Assad wins out against opposition as Russia and Iran strengthen ties

FROM MY DEAR FRIEND AMBASSADOR GAJENDRA SINGH

Situation in Syria and the region

These events /wars and near wars are but continuation of the Cold War , which never ceased for US led Western block .Franchised street revolutions in early 2000s were resisted  and stopped by Sanghai Cooperation Council members , when West entered Russia's near abroad , inspite of promises to Gorbachev ( Do not trust any one when strategic interests are concerned)  .Regime changes in Serbia ,Georgia,Ukraine were successful but failed in Belarus and Uzbekistan.They have been reveresed in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.Georgia was bashed up by Russia and Azerbaijan is uneasy with its close relationship with the West .

US led Imperialist powers have tried to leverage peoples revolts against Western supported dictators /puppets in N Africa and Middle East by trying to take over the movements .They have helped bring in Muslim exremists into influence and power in Tunisia and Egypt , a policy West ( British before WWII)  have always followed against national, socialist regimes of say Nasser, Mossadeq, Saddam and others .

After regime change failures in Eastern Eurasia ,the regime changes in NAf &ME is their desperate attempt to maintain and regain power in the region , with total support from such pillars of democracy as Saudi Arabia , Qatar ( mostly petrodollars) .Turkey , now almost in Riyadh's pocket has followed a very unwise policy .It has upset its armed forces by jailing its last Military chief and many other senior officers laying the foundations for a Cols coup at some stage .Turkey's population  has 10% Alevis ( victims of Sunni pogroms from time to time ) similar in belief to Syria's ruling elite and Turkey's Kurds are up in arms . Instaed of zero friction with neighbours , a much announced policy , Turkey has bad relations with almost all its neighbours , Syria ,Isarel ,Greece,Armenia ,and worsening with Iraq ,Iran,Russia . 

In US-Russian strategic balance of power, Moscow needs  naval bases ( in Tartus in Syria ) and military base ( after losing in Libya) , so it is not going to let Syria be in hostile hands , whatever be the cost .Russia is the rising power with some support from China to face off USA and its allies now in ME , while US and EU are just about bankrupt .

There have been nothing but lies from US media , a corporate handmaiden and British Gvt propaganda machine called BBC , which are now finding again echo in Indian media like CNN-IBN, Times, NDTV , all owned by Indian corporate interests .

Situation still very troubling seems to be jelling in Syria .Debka is close to Israel .Tel Aviv is not sure if a Libya like situation in Syria , which has kept peace on borders ,since 1973 , will be in its interests . .

Two related pieces 

Veto on Syria 'Diplomatic Gain' for Russia

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20120206/171182777.html

Run-up to proxy war over Syria 

http://atimes.com/atimes/China/NB07Ad01.html

Assad wins out against opposition as Russia and Iran strengthen ties 
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report February 11, 2012

http://www.debka.com/article/21729/

 

Intelligence sources reporting in real time found Saturday night, Feb. 11, that Bashar Assad's loyal military and security forces had by and large managed to subdue the rebellion against the regime. They are now purging the last pockets of resistance, especially in Syria's third largest city, Homs. Still to come are possible flare-ups here and there and inevitably more horror stories of atrocities, but to all intents and purposes Syria's eleven-month uprising is all but over.

In recent days, mass demonstrations and battles with armed rebels have virtually disappeared from the streets of the main protest centers of Daraa, Hama, Deir al-Zour, Abu Kemal, Zabadan and the restive outskirts of Damascus, which armed rebels briefly captured last month.
In Homs, soldiers of the 40^th and 90^th mechanized brigades are hunting down rebels hiding in the town and shooting them on sight.
A new name joined the gallery of Syrian mass murderers this week: Gen. Zuhair al-Assad, commander of the brutal six-day tank-backed assault and siege of Homs. This kinsman of the president had no qualms about gunning down hundreds of civilians in order to liquidate a small armed rebel group.
DEBKAfile's military sources report that without outside armed intervention to halt the bloodbath – and there is no sign of any repetition of the NATO action which cut short Muammar Qaddafi's long reign – Bashar Assad will soon finish crushing the popular and armed resistance against him, helped by arms and military backing from Russia, Iran and Hizballah.

Military intervention is not on the cards for the United States - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu was told Friday, Feb. 9 when he arrived in Washington to request US participation in organizing a Turkish-Arab operation in Syria or, at least, the supply of Western and Arab arms to the Syrian rebels.

Of the six revolts against Arab autocracies in the past year, two were crushed. The King of Bahrain was saved by Saudi and Gulf military support and now Assad looks like being the second survivor. The difference between them is that the Al-Khalifa House of Bahrain was rescued by Arab forces while the Syrian president is stamping out the uprising against him with the help of non-Arab powers, Iran and Russia.

Both powers sent important officials to Damascus last week: Iran's al Qods Brigades commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani was there Sunday and Monday (5-6 Feb.) at the head of a large military-intelligence delegation. No sooner was it gone when Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and SVR intelligence chief Mikhail Fradkov were deposited at the door of Assad's presidential palace.
According to DEBKAfile's military and intelligence sources, both were on missions to finalize Russian-Iranian-Syrian collaboration in Syria and the Middle East after the regime finally suppresses the revolt.

Saturday night, Moscow pledged to continue to shield the Assad regime at the United Nations
Although fighting continues in some places, Bashar Assad is at the threshold of a major success. His victory may be short-lived but it is significant all the same, offering kudos for the Iranian-Syrian-Hizballah alliance and a contretemps for the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia.