bashar al assad

Since Washington’s double assassination of Iranian Quds Force leader, General Qasem Soleimani, and senior Iraqi PMU commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, on January 3rd, the White House and its mainstream media adjuncts have run an incessant propaganda campaign to try and demonize the Iranian military commander, calling him “an evil man” who had “the blood of Americans and Iranians on his hands,” as well as being “the world’s leading terrorist.”

As leaders from all around the world gathered to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of a war meant to end all wars, the aftermath of the bloody conflict nevertheless continue to resonate in many parts of the globe today.
Author and researcher Hanief Haider traces some of the trends and maneuvers from the pre-World War I era, such as Great Britain’s use of religious fervor to influence affairs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which persist today.

Al Masdar News reports…
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has sent a letter to Russian president Vladimir Putin, expressing his condolences over the recent Russian Il-20 plane crash in Syria, local media reported.
Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad wrote in his letter to Vladimir Putin that the Russian Il-20 plane crash near Hmeymim air base was a result of Israeli arrogance, SANA news agency reported.

21st Century Wire says…

The following interview was broadcast this week, featuring Syrian President Bashar Assad, which provides a clear insight into the issues current facing Damascus and whether or not a viably resolution is possible following this seven year-long war. 

On April 7, images showing children being frantically hosed off in what was described as a suspected chemical attack in the district of Douma, Syria were beamed across the world.
The Russians and the Syrians claimed it was staged by a humanitarian organization called the White Helmets. The Russians went even further that they have proof the British government assisted this organization as it receives funding from the UK.

Russian FM Serge Lavrov does not want Syria to go the way of Iraq and Libya [PPIO]
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has once again pointed to the US debacle in Iraq and Libya as likely fallout if Washington repeats its former foreign policies in Syria.
“God forbid anything adventurous will be done in Syria following the Libyan and Iraqi experience,” Lavrov told a press conference on Friday.
Russia has previously pointed to these two Middle Eastern and North African states as the aftermath of US interventionism in the region.

Although passed unanimously, the UNSC Resolution was not without its usual diatribes between Russia and the US.
The resolution, tabled by Sweden and Kuwait, passed 15-0 after three days of wrangling over wording [Xinhua]
After three days of delays over wording of the document, the United Nations Security Council on Saturday unanimously passed Resolution 2401 which called for all parties in the Syrian conflict to an immediate ceasefire which would last for at 30 consecutive days.

Russia has vetoed several draft resolutions on Syria which it says are unfair and biased, often following “fabricated” evidence [Xinhua]The United Nations Security Council is expected to vote on a new resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria, following reports of heavy fighting and mass casualties near the capital Damascus.
Russia had called for the Security Council to meet to discuss the resolution, while Kuwait and Sweden called for a vote.

Entire cities have been destroyed by seven years of intense warfare in Syria [Xinhua]
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has called the West’s method of democratization by force a mistake and said that change must happen over time.
“Military interventions like we have seen in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya to impose democracy through fire failed to achieve their objectives,” Philippe said at the opening of the 2018 World Government Summit in Dubai.