, one of the things that has endangered the (formerly) guaranteed freedoms of all Americans is the Anti-Patriot Act, one of the claimed architects of which is Michael Chertoff. Furthermore, the busy Mr. Chertoff was made Secretary of the Department of Homeland Stasi Security, which includes the Transportation (notice that broad term) Security Administration lodged at airports, and which was found to fail to stop tests that successfully got guns and bombs through the "security" 95 % of the time--

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3105820/EXPOSED-dozens-explosives-weapons-TSA-checkpoints-95-PERCENT-undercover-airport-tests.html

http://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-undercover-dhs-tests-find-widespread-security-failures/story?id=31434881

It would be accurate to say that Trump's authoritarian rhetoric -- not his anti-Muslim rhetoric -- telegraphs a danger to the freedoms previously established for and in the U.S.