Why did State Dept. Freeze White Helmets Funding?
by Sophie Mangal
How the White Helmets plug in to the wider picture
A breaking piece was published via CBS news recently that the U.S. frozen funding for Syria’s “White Helmets”.
Why did it happen, probably you would like to ask us…
First, the delay in approving the financing may be connected with the revision of the strategy of using White Helmets as East Ghouta had been lost for the opposition. It impossible now to use the pretext of ‘regime crimes in Ghouta’ using Civil Defense. The militants have lost both an enclave and the resources invested (chemical laboratories, chemicals, studios, staff, weapons, money etc).
Second, some activities in Idlib are hampered by the growing influence of Turkey, which gradually gains control over terrorist groups previously backed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. That is why there are numerous reports of a possible transfer of White Helmets activities from Ghouta to Deir Ezzor province where US-controlled terrorists operate and there are a lot of room to work for White Helmets.
The more so, State Dept. support is only a visible part of the funding. The participation of White Helmets in various provocations has been funded with equity of special services (closed funds of the CIA and others). As a rule, they do not report on this item of expenditure publicly as well as on weapons supply to Syria through the Balkans.
Besides, White Helmets are financed not only by the U.S. through the State Department structures but also by various European funds, as well as by the monarchies of the Persian Gulf. So, the possible reduction of funding from Washington does not mean a complete halt to the project. The war hasn’t been over yet and this ‘importing peace’ organization can be used from time to time.
Thus, the opportunities for the White Helmets’ activities are being reduced and the project is gradually losing its significance, which may be the reason for the revision/delay of financing issues, plus in recent months it has become too ‘toxic’ even in the West. Even the founder of Pink Floyd accused White Helmets of having links with terrorists.
You shouldn’t be surprised if the U.S. tried to put White Helmets’ funding on satellites’ shoulders within the overall strategy of shifting military spending to other countries.
Probably we will see not the disappearance of White Helmets but the modification of their work to solve more narrow problems. It means the probability of provocations with their participation will only increase. They will be disappeared completely when the entire territory of Syria will be liberated from the radicals. It is also highly likely that we will see its new rescue operations in Idlib when a new phase of SAA’s offensive starts.
Yet another option is a scheme in which the United States really plans to leave Syria in the long-term. So the State Dept. begin the process of getting rid of all the useless non-performing assets.
Briefly, the so-called White Helmets is the media wing of the jihadist-terrorist organizations that exists for informational support of the activities of opposition on U.S. and Gulf monarchies dime. In fact, U.S. tool to fight Assad, White Helmets, is part of the terrorist infrastructure that is weakening along with other terrorist groups in Syria.
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The horror!
White Helmets is no longer a political asset and indeed is being exposed as a jihadist media auxiliary organization, which is generously sponsored by the UK, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, and the USA.
We need to rebrand them with a more cuddly and endearing image for consumption by the global sheeple!
Any suggestions?
Perhaps the Washington PR consultancy firm Hill & Knowlton (famous for its 1990-91 Kuwaiti Incubator Baby Scam) could be hired?
Meanwhile in the real world, more Spring cleaning in Syria. SyrPer editor reports: “Buses not green but clad in many colors, 40 to be exact, have left Bayt Sahm in the East Ghouta to take remnant rodents to either Jaraablus on the Turk border or to Idlib where they can disport with fellow vermin of every ethnicity and culture. Like backpacking college students of the 70’s, they can now engage in cultural exchanges with Chechens, Uighers, Uzbekis, Albanians, Eskimos and Trobriand warriors. With their caterwauling brats screeching their lungs out like nocturnal cats, they shall wend their way into a new world of malignancy – where homosexuals are routinely put to death because of they way they were born; where non-rodents can be swindled and shook down for the dishonest tax that’s meant to protect them; where women are handed from one rat to another in a solemn ritual of… Read more »
There’s an interesting scene in the film THE OTTOMAN LIEUTENANT about an idealistic nurse who has gone to serve in the Ottoman Empire for humanitarian/religious reasons. About halfway through the film, she gets “the talk” from an obvious operative that of course her organisation is not there as a dis-interested party and is there to promote various geo-political agendas.
The film also sort of argues that the Armenian massacres were caused by Russia!
@Edwige. 21stC US film based on 19thC UK spin of ME geopolitics.
“The ‘Dogs of War’ are loose and the rugged Russian Bear,
Full bent on blood and robbery, has crawled out of his lair, …
Chorus: We don’t want to fight, but by Jingo if we do,
We’ve got the Ships, we’ve got the Men, we’ve got the Money too.
