It didn’t take them long to prove us right…
by BlackCatte
If there was any doubt about what constitutes at least part of the agenda behind the shameless media exploitation of the refugee crisis, it’s been entirely eliminated in the hours since our first piece on this was published. Since then we have had BBC revelations that UK ministers are arguing for “military action in Syria”, followed by Jonathan Freedland in the Guardian (“Aylan Kurdi: this one small life has shown us the way to tackle the refugee crisis”) echoing the anonymous editorial we quoted in our previous piece.
After a few paras of rather perfunctory sentiment about little Aylan Kurdi and the wider human tragedy he embodies, Freedland delivers the kicker.
Action for refugees means not only a welcome when they arrive, but also a remedy for the problem that made them leave. The people now running from Syria have concluded that it is literally uninhabitable: it is a place where no one can live. They have come to that conclusion slowly, after four years of murderous violence. To make them think again would require action a thousand miles away from the level of the district council, an international effort to stop not just the killers of Isis but also Bashar al-Assad’s barrel bombs.
That might mean the creation of safe havens and no-fly zones. More trenchant voices say the bombs won’t stop until anti-Assad rebels can fire back with anti-aircraft weaponry….
So, there we have it. The agenda. Delivered soft, and oblique, but even clearer than before. In order to save the refugees we need more war, not less. We have to get rid of Assad. We have to arm the “rebels” with “anti-aircraft weaponry.” (which “rebels” does Freedland mean? Al Nusra? Al Qaeda? ISIS? Is he seriously advocating giving any of these lunatics surface to air missiles?).
It’s official. Orwell was right. War really is peace.
Unsurprisingly it doesn’t matter to the ethically dyslexic Freedland any more than it does to the anonymous author of the “Guardian View” that many claim it is western intervention and western-backed terrorists that have made parts of Syria “literally uninhabitable”. He and the rest of the mainstream journos just don’t care that Human Rights Watch and the British media have been caught using wrongly attributed footage to “prove” their claims about “Assad’s barrel bombs”, just as the BBC and the US government used lies and fake footage about chemical weapons last time they wanted to prime us for war with Syria.
Interesting to note, by the way, that Freedland’s wording “creation of safe havens and no-fly zones” is almost identical to the Anonymous editorial’s “the establishment of credible safe havens and the implementation of a no-fly zone”. Are these two gents just coincidentally thinking along extremely similar lines on the same day? I suspect we’ll probably be seeing a lot more repetition of the “creation of safe havens and no-fly zones” meme over the next few weeks, unless something stops this roll-out in its tracks.
Yes, the war agenda is rolling out again. And this time the warmongers are hoping to take us all with them on a tidal wave of outrage and empathy. They think nothing of exploiting the pain and tragedy they have created in order to get our endorsement to do more of the same. They hope to whip up such a surge of feeling in us, such a need to ‘do something’ we’ll sign off on their war before we even notice what’s being asked of us.
I hope no one falls for this latest desperate bid to get western troops in to Syria. I hope people won’t mistake the cheap media hysteria and even cheaper theatrics for real compassion. I hope we all refuse to be manipulated and remember Aylan Kurdi and all the other dead and misplaced souls deserve better than to be exploited as a cynical excuse for more murder and more human misery.
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Add to the growing pile of bad reports on HWR (Common Dreams – http://bit.ly/1PiR4NK, Consortium News – http://bit.ly/2bQ4yG4), including the linked to Global Research article here, the info in Edward S Herman and David Petersons’ great little (only physically) book titled “Enduring Lies – The Rwandan Genocide In The Propaganda System, 20 Years Later.”
[…] Well, it’s warmongering, that’s what’s happening. […]
[…] Well, it’s warmongering, that’s what’s happening. […]
The name Freedland should tell us the truth: pro Israel who are behind the upheaval in the region pushing the US into destabilising their surrounding countries and enfeebling them to their advantage. The US has become the Israeli enforcer.
The current crisis are re run of the Macedonian border Kosovan refugees crisis, that was used to soften up the public opinion for the subsequent attacks on Yugoslavia/Serbia in a bid to dismember Yugoslavia further.
