Syria

[American Patriot]

Russia’s Aircraft Carrier to Visit Syrian Naval Base

By Zachary Keck

September 4, 2013





Russia’s only aircraft carrier will visit Moscow’s small naval base in Syria later this year, BBC Monitoring reported citing a newspaper published by the Russian government.
“At the end of the year, most likely in early December, the Project 11435 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser the Admiral Kuznetsov will set off on a long-distance sea voyage during which it will call at the Russian Federation Navy's logistical support centre located in the Syrian city of Tartus,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement, BBC Monitoring reported on Saturday, citing a Russian-language report in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, a newspaper run by the Russian government.


The article goes on to quote a Defense Ministry staffer as saying that the route of the vessel’s “long-distance sea voyage” was already set and it was therefore unlikely to be affected by the civil war in Syria. The Admiral Kuznetsov’s stopover in Tartus is “in no way connected” to the Syrian civil war Rossiyskaya Gazeta paraphrased the staffer as saying, according to BBC Monitoring.


The Admiral Kuznetsov is Russia’s only operational aircraft carrier. The article clarifies that Russia refers to the ship as an aircraft-carrying cruiser because “under international treaties aircraft carriers are banned from passing through the Bosporus and Dardanelles…. But this ban does not extend to aircraft-carrying cruisers.”
According to the article, the carrier can hold 50 airplanes and helicopters and comes equipped with “Granit antiship missiles, Kortik and Klinok surface-to-air missiles, and Udav antisubmarine warfare systems.” The article also reports that the Admiral Kuznetsov is 14,000 square meters and carries a crew of nearly 2,200 people including flight and technical personnel.


Earlier this year a Russian naval officer told Interfax that the Navy had decided to end the Admiral Kuznetsov’s scheduled maintenance early and deploy it on a mission that would include a stopover in the Mediterranean Sea, where Russia has established a permanent naval task force in response to the hostilities in the Middle East. That report did not specify whether it deployed to the Tartus military base in Syria, although speculation abounded.


As late as Friday Interfax reported that Russia’s Defense Ministry had told the newspaper that no decision had been made yet on whether the carrier would deploy to the Tartus base after it completes maintenance later this year.


The Admiral Kuznetsov previously made a port call at Tartus in January 2012 as part of a “naval carrier group” that was on a 43-day voyage in late 2011 and early 2012. After the naval carrier group returned, Russia’s defense minister at the time said the carrier group’s presence in the Mediterranean confirmed Russia’s status as a “great naval power.”


Russia has been beefing up its Mediterranean task force over the past week as the U.S. and France contemplate air strikes against the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria for its suspected chemical weapon attacks against civilians. Last week Russian military officials told Interfax that a missile cruiser from the Black Sea Fleet and a large anti-submarine ship usually attached to the North Fleet would deploy to the Mediterranean Sea in the coming days. It clarified that both deployments were routine and had nothing to do with the Syrian conflict.


On Sunday Interfax quoted an unnamed Russian military official as saying that the SSV-201 Priazovye, a reconnaissance ship, had left Sevastopol port in the Black Sea en route to the eastern Mediterranean where it would operate separately from the naval task force already there. Specifically, the military source said the reconnaissance ship’s mission would be “"to gather current information in the area of the escalating conflict" in Syria, Reuters reported on Monday, citing the Interfax report.


The U.S. has also beefed up its naval presence off Syria’s Coast in the Mediterranean in anticipation of President Barack Obama ordering missile strikes against Syrian regime targets. Last week it was reported that the U.S. had five destroyers armed with cruise missiles stationed in the Mediterranean compared to the 3 it usually deploys to the region.


Additionally, the USS San Antonio (LPD-17), an amphibious transport dock with about a thousand Marines aboard (counting both troops and crew, according to the ship’s official website), was given orders to remain in the Mediterranean last week while it was traveling through the Red Sea on a regularly scheduled deployment. The ship can deliver 700-800 Marines on shore. U.S. officials described the decision to have the USS San Antonio remain in the region as a “precaution” and emphasized that there aren’t any plans to send U.S. Marines into Syria.


On Monday the U.S. Navy said that it had decided to station a carrier strike group centered around the USS Nimitz in the Red Sea as well, but added that there are no plans to use it in any Syrian contingency at this time. Along with the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier, the carrier strike group includes four additional destroyers and one cruiser. The strike group was expected to return to the U.S. after being deployed in the Arabian Sea as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was re-routed to the Red Sea for “prudent positioning” purposes, U.S. officials told media outlets.



Although less acknowledged, the U.S. is almost certainly also operating submarines capable of launching cruise missiles in the region as well.
President Obama announced Saturday that he would ask Congress to support U.S. military action against Syria.

[American Patriot]

LOL DAMN those AMERICANS moving war ships!

US Fuels Tension By Deploying Warships Near Syria – Russia

Five U.S. destroyers and an amphibious ship are in the Mediterranean.

By

Reuters

September 3, 2013

---

Russia criticised the United states on Tuesday for sending warships close to Syria, saying the deployments would exacerbate tension as Washington prepares for a possible military strike.


“The pressure being applied by the United States causes particular concern,” Russian Defence Ministry official Oleg Dogayev was quoted as saying by the state-run Itar-Tass news agency.


He said “the dispatch of ships armed with cruise missiles toward Syria’s shores has a negative effect on the situation in the region.”


Five U.S. destroyers and an amphibious ship are in the Mediterranean, poised for possible cruise missile strikes against Syria, and U.S. officials said the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and four other ships in its strike group moved into the Red Sea on Monday.


Russia, one of the Syrian government’s main arms suppliers, opposes military intervention over an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria. Moscow is also sending new warships to the Mediterranean but says it is just rotating ships in the area.

