(2019-10-30). The Baghdadi Scam. commondreams.org Americans may snicker when Trump pays homage to an army dog that he says helped to track Baghdadi but they should remember that Bush and Obama and now Trump are responsible for far greater suffering. (Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/syria_6.jpeg …
(2019-10-30). Russia Isn't Getting the Recognition It Deserves on Syria. truthdig.com At a time when the credibility of the United States as either an unbiased actor or reliable ally lies in tatters, Russia has emerged as the one major power whose loyalty to its allies is unquestioned, and whose ability to serve as an honest broker between seemingly intractable opponents is unmatched. | If there is to be peace in Syria, it will be largely due to the patient efforts of Moscow employing deft negotiation, backed up as needed by military force, to shape conditions conducive for a political solution to a violent problem. If ever there was a primer for the art of diplomacy, the experience of Russia in S…
(2019-10-30). There's more to Turkey's invasion of northern Syria than the media's reporting. thecanary.co Dr Celal Cahit Agar is a lecturer at St Andrews University, School of Management. This article was co-authored with Steffen Bà∂hm, professor in organisation studies at the University of Exeter Business School. | Turkey's recent invasion of northern Syria — i.e. " Operation Peace Spring" — sought to displace largely Kurdish communities and establish what Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoƒüan calls a 2…
(2019-10-30). 'Attention Must be Paid' to the Sufferings of the Palestinian People. globalresearch.ca With mass protests roiling Lebanon and Iraq, unsettling developments in Syria and Yemen, and the latest episode of the continuing soap opera that calls itself Israeli politics, little attention is being given to the plight of the Palestinians. One consequence …
(2019-10-30). In Lebanon, Protests Continue After Prime Minister Hariri Resigns. truthout.org Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the resignation of his government on Tuesday following nearly two weeks of nationwide anti-government protests. In a televised address, al-Hariri said he had hit a "dead end" in resolving the crisis. Demonstrators "were congratulating each other while at the same time acknowledging that the struggle is very long," says Lebanese journalist, Lara Bitar, who joins us from Beirut for an update. She says protesters have promised to stay in the streets until all of th…
(2019-10-30). Secret Document Reveals Plans for Civil War in Lebanon, Israeli False Flags, and Invasion. globalresearch.ca This article was first published on April 8, 2019, several months prior to the ongoing protest movement and civil strife in Lebanon. The analysis presented in this article is not corroborated by secondary sources. | *** | During his visit with US …
(2019-10-30). Trump's Phony Pretext to "Protect" Syria against ISIS: US Occupation and Plunder of Syrian Oil Prevails. globalresearch.ca US aggression in Syria is all about eliminating its sovereign independence, gaining another imperial trophy, installing puppet rule, plundering its resources, exploiting its people, removing an Israeli rival, and isolating Iran — ahead of stepped up hostile actions against its …
(2019-10-30). Fake Narratives as Cover for High Crimes. The Al Baghdadi ISIS-Daesh "Fairytale" globalresearch.ca Western stories about Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi are meant to confuse, to distract, and to strengthen fake narratives. | First, the West supports Daesh in Syria (and beyond). It isn't a secret. High profile people such as Tulsi Gabbard even admit it….
(2019-10-30). Chomsky: Trump's Actions on Syria Reflect the Foreign Policy of a Con Man. truthout.org Donald Trump's handling of U.S. foreign policy with Syria has baffled and angered both the diplomatic and military establishments in the United States. Nonetheless, he continues to maintain power as "an effective con man who has a good sense of what animates his voting base," Noam Chomsky argues in the exclusive interview for Truthout that follows. | Trump rose to power with the aid of vitriolic but disingenuous "anti-establishment" rhetoric that appealed to millions of disgruntled voters. Essenti…
(2019-10-30). 'Historic' new Syria talks should focus on relief for war-weary civilians, says UN negotiator. un.org Work on drafting a new foundational text for war-torn Syria officially began at the UN in Geneva on Wednesday with representatives from the Syrian Government and opposition sitting face to face and preparing to discuss the country's future for the first time in the nearly nine-year conflict.
