Arab Sunni Plan B.........??
Al-Jubeir confirms: there is an alternative plan to topple Bashar al-Assad
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1591
pic.twitter.com/bpyBZGiFTb
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Arab Sunni Plan B.........??
Al-Jubeir confirms: there is an alternative plan to topple Bashar al-Assad
http://en.eldorar.com/node/1591
pic.twitter.com/bpyBZGiFTb
In my 50 or so odd years of working with and for various governmental agencies I have never seen and or heard of the simple concept...speed.
In the info war that I am sorry to say is the first true "grey war" of the 21st century it is fully aimed at the US and for two long long years this Obama WH and especially DoS Kerry has simply ignored the info war challenge...recently even DoD and DoS stated and yes even Obama stated we cannot respond to every rumor, fake, disinformation or lies put out in this info war.
BUT here is the problem.....Russian uses the "narrative" concept....meaning the "narrative" is set in motion from Moscow an then their info warriors carry it out......meaning social media picks it up and drum beats the heck out of it..mostly lies and pushbacks, then specific writers pick it up in articles which in turn get picked up by MSM in order to hit the 24 hour news cycles. the Russians have a social media trolling system in place that cannot be matched right now by even tons of money and a new DoS department...
Info warfare is a battle of the "perception" and the US has never been good at understanding the concept of "perception"...hate to say it Russia does understand that game well.
The SWJ carried banner quote of Eisenhower actually goes to the heart of "perception".
NO DoS department with even 5K employees will ever match the Russian concept with what is needed.....a constant speedy counter narrative and a social media component to carry the fight all built around the concept of finally saying the truth nothing more nothing less even if it hurts us at first.
Example of just how poorly DoS can function is their release yesterday of the Syrian Coordination Center.....explain to me an thousands of Syrians caught in the true middle of a war zone call drop everything in the middle of a Russian cluster munitions air strike and call DoS via 1-800 or email them from a war zone that has virtually limited anything?
That alone sets a "perception" in motion that at least in Syria is viewed as proving the US has done a "secret handshake" with the Russians and are simply just going through the motions of showing they did something.
Here is the kicker...the Russians know that ME "perception" of the US right now and play their info war to exactly that "perception" to reinforce their narrative that what they are doing is totally correct and even supported by the US.
And the US info warfare response.....ZERO.
A famous US writer that knows the power of words said the following:
Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but it is lightening that does the work.
-- Mark Twain
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.
-- Mark Twain
Then there is this comment:
I'd rather be approximately right than exactly wrong.
-- John Maynard Keynes
And another comment:
The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right.
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1787
That is info warfare in a nut shell and no DoS department is ever going to come close to even meeting Twains words.
Social media is the battlefield and a hearty band of warriors across the internet do it daily and massively pushback on the Russian narratives...with an amazing success rate..meaning when you can take Russia off their narrative and force them into a response mode they utterly swim and that is then a declared victory and then you move on to the next word battle.
Problem is that here in SWJ there have been a number of US articles written by US professional types that smack closely to the Russian narrative...so is in effect Russian money flowing and paying for these types of articles that are then carried by reputable US MSM then picked up by SWJ....totally unchallenged....
That is the front line DoS should be pushing back against. But the core problem is money...the Russian info warfare budget is estimated in the 600-800M USDs a year..and DoS is never going to match that dollar for dollar
WHY...the Russian info war is inherently designed to change the attitudes of a specific targeted civil society to conform to the Russian narrative...IE see the campaign now against refugees in Europe and Europe is having an extremely hard time in pushing back against it..just look at Germany who just woke up about their being targeted by Russian info warfare.
BUT it was European social media that saw it coming and pushed back hard, but not a single European MSM outside of BILD picked up on it....until social media/BILD finally caught the attention of the German security services.
Why did BILD pick it up...they have hired over the last two years several social media savvy reported types who had a long track record covering Syria and Ukraine and know the info war game from their blogger days and coupled with the power of a major MSM in fact checking and a larger info pull have done some remarkable articles against Russian actions in both Ukraine an Syria...earning them the total dislike of the Russian FM that has accused them recently of being anti Russian......
So again back to Twain if the DoS thinks they can hold their own...after their dismal failure of the 1-800 call the US DoS in DC disaster...I simply believe it is wasting US taxpayer dollars.
BTW...for two years I have been saying here at SWJ social media is where you even win or lose against IS...or against any form of non linear warfare.
Non linear warfare has two key cornerstones;
1. "weaponization" of information
2. cyber warfare
And we are not doing so well against both right now.