[American Patriot]

Of course "General Kerry" sez....

Russia Won’t Fight War over Syria - Kerry

Topic: Possible Intervention in Syria

US Secretary of State John Kerry
© AFP 2013/ Jacquelyn Martin/ Pool


05:07 05/09/2013
Tags: chemical weapons, UN Security Council, United Nations, US House of Representatives, Martin Dempsey, Bashar al-Assad, Barack Obama, John Kerry, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Syria, United States, Russia

• Forces Preparing for Possible Strike on Syria

MOSCOW, September 5 (RIA Novosti) - A possible US military operation in Syria would not result in a war with Russia, Secretary of State John Kerry said at a meeting of the foreign affairs committee of the US House of Representatives.


“Foreign Minister [Sergei] Lavrov of Russia has made it clear - pretty much to paraphrase - Russia does not intend to fight a war over Syria,” Kerry said at the meeting on Wednesday when asked whether there was a potential danger of a military conflict with Russia.


“And I’ve had personal conversations with President [Vladimir] Putin and with the foreign minister that have indicated Syria doesn’t rise to that level of potential conflict. Their ships are kind of staying out of the way. They are not threatening that. And I don’t think that would be what would happen here,” he said.


General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the assessment of Russia’s possible response would be presented to Congress at closed hearings.
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have already died in the two-year civil war in Syria.


The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted Wednesday to give President Barack Obama the authority to use military force against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack last month.


© RIA Novosti.

Forces Preparing for Possible Strike on Syria




A US intelligence report claims the Assad regime was behind a chemical weapons attack near Damascus on August 21 that Washington says left more than 1,400 people dead.


The UN Security Council has so far not authorized any military intervention in the Syrian crisis. Russia has urged all parties to the conflict to use diplomatic means to resolve it.

[American Patriot]

Oh good grief.

Obama Greets Putin With ‘Historic Death Stare’ At G-20 Summit

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Nation's Politics

Excerpted from Business Insider: Via CNBC’s Eamon Javers, this is President Barack Obama giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a significantly intense death stare upon their meeting at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Obama-Putin interactions have been far and away the most anticipated of the summit, amid a recent thaw in U.S.-Russian relations. The two leaders have clashed over NSA leak source Edward Snowden and, most recently and prominently, over the situation in Syria.
In August, the White House canceled a planned one-on-one meeting between the two leaders before the summit as the Snowden controversy was still bubbling.
In a rare interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday, Putin warned Obama against taking unilateral military action in Syria. He also didn’t rule out participating in a U.N. resolution on punitive military strikes if it is proven that Syria used chemical weapons on its own people.
But Putin has denounced a possible U.S.-led strike on Syria as a violation of international law, and he has not bought into U.S. proof that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered the chemical-weapons attack, which the U.S. says killed 1,429 people and more than 426 children. Putin said it is “illogical” for Assad to have used chemical weapons on his own people. Keep reading

[American Patriot]

[American Patriot]

Putin Throws Down: How About Showing Us Some Convincing Proof Syrian Regime Used Chemical Weapons

September, 5, 2013 — nicedeb

The UK Times reports that President Putin “tried to avert a diplomatic stalemate between Russia and America at today’s G20 summit by hinting of a compromise on Western military intervention in Syria.”


He said, “if there is evidence that chemical weapons were used, and by the regular army, then this evidence must be presented to the UN Security Council and it must be convincing,” President Putin said in an interview with Associated Press.


Asked whether Russia would support US-led airstrikes, he added: “I do not exclude that.”…


I agree with this analysis by “Purple Avenger” at AoSHQ:

Is this a semi-cave, or a taunt? If Putin knows the truth, and he’s certainly in a better position to know than we or the UN ever were, and that truth ran against Obama, then its a taunt calling him out to present lies as truth on the world stage, further burnishing his image as the world’s village idiot.


If the truth favors Obama, Putin is offering a gracious opening to build actual consensus for strikes and Obama looks foolish to decline. Either way, well played Vlad. Well played.

Meanwhile, more pundits have emerged who have serious questions about who actually used the Saran gas,
We can now add PJ Media’s Roger Kimball to the growing list of doubting Thomases.

I am deeply hesitant about Obama’s plan — or half-plan, or swaggering non-red line in the sand that he never drew anyway. I am deeply hesitant about the spasmodic lurch Obama is threatening partly because I believe he is a bumbling incompetent who is vastly more likely to make things worse, not better, but also partly because I don’t trust the administration’s narrative about what happened in Syria.


Last month, someone used poison gas outside Damascus. Many people, including many children, died. Question: who used the poison gas? That great statesman John Kerry says it was Assad. But what if Raymond Ibrahim is right and it wasn’t Assad but the “rebels” who were using chemical weapons? What then?


As Andrew McCarthy has pointed out, al-Qaeda has a long and grisly history of attempting to acquire chemical weapons.
That’s one question: who actually used the poison gas?

It wasn’t too long ago that the idea that my own government would be involved in an atrocity on this scale would have been dismissed out of hand. But as noted in my last post, because of the seriousness of Obama Regime’s many scandals and their egregious track record of playing fast and loose with the facts on so many fronts for so many years, they have a serious credibility deficit.


UPDATE:
Via Weasel Zippers: Putin Warns Obama: Russia Could Come To Syria’s Aid If U.S. Attacks…
Fox News:

As he touched down in St. Petersburg on Thursday morning, President Obama greeted his host Vladimir Putin with a handshake and a smile.
But the cordial greeting belies the tinderbox the two leaders are sitting on, as they posture and deliberate over a potential U.S. strike on Syria — one of Russia’s closest Mideast allies.