We’ve fought the Bear before, and while we’re Britons true,
The Czar shall not have Constantinople.”
Maybe this has something to do with it:
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2018/05/06/560842/Former-Jaish-alIslam-leader-stole-millions-launches-businesses-in-Turkey–Saudi-Arabia-Report
Meawhile in the real world an Axis of Resistance has won in the Lebanese Parliament. The Christian / Muslim alliance Hezb’Allah (God’s Army) has beaten the AZC alliance financed by Israel’s ally Saudi Arabia (Mammon’s Army).
Perhaps the US State Department plans to start funding Violet Syria directly if it’s not doing so already.
https://violetsyria.org/en/
The other likelihood is Foggy Bottom will funnel the funds to the White Helmets or a replacement organisation indirectly so that the money cannot be traced.
Of being seen as the godfather of these [°White Helmets”] terrorists in the Middle East, and yet, disowning them before they have killed enough. We see, not for the first time, the Americans demonstrate how callus of cowboys they still are.
To that, we can only tell these utter bonehead Arab terrorists: Time is up! Regardless what future holds for Syria. The free & brave people of Syria and their friends in the region, shall pursue and hunt every one of you murderers down; just like diseased animals and put you to sword.
For some strange reason the valiant White Helmets haven’t set up shop in Yemen. How odd? With their “connections,” false-flag expertise, and obvious “people skills,” one could imagine them doing so much fine work explaining to the world how the massive civilian deaths and suffering in Yemen are directly attributable to those twin evil monsters Assad and Putin. How quickly they would be breathlessly telling us, we oh so moral yet oddly impressionable Westerners, that Saudi Arabia, with Western weapons and support, is a true humanitarian presence in Yemen, defending the rights of the people of Yemen by insuring that those they don’t slaughter outright will instead die of cholera in short order. The White Helmets could get a whole new Netflix documentary and maybe some more Western film and humanitarian awards out of this. Maybe they need a new agent?
I rather think that the Yemenis would deal with ANY allies of the Wahhabist vermin.
I see the WH as a dirty tricks outfit of the Empire a bit like Cambridge Analytica (CA). Both are controlled from London. Both have been compromised beyond redemption. Like Richard Nix was first sacked from CA before that outfit was close, James le Mesurier seems to have disappeared from the WH before that outfit will be run down. Like CA has since been recreated with the same backers and the same people, the WH will reemerge under a different name to support the dirty tricks department of the empire for the next war. This war is lost, but their modus operandi was effective.
Reblogged this on Worldtruth.
From the article above: “They will be disappeared completely when the entire territory of Syria will be liberated from the radicals.” I hate to say it: But this will never happen! Because the Syrians will loose the war and Syria will get divided. This because the Putin Government will pull out of Syria. Because Putin/Medwedew/Lawrow will – like always before – bow their head to US/Nato. See https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/05/05/russia-washingtons-next-vassal/ – also read those sharp articles cited by Roberts there. ( Next I will cite several links – more than three. So in order not to get blocked I will cite those links without “http”. Please add this “http” before any given link) Long before this article of Paul Craig Roberts I also came to the conclusion that Putin not only was but STILL IS a “Yeltsin-man”. I only forgot in the meantime. Look at this: 1) Some weeks ago I was… Read more »
You seem to be holding the lily somewhat and I don’t think you understand that Russia/Putin requires a delicate hand in balancing the interwoven relationships that make up the conflicts in Syria, or the wider geopolitical forces that require a very astute and finely balanced approach to relationships between the main protagonists involved in the breakdown of the Western Empire. By the way the word regime simply means a system of government.
@Jim Scott “I don’t think you understand that Russia/Putin requires a delicate hand in balancing the interwoven relationships that make up the conflicts in Syria” Yes, Jim, “a delicate hand“!! I wounder if you noticed that I forgot something above – and that was Libya: 6) Libya: Without any need Putin/Medvedev/Lawrow in the security Council of the UN agreed to the “Flight Ban”! This although Gaddafi never “bombed” his own people. Yes, Poroshenko of Ukraine does this – but Gaddafi never did. He didn’t because first of all, he only had a representative job. Once, he compared his job to that of “the Queen”. And as much as the Queen doesn’t bomb (no job in the executive) – Gaddafi couldn’t. But also the then Libyan Government didn’t bomb it’s own people. This was all a lie of western MSM – word by word repeated then by “RIA Novosti” (now “Sputniknews”).… Read more »
I don’t think the USA has changed its mind about Syria but now the white helmets have been exposed they are no longer seen as an asset by their patrons. Just like ISIS and the Kurds and Saddam and Bin Laden they pass their use by date. Now they have Theresa May and Buffoon Boris to paint Russia as a terrorist country. Look for more chemical attacks in Western Countries and particularly in Europe.