Those ill educated pontificating about Daesh (isisl/isis/is/shades of al-Qaeda/creatures of the Western SIS) have little understanding of the dynamics of the bunch of mercenaries/prison inmates/criminals posing as “anti Assad fighters etc. is not interested in the West. Their target is mid east and its population!
However, the suppressed facts about the only Russian Naval base in Tartus that is under threat and could lead to a direct confrontation between Russia and the West is very much downplayed. Furthermore it is reported as;
As reflected in Aljazeer<>
I believe Putin would hardly make the same mistake as in the case of Iraq war, so the bigger problem is not the anxiety of the racists and the xenophobes; “getting swamped by the alien refugees”. But the strong probability of a wider conflagration between Russia, China (just held a military parade day to remind the wider world of her capabilities) and the Nato ie US and its minions.
Well said, it’s astounding how short and selective a memory the Guardian seems to have.
http://things-that-matter.net/2015/09/05/why-the-dead-bodies-of-some-children-we-are-outraged-by-and-others-we-are-not/
Reblogged this on pauljrca's Blog.
“I suspect we’ll probably be seeing a lot more repetition of the ‘creation of safe havens and no-fly zones’ meme over the next few weeks, unless something stops this roll-out in its tracks.”
That ‘something’ could be Russia. Speculation is rife that Putin is getting ready to make a new move in Syria. He saved Syria once; he may yet save it again.
The fact that Putin has confirmed Russia’s involvement in Syria is a real game changer, and probably explains the visit to Washington by the King of Saudi. Just as Washington has used ISIS as a cover to get rid of Assad, so it seems Russia will do the same to keep Assad in power. Like Washington Russia has a legitimate right to join the “war on terror. if Russia starts military operations against ISIS , it is inevitable that Islamic State group militants, funded by Washington and who are attacking government forces loyal to Assad will be targeted. Like all U.S imperial wars this is all about natural resources, and if Washington thought Russia would stand aside and risk losing Gazprom’s interest in Europe to the Qatari gas pipeline, they are very much mistaken.
Ms. Catte,
Good piece. Sadly, it won’t matter to either the Government of the UK or the US whether or not the people fall for the latest sales pitch for more war and regime change in Syria. The US MIC will decide the next steps in the war and NATO and Britain will be moving in lock-step. What the people think still may matter somewhat in Britain, but not here.
Friedland is being disingenuous in the extreme. You have to remember that Friedland, at least from his writings, comes across as a sorry excuse of a hand-wringing Zionist. His carefully worded articles for the right-wing Jewish Chronicle are a case in point.
Regime change in Syria (or simply partition, it doesn’t much matter) is just what they appear to want. I resent so much that British blood and treasure, once again, is being asked to be put at the disposal of US/Israeli hawks irrespective of the good of the people of the region.
At least Corbyn refutes such adventures. Most likely this the real cause of the Guardian’s frantic dismissal of the man and his policies.
Spot on tracking of the real agenda behind this shocking news story.
I could not understand why they were moving from Turkey after being refugees for all of the war.
The announcement of germany creating a “pull” factor motivating the movement of people.
The bbc on their website do not mention IS at all they say the crisis is caused by the uprising against ASsad in 2011. Well we did not have mass movement of people in 2011, but they ignore IS completely
Cameron and his neo liberal fans in the media were so quick to blame Assad and ignore IS
i hope they are not able to manipulate the public into believing war is peace!!!!
Dear Guest:
The “pull factor” is spot on. I have been reading in the Russian press, how many of the refugees refer to “Mama Merkel”. Somebody behind the scenes has been manipulating and promising these desperate people a safe haven in Germany.
It also serves the interests of those who created this refugee crisis, to mix in (probably) some ISIS militants, along with the authentic refugee families. Need to look closely at the ratio of young men/women/children. There is a precedent: during Cambodian war, when Khmer Rouge fighters learned to blend in with authentic refugees. Not to get too paranoid, but expect some of these European refugee camps to become also hotbeds of NATO special ops training for the Al Qaeda/ISIS types, whatever they call themselves these days.
Of all the countries that fought in WW II and committed war crimes, Western Allies or Axis, Germany alone has sought to atone for the crimes committed (as well they should). As a result, the German Constitution permits anyone in the world who seeks asylum to come to Germany, where they are welcomed by the German Government, but not always so welcomed by the German Taxpayers.