Putin escalated concerns about the fallout from any strike when he indicated in an interview published Wednesday that his country could send Syria and its neighbors in the region the components of a missile shield if the U.S. attacks.

And check out this shite – apparently Obama’s pathetic and embarrassing blame shifting on Syria yesterday – is now the official Dem talking point.

Pelosi: “Obama Did Not Draw A Red Line” On Syria…

Via TIME:

TIME: Can you get a majority of your caucus? Is that important?


PELOSI: I don’t know. I think it would be important to get a majority in the Congress. But I don’t know if it’s important how you would break it down.

These issues are not really partisan.


Are we now going to be doing this every place? No. It is in our national security interest to do it, because [Assad] crossed a line when he used chemical weapons. President Obama did not draw a red line. That was drawn by humanity decades ago, to say that this is unacceptable. To ignore it is only to encourage those who would follow suit.

Boehner has been such a willing stooge, lately I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out and says it next.

[American Patriot]

WND EXCLUSIVE

Calls to Congress 499 to 1 against Syria war

The people revolt: Americans tell 22 lawmakers 'no' to military action

Published: 19 hours ago

By Garth Kant and Chelsea Schilling
Americans are slamming at least 22 members of Congress with thousands of phone calls and emails, urging lawmakers not to approve a military strike on Syria – by a margin of as much as 499 to 1.


A national debate is raging on Twitter. Tweets and statements from members of Congress – both Democrat and Republican – show tremendously strong opposition to President Obama’s call for an air strike on Syria:
Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., tweeted, “Calls and emails from my constituents is 100 to 1 AGAINST getting involved in Syria. The American people are speaking.”
Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said 99 percent of the calls his office oppose an attack.
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., said, “Constituents who have contacted my office by phone or mail oppose action in Syria 523-4 so far.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., tweeted, “My phones are blowing up, and an overwhelming amount of constituents oppose U.S. military intervention in Syria.”
Rep. Matt Salmon, R-Ariz., tweeted, “Syria constituent calls 489-2 against.”
Rep. Shelley Capito, R-W.V., said of “about 1,000 calls to my office, maybe 5 are for.”
Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said calls and emails to his offices are 600 to 9 against striking Syria.
Contact Congress and let your lawmakers know how you feel about authorizing President Obama to strike Syria.
Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., tweeted, “I received 225 emails via www.griffin.house.gov website over the weekend regarding Syria, and out of the 225 only 3 support U.S. military action against Syria.”
Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, said he is getting swamped with phone calls and on-the-street comments from constituents telling him to oppose a strike on Syria.
Rep. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said, “I’m told the phone calls are 9 out of 10 against a strike in Syria, from my constituents in Kentucky.”
Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Texas: “I have received hundreds of calls and letters from constituents expressing strong opposition.”
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., tweeted, “My office has been inundated with constituent phone calls and emails about Syria. Virtually unanimous opposition to military intervention.”
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, tweeted, “So far about 500 emails regarding Syria. 499 say NO and 1 say YES go to war” and “Hundreds of calls to our Provo and Washington, D.C., office. So far not a single call in favor of bombing Syria.”
Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., tweeted, “The phones in my office are ringing off the hook and mail is flowing in. Almost all of the people are opposed to intervention in Syria.”
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, tells WND his office is hearing the same overwhelming opposition to intervention.
Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., said, “I don’t know a member of Congress whose e-mails and phone calls are in favor of [bombing Syria.]”
Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla., said 96 percent of his emails and phone calls are from constituents who want to express their opposition to military action. He said, “Overwhelmingly, we are hearing pushback from our citizens against military intervention in Syria.”
Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., said he’s heard no support from his constituents for striking Syria: “I have not had a single person, not a single person, in over 92 Facebook posts just a little while ago in a question we posed, having a single constituent or a South Carolinian saying let’s go to war in Syria.”
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said “a very high percentage” of the constituents contacting his office have been against U.S. involvement in Syria. He estimated that 90 percent of more than 1,000 calls and emails from Americans have been urging him not to support intervention.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said, “I can tell you that in my office, the phones are bopping off the hook there. And almost unanimously people are opposed to what the president is talking about.”
Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., told the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing he and his constituents say “not just no, but heck no!” to Syriaintervention.
Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., tweeted, “I’ve been hearing a lot from members of our armed forces. The message I consistently hear: Please vote no on military action against Syria.”
Members of the military post photos of themselves to Facebook in protest of Syria action (Photo: Armed Forces Tea Party)

(Photo: Armed Forces Tea Party)

(Photo: Armed Forces Tea Party)

Meanwhile, U.S. men and women in the military are taking to social media to anonymously demand that the Obama administration refrain from sending them to fight Syria.
Uniformed military members posted photos of themselves on Facebook with paper messages covering their faces, declaring:

• “I didn’t join the Marine Corps to fight for al-Qaida in a Syrian civil war.”
• “I didn’t sign up to kill the poor for the rich. No war in Syria!”
• “Obama, I will not deploy to fight for your al-Qaida rebels in Syria. WAKE UP, PEOPLE!”
• “I didn’t join the Navy to fight for al-Qaida in a Syrian civil war.”

WND’s own unscientific poll now shows Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to military action in Syria by a 78 to 1 ratio.

[vector7]

Russia warns of nuclear disaster if Syria is hit



A military strike on Syria could lead to a nuclear catastrophe if a missile were to hit a reactor containing radioactive uranium, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman warned. The remark comes as the US continues to push for a military strike on Syria.

"If a warhead, by design or by chance, were to hit the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) near Damascus, the consequences could be catastrophic," Aleksandr Lukashevich said in a Wednesday statement.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry urged the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to complete a risk evaluation as the US continues to seek support for military action. It asked the agency to “react swiftly” and carry out “an analysis of the risks linked to possible American strikes on the MNSR and other facilities in Syria.”

