This post has been a long time comin' We'll get up to speed on the constitutional talks. US and PKK not pleased. Turkey and US at odds over the safe zone... Not that they ever agreed. Rob Ford appears. Lavrov talks. The US continues to arm the PKK/YPG. Ansar al Islam is a Kurdish salafist terror group- as has been previously mentioned here- Looks like Israel may be employing them in a new paramilitary aka terror force in Syria- 10 news articles below1- Israel behind new paramilitary force in SyriaPersonally, I do not doubt this news. Since I’ve dozens and dozens of articles here at the blog documenting Israeli involvement in Syria. From the get go.
"Al Modon does not directly claim that Israel is behind the creation of the Southern Army, but recalls that from the end of 2017 to the middle of 2018, the Jewish state has already tried to form an anti-Iraqi paramilitary structure from various groups operating in the South of Syria."Then, it was decided that the Syrian Revolutionaries Front, Ansar al-Islam (originated in Iraq's Kurdish region- predominantly Kurdish, predominantly salafist KurdIShIS) Fursan al-Joulan (Knights of the Golan), as well as other paramilitary groups, will be included in the army. The army was stationed throughout the Jaidur region in the North-Western area of Darayya, as well as in all liberated areas of Quneitra. In this period, the commander of the Knights of the Golan, Moaz Nassar and leader of the Abel Horana Brigades Alla Zakaria Almalki maintained contact with the Israeli side," reports the publication.The article also claims that Israel held "more than one meeting" with faction leaders, during which the rebels were promised "weapons, including anti-tank, artillery ammunition and Russian T55 and T62 tanks, which the Israeli army does not have." Also, Jerusalem had agreed to finance the purchase of other weapons, and fulfilled all its obligations, writes Al Modon."
It's been previously reported that Ansar al Islam is a kurdish group of salafist thug. A fact few wanted to accept.Choosing instead to spin 5 eyes friendly views. Bashing Turkey, mostly. When the group originated in PKK land. In Iraq. So much disinfothama out there... from those claiming to offer up the "syrian perspective' And in the alternative sphere.2- The Coming Constitutional Committee to See the Light at Astana Guarantor Summit
The opposition source said that, “the regime and Russians and Iranians wanted more time to form the constitutional committee, which had already taken more than a year and nine months, but the French threats to remove the committee from the political solution process, might have led to faster agreement for its formation.”
The Small Group convened preparatory meetings with experts and international envoys in Geneva on Thursday, as well as a broader meeting with Pedersen and a reduced-size delegation from the Negotiations Committee headed by Nasr al-Hariri. They discussed the French proposition that called for direct elections to get past the constitutional committee obstacle.
3- “Syrian Kurds” criticize UN Envoy over new Constitution Committee
Geir Pederson comfirms the Kurdish people have representation on the committee- Apparently it’s not the PKK, oops, I mean SDF‘”An official with the main Kurdish-led force in Syria said on Sunday the Kurdish people were not represented on the constitutional committee in charge of drafting a new Syrian constitution.Mustafa Bali's comments came after the United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday told Al Jazeera although the main Kurdish militia in Syria was not represented - "it is important for me to emphasise that of course also we have Kurdish representatives on the committee".Bali tweeted that Pedersen "must know that having a couple of Kurds" from northeast Syria who are allied with the Syrian government or the opposition" did not mean Kurds were represented on the committee.Pedersen defended the constitutional committee saying: "This is Syrians sitting together for the first time after eight and a half years working on their own constitution."
Rob FordRob Ford. Remember him? I sure do! Mr Ford, who was embedded with PKK at the beginning of the Syria destabilization- doesn’t like the constitutional committee Labeling it an “illusion”
4- Robert Ford: 3 Basic Facts on Illusion of Syria Constitutional Reform
“The third fact that prevents the constitution committee from achieving a political solution to Syria’s crisis is the absence of representatives from the eastern part of Syria under the control of the Syrian Kurdish PYD party and its Syrian Democratic Forces.It is worth mentioning here that the United States could not influence the composition of the constitution committee that Pederson negotiated with Damascus, Ankara, Moscow and Tehran.”