DAY THREE of the so called Russian "CoH" with the FSA ceasing fire and the Assad and Russian troops firing on all cylinders....
STILL no humanitarian aid convoys to be seen anywhere in Syria a key point in the Russian "CoH".......
And we are off and running today....hope the DoS 1-800 hotline for Syrians is up and running and taking note of all the Russian/Assad /Khamenei violations.
During #SyriaCeasefire, rebel areas hit include:
- ALEPPO: ~8 towns
- IDLIB: Jisr a-Shughur
- HOMS: Teir Maalah, Talbiseh
- HAMA: Harbnafsah
Multiple sources reporting some kind of gas attack in #Irbin outside Damascus. Victims suffering from symptoms of suffocation.
BUT WAIT did not Russia confirm there were not more chemical weapons in Syria...just another lie t appears as this is the fifth attack in the last five months.
Hope this is evidence enough for the DoS Hotline of the Russian violation
yesterday....
A #RUSSIAN Su-24 bombs besieged #Homs province yesterday (stars).
Not one of #Assad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NxwQjZRM8o …
Hope DoS Hotline got this yesterday.......evidence was on social media all day.
FSA Asala & Tanmiya Front: 10 Russian airstrikes targeted Harbinifsah village in new violation of the ceasefire deal
BreakingFootage
Russian jets now target civilians in #TerMaela with brutal strikes yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_n64J0uKlw …
Footage
#Assad / #Putin Su-24 bombing #Talbisah yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcGp7TndNAc …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-on1hWa-n-o …
BTW...notice the Russian Coordination Center said nothing about these air strikes from yesterday......nor of the chemical attack today
SAA mortars shell w/ Chemical Gas targeted #FSA #Failaq_ArRahman positions in #Erbeen, 2Martyrs
#Damascus cs #SYRiA FEB 29
Civilians killed in the so called Day Two of the so called Russian CoH.......up from 28 on Day One.........
40 Martyrs
[10 Fighters 2 Children 2 women 1 Tortured]
15 Aleppo
8 Damascus
6 DeirEzzor
5 Homs
4 Idlib
1 Daraa
1 Hama
#Syria FEB 28
SAA shelling mortars targeting #alMarj area at 2:29 AM
Children victims of #RUSSIA airstrikes on #Tarmala
hours ago(before 12am/FEB 29)
#Idlib cs #Syria FEB 28
A short while ago, Russian warplane attacks targeted Ahrar al-Sham HQ/checkpoints in Tarmala, southern rural Idlib.
Talbiseh Hospital field full with victims of #RUSSIA & #SAA bombardment the region
#Homs cs #Syria FEB 29
BREAKING
More 2 #Russia airstrikes targeting #Teir_Maela in the last minutes
SAA positioned in #Kwaires airbase, shelling MLRS targeting #alBab
#Aleppo cs #Syria FEB 29
SAA shelling with heavy artillery targeting #alRastan moments ago
#Homs cs #Syria FEB 28
While filming #CeaseFireviolation @houla_homs received a strike close to his location near #AlHoula south of #Hama:
Hidden scandal; #Iran'ian militias are raping #SAA female soldiers..
Russia's state-sponsored Vesti boasts that their mil successes in Syria forced the U.S. to agree to the ceasefire.
pic.twitter.com/wpLMWdbIVY
So Syria becomes Donbas redux? Attacks that keep Russia's opponents off balance yet are below the threshold that elicits a Western response?
Turkish "red line established".....
Erdogan: "Turkey will respond to any attempt by the YPG to establish 'autonomy' in the northern region of Syria"
Think the US and Russia "got the message"...probably not......
After the constant Russian and Assad violations of their own CoH...not so sure this will be agreed to by Turkey especially after the YPG offensive....
But I guess the Russian FM can dream...........
MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Bogdanov: The Kurds have a right to take part in forthcoming intra-Syrian talks in Geneva
http://tass.ru/en/politics/859527 …
pic.twitter.com/gVGDoEnhZq
Syria: sound of gunfire near the town of Yadudeh (#Daraa), no #SyriaCeasefire here
https://youtu.be/ZXMugWL7gqE
Another church bombed by Russia......
None mentioned that #RUSSIA bombed the Church of #Jisr_alShghour so I will.
#Idlib #Syria FEB 28 PT
This is the Saudi FM Plan B statement from yesterday.......
Quote:
ElDorar AlShamia:
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Sunday there is an alternative plan in case the political solution to the Syrian issue fails.
Jubair said: "The next days will show us whether the Assad regime and Russia are serious about dialogue or not, based on this , the appropriate decision on the Syrian issue will be made," stressing that "there is an alternative plan for Syria without Bashar al-Assad."