A military strike on Syria could lead to a nuclear catastrophe if a missile were to hit a reactor containing radioactive uranium, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman warned. The remark comes as the US continues to push for a military strike on Syria.

"If a warhead, by design or by chance, were to hit the Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) near Damascus, the consequences could be catastrophic," Aleksandr Lukashevich said in a Wednesday statement.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry urged the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to complete a risk evaluation as the US continues to seek support for military action. It asked the agency to “react swiftly” and carry out “an analysis of the risks linked to possible American strikes on the MNSR and other facilities in Syria.”

Lukashevich stated that the region could be at risk of “contamination by highly enriched uranium and it would no longer be possible to account for nuclear material, its safety and control.” He added that such material could fall into the wrong hands.

The IAEA said that it is aware of the statement, but it is waiting for a formal request asking the agency to complete a risk evaluation. “We will consider the questions raised if we receive such a request," Reuters quoted an IAEA spokesperson as saying.

The agency said in a report to member states last week that Syria had declared there was a “small amount of nuclear material” at the MNSR, a type of research reactor usually fuelled by highly enriched uranium.

Although this type of a reactor would not contain a lot of nuclear material, it would be enough to cause "a serious local radiation hazard" if the reactor was hit, nuclear expert Mark Hibbs from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told Reuters.

The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted on Wednesday to approve President Obama's plan to strike Syria in retaliation against the alleged use of chemical weapons by President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Should Congress move to approve the president’s request, the US could soon initiate a limited strike on Syria.

On the other hand, Moscow needs convincing proof – not rumors - from UN experts that chemical weapons were used in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with AP and Channel 1 on Tuesday.

“We believe that at the very least we should wait for the results of the UN inspection commission in Syria,” Putin said. He added that so far there is no information regarding exactly which chemical agent was used in the attack in the Damascus suburb, or who was behind it.



Putin Doesn't Rule Out Military Support for Syria if Struck

05 September 2013 | Issue 5206
By Irina Filatova

Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP
Putin making various gestures and expressions during an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.

As the leaders of the world's major economies are flocking to St. Petersburg for the G20 summit, scheduled to begin Thursday, President Vladimir Putin has reaffirmed his position on the possible U.S.-led military strike in Syria but took a more flexible stance, saying that Moscow could support the campaign.

The Kremlin might back taking action against Damascus only if the move is authorized by the United Nations and is based on “clear proof” that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons, Putin said.

“I don't rule this out,” he said, referring to possible support of the campaign. “If we have objective, precise information about who committed those crimes, a reaction will follow. …We'll take a principled stance, I can assure you.”

The president made his comments in an wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press and state-owned broadcaster Channel One a day before the G20 summit kicks off. A full transcript was published on the Kremlin's website Wednesday.

The comments are “an attempt by Putin to present a more pragmatic line on Syria ahead of the G20 summit while moving away from a position that could be described as purely obstructionist,” said Matthew Clements, a principal analyst on Russia and other former Soviet countries at IHS.

Putin sent a clear message that military action on Syria without support from the United Nations Security Council would be aggression, but his comments also left space for maneuver in talks at the upcoming summit, Clements said.

The president's statement means that Russia does not totally rule out support of the military strike and at the same time does not back the regime of Syrian leader Bashar Assad without caveats, he said.

“Nevertheless, the exact nature of the 'clear proof' Putin requires remains unclear, and it is highly unlikely that Moscow will back any U.S.-led military action,” Clements said.

U.S. President Barack Obama will provide evidence of using chemical weapons by the Syrian authorities to Putin at the G20 summit in a move supposed to persuade Moscow to revise its position on Syria, Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday.

“Let’s hope that the summit might produce some change of heart as the president makes the evidence available to President Putin,” he told lawmakers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with Obama seeking congressional approval of a military strike against Syria.

Kerry said he was confident that Obama would have a discussion with Putin on Syria, since the summit would provide “ample opportunity,” RIA Novosti reported.

Putin made it clear that he intended to use the chance to discuss Syria at the summit, but he added that he would not press on making it a top issue on the agenda. He also expressed hope that he would have talks with Obama, who canceled his visit to Moscow slated for this month.

Washington said last month that Obama would skip a meeting with Putin ahead of the G20 summit, as had been planned initially, citing a lack of progress in the two countries' agenda.

The Kremlin attributed the move to the situation around former U.S. intelligence agency contractor Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia last month.

Instead of negotiations with Putin, the U.S. leader is expected to meet with Russian human rights and LGBT activists. Commenting on his counterpart's agenda, Putin said he welcomed the move, adding that showing support to civil society is common practice for U.S. policymakers.

Asked whether he would be willing to follow Obama's suit, Putin said he was ready to meet with LGBT activists, although no such offers had come.
The statement prompted immediate reaction from the LGBT movement Wednesday, with prominent gay rights activist Nikolai Alexeyev seeking a meeting with Putin.

“Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! I'm asking you for a meeting to discuss the situation around the LGBT in Russia and globally,” Alexeyev tweeted.
He later added that he had sent an official request to the presidential administration.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said his boss would contemplate the possibility of meeting with the Gay Pride organizer. “Putin always supports dialogue. Of course, it's important to determine the subject of the meeting. … But I don't know if we should do it urgently. We should first figure out what the urgency is,” Peskov told Russian News Service.

He also added that Putin had no intention to accompany Obama during his meeting with LGBT activists in St. Petersburg and would rather stick to his own agenda.

Amid mounting criticism of what some see as the Russian government's homophobia, Putin distanced himself from any discrimination against sexual minorities taking place in the country. He said he “works with such people” and awards them for achievements in various fields.