You have misunderstood what I meant by a delicate hand in Syria. The situation there is more complex politically than Libya where the Agreement was a no fly agreement that was ignored by the NATO countries who went way beyond their UN Charter by illegally bombing the Libyan army and infrastructure in support of the invading terrorist groups. Putin did not agree to this at all. In Syria we see a constant changing of alliances by Turkey and Qatar while the USA moves it’s support from ISIS and Al Qaeda to the PKK and it was clearly involved in the coup attempt to dethrone Erdogan. Then we observed the USA having an internal struggle between the establishment neoconservatives and Trumps team over US withdrawal or conversely upping the ante by putting in more US ground troops. Putin and Lavrov have clearly outpointed the US team in this department by moderating… Read more »
Apologies my spell checker keeps changing words. The Straits of Homuz became Straits of Nokia while gilding the lily became holding the lily.
I didn’t say Putin shuold have bombed the US or Turkish troops.
By the way: To the development in Russia see (from yesterday): http://thesaker.is/medvedev-re-nomination-this-does-not-look-good/
He understands very well, Jim. His post is a mixture of deceptions and lies. 4.) Syria: . a) In 2012 the Putin regime refused to send back to Syria (being in an desperate war against invading mercenary armies) several Syrian military helicopters that had been in Kaliningrad for repair only. Reading his own link, it is clear that it wasn’t ‘Putin’s regime’ that withheld the helicopters but an insurance dispute and international pressure that only delayed the return. 4b) According to Mr Joerg, there was little destruction in Syrian cities prior to 2016 and Syria was only a few weeks from complete victory when Russia withdrew its military support. They did announce a small withdrawal of certain elements of Russian hardware but to claim what Mr Joerg did is a complete lie. As you quite rightly said Jim, Putin has to tread a fine path through the diplomatic trip-wires set… Read more »
@Joerg. “We’re doomed! I tell Ye, doomed!”.
But “Don’t panic! Don’t panic!”
Because “It’s being so cheerful as keeps me going”.
As an admirer of Vladimir Putin I would be more than happy to challenge most, if not all, of your above observations. What shines through to me is that with one exception (which I shall turn to in a minute) all the decisions you mention are either based on the premise that progress is being made towards peace and it is not therefore necessary to continue with what might otherwise be perceived as encouraging or supporting acts of ‘aggression’, or he supports measures such as sanctions which he thinks might allay undesirable confrontation between superpowers even if he thinks the recipient of the sanctions is not actually the wrongdoer. In other words he is very much a political strategist rather than just perceiving things in black and white. Unfortunately I suspect he has now learnt that he must no longer assume that certain world superpowers have morals which justify his… Read more »
I can promise you that RIA/Novosty has not changed its name. I walk past their building on Zubovsky boulevard twice a week, and the name’s on the wall in huge lettering outside in the street. RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and various other media outlets are brands which are owned and operated by RIA Novosty. [[ This because the Putin Government will pull out of Syria ]] No, that’s not going to happen. Moreover, the Putin administration has overwhelming public support for its miltary operations in Syria. I’m afraid that’s a lie which the Donald Dump regime enjoys repeating – because they believe all nations are as feckless as they are, ready to back out of any operation which has seen the slightest setback. Russia isn’t run governed by focus groups, like the USA. Russia does what it believes is right, and perseveres. What Dumpy and his simian friends fail to realise… Read more »
@ Joerg The topic named “Why did State Dept. Freeze White Helmets Funding?”. It’s about reasons why the US (I emphasize – the US, not Russia/Putin) reduce funding of the terrorist PR agency called “White Helmets”. That’s all. Not a single word about Russia/Putin in this topic. It seems to me you are just a Putin/Russia hater. All you wrote looks like anti-Putin propaganda. A childish propaganda. And sometime you directly lie – as you did in your 4.a point (i’ll explain it below). After all, why you are so concentrated personally on Putin? Once again, i repeat – not a single word about Russia/Putin in this topic.. (1) In your first point you said “…I disagree here with Julian. But Putin did the same!” Why Putin? Why you don’t mention any other world leader(s)? The leader of mighty China, for example. Or India’s leader. Or leaders of Canada, Italy,… Read more »
Austerity Britain is picking up the tab.