The Kurds held their own “opposition conference” in Germany, of course. Because Germany is a neighbour to Syria, right? 5- Kurdish-backed Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) organized a dialogue workshop in the German city of Bochum on Sept. 21 to 22
......to establish a third bloc as an alternative to the Syrian opposition controlled by Turkey and the Syrian government.Hussein Omar, a representative of the Syrian Future Party in Europe, and a member of the executive committee of the workshop, said the bloc would “represent the Syrian people in the future.”“If there is an alternative, it will…be a fundamental opposition force, both against the Assad regime, or the opposition tied to foreign countries that do not work for the interests of Syria,” he told Kurdistan 24.The meeting is the fourth meeting in Europe. Previous meetings were held in Paris, Vienna, and Berlin.SDC co-chair Riyad Derrar told Kurdistan 24 that the goal of these Syrian-Syrian dialogue workshops is to establish a “shared vision or united vision for Syria’s future.”On Sept. 17, an agreement was reached to form a constitutional meeting outside of Syria involving the presidents of Turkey, Iran, and Russia as part of the Astana talks.
Neither the United States nor the self-administration in northeast Syria was part of these agreements. The administration in the northeast of Syria is the card that attracts Turkey to join Astana, that’s why you see this hostile attitude,” he stated.
It was, therefore, no surprise that a day before the meeting, the Syrian regime called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) “terrorists” and “separatists.”
Recall my mentioning that very fact? No way in heck was it a coincidence that on the day the Astana trio met in Ankara, Damascus came out and called the SDF separatists and terrorists.
The Syrian government has previously labeled the SDF as separatist militia’s- So this is nothing new. Wondering why the 5 eyes media is giving attention to this fact, at this time? Might it be the fact that Russia, Iran and Turkey are meeting today? And perhaps they’ve got a solution, a final deal, in the works?
Maybe an operation against HTS was being planned?6 - Turkey Threatens Military Operation against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib
“Ankara hinted Sunday that it would launch a military operation against the extremist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group in Syria in a repeat of the Olive Branch operation that it waged in opposition-held Idlib. “
7- Lavrov: Formation of constitutional committee important step in the political process to solve crisis in Syria- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov affirmed that the formation of the constitutional committee is an important step in the framework of the political process to solve the crisis in Syria.Lavrov, in a speech to Arab media outlets, broadcast on Thursday ,said that the Syrian people are the only ones who determine the future and the constitution of their country , based on UNSC resolution no.22548-Washington brings tens of vehicles, loaded with weapons, to support QSD (Kurdish PKK/YPG) militias in Syrian al-Jazeera
Hasaka, SANA-The US went far in its breach of the international law and entered a convoy of tens of vehicles loaded with weapons and military equipment from north of Iraq into Syrian al-Jazeera to support QSD militias that practice terrorism against families there.Civil and media sources said that the US-backed coalition’s troops entered today dawn a convoy of tens of vehicles loaded with logistic and military equipment to al-Jazeera through Simalka crossing point that connects al-Hasaka with northern Iraq.
9-Turkey and the US continue to be at ODDS over the ‘safe zone’Not a shocker, because there was NO agreement. Ever. Despite bogus main stream and alt media claims. The US delivery of still more weapons to the PKK/YPG tells us all we need to know about US plans
- There is NO Agreement on a US/Turkish “safe zone” in Syria
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Turkey & U.S. Disagree On Safe Zone- Because There is NO Agreement.
Speaking to broadcaster A Haber on Thursday, Cavusoglu said Turkey had not seen sincerity from the United States.“We think this ongoing process with the United States will not take us to the point we desire. The information coming from the field proves this,” he was quoted as saying by A Haber.“We must take steps to clear the terrorist organizations from our vicinity and return refugees there,” he said.Ties between the NATO allies have been strained over a host of issues, including Syria policy and the looming threat of U.S. sanctions over Ankara’s decision to buy Russian defense systems.
Thinkin that should do it. For now. Oops one more item of interest and definitely connected. It seems there is an increase of trouble in Iraq. Protest and killings- The whole region is afire. Or maybe it's just "birth pangs" ala Condoleeza Rice10- Iraq Colour Revolution 3.0 WHO ARE THE PROTESTERS?:
They are mostly men in their early 20s.They rallied online around an Arabic hashtag of “I’m protesting for my rights.” On the streets, they carried Iraqi flags or wrapped themselves in them.The mostly spontaneous, leaderless demonstrations were concentrated in Baghdad and in working class neighborhoods
REGIONAL CONTEXT
The violence engulfing Iraq after the protests spread to most of its provinces puts Abdul-Mahdi in a critical position, threatening to bring down his government at a time of heightened regional tensions. Despite the death toll, he has not addressed the nation, other than to issue a statement in which he blamed “infiltrators” among the protesters for inciting the violence, and promising to address their concerns.Protesters are calling for his government to resign, but moves such as the curfew and internet shutdown indicate a hard-line stance.Political heavyweights like Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are urging an investigation into the security services’ excessive violence but stopped short of backing the protesters.
read the rest at the above link- Looks to me as if the Iraqi government will be shattered yet again. Order out of chaos.