As is his preference, Donald Trump announced by tweet, the end of $230 million funding of “stabilization efforts in Syria.” In reality, money is being redirected toward projects to overthrow the Iranian government by hook or by crook, while in Syria, Trump has convinced the Saudis and the United Arab Emirates to cough up the bulk of $300 million, ostensibly for development, but which any fool knows is designed to ensure the prolongation of the war on Syria, keeping it in a state of uncertainty, conflict and instability.

Trump foe, Senator Bob Menendez claimed it hands more power to Russia and Iran to bolster the position of President Bashar Al-Assad, typical of US politicians who dismiss the entirety of the Syrian people, focusing on one man whom they vilify relentlessly.

Time Magazine, in announcing the cut, said “nearly all of that money, initially pledged by former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in February, had been on hold and under review since he was fired in March. A small fraction of that amount was released in June.”

The White Helmets Still the Flavor of the Month

It is revealing what that small fraction is actually for propaganda by the White Helmets of endless war crimes by Bashar Al-Assad, supplemented by a liberal sprinkling of false flags they have become notorious for; most notably chemical weapons attacks. Accusations which are lapped up by the corporate media and pounced upon by western politicians persisting with demonizing a country and leader locked in deadly struggle with powerfully backed terrorists groups needs a mechanism from which consequences and accountability can flow, thus as part of the package which survived, a United Nations war crime investigatory body was included. As with all funding by the US, it comes with strings attached, the US playing puppet master in demanding the recipient dance to its tune. This is a tendency that has elevated considerably under Trump, as he bullies and dismantles international institutions and agreements without an apparent second thought.

In June, the administration freed up a small portion — $6.6 million — of the $200 million that Tillerson had pledged in order to continue funding for the White Helmets, a Syrian civil defense organization, and the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, a U.N. agency that is investigating war crimes committed during the conflict.

A sense of anticipation that the White Helmets had finally run out of steam and usefulness was present among independent journalists and activists when the White House announced it was freezing funding while the program underwent a review. The regularity of the White Helmets being accused of staging false flags and provocations, as well as an abundance of evidence of colluding with terrorist groups, which had reached a point of being monotonous, gave the impression the Trump regime may have decided to cut and run. Russian officials presenting Syrian witnesses at an OPCW press conference at The Hague who testified there was no gas attack in Douma wouldn’t have helped matters either.

“There were people unknown to us who were filming the emergency care, they were filming the chaos taking place inside, and were filming people being doused with water. The instruments they used to douse them with water were originally used to clean the floors actually,” Ahmad Kashoi, an administrator of the emergency ward, recalled. “That happened for about an hour, we provided help to them and sent them home. No one has died. No one suffered from chemical exposure.”

Skepticism of the about face in support for the White Helmets soon emerged, their connections to powerful lobby groups within the US, the ongoing funding from other NATO and non-NATO states, in addition to the prospect of receiving new Turkish and Qatari contracts, dampening the optimism that a group which is no more than glorified terrorists had finally overstayed their welcome.

At 2018 Sedona Forum, the McCain Institute presented its annual Award for Courage and Leadership to @SyriaCivilDef for their heroic, brave work conducting volunteer search & rescue missions in Syria. https://t.co/JnPXZVtTsN pic.twitter.com/zUGniWQbVw — McCain Institute (@McCainInstitute) April 30, 2018

Trump Withdrawing or Expanding Illegal Occupation

The $200 million was frozen after the decision to terminate Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State and is likely to have been left in limbo until new strategies were devised by Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, two men with a visceral hatred of Iran who are more than happy to decimate Syria on their path to Persia. Those who were optimistic that the penny had finally dropped on the Trump regime that the White Helmets were a liability, increasingly amateurish and careless in their propaganda efforts have been left disappointed.

‘Contrary to the façade of a gradual withdrawal from Syria, the upshot of the latest developments is that the US is increasing its military presence in Syria, expanding its military bases which extend from the east to northeast and North West of the country and is reinforcing the strength of the SDF, at a time when the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) has been in discussions with the central government on reconciliation.