“We have absolutely normal relationships, and I don't see anything extraordinary here,” he said.

He also referred to composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky, who is believed to have been homosexual. “But we love him not for this. He was a great musician, and we all love his music,” Putin said.

Other colorful remarks included Putin's comments on the Russian opposition. But, like in most previous statements, he deliberately avoided calling anti-corruption activist and mayoral candidate Alexei Navalny by name, constantly referring to him as “this gentleman.”

“This gentleman harnessed a very fashionable topic — the fight against corruption. … In order to fight against corruption, one has to be immaculate. But there are problems with that,” he said, adding that he believed Navalny's campaign was an effort to hype the opposition leader rather than improve the political situation.

Despite expressing support for acting Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, who is also running in the election scheduled for Sunday, Putin said the Kremlin was ready to work with any candidate elected. According to various pollsters, Sobyanin's rating is estimated at 58 to 64 percent, while Navalny has the support of 16 to 20 percent of the voters.



Vladimir Putin calls John Kerry a liar over al-Qaeda in Syria claims

Russian President Vladimir Putin called US Secretary of State John Kerry a liar, claiming he had denied that al-Qaeda was fighting with the Syrian opposition in that country's civil war.


Mr Putin also repeated Russia's position that any use of military force against Syria without the approval of the UN Security Council would be an act of aggression Photo: AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

By AP

11:39PM BST 04 Sep 2013

Speaking to his human rights council, Mr Putin recalled watching a congressional debate where Mr Kerry was asked about al-Qaeda. Mr Putin said he had denied that it was operating in Syria, even though he was aware of the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group.

Mr Putin said: "This was very unpleasant and surprising for me. We talk to them (the Americans) and we assume they are decent people, but he is lying and he knows that he is lying. This is sad."

It was unclear exactly what Mr Putin was referencing, but Mr Kerry was asked on Tuesday while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if the Syrian opposition had become more infiltrated by al-Qaeda.

Mr Kerry responded that that was "basically incorrect" and that the opposition has "increasingly become more defined by its moderation."

When asked if a strike would make al-Nusra and other extremist forces stronger, Mr Kerry responded, "No, I don't believe you do (make them stronger). As a matter of fact, I think you actually make the opposition stronger. And the opposition is getting stronger by the day now."

In testimony on Wednesday, Mr Kerry said that he didn't agree that "a majority (of the opposition) are al- Qaeda and the bad guys." Extremists amount to 15 to 25 per cent of the opposition, he said, including al-Nusra and many other groups that are "fighting each other, even now."

Mr Putin also repeated Russia's position that any use of military force against Syria without the approval of the UN Security Council would be an act of aggression.


Iran Plots Revenge, U.S. Says

Officials Say Intercepted Message to Militants Orders Reprisals in Iraq if Syria Hit

The U.S. has intercepted an order from Iran to Shiite militants in Iraq to attack the U.S. Embassy and other American interests in Baghdad in the event of a strike on Syria, officials said, amid an expanding array of reprisal threats across the region.

[American Patriot]

Vector... man, you gotta keep up. LOL



I posted all those I think.

[BRVoice]

More: US State Department orders non-emergency personnel to leave Beirut embassy 'due to threats' - @Reuters
1 min ago by editor

Kumi Taguchi ‏@kumitaguchi 4m
Security message to @StateDept personnel in #Beirut http://lebanon.usembassy.gov/mobile/msg090613.html … #lebanon #syria #Congress


Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Announcement of Drawdown of U.S. Embassy Staff (September 6, 2013)

On September 6 2013, the Department of State drew down non-emergency personnel and family members from Embassy Beirut due to threats to U.S. Mission facilities and personnel. The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to Lebanon because of current safety and security concerns. U.S. citizens living and working in Lebanon should understand that they accept risks in remaining and should carefully consider those risks.

U.S. citizens concerned for their safety should consider making plans to depart by commercial means. U.S. citizens will be responsible for arranging their own travel out of Lebanon. Beirut International Airport is open and commercial flights are operating. Travelers should check with their airlines prior to traveling to verify the flight schedule.

Those who remain should prepare to depart at short notice. This includes ensuring that travel documents for all family members are available and up to date. U.S. citizens with valid passports and foreign dependents with valid passports or visas should not/not contact the Embassy for travel arrangements. Rather, they should make their own arrangements directly with transportation companies or travel agents.

U.S. citizens should be aware that the Embassy does not offer “protection” services to individuals who feel unsafe. U.S. citizens with special medical or other needs should be aware of the risks of remaining in Lebanon given their condition and should be prepared to seek treatment in Lebanon if they cannot arrange for travel out of the country. U.S. citizens traveling or residing in Lebanon who choose to remain should be aware that the U.S. Embassy's ability to reach all areas of Lebanon is limited. The Embassy urges all U.S. citizens in Lebanon to monitor the media for the latest developments.

There are no plans to conduct a U.S. government-sponsored evacuation at this time. U.S. government-facilitated evacuations, such as the evacuation that took place from Lebanon in 2006, occur only when no safe commercial alternatives exist. Evacuation assistance is provided on a cost-recovery basis, which means the traveler must reimburse the U.S. government for travel costs. The lack of a valid U.S. passport may hinder the ability of U.S. citizens to depart the country and may slow the U.S. Embassy's ability to provide assistance. U.S. citizens in Lebanon should therefore ensure that they have proper and current documentation at all times. U.S. Legal Permanent Residents should consult with the Department of Homeland Security before they depart the United States to ensure they have proper documentation to re-enter. Further information on the Department’s role during emergencies can be found on the website of the Bureau of Consular Affairs: www.travel.state.gov.

As staff levels at the Embassy are restricted, our ability to assist U.S. citizens in an emergency and provide routine consular services is limited and may be further constrained by the fluid security situation. The safety of our visitors and staff is our highest priority. Due to disruptions caused by the current environment, consular services could experience unusual delays. This situation may affect U.S. Citizen Services, as well as processing times for visa applications. Changes to appointment schedules may occur on very short notice. The Consular Section’s capacity to respond to inquiries is limited at this time due to the volume of inquiries. We regret the inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we strive to provide efficient service while prioritizing your safety.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Lebanon enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/step. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Regularly monitor the State Department's website at http://travel.state.gov, where you can find current Travel Warnings, including the Travel Warning for Lebanon, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for Lebanon at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_4965.html. For additional information, refer to "A Safe Trip Abroad" on the State Department's website.

Contact the U.S. Embassy for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free from within the United States and Canada, or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/travelgov and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/travelgov, and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smar...442693988?mt=8 to have travel information at your fingertips.

The U.S. Embassy in Beirut Lebanon is located at Awkar facing the Municipality, PO Box 70-840, Beirut and is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, (961) (4) 542600 or (961) (4) 543600. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of urgent assistance, the emergency number for the U.S. Embassy is (961) (4) 542600 or (961) (4) 543600. For further information, U.S. citizens may also access our website at Embassy in Lebanon.

[BRVoice]

daniele mammoliti ‏@caosnews 33s

RT @MahirZeynalov: #US moves to reduce diplomatic presence at consulate general in #Turkey’s Adana near #Syria because of threats.


Laura Rozen @lrozen 54s
New State Dept travel warnings for Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, some ordered departures.

BREAKING: US State Dept. orders non-emergency US Government personnel to leave Lebanon as Congress debates action in Syria - @NBCNews

[BRVoice]

US State Dept. issues travel warnings, draws down non-emergency staff in Lebanon and parts of Turkey - @TravelGov

12 mins ago from travel.state.gov by editor

------

Travel Warning
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

Turkey
September 06, 2013

1. The U.S. Department of State warns U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Turkey that the U.S. Consulate General in Adana has been authorized to draw down its non-emergency staff and family members because of threats against U.S. government facilities and personnel. The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens defer non-essential travel to southeastern Turkey.

2. On September 6, the Department of State permitted the drawdown of U.S. government non-emergency personnel and family members from the U.S. Consulate General in Adana, Turkey. U.S. citizens seeking to depart Turkey are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. There are no plans for charter flights or other U.S. government-sponsored evacuations.

3. U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Turkey should be alert to the potential for violence. We strongly urge U.S. citizens to avoid demonstrations and large gatherings. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. There have been no direct attacks on U.S. citizens.

4. Review your personal security plans, remain aware of your surroundings, including local events, and monitor local news media for updates. Maintain a high level of vigilance, take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security, and follow instructions of local authorities.

5. We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens and nationals traveling to or residing in Turkey enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens and nationals without Internet access may enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Enrolling signs you up to receive updated information about areas abroad and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or consulate to communicate with you or your designated contact in case of emergency.

6. Current information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or a regular toll line at +1-202-501-4444 for callers from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

7. You can also stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. Download our free Smart Traveler App, available through iTunes and the Google play market to have travel information at your fingertips.

8. Contact information for the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Turkey:

The U.S. Embassy in Ankara is located at 110 Ataturk Boulevard, tel: (90)(312) 455-5555, fax (90)(312) 468-6131.

The U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul is located at 2 Uçsehitler Sokaği, 34460, Istinye, Sariyer, tel: (90)(212) 335-9000, fax (90)(212) 335-9102.

The U.S. Consulate in Adana is located at 212 Girne Bulvarıı, Güzelevler Mahallesi, Yüreğir, tel: (90)(322) 346-6262, fax (90)(322) 346-7916.

The Consular Agency in Izmir can be reached at tel: (90)(232) 464-8755, fax (90)(232) 464-8916.

[American Patriot]

Things are still building.

Funny, listening to the news this morning it is sounding very ominous.

Hezbollah is up to something today. Israel is probably going to suffer, and so will our embassies.

Pentagon estimates there are as many as 1200 "rebel groups" operating in Syria. No one knows who the hell to support.

[American Patriot]

09.06.13
by wkchild

The Soap Opera Plot Thickens: Iran Plots Revenge If US Hits Syria, According To “Intercepted” Message

