Occupation/ War Expansion Rebranded as Withdrawal: From Iraq’s Past to Syria’s Present

  In the comments section of yesterday’s post Yaya had left a comment about the ‘withdrawal’ of the US from Iraq- Much ballyhooed at the time. Very much like this latest installment of psyops are us regarding the US withdrawal from Syria.  Much ballyhooed but no real evidence to substantiate the claim. Yaya’s comment took me back to a 2014 post Trump’s Syria withdrawal plan sounds suspiciously like a plan to stay in Syria which dealt with the lie of the US withdrawal from Iraq. So today we will start off where we ended yesterday. Refreshing our collective memories about the US withdrawal aka rebranded occupation of Iraq.

2014 :The US Departure from Iraq was all Illusion!

The Iraqi Embassy transformed from a military lead to muscular diplomacyAt 104 acres, the embassy is almost the same size as Vatican City. It is here that the US is transforming its military-led approach into one of muscular diplomacy.State department figures show that some 17,000 personnel will be under the jurisdiction of the US ambassador. In addition, there are also consulates in Basra, *Mosul* and *Kirkuk*, which have been allocated more than 1,000 staff each.Crucially, all these US staff, including military and security contractors, will have diplomatic immunity.

Congressman Jason Chaffetz questioned the replacement of military forces with contractors, asking: "Are we just playing a little bit of a shell game here?"

It was a shell game then and it’s a shell game now in Syria

“Whatever shape the relationship between the US and Iraq takes in the long term, for the short term the US is definitely remaining in the country.”

 Cue the claimed withdrawal of US forces from Syria- It’s a shell game.  “From military lead to a muscular diplomacy”. Whatever shape the relationship to occupied Syria takes the US is definitely remaining in the country- Under some other pretenses. Against the wishes of the Damascus government.

  • “Diplomatic Staff “has already been on the increase in Syria. 

October 2018: Number of U.S. diplomats doubled in Syria as Islamic State nears defeat: MattisDoubled? From what number to what number?

“He did not give a specific number." (Mattis)

2 to 4 thousand? 4 to 8 thousand? Unknown,December 29/2017: U.S. to Send More Diplomats and Personnel to Syria

Effort to stabilize area once controlled by Islamic State will include contractors and military component   

The Trump administration plans to expand the number of U.S. diplomats and contractors in eastern Syria to help stabilize the once Islamic State-controlled part of the country, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday.

5 to 10,000? Unknown. What is clear is the US has continued to increase it “diplomatic” personnel placement,  since at least 2017,  in unknown numbers, in Syria  As was done so many years ago in Iraq. Diplomats went up. Military forces went down. But the occupation continued on. All smoke and mirrors.

  • What about that 500 acre base in Syria?

  Wouldn’t that serve beautifully as a “diplomatic” stronghold in Syria. From military base to embassy and back and forth- Much like Iraq. Didn’t read about that 500 acre base in Syria? It was covered in this late November 2018 post relinked below:

Is The US Pivoting the Fight In Syria Toward A War With Iran? YES!

US occupiers of Syria

"The largest American military base in Syria covers more than five hundred acres, but it can’t be seen from the road. “

Sort of dwarfs that 104 acre base mentioned earlier in Iraq? The one the size of Vatican city. The American base in Syria covers more then five hundred acres. It is 5 times the size of the Iraqi base/embassy. That fact should speak volumes to readers here.  As I was formulating the ideas for this post last night and this morning I wondered if there was anyone else touting the rebrand idea? Lo and behold there is. Found this just today as I was doing more research for this post.The Atlantic/December 20/18: Trump Shouldn’t Withdraw Troops—He Should Rebrand

"The president’s plan is a disaster. If he wants to claim victory, there’s a better way"

Occupying US ForcesThat better way is, of course, to rebrand. Exactly what I saw as the reality of this non withdrawal.The Atlantic piece is written by Hassan Hassan; Co-author of ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror Check out his credentials. Here at the Atlantic Council. Also   Here. And  then again from George Washington UNow that we are all more familiar with the author of the Atlantic article let's read some excerpts:

The U.S.-led campaign created new dynamics on the ground, which only the U.S. can now address.(which of course, they knew it would)

“the U.S.’s presence has prevented Turkey from clashing with the YPG in eastern Syria, as it did in northwestern Syria with Russian approval. “

“If it simply leaves, new wars will almost certainly be reignited between Turkey and the YPG, the Arabs and the Kurds, and the opposition and the YPG.” (You see the US has to stay because they created the conditions, intentionally, that necessitate they remain)

“Iraq is a likely victim of the decision, too. Northern Iraq and eastern Syria could now be regarded as one security theater.” 

“ If Iraq is important for the U.S., then eastern Syria must also be important.”

 Creating Greater Kurdistan aka Israeli expansion- Redrawing Borders- More of what I’ve written about for years and years here. Obviously the two areas have to be viewed as one when the agenda is nation building and border redraws.