Al-Jubeir in a conference he renews his emphasis on "Either Bashar al-Assad out peacefully or militarily," asserting that "no solution to the Syrian issue without the departure of Bashar al-Assad of power."
The Saudi foreign minister expressed his country's readiness to send troops to Syria if the international coalition decides.
With regard to the breach of the truce al-Jubeir said: "The Russian military craft and al-Assad regime’s continue to breach the truce, and we reach out to Syria's support group in this regard," he said. "If Russia were honest they should oblige al-Assad to respect the truce."
#Russia bombed Teir Mallah in #Homs. In the middle of a zone they declared to be #FSA ceasefire territory.
pic.twitter.com/NwaMWpiITp
A Syrian from #Aleppo to @radiopopmilano "#Russians are looking at #Syria as they looked at #Chechnya. They just want to kill people"
"Partial truce holds"...I thought the US and the UN stated on Saturday...."CoH is largely holding"...now we are down to "partial truce"....
UN to expand aid to #Syria as partial truce holds
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35683931 … Photos AP, Reuters
pic.twitter.com/JRcA4CKIHw
Still a steady drumbeat of cyber attacks on KSA from Syria, Iraq, Sweden, Bulgaria and Algeria.....newest route appeared today from Thailand.
Footage
The Russian air strike on the Ahrar al-Sham HQ in #Tarmlah also hit civilians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qmP3Z0BqTE …
Ahrar is not on the UNSC terrorist listing.....but Russia never paid attention anywhere to UN statements, decisions and or resolutions....on Syria at any time.
Although Ahrar al-Sham did not sign onto the ceasefire (w. 97 opp'tn factions), it had by & large agreed to abide by it until attacked.
NOTICE the US says nothing.....BUT WAIT it did.....
Kerry: “We are clear: If you don’t choose to be part of it, then you are choosing to perhaps make yourself a target," NOT so subtle US threat to the anti assad opposition...BUT WAIT that humanitarian aid deliveries Kerry spoke about...still have not been delivered so can one even trust what he says anymore??
Russian wants it destroyed as it has a major supporter..... KSA...
A #Russia airstrike just hit Ahrar al-Sham's HQ & checkpoints in Tarmlah, #Idlib.
Serious risk of eroding ceasefire
Just another brutal Russian attack in southern #Hama province ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY4Xc88BTew …
Just another village west of #Aleppo, where #Russia destroyed residential buildings today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRDERVMHDyU …
Graphic!
Injured & dying women & children after #Russia's terror attack on Jisr al-Shughur
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuLN-9GJe00 …
At least 25 Russian air strikes hit #Hirbnafsah in southern #Hama province today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5cbTcYbnPE …
British TV correspondent @danriversitv, who is now in #Syria, reports that #ISIS has retaken Khanaser (again) -
ISIS has captured 100+ prisoners in Tel Abyad & Khanaser in recent days.
Expect an ugly video eventually = repeated pattern of behaviour.
Syria’s opposition @SyrianHNC has sent a letter to UNSG Ban Ki Moon accusing #Russia of contravening ceasefire:
NO response yet from the US and surprise surprise...the Russian RCC has made no statement today concerning violations of the CoH as they are in most of them and they have been documented....
Really well worth reading concerning the YPG from someone who knows the area and groups very well......
“As tool to defeat #ISIL, #YPG has reached a peak point”
Great nuanced piece by @hxhassan
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/co...very-carefully …
AND the YPG has US advisors and none of them reported this.......
5 days ago, #Hasakeh activists accused U.S.-backed #SDF of executing 5 civilians, inc. a 12yr-old girl:
https://www.facebook.com/HASAKHNNEWS...47542695484752 …
Reference the Assad chemical attack...not covered in the Russian/US CoH.....so not really a violation is it????
Reports of a poison gas attack in Arbeen, Damascus, one of the areas attacked with chemicals in AUG 2013.
"U.S. using the threat of Russian atrocities to cajole the Syrian opposition into surrender"
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/...fire-in-syria/ …
Reference the Obama/Kerry tilt to Iran in the hope of a more moderate Iran....
A stern push-back from @EliLake on the torrent of nonsense about "moderates" being "elected" in Iran
http://bv.ms/1n0anTB
The search for nuance in Iran after Khamenei and the Guard Corps have gutted even Rafsanjani is a staggering example of wish-thinking.
The so called Obama hoped for moderates only have 69 seats vs the over 250 plus radical/conservative seats...not a majority thus no voice.