Source: zerohdedge.com by Tyler Durden on 09/06/2013 – 07:55
We have not seen the YouTube clip that will serve as “incontrovertible” evidence of the following, nor is there any indication that Iran is actually aware of the NSA and that it intercepts every form of electronic communication (and when such communication is not available, one is made up), but since we have no reason to doubt the US government or its pristine, best intentions with or without YouTube clips, it is only obvious that the latest development in the Syrian/Iranian/Qatari/Saudi/Israeli soap opera is definitive proof that a US attack must happen to punish not only evil Assad but the just as evil Iranians, who dare to contemplate retaliation in the case of the latest defensive US war of aggression.
From the WSJ:
The U.S. has intercepted an order from Iran to militants in Iraq to attack the U.S. Embassy and other American interests in Baghdad in the event of a strike on Syria, officials said, amid an expanding array of reprisal threats across the region.
Military officials have been trying to predict the range of possible responses from Syria, Iran and their allies. U.S. officials said they are on alert for Iran’s fleet of small, fast boats in the Persian Gulf, where American warships are positioned. U.S. officials also fear Hezbollah could attack the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
…
The Iranian message, intercepted in recent days, came from Qasem Soleimani, the head of Revolutionary Guards’ Qods Force, and went to Iranian-supported Shiite militia groups in Iraq, according to U.S. officials.
In it, Mr. Soleimani said Shiite groups must be prepared to respond with force after a U.S. strike on Syria. Iranian officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Iraqi Shiites have been sympathetic to the Alawite-dominated government of Syria and oppose U.S. strikes against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
U.S. officials said the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was one likely target. The officials didn’t describe the range of potential targets indicated by the intelligence.
Somewhere out there, there is, or will be, a YouTube clip, which shows Iran launching ballistic missiles at the cornucopia of US destroyers parked in the vicinity of Syria:
The destroyers positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean are equipped with—in addition to Tomahawk missiles that could be used against Syria—the Standard Missile-3, which could be used to intercept ballistic missiles should Iran launch a retaliatory strike, officials said.
Then there are, or will be, YouTube clips showing “vicious offensives” by Syria against the opposition. Even more “vicious” than the YouTube clips “proving” Assad launched the chemical weapons against the opposition:
Syrians could also respond with “a vicious offensive” against the opposition inside Syria, said Aaron David Miller, a former top Middle East negotiator in the State Department who now is a vice president at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Such a move, he said, would be a way “to demonstrate defiance” without running the risk of hitting American targets.
And if that doesn’t happen, there will be a YouTube clip showing Hezbollah attacking the US, Israel, or whatever other US ally was currently easiest to edit in the NSA’s evidence manipulation room:
Some officials believe a direct response from the Syrian or Iranian governments is less likely than reprisals from allied militant groups, such as Hezbollah.
Hezbollah, whose members have been fighting alongside government forces against the Syrian rebellion, could be used to launch rocket attacks against U.S. military assets or American allies, including Israel.
But the funniest YouTube clip proving beyond a reasonable doubt a US war of aggression was really a defensive one, is when the French are attacked:
French officials said they are concerned Hezbollah could target the hundreds of French troops taking part in a U.N.-backed peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon.
And so forth. That US foreign policy has devolved into a false flag hypothetical narrative chain is beyond deplorable: in the past at least they tried to make it somewhat credible. Now Kerry’s minions are appealing to the lowest common Kardashian-watching denominator. Which is why we know for sure: no matter just how preposterously idiotic the next false flag will be: there will be YouTube clips!

[American Patriot]

Friday, September 06, 2013


Russia

Russian Ships Heading To Mediterranean


The Russian landing ship Novocherkassk crosses the Bosphorus on its way to the Mediterranean Sea.






September 06, 2013


Russia's Interfax news agency says two large Russian landing ships are on their way to the eastern Mediterranean.

The report on September 6 said the "Novocherkassk" and the "Minsk" are accompanied by the "Priazovye" reconnaissance ship. The report, citing a source at Russian Navy headquarters, says they already have passed through the Dardanelles Strait entering the eastern Mediterranean.

Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov September 5 that Russia is boosting its naval presence in the Mediterranean, "primarily" to organize a possible evacuation of Russians from Syria. It is unclear how many ships Russia has there.

The United States already has a strong naval presence in the region ahead of possible U.S. military action to punish the Syrian regime for a suspected chemical-weapons attack.

[American Patriot]

You know it just occurred to me that the whole reason we want to do this isn't because they USED the weapons of mass destruction. It is because the US wants to secure that stuff away from the terrorists.

Ok. I say let's go in. Not some itty bitty op though. Let's fucking FLOOD Syria with American troops after softening up the entire area. Let's kill all the fucking terrorists and take the WMD and destroy them.... If we're gonna do this, we do it RIGHT.

And if Russia opens their mouths, we shoot their mouths off their faces.

Let's DO IT!

[American Patriot]

Ok, I thought this through over the last couple of days and this morning I had an epiphany, as stated above. Here's what I kind of threw together on this, my thinking and who knows if I got it right?

But I'm probably closer to the truth than the WH wants me to know.

Reality Check

American Patriot's Reality Check

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To go to Syria or Not

Up until today I’ve considered this whole Syria thing total folly.


But my American Military Mind started really thinking this through.


Today several Travel Warnings were issued by State. It occurs to me that the US Government isn’t telling the Public everything. So, I’m going to lay this out as if we were standing there listening in to the briefings we can’t usually hear.


Pretend for a moment you’re standing in a Congressional Classified Briefing and they bring up the number of “rebel groups” (There are about 1200 different groups). They bring up that the most powerful among those Rebels are Hezbollah and Al Qaeda related. Hearing more information about this and the fact that there are actually chemical weapons available in that country you realize suddenly that if the Rebels WIN this civil war, they get their hands on those WMD.


Now, who do you think will not OWN those items?


Terrorists….


To use that stuff on Americans. On US Embassies. On Israelis. On Christians. On innocents. On cities. On subways, trains, airports, malls….


After considering this, perhaps the whole reason the President wants to go in there (other than regime change which I think is his real reason for this) is to stop the terrorists. Nope. Obomber doesn’t want to do that, those are his people. He wants to clear out Assad and allow the Muslim Brotherhood to take over.


The Pentagon, the US military, Congress and most of the American people are smarter than the President gives us credit for being. The MILITARY will go in there and secure or destroy the WMD to prevent it from falling into the hands of terrorists.


Remember them calling Bush a liar about Iraqi WMD? Remember most of us saying “It was moved to Syria”? Remember that Obama doesn’t want Bush to get any credit and is blaming him for everything?


No folks what this is truly about is allowing Obama to appear like a winner, Bush like a loser, hiding the fact that the WMD in Syria belonged to Saddam (and this will vindicate Bush if we can get a-hold of that stuff and prove it) and it will put Obama OUT of Office.


Honestly, this is a lot more complex than just letting Muslims to kill Muslims, or bombing some random camels and tents like Clinton did. No, no, no, my fellow Patriots.