Theresa May just announced a £35m taxpayers’ gift to the ‘White Helmets’.
Megalomanic Macron and craven May both seem even more warmongering than Trump.
John Marks: “Macron and May seem even more warmongering than Trump”.
Obvious Sykes-Picot. We diddled France in WW1 — nabbed the Mesopotamian oilfields while they were fighting in Europe. Sykes let Picot take Syria because nobody knew it had oil at the time. Now that Syria is known to have some puddles of oil and a huge lake of offshore gas, France wants back in. This is strictly a family affair: French Baron de Rothschild’s puppet coming to help English Lord Rothschild’s puppet divide the spoil of gas and oil. Alors? (shrugs).
“How to make a rabbit stew. First catch your rabbit.” — Mrs.Beeton’s Book of Cookery and Empire Management
The US will never give up in Syria, plan number 1. Regime change, failed. Plan 2. destroy as much of the Syrian economy and infrastructure as possible, reasonably successful but without the killer blows [thanks to Russia]. Now plan 3. According to Lavrov the US want to partition Syria, can you remember when the US assured everyone that Syria should remain a united sovereign state, they lied, now they are allocating money to SDF and other forces to police the borders and internal security. “To accomplish U.S. military objectives, “partner force” generation in Syria will be comprised of local forces that are demographically representative, appropriately vetted, trained, and equipped to ensure a safe and secure environment and capable of countering ISIS [Daesh],” it said in the budget proposal. According to the proposal, the Pentagon plans to allocate $162.6 million of the $300 million on weapons, equipment, and vehicles, $8 million… Read more »
Please use shorter paragraphs.
Can’t concetrate for that long eh?
The Oded Yinon Plan DEMANDS that Syria be vivisected because, as Knesset Deputy Speaker Smotrich, a Likud charmer, observed ‘Damascus belongs to the (his people)’. And what Israel wants, its puppets (USA, UK, France etc) deliver.
[[ What Russia needs to understand [and I think they do] is they are not dealing with a bunch of boy scouts, ]]
Oh no? Russia is winning in Syria, and the Orange Toddler (aka Boy-Scout In Chief) is losing hand-over-fist. Get used to losing – because it’s going to become the meme for which the single-term incumbency of President Dump will go down in history – before he hands the reins to President Pompeo.
Well written comment. Your paragraphs are just fine.
Now plan 3. According to Lavrov the US want to partition Syria… This is not new. Yes, the US want to split Syria. They can’t do it in central/main part of the country, but they do it in the north. Plus, the fate of the At-Tanf area in southern Syria is not clear. Americans will not leave this place voluntarily. Then, must be expelled by force.. But there’s a new threat now. Recently i saw a report. A new “chemical attack” provocation is being prepared somewhere in Deir-ez-Zor area. It’s a US’ illegal base there, and US soldiers will take part in this new CW provocation. It (CW provocation) planned to happen near the US base, so this could be used as a pretext to fully invade Syria (Iraq scenario). US war dogs will say – “look, “Syrian regime” try to kill our soldiers with CW! We can’t stay aside.… Read more »
Without doubt James le Mesurier, like Tony Blair and other war-criminals, should be behind bars, One day, hopefully, they will be.
Hi John – can you leave me your email address please?
Lets hope it means the US has admitted defeat in Syria so no longer require the White Helmets to distract from their role in aiding and abetting Sunni Jihadists.
How can people in the west really get angry about an ‘insurgency’, or ‘moderate rebels’, or plucky volunteers saving Syrians from the rubble providing the victims are Sunnis?
The Guardian has been at heart of promoting the White Helmets myth – Freedland, Monbioy, Solon, and the derranged Simon Tisdall need to take a long hard look at themselves.
I don’t think the USA has changed its mind about Syria but now the white helmets have been exposed they are no longer seen as an asset by their patrons. Just like ISIS and the Kurds and Saddam and Bin Laden they pass their use by date. Now they have Theresa May and Buffoon Boris to paint Russia as a terrorist country. Look for more chemical attacks in Western Countries and particularly in Europe.
