Middle East Breakdown well on its way as Russia says Assad is ready to step down

Syria regime collapsing - ex-PM: Former Syrian PM Riad Hijab, who defected to Jordan last week, has said the Syrian regime is collapsing "morally, financially and militarily". Speaking in the Jordanian capital, Amman, he said the regime did not control more than 30% of the territory. He called on the opposition abroad to unite and on the Syrian army to stand alongside its people.

Syrian rebels claim to have downed fighter jet: The state news channel Syria TV said the plane crashed due to technical problems during a "regular training mission" and a search party was under way. State news agency SANA said the pilot had ejected from the plane before it crashed.

Anti-Assad activists uploaded videos on YouTube, said to be from the town of Mohassen in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zor and showing a warplane streak through the skies amid heavy gunfire. The jet suddenly erupts into flames and begins to swirl, leaving a trail of smoke. "God is greatest! A MiG fighter jet has been hit in the town of Mohassen," the activist shouted.You heard the facts, what do you think?

Lebanon indicts Syrians as bomb plot uncovered: Lebanese authorities say they have uncovered a Syrian plot to destabilise Lebanon in an investigation that has led to the indictment of a top Syrian official and compounded fears that Damascus aims to export its civil conflict next door.The indictments issued in Beirut against two Syrian officers, including General Ali Mamlouk, mark an unprecedented Lebanese move against a more powerful neighbour that has been a major player in the country's affairs for decades.

If confirmed, the alleged plot drawn up in collaboration with a former Lebanese minister to ignite sectarian strife in Lebanon would represent a major blow to Syria's Lebanese allies, including Hezbollah.

Syria playing "terrorism" card against Turkey - Turkish presidential adviser: Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat - In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, senior Turkish presidential adviser, Arshet Hormozlo, spoke about his view of the Syrian crisis, his hopes for the future of the country, as well as Turkish fears regarding the presence of “terrorist” groups in northern Syria. He stressed that it is not enough to provide relief for those fleeing the brutal al-Assad regime, and called for an international initiative outside of the framework of the UN Security Council.

The Turkish presidential adviser also called on Syria’s neighboring countries to shoulder their responsibilities and take action to resolve the crisis. Hormozlo is a senior adviser to Turkish President Abdullah Gul. The following is the text of the interview:

Islamic neighbors shun Syria as crisis worsens: Foreign ministers of Islamic countries have agreed to suspend Syria from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, ahead of the group's two-day emergency summit this week. The Syrian civil war is one of the main items on the agenda, which opens Tuesday in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Now Russia says Assad is ready to step down! Russian official: Assad ready to go, brother lost legs: Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad is ready to give up his powers, said the Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikhail Bogdanov, according to the Saudi Al-Watan newspaper. Bogdanov told the Arabic daily that now the only role of Russia is to ensure a smooth transition of power in Syria. The Russian diplomat also revealed that the president's brother, Maher Assad, was seriously injured in the explosion that killed several security officials in Damascus last month.

According to the article in Al Watan daily, Maher Assad, who is the commander of the 4th Division of Syria's Republican Guards, which are in charge of protecting the capital, lost his legs and suffered life-threatening injuries in the explosion. Four senior officials were killed in an explosion which took place at the headquarters of national security, including Deputy Defense Minister General Assef Shawkat, who was married to Assad's older sister.

As Syria's fall gets closer I reiterate: The realities on the ground are that Iran is influencing and interfering everywhere they possibly can in order to stop what they think is the US getting its way. It has nothing to do with doing the right thing for Syria as a whole. It has everything to do with keeping the US, the West, and Arabs from having events in Syria go their way and not the way of Iran, Russia, China and the rest of their allies.

This is all about the future direction of the entire middle east. The goal absolutely is to be the country who decides which direction the new Middle East (dis)order will take. Bush started it by attacking Iraq to get into the middle east to destabilize it and start the new middle east order the idiot said God told him to do now it will be up to Iran and Saudi Arabia (Al Qaeda?) at least up front fight it out whether this goes the Iranian Shiite way or the Saudi Arabian Sunni way and do not forget Israel!

You know I firmly believe and have said so a million times by now that since 9/11 everything was construed to allow Bush to gain the power he needed to prosecute his new order not just in the Middle East but on the entire world! He diverted from Afghanistan to get back into the Middle East with the goal of setting up a larger safety zone for Israel and going after Iran. Both will fail! It has long been my contention that coming to Israel's aid once they attack Iran will be our in to Iran but with Iran, the Gulf, Syria, and everything else who knows what will happen first.