“The next stage in the fight against ISIS requires more political management than kinetic operations, and the U.S. could benefit from a rebranding of the campaign “This rebranding should involve an announcement to mark the end of one phase of the campaign, namely the territorial defeat of ISIS, and the start of a new phase, which is the long-term effort to build capacity and help locals prevent the return of extremists"

Call it diplomacy......

"Trump loves branding, and rebranding. Someone should tell him that he can have his rhetoric and stability, too."

Rebranding a permanent occupation- Make it official with a grand ritual. A show.  An edict.  Shuffle the papers around.  As it was in Iraq, it will now be in Syria.

  • Two other issues directly related to Syria that need addressing:

1. Assad gives Iraq a free pass to bomb Syria?This bizarre claim that Assad gave Iraq a free pass to bomb within Syria. Without any need for notice, cooperation or coordination. I’ve seen this touted in a number of places. MoA, for one. By others I consider to be disinfo/misinfo as well. Let’s look at one outlets claim

"Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad has allowed Iraqi forces to strike ISIS inside Syria without waiting for authorization from Damascus, said SANA state media on Sunday"

SANA state media said this? Off I go to SANA- December 29/2018President al-Assad receives letter from Iraqi Prime Minister on bilateral cooperation, particularly combating terrorism

Assad receives a letter...conveyed by Iraqi National Security Adviser Faleh al-Fayad.

Nothing there about this unfettered accessThe other claim from aawsat:

"An Iraqi government source said that Iraqi fighter jets could now enter Syria’s airspace and strike ISIS without waiting for permission from the regime, reported Russia Today"

An Iraqi government “source” said that Iraqi jets could enter Syria’s airspace without the permission from Damascus- So an Iraqi source, unnamed, speaks for Damascus?On what planet should that be taken as credible?Correct me if I’m mistaken but NORMAL people would or should view airstrikes into another nation without the consent/cooperation/coordination of that nation’s leadership as an invasion. An attack. Much like what is being carried out by the coalition. Yet, for some bizarre reason this unsubstantiated claim is being lauded all over the place as good?  I’m at a loss.Neither Russia or Iran entered Syria without a greenlight from Damascus. And for that matter Turkey entered Afrin with a green light from Russia which had to have been okayed as well by Damascus. Anything else is an invasion. Why this Iraqi claim is being treated differently is beyond me? Perhaps someone else can share a thought or two on this?2nd:The Muslim Brotherhood meme has reappeared;The involvement of MB in Syria, is indisputable, but let's consider  the fact that the Muslim Brotherhood is a Anglozionist proxy army- created way back by British intelligence. Context. But why is  this name suddenly  back in vogue? To demonize Turkey. It’s as straightforward and obvious as that. But the situation with Muslim Brotherhood is not that simple.. My view below as expressed a few days ago at Syper aka anglozionist perspective thanks to it’s hijacking by the anglozionist army

The Muslim Brotherhood was created as, and has always been, a western terror creation—– The use of them in Syria was necessary to cause the chaos needed to create the Israeli friendly Kurdish state aka Isreal 2.0http://markcurtis.info/2010/12/18/britain-and-the-muslim-brotherhood-co… connectivity to the anglozionists explains news like thishttps://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29746239Muslim Brotherhood: ‘Cleared of UK terrorism link’https://www.timesofisrael.com/british-government-opposes-banning-muslim… halves of the same whole

If the next target is Turkey, in order to redraw the maps. Nation build. Etc. Turkey has to start getting hit hard. Harder then they've already been. Hence the Muslim Brotherhood meme reappearance. The creation of expanded Israel aka Kurdistan has whole lot to do with this as well:

PennyJanuary 1, 2019 at 4:01 PMIt's a bit more complex then that- it's the control of eurasia/blocking China/eventually attacking Russia, but, bottom line it's redrawing the maps to suit a new ideago back to a year ago nowJanuary 2018https://pennyforyourthoughts2.blogspot.com/2018/01/kurdistan-big-block-… say this is the best case scenario map? Greater Kurdistan aka Israel 2.0 controlled by Usrael and allies. Stretching from the Mediterranean- (we know the Kurds, aided by Usrael, are trying to get to the Mediterranean sea) Through to the Black Sea. The shores of the Caspian. And, to the Persian Gulf. The pot stirring in Iran will take them to the Caspian. Destabilizing Turkey will take the Usrael/ Kurds to the Black Sea. Breaking up Iraq to the Persian Gulf.Anyone ignoring all that which is most if not all msm and alt media is lying by omission in my opinion

Wallflower and all... looking for some good thoughts on the above information. hattip to Flopot: who pointed out that though Iraq should be a natural partner for the Astana 3, they are not included.Iraq is to far gone to be counted on by the 3 nations participating in the Astana dealings. It's pretty obvious. Or Iraq would be there. Which brings us round to the bizarre claims about Damascus consenting to Iraq's free unfettered access to bomb Syria. It doesn't make sense.Excellent thinking Flopot! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.