As Sophie says: it does not mean they are being defunded. Fashion icon and amateur historian Karen Pierce has told the UN that the UK will be giving $138mn this year: for a total of $3.5bn throughout the war. Not all for the WH, I’m sure we’ll spread the love around. Probably not to Jaysh al-Islam: as the blaggard crime boss walked off with the cash before ($47mn! Where did a murderous bunch of chlorine and cage loving militants get a spare $47mn? No wonder we can’t fund a real economy at home?) The WH are a state protected asset and will be preserved as such. Perhaps we should consider defunding the states instead if they ideologically choose to fund terror and death: not progressive tax redistribution or social welfare and life?
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/humanitarian-situation-in-syria
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/former-jaysh-al-islam-leader-stole-millions-to-make-business-in-turkey-reports/
Perhaps we could crowd-source rewards for identifying White Helmets child-killers, and for delivering them to Syria to face justice. Perhaps Bellingcat could lend his expertise.
Perhaps Bellingcat could join them?
I think he already has.
Lying for money in the service of genocide-it’s all the rage.
What expertise?
I wonder how Karen Pierce would explain the UK’s failure to donate a penny to the volunteers of the genuine Syrian Civil Defence formed in 1953 and a founding member of the International Civil Defence Organisation which among other things helps to train Civil Defence groups worldwide. The real SCD work selflessly and in genuinely dangerous conditions to rescue the victims of terrorist atrocities throughout Syria, not only in Syria’s Government controlled areas but also within the boundaries of terrorist strongholds. They also have a recognised emergency contact number in Syria (113) whilst the White Helmets do not.
A very good point, Judy: where the money goes is first and foremost ideologically determined. It is not hard for us to reverse determine and reconstruct the ideology a posteriori …from effect to cause. This allows the rational formulation of questioning the basis of $3.5bn of “humanitarian aid”? I suspect both the faux defunding by the State Dept and the cancellation of the Media on Trial event have in common the self-preservation of the legitamacy of the state. ‘Cos they really fooled us this time!
I’ve long had trouble imagining how the West could become any more Evil than it is-but I have faith that hate will find a way.
On re-reading this I think it might be helpful for me to clarify that the ‘real’ SCD is not just there to rescue and assist victims of terrorist atrocities as my comment may have implied, hence the reason they have been in existence for 65 years. They are all volunteers who are on hand to deal with the generality of emergency situations as a ‘first response’ unit and and, where appropriate, to support qualified and professional emergency services. These are the true unsung heroes. Presumably they would benefit from more funding to enable them to buy decent camera equipment!
Oh these thugs will re-emerge all right. Maybe they will be re-branded as the Kurdish white crescent in Afrin. Now that the Kurd resident population has been entirely evicted from Afrin after a century and all their property stolen by the terrorists from Ghouta or wherever, these charming killers are already there to ‘help resettle’ their brothers in arms. They are saudi and turkish puppets still.
The USA state department only ever does crimes against humanity it is devoid of compassion, peace or consideration of any people’s welfare. It has franchised them to the duplicitous embrace of the saudi and turkish snakes.
Would be great if this article were written in readable English, instead of what resembles a machine translation.
Why indeed? The convolutions of the AZC’s MI5 / MI6 / CIA military so-called Intelligence:
[I lifted the illustration from Syrian Perspective]
Austerity Britain is picking up the tab.
Theresa May just announced a £35m taxpayers’ gift to the ‘White Helmets’.
Megalomanic Macron and craven May both seem even more warmongering than Trump.
Reminds me of this:
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/03/23/hold-my-beer-and-watch-this-russiagate-and-the-demise-of-western-culture/
‘Western culture’? Oh, you must mean Auschwitz, WW1 and WW2, the Great Famines in India under English rule, ecological devastation, Free Market capitalism, the genocides in the New World, the Opium Wars, etc.
Maybe they’ll be airlifted to Venezuela.
I thought James Le Mesurier had indeed suggested that the “services” of the White Helmets were needed in Venezuela and the Philippines.
White Helmets have already made an appearance in Venezuela, Philippines and Malaysia. This is covered in Caitlin Johnstone’s excellent illuminating article “The Empire’s Horrifying Plot to Franchise the White Helmets Worldwide”. (Sorry, I am still endeavouring to get up to speed with late 20th century technology, never mind the 21st, so I haven’t yet worked out how to post links!)
At the very least ,it is good to hear that Washington is reevaluating the benefit (sic) of the White helmets.
They have become somewhat of a hot potato given the last episode of theatrics in Douma.
I have to ask if someone in Washington is suddenly becoming wise of the situation with the white helmets or are they just calling for time out in order to regroup.