As a former expatriate who lived in Germany for nearly a quarter of my 64 years, I can state from my own personal experience that this is not a new problem as far as the taxpayers are concerned. Still, many Germans also support the refugee policies, but they are generally the older postwar baby boomers and, as we begin to die off, the wind is beginning to change.
This may very well cost Merkel the next election, but it is the law. She was riding a wave of popularity having avoided the land war with Russia that the US so desired, but that will soon be forgotten if the streets of German Cities start to fill up with more refugees with foreign religions, customs and habits that many Germans fail to understand and fear.
Germany should take the refugees. After all, it is through their cooperation with the Americans and NATO that the “regime change” efforts in Syria were begun and, for that matter, Rhein-Main AFB is the focal point of much of the ongoing operations against Assad. Those are the reasons behind the “pull factor” you describe.
“She was riding a wave of popularity having avoided the land war with Russia that the US so desired…”
Wait till the sanctions on Russia start to hit German exporters and the layoffs begin. Merkel foolishly supported those.
Brad, that comment of your is so spot-on!
Dear Yalensis,
Moon of Alabama has come to a similar conclusion as you have:
“The German chancellor Merkel called for a migrant avalanche when she declared Germany an open house and disbanded the Dublin agreement on asylum seeker in Europe. A media campaign followed and thousands of migrants from Syria are now shepherded through Europe by dozens of journalists who record every move for tonight’s news – fake photos (in German) included. No one is asking the migrants why they are now leaving Turkey, where most have been the last months or years, or who now provided them with money.
I asked what purpose this media campaign may have. It now seems clear that it is part of preparing the European public for all-out war on Syria, its government and its people.
The Guardian editors use the created migrant crisis to demand that “something” be done. They ridiculously first remind us that the false “no-fly-zone” campaign against Libya ended in a country ripped apart and more refugees only to then demand a similar campaign in Syria. Saner British voices remind us that “western” meddling in the Middle East is the source, not the solution for the current catastrophes …
… The campaign will be “led” by the U.S. and it will not be against the Islamic State. The U.S. let the Islamic State rise in a willful decision and its current bombing campaign against IS is less than half-hearted at best. It is also holding back the Shia militia in Iraq from attacking the Islamic State in Ramadi and Fallujah. The coming attack will be against the Syrian government and its people with the Islamic State and the “refugee crisis” only being the convenient pretext.
To add to the artificial urgency to bomb now, now, now a rumour campaign was started to claim that Russia is sending lots of fighter planes and troops to Syria. There were “reports” of new Russian fighter jets arriving in Syria even though none were ever seen. A normal move of material transport for the Syrian army by Russian ships which have happened regularly over the last years is now suddenly hyped. Old social media pictures of a few Russian soldiers in Syria ore even fake ones are suddenly “found” and presented as “evidence” of somehow nefarious Russian intent. The Russians denied any move of fighter jets or troop contingents to Syria …”
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2015/09/under-fight-against-isis-disguise-west-prepares-to-openly-attack-syria.html#comments
So it seems that the “current” refugee crisis has been in the making for a number of years and has been orchestrated by Germany, Turkey and the US, and the accompanying media campaign has also been constructed for a few years at least.
Dear Jen:
Yes, this is becoming clearer by the day.
Sometimes we (ordinary people) don’t see what the powers are up to, until it’s right in our face.
That’s because we don’t think like psychopaths!
The Empire is desperate to bring down Syria, this is their strategic goal. Without destroying Syria, they cannot control the gas pipelines.
So, when we thought they had backed off and would leave Assad alone, we were wrong.
They just circled around and came at it from a different angle.
A crazy angle. A crazy plan. But just so crazy that it might work.
(Except I don’t think that it will, because more and more people are onto them and their crazy schemes.)
Cameron said on Sunday TV that they will not be seeking a vote on bombing Syria unless they can get labour to agree. Flip flop in 24 hours, what has been said to cameron to make him step away from this policy?
I think his own mps won’t support more military action in the middle East as it has been a failure.
Don’t think the public are ready for war after afghanistan and iraq failures. I also think they think better Assad stay there against IS,
Maybe Jonathan Freedland is ambitdextrous and suffers from Strangelove-ian Alien Hand Syndrome, anyone believe that???