Rami Abdulrahman’s one person Syrian Observatory for Human Rights operation, to be sure a long time enemy of the people of Syria, shows even it can at times undermine false US claims on their intentions in Syria:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the International Coalition entering tens of shipments again into their military positions and bases east of Euphrates River, and in the details monitored by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the last hours witnessed the entry of more than 250 trucks carrying weapons, equipment, armored vehicles and machinery to areas controlled by the Syria Democratic Forces, where these shipments came from the Syrian-Iraqi border and headed to the military bases of the United States and the western forces in several areas east of Euphrates River, and the entry of more arms shipments comes after entering large quantities of similar shipments to the same areas during the past days and weeks, in addition to expanding the Coalition’s military bases in the area.

Just three days later, SOHR reported more movement of trucks into Syria:

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the International Coalition Forces are continuing to enter trucks loaded with building substances, military equipment, and vehicles, in conjunction with their processes to enlarge their military bases in both Al-Hasakah and Aleppo provinces, and the reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the past 24 hours witnessed the entry of more than 70 trucks loaded with the above-mentioned substances, while it is expected that the process of the entry of trucks will continue in the incoming days and weeks…

These moves, while consolidating the US’ own position, are going to concern Turkey, sidelined by the latest moves, while its YPG/SDF adversaries will reap the benefits. The pain is doubled by the assault on the Turkish economy waged by Washington, purportedly over the detention of US Pastor Andrew Brunson but in reality owing its origin to Ankara drawing closer to Russia and Iran, adversaries of the US, and in the case of Iran, drawing the fury of Israel, with whom its relations have soured.

Target Iran

The $230 million is being redirected toward overthrowing the government of Iran, cutely hidden behind the coded message that the Iran government “must change its behavior.” In other words, Tehran must reverse decades of pursuing an independent foreign policy, abandon its allies, yield to Saudi Arabia and Israel, leave itself defenseless and sign up as the latest vassal of Washington.

Snatching away the funding to foment chaos elsewhere doesn’t mean leaving Syria. On the contrary, it is a perfect place to train terrorists to launch missions to attack Iran, helps to weaken the Iran position in Syria, as well as inevitably thwarting stabilization, peace & regaining all Syrian territory under the control of the central government. The US accepts backing its jihadists is an abject failure. But rather than leave gracefully, it is viciously attacking Syria’s Russian and Iranian allies and its accidental ally in Turkey. It is reshuffling the deck-chairs, consolidating its presence in Syria and biding its time in the hope of a renewed push for regime change. It is destined for failure but seems to be the last one to realize it.

The Saudi Cancer in Syria

Saudi Arabia is the most notorious of the terror sponsors and the one with the deepest pockets. Any expansion of its role in Syria can only be a bad omen for a secular, multi-denomination country. The joy of liberation, a return to normalcy and the return of Syrians from abroad to liberated areas, contrast starkly with Idlib, where Saudi backed terrorists impose a regime of sectarianism, fear and threat of a quick death for any who oppose a backwards system of governance of religious extremism.

“the cut will be more than offset by an additional $300 million pledged by coalition partners, including $100 million that Saudi Arabia announced it had contributed late Thursday.”

The money pledged by Saudi Arabia, in addition to that by the United Arab Emirates—the coalition currently eviscerating Yemen—means that these Wahhabist tyrannies will be pouring money into supporting the HSD (SDF) and YPG. A marriage made in hell between the ultimate sectarians and groups allegedly left wing in nature.

State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the contribution followed the request from President Donald Trump for partners “to share the burden of promoting stability in Syria to safeguard the military gains” achieved against IS and to secure its defeat.

Hogwash. There is no campaign to defeat ISIS. The safeguarding is to ensure continued ISIS presence, thus justifying ongoing occupation which destabilizes Syria and undermines its ability to liberate its land and rebuild. What country can guarantee security and stability when a band of experienced and deadly cutthroats are actively assisted to carry out their operations, now evolved into covert, guerilla style tactics.

Nauert went on to state:

“We will continue to provide life-saving, needs-based humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Syrians, support for the White Helmets and the UN’s International Impartial and Independent Mechanism to hold the [Syrian President Bashar] Assad regime accountable for serious crimes, as well as equipment and other measures to counter the effects of chemical weapons in northwest Syria,” Nauert said.

Idlib the Final Hammer in the Terrorists Coffin

The focus is clearly on assisting the White Helmets in making false allegations and staging false attacks in Idlib, and providing ammunition to the UN in an effort to prosecute Bashar al-Assad. Syrian forces prepare for the biggest battle since Aleppo in retaking the last terrorist stronghold, in the knowledge they will be strongly opposed by the US and its allies. The US did threaten intervention before the successful campaign to liberate Daraa province, which didn’t escalate beyond saber rattling. In Idlib, its best bet is that Turkey will act to support its proxies in fighting Syrian forces and its allies. A so called “National Army, “comprising 35,000 fighters has been set up by Turkey, a formidable force to contend with. The fact its members comprise the likes of child head chopping Nour al-Din al-Zinki and civilian murdering and torturing Ahrar al-Sham, is of little concern to the MI6/CIA loyalist media and it will doubtless assail us with stories of regime atrocities of deliberately bombing hospitals and schools if the campaign does commence.

The leader of the “National Army “Colonel Haitham Afisi said Turkish support includes fighters’ wages, logistical support “and weapons if necessary”. He also said the National Army could be quickly merged with Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army “rebels” in Idlib if necessary. He listed three enemies: Assad, the PKK and Islamic State.

When we say Turkey is an accidental “ally” of Syria it may be more accurate to describe it as inadvertent, involuntary, or just how the cards have fallen. Cards which could quickly be reshuffled and result in direct military conflict between Turkey and Syria in Idlib. Syria views Turkey’s involvement in the Astana process with great suspicion and Recep Tayip Erdogan and his regime will remain adversaries until Erdogan understands where Turkey’s destiny lies.

Tony Cartalucci says that “The idea of having NATO military forces on the ground in Syria, providing protection for Western-backed militants in safe-havens has been stated US policy since the beginning of the Syrian conflict.” Idlib is ripe for this scenario.

The campaign to liberate Idlib appears to be on temporary hold while negotiations between Syria, Russia, Turkey and the so called “moderate” opposition. Russia’s Syria envoy Alexander Lavrentiev told Russian media “There’s currently no question and can be no question of an operation, of a major assault on Idlib.”

The US will proceed as planned with efforts to overthrow the government of Iran. This will not curtail its efforts in Syria. On the contrary, its aggression against Syria serves the purpose of also targeting Iran with the ultimate aim to force Iranian presence out of the country.

The exaggeration that ISIS still has 30,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria is designed to justify the US staying in both countries, despite overwhelming opposition by both populations. The US says it is committed to defeating ISIS, so by protecting it, it both creates and nurtures the threat it then pretends to fight.

Donald Trump may tweet at 3AM that he wants out of Syria, but it is only at that time he controls the country he is President of. The rest of the time the powerbrokers known as the deep state run the country, determined to rule the world by brute force. They are not going to leave Syria until the pressure on them to leave becomes too great to sustain.

Brett McGurk, the Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS has said previously that the US will stay in Syria in contradiction to Trump’s claims he wants to leave. He said it again last week, disinformation specialist outlet CBS News reporting:

“We are remaining in Syria,” McGurk said Friday, when asked about the perception that the U.S. is pulling away.

The U.S., McGurk said, has not yet launched the final phase to defeat the ISIS caliphate. They will then need to train local forces to hold the ground.

The U.S. has been clear with Russia that no reconstruction efforts will begin until the United Nations certifies that a credible irreversible political process is underway. Russia is not playing a role in the stabilization efforts.

So there you have it. The US to stay. No reconstruction efforts until the elusive political process fits the US agenda. Russia plays no constructive role in the eyes of the US. And finally, the views of the Syrian government and the Syrian people? Utterly irrelevant to the US regime.

Follow us on Telegram: http://t.me/syupdates link will open Telegram app. To help us continue please visit the Donate page to donate or learn other ways.