We must contain this to the middle east and keep it from turning into WW3. This must be a middle east fight and problem or the entire world is in dire trouble and we have too much already as we try to move successfully through the 21st century. I am afraid we are failing our children in every regard.

Syria is battleground for Russia and US: Under Putin, Moscow's objections to foreign interventions in the Middle East will grow. A Sunni-Shiite standoff in the region will complicate issues. The winds of a second Cold War are blowing across the Middle East, more than two decades after the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the ensuing unraveling of the Soviet Union.

This time Moscow is looking to reassert its role and influence in a Middle East that is polarized along new geopolitical divides, initially created as a result of direct US military intervention in Iraq eight years ago and deepening later following the tumultuous Arab Spring in 2011. The battleground for the new confrontation between Russia and the United States is Syria, which has been embroiled in a popular anti-regime uprising for more than a year. Moscow has adopted a tough line in support of its old and last ally in the Arab world. Well no shit dick Tracy, you're a little slow here and it is much worse than this. Why do you think Putin stole his way back in as President in the first place?

Russia is not going to give up Syria. To do so would be letting the US win and Putin to the demise of the Syrian people is not going to let that happen. Russia's weapons are being used to slaughter the people and they brag about it. Those are the only weapons Russia will allow. French President Nicolas Sarkozy likened Syrian leader Bashar Assad to a "murderer" while Russia said it was arming his regime enabling him to slaughter his people.

The Syrian people are being sacrificed in this the opening volley not just in the middle east but in the world against US hegemony! That is the only reason Putin got himself back into the Russian Presidency. The sole goal is to finish what was started under him and George Bush when he was gathering forces amongst Russia, China, the 35 non aligned nations and anyone else interested in stopping our efforts to rule the world.

Hezbollah and Iran's IRG armed by Russia have taken the lead in slaughtering the Syrian people to keep them and Bashar Al assad in control. This is just the opening volley in the war against US hegemony. Sorry to say but those Syrian people are being sacrificed in an opening volley for the war for position to see who holds prominence as we try to move through the 21st century.

I remember saying a year ago that the Syrian protesters are the bravest in the world as they know they at the least are facing dedicated Syrian and Iranian Revolutionary Guard killers and now we find out we were right on and then some. I know the protesters vowed not to be deterred stating they will break the Government period but there is no way. The Syrian Government will kill and arrest who they have too. Iran will accept nothing less!

I remember the Syrian opposition saying that they would not stop and would ultimately defeat the Government saying Democratic transition would safeguard Syria from violence. As outsiders looking in we know nothing could be further from the truth. People are being imprisoned and murdered and I can not see that stopping until the Democracy movement is crushed. Supposedly this expected situation is begging for us to get involved but we damn well better not. Unless that is going to war with Iran is the goal.

I remember saying from day one that it would take almost the whole military to defect before they would have a chance and now that we know how involved Russia, Iran and Hezbollah are in the slaughtering that is going on around the country that is beginning to look like the beginning of their fight.

You have to be very concerned about what is happening in Syria especially. Russia, China, and Iran are not going to allow Syria to fall to Democracy. What we saw after the voter fraud in Iran was mild compared to what the IRG will do if this movement spreads to Iran. I really wish Bashar would step down but Iran is the elephant in the room any way you look at it. The total middle east breakdown we have written about numerous times is well under way. We can only hope we keep it from erupting into WW3.

In closing: You know Putin just got himself reelected as President, he did this so he could be at the helm of Russia as he like me knows 100% that world war is our future. He plans on marshaling China who is rapidly building a more formidable military and whoever he can to take on US hegemony.Russia watched helplessly as we had our way in Libya. Putin blames what is happening in Syria on our interference and Libya for training the protesters to fight against Bashar Al-Assad.Russia and Iran will not let this be another Libya but at what expense?

Putin is going to do everything possible to keep us from helping the Syrian people and I really feel for them. I do not see this going down the way Libya did and Iran and Russia are going to make sure it does not. I am afraid the Syrian people are going to be sacrificed, sacrificed in what is merely an opening salvo in this the wars for future dominance. I just heard that Russia is gathering forces to go into Iran via Armenia for a quick strike through Georgia. We have a showdown setting up that looks disastrous for the worlds future. It will be a miracle if we can keep this from turning into WW3!




James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com