Syrian dictator and all-around genial thug Bashar Al-Assad gave an interview in which he characterized Donald J. Trump as "the best president".
“All the American presidents commit all the political sins and crimes and take home the Nobel prize, and they give every appearance of defending human rights and the ‘advanced’ and American or Western principles but they are in fact a gang of criminals who represent the interests of the American lobbies, i.e. the big arms and oil and other corporations. Trump speaks with complete transparency;'We want the oil.' This is the American political reality since at least the end of the Second World War: ‘We want to get rid of so-and-so. We want to provide a service in return for money.’ This is the American political reality. What do we want more than a transparent enemy?”I guess it takes one dictatorial sonofabitch to know one, eh, Bashie?
Update 11/7: It's looking less and less like #endingendlesswars and more and more like #kicktheirasstaketheirgas in Northeastern Syria as several what appear to be conventional Army units, including cavalry or mechanized infantry, have been moved into the area around the Deir al-Zour oilfields.
Just a reminder that 1) Trump HAS no "foreign policy" any more than a street-corner punk as a "economic policy" outside of "what's mine is mine and what's yours is also mine", 2) U.S. Middle Eastern policy has been a complete shitshow for a long time and still is, Trump or no Trump, and 3) it's LONG past time to repeal the goddamn AUMF. It's not even a fig leaf anymore.
Bacevich
ReplyDeletehttps://www.juancole.com/2019/11/fruitless-national-security.html
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From BaA himself:
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Back when I read the bit about "oil secured" I thought about how stupid it was to write it.
ReplyDelete#1 You are not supposed to speak out the silent parts aloud for no gain.
#2 There's hardly any oil in Eastern Syria. How stupid and ignorant has one to be to think Syrian oil matters in a global picture looked at from America?
The point in "diplospeak" in that it lets you - and the leaders who have to deal with you - pretend you're not doing shitty things for bad reasons. The "take the oil" thing is, as you point out, not JUST a war crime but a stupid war crime - Syrian oilfields are ridiculously tiny, and the pipelines you'd need to make them profitable again are currently trashed and impossible to secure in the future if you repaired them.
DeleteThis is where it DOES matter when Trump sharts out dumb stuff like this, because it 1) gives the game away, and 2) lends credibility and influence to people like Putin and Assad and Erdogan who are saying the Uncle Sammy is just a big greedy thief. You'd think Trump, who's political MO is to constantly vomit out ridiculously incredible Big Lies and move on before anyone can refute them, who moves in this cloud of Bullshit Squid-ink to confuse the media and confound his enemies, would recognize how letting those people know straight-out that he's a gullible, greedy, crook and dumber than a bag of hammers would be a losing PR move.
But somehow that seems to escape him...
Assad and the Orangutang are NOT besties. Assad was trolling us by saying that at least Trumpy comes right out and says how criminal he (Trumpy) is. Honestly dishonest? Proudly immoral? Openly unethical? Unlike all other American prez's who according to Assad have hidden their criminality.
ReplyDelete40 years ago today, about 200 college kids from the Muslim Student Union bum-rushed the American embassy in Tehran. 18 months ago the Bum-in-Chief in the WH withdrew from JCPOA and since then has made Iran into a regional power and a mini world power. They have China, Russia, and a certain NATO member solidly on their side plus the sympathy of much of the EU.
ReplyDeleteYesterday Ayatollah Khamenei again ruled out talks with Washington. And why shouldn't he? Iran now has an upper hand in Syria due to disastrous Trump bungling. Both they and Syria now have the commiseration of the entire world after our piracy of Syrian oil. I'm wondering when Dutch Shell and China's CNPC will join forces with Assad and take the Orang to the world court
Iran's nuclear program has gone above the limit set on their stockpile of low-enriched uranium. They are no longer obligated to submit to inspection & verification.
It has been a good year for Iran's Ayatollahs and for the IRGC.
And, more to the point, what is gained by talking with this version of the U.S.? Trump and the Congressional GOP have already shown that they have no interest in anything but "America First". So they won't "do a deal" that's, y'know, and actual "deal" where they have to give anything to get something. The "negotiating" position of this Administration has consistently been "You give us everything we want first and then maybe will talk".
DeleteSo Khameni, no fool he, sees no point in even giving the Trumpkins political cover.
Donald Trump is clearly a heel. but I would never have guessed that Assad was a face!
ReplyDeleteDevious Donaldo learned a long time ago from a flamboyant pro wrestler named Gorgeous George that: "A lot of people will pay to see someone shut your mouth. So keep on bragging, keep on sassing and always be outrageous."
DeleteAs for the Yves Smith article you link to: Pro wrestling is much more subtle than just plain old 'heels' and 'faces'. Many of the biggest stars are a mix. Kind of like the 'antiheroes' of Hollywood - good badguys and unscrupulous goodguys. Yves needs to get out more.
My favorite wrestling antihero - Becky Lynch.
We have reached a level where political opponents of the USA do no longer have to put a spin on certain things. I mean it is like shipping crates of ammunition to guys who love to take a shot on you.
ReplyDeleteI love oil, we got the oil, Us troops returning for the oil, Us vehicles in front of the oil, after forcing them to 'betray allies' as some themselves said...
It is almost as if somebody wants to inflict as much harm to the standing of the USA as he can in the time handed to him.
Firn
Anon -
DeleteAnd the Bone-Spurred MF has sent National Guard troops to defend his oil loot.
There have already been incidents of US SOF troops taking fire from Turk-backed Takfiris in Manbij in the past, and just now on the M4 near Ain Issa. If they (or some of Assad's fervent followers) go after those North Carolina Guardsmen there will be hell to pay. I don't believe Governor Cooper went along with that.