War Without Mercy in Syria

by Stephen Lendman

If wars had labels, Syria's conflict would be called Made in America.

Paul Wolfowitz and other Project for the New American Century (PNAC) ideologues planned it years ago. They also targeted half a dozen or more other countries.

PNAC's Statement of Principles called for "shap(ing) a new century favorable to American principles and interests." Doing so it said requires:

• "increase(ing) defense spending significantly;"

• "challeng(ing) regimes hostile to our interests and values;" and

• "accept(ing) responsibility for American's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles."

PNAC effectively declared war. Independent nations were targeted. Implementing policy required a "catastrophic and catalyzing event - like a new Pearl Harbor."

False flags provide pretexts for militarism, wars, occupations, domestic repression, national security state extremism, and other policies antithetical to free and open societies. PNAC members got what they wanted.

They comprise a rogues gallery of hardcore neocon extremists. Charter members included Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, William Kristol, Jeb Bush, and others.

In 2009, PNAC reinvented itself as the Foreign Policy Initiative (FPI). Policies remain unchanged. Regime change in Syria is prioritized. Direct intervention is urged.

Obama is criticized for inaction. "What is clear," it says, is that America "sent a horrible message to tyrants elsewhere about the (non-existent) costs of mass killings of innocents."

FPI knows Washington bears full responsibility. It's not enough. FPI wants full-scale war initiated.

September 11, 2001 was the Big Lie of our time. It was a classic false flag. It launched a decade of wars against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Palestine. Proxy wars rage in Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Bahrain, and elsewhere.

Full-scale ones are planned against Syria and Iran. The road to Tehran runs through Damascus. Western and/or regional intervention looks certain.

Proxies alone can't match Syria's superior military capability. Expect Libya 2.0 in some form. Initiating it could happen any time or might follow US November elections. Electoral priorities dictate policy.

On August 11, Reuters headlined "US, Turkey to study Syria no-fly zone," saying:

Discussions were held about establishing it. No decision was made. During her Ankara visit, Hillary Clinton said further "analysis and operational planning" is needed.

No-fly zones assure war. Gaddafi's air defenses and command and control capability were bombed after implementing one in Libya. Safe zones are ground based no-fly zones. They also assure war.

On August 12, Today's Zaman headlined "Turkey signals to US, may go ahead 'solo' with safety zones in Syria," saying:

Ankara "made it clear that it will go ahead with setting up 'safety zone' pockets inside Syrian territory to handle the mounting humanitarian crisis."

Turkey calls it "a significant national security threat." Ankara and Washington "will press for a UN Security Council resolution mandating the establishment of 'protective enclaves' within Syria so that potential refugees will be taken care of inside Syria."

"This will be complemented by military measures that may include a no-fly zone and restriction of troop movements loyal to the embattled leader of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, in areas close to the border."

Unnamed Turkish diplomats said "Ankara will go ahead with its own planning" if Russia and/or China veto a supportive resolution.

According to Moscow-based Institute of Strategic Assessments Adzhar Kurtov:

"An analogy with what happened in Libya is hard to ignore here, but the decision to establish a no-fly zone over Libya was made by the UN Security Council, which is still able to make balanced decisions."

"However, the Americans may try to make it happen in circumvention of the Council, which will set the stage for a ground operation and we already see signs of this in the recent concentrations of armor and artillery along the country’s border with Turkey and Jordan."

Meanwhile, new reports of insurgent atrocities surfaced. On August 13, Russia Today headlined "Syrian atrocity: Bodies of postal workers thrown from roof," saying:

Amateur video footage showed it. Bodies were thrown from a post office rooftop. Other corpses were rolled down stairs. Responsibility points to Free Syrian Army (FSA) elements or supporters. They "intentionally target civil servants backing the regime."

RT said 1.5 million public employees are vulnerable. "Doctors, teachers and municipal workers risk kidnappings or assassinations for simply doing their jobs."

Dr. Ammar Safi told RT about documents confirming an FSA hit list. Scientists, physicians, and civil servants are targeted. His airline pilot brother Ammar was attacked en route home from the airport.

Other amateur video footage showed Assad loyalist mass executions in Aleppo. Bloodied men were forced to kneel and be machine gunned to death. Militants murdered Syrian state TV host Mohammed al-Saeed.

Pro-regime journalists are vulnerable. SANA state media said its reporter Ali Abbas was killed at home in Damascus. A bomb blast killed another journalist covering a story in a Damascus suburb.

On August 6, a state-run television and radio building was bombed. Foreign journalists use it for broadcasts. Three injuries were reported. Operations continued during the incident.

In late June, insurgents attacked the privately owned Al-Ikhbariaya TV station. It's located 20 km south of Damascus. Gunmen raided the station. Seven employees were killed. Others were kidnapped.

Al-Ikhbariya's compound sustained heavy damage. Nonetheless, broadcasts resumed shortly after the attack. Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi called it "a massacre against the freedom of the press." Terrorists were responsible, he said.

UK journalist/broadcaster Neil Clark told RT that insurgent violence engenders more Assad support. If opposition elements thought Syrians backed them, "it is the other way around now, he said."

"We had people who supported Assad at the beginning. I mean a lot of people not sure which way to go. They actually are being turned off by the atrocities you outlined," he added.

"And I would say that possibly the support for President Assad is stronger now than back in March, 2011."

Syria Tribune editor-in-chief Ali Mohamad told RT:

"Every time (insurgents) call for foreign intervention they are just reassuring everybody that they cannot do anything on the ground." They lost Damascus." They're being routed in Aleppo.

"If they claim they have popular support as they have been saying for 17 months why do they need foreign intervention?"

In late June, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) issued a duplicitous Syria report. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay spurned her mandate.

Instead of responsibly "strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights," she defiled them in deference to Western interests.

She pointed fingers the wrong way. She ignored Western-sponsored massacres and other atrocities. She blamed Assad, not foreign mercenaries. She shamelessly represents imperial interests. She and HRC lost credibility.

On August 9, UNC's media center headlined "Syria: Severe internal displacement crisis due to disregard for human rights and humanitarian law - UN expert."

According to London School of Economics law lecturer/UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Chaloka Beyani:

"The intense fighting and use of heavy weaponry in densely populated areas are a major concern. More and more people are being forced daily to flee their homes as a result of escalating violence, and are seeking refuge in host families, schools and makeshift shelters."

Beyani blamed Assad. He called on him and Syrian authorities to respect international law. He ignored reality on the ground.

Syria was invaded. Its army responsibly confronts militants. Beyani pointed fingers the wrong way. He ignored insurgent atrocities. His concern for human rights stopped short of blaming Western recruited death squads for violating them.

Like Pillay, he serves imperial interests. Both support state sponsored terrorism and genocide. Syria is being ravaged and destroyed. Confronting insurgents takes a toll. No end of conflict is imminent.

Imagine a nation left in ruins. Washington wants all independent ones devastated. Ordinary people suffer most. Many more will die before conflict ends. Perhaps Syria won't be fit to live in when it does. Imperial policy demands it.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War"

http://www.claritypress.com/Lendman.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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