This is Obama trying to get us nuked.


This is Obama trying to hide the fact the WMD belonged to Saddam.


This is Obama trying to look good.


This is the Pentagon trying to stop terrorists from getting their hands on these weapons.


My final thinking on this is… we probably should go in there. But do it right. Everything we’ve got. Take down BOTH sides of this conflict, destroy the chemical weapons and vindicate Bush, and if we get the chance, kick Russia in the nuts and take them down as well.


America has been made out to be a pansy-assed country by our OWN President. It’s time to remove this guy from office and do the right thing. But we have to DO IT RIGHT!

Related articles

• Saddam’s WMDs, Found at Last … in Syria! (counterpunch.org)
• Fox News guest’s memory of the media and the Iraq war is ‘like night and day’ (dailykos.com)
• Former Bush official: Syria resolution could authorize attack on Iran and Lebanon (mondoweiss.net)
• Numbers in Congress Show Obama Far From Approval on Syria (bloomberg.com)
• US Soon to Go to War With Syria Over Previously Nonexistent WMDs (moonbattery.com)
• John Kerry After 10 Years Of Searching ~ Finds George’s Iraq WMDs In Syria! (politicalvelcraft.org)
• McCain Confronted on Syria at Angry Town Hall Meeting (rinf.com)
• Intercepted Secret Order Reveals Iran’s Plot for Revenge If U.s. Attacks Syria (kielarowski.wordpress.com)
• Eye Opener: Iran plotting revenge for U.S. Syria strike? (cbsnews.com)

September 6, 2013 Posted by American Patriot | Big Government, CIA, Clandestine Communications, Congress, Government Overreach, Israel, Manchurian Candidate, Media Lies, Middle East, Muslim, Nuclear War, Obama, Russia, State Department, Survival, Syria, Terrorism, The Throes of Tyranny, Trans-Asian Axis, United Nations, United States, US Military | Armageddon, Barack Obama, Big Government, Bush, Government Overreach, Nuclear War, obama, Patriots, Pentagon, Preparedness, Prepper, Preppers, Prepping, Progressive Tyranny, Russia, Saddam, Survival Skills, Syria, Terrorism, transasian axis, United State, United States, Weapon of mass destruction | Leave a Comment

[American Patriot]

Posted in: Middle East Posted: September 5, 2013
Russian Warships En Route To Syria

Three Russian warships are on their way to Syria amid concern that the United States and other countries could launch cruise missiles against the embattled nation.


The SSV-201 intelligence ship Priazovye and two landing ships, Minsk and Novocherkassk, crossed Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait on Thursday on their way to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.




Several warships from the United States are also in the region, having arrived there last week. Yahoo! News reports that the Priazivye left its home port of Sevastopol in Ukraine on Sunday.


Russia has kept warships in the Mediterranean since the Syrian crisis began. On an average day, the ally of Syria has about four warships in the region.


The country also has a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus. ABC News notes that the Russian warships headed for Syria are meant as a way to evacuate Russian citizens from Syria, according to the Kremlin’s chief of staff.


Sergei Ivanov explained on Russian television that Russia is boosting its naval presence in the region “primarily” to organize an evacuation of Russians from Syria should anything threaten them.


While Russia has claimed innocent intentions with its ships, the increased naval presence has lead to fears of a larger international conflict pitting the United States against Russia again. Russia has voted against military intervention in Syria several times. It also took the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the latest reported chemical weapons attack.


The United States believes that the attack was carried out by the Assad regime. However, Russia has cautioned to wait until the United Nations publishes the test results from several samples taken at the alleged attack site. President Vladimir Putin added that the United States’ proof of the regime’s involvement isn’t concrete.


Putin also warned on Wednesday that an attack from the United States on Syria would be an act of “aggression,” unless it was made after a consensus with the United Nations. It is unclear how close the Russian warships will be stationed to the United States’ vessels.


[Image via Wikimedia Commons]

[American Patriot]

VOA:

Russia Sends Another Navy Ship Towards Syria




Syria map, Turkey, Iraq





Related Articles

• UN Chief: Syria Strikes Could Worsen Civil War
• Syria Splits Gathering of World’s Most Powerful Leaders
• US Congress Questions Rationale for Striking Syria

Reuters
September 06, 2013

Russia is sending the naval landing ship Nikolai Filchenkov to the eastern Mediterranean, state news agency Interfax said on Friday, reinforcing its presence near Syria.

Russia, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, says its vessels in the eastern Mediterranean guarantee security as the United States considers launching military strikes to punish Damascus for its alleged use of chemical weapons.

"The vessel will dock in Novorossiysk where it will take special cargo on board and head to the designated area of military service in the eastern Mediterranean,” Interfax quoted an unnamed navy source as saying.

It gave no more details and Russia's Defense Ministry declined immediate comment.

Nikolai Filchenkov was not among vessels that the ministry said last month would enter the Mediterranean as part of a planned rotation.

Russia says it will not get involved militarily in Syria and opposes a possible U.S. intervention, saying it would lack a mandate from the U.N. Security Council, where Moscow has blocked Western-led attempts to mount pressure on Assad.

The dispute over Syria has overshadowed a G20 summit in St Petersburg this week and there is little expectation that world powers will be able to overcome differences on the matter.

[BRVoice]

Putin "Brings It": Says Will Assist Syria In Case Of Attack


Submitted by Tyler Durden on 09/06/2013 09:48 -0400

Following a supposedly "warm" 20-30 minute conversation this morning with President Obama, Russian President Putin has rattled the sabre one more time:

• PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA TO ASSIST SYRIA IN CASE OF EXTERNAL ATTACK

This will not end well... and of course will raise more doubts among Congress that this 'strike' makes sense. Equity markets are not amused...