(2019-10-30). "We're Keeping the Oil" says Trump: Military Conflict Between Russia and the US Looms in Northeast Syria. globalresearch.ca U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper explained in a press conference Tuesday, that a new U.S. force will be stationed in eastern Syria to protect the oil fields. Barbara Starr, CNN's Pentagon reporter, pressed Esper on whether the US military …
(2019-10-30). Video: Kurdish SDF Withdraw, Syrian Army Reinforces Positions on Turkish Border, US Forces Remain in Eastern Bank of Euphrates. globalresearch.ca On October 27, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced that they have started withdrawal from the Turkish border in the framework of the de-escalation zone agreement reached by Presidents Erdogan and Putin. The SDF said that Syrian border guards …
(2019-10-30). Syria: The Launch of a Constitutional Committee a Sign of Hope for Syrian People. dissidentvoice.org 29 October 2019 Peter Koenig Transcript of a PressTV Interview following a live press Conference by the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey at the UN Geneva, Switzerland Background GENEVA, October 28 (Xinhua) — The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said here on Monday that the Constitutional Committee's launch should be a …
(2019-10-30). Syria: The Launch of a Constitutional Committee — A Sign of Hope for Syrian People. globalresearch.ca Background | The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said here on Monday that the Constitutional Committee's launch should be a sign of hope for the long-suffering Syrian people. | Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Pedersen said that the …
(2019-10-30). Beirut Is Burning: Rebellion Against the Elites Has Commenced. globalresearch.ca Tires are burning, smoke is rising towards the sky. It is October, the 18th day of the month, the capital city of Lebanon, in the past known as the "Paris of the East", is covered in smoke. | For years I …
(2019-10-30). Urgent: Stand up for Rojava in the Face of Turkish Aggression. indybay.org Fighting and airstrikes continue during the ceasefire. Brutal Turkish artillery, jihadis employed by Ankara, and airstrikes have created 200,000 internally displaced persons and threaten the very existence of the emancipatory self-government in Rojava and the Kurds themselves. Today they are using tanks to push toward one of the last major cities, Tel Tamir, to push the people into the desert. Please stand up in solidarity!
(2019-10-30). Trump, Turkey and the Kurds – signs of a crumbling U.S. empire. indybay.org Unitarian Universalist Society of S.F. | 1187 Franklin St. corner of Geary Ave. | San Francisco…
(2019-10-30). Russian MoD Doubts Trump's Announcement of Killing ISIS Chief al-Baghdadi. dissidentvoice.org There's no credible data to prove a successful American raid took place against Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Russia's Defense Ministry said. The US coalition didn't even carry out any airstrikes in Idlib recently. Earlier, Trump made a rare Sunday address from the White House informing the world that al-Baghdadi was eliminated in northwest …
(2019-10-30). Lebanon's Prime Minister Hariri Resigns, But Protests and Demands For a New Government Continue. democracynow.org 
Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced the resignation of his government on Tuesday following nearly two weeks of nationwide anti-government protests. In a televised address, al-Hariri said he had hit a "dead end" in resolving the crisis. Demonstrators "were congratulating each other while at the same time acknowledging that the struggle is very long," says Lebanese journalist, Lara Bitar, who joins us from Beirut for an update. She says protesters have promised to stay in the streets until all of their demands are met, including the resignation of all top government officials, early parliamentary election…
(2019-10-30). Headlines for October 30, 2019. democracynow.org Vindman: White House Transcript of Trump Phone Call Omitted Key Words, Boeing CEO Grilled by Senate Lawmakers Over 737 MAX Failures, Lebanese Prime Minister Resigns Amid Massive Protests, Tens of Thousands Pour into Baghdad's Tahrir Square as Iraq Protests Continue, Anti-Government Protests in Haiti Enter their Seventh Week, Ceasefire Between Turkey and Syrian Kurds in Northern Syria Expires, House Votes for Resolution to Recognize Armenian Genocide, Journalist Max Blumenthal Says He Was Arrested on False Charges, National Weather Service Issues "Extreme Red Flag Warning" over Fires, Protesters Slam BlackRock for…
(2019-10-29). Media Silent as Nobel Prize Winning OPCW Found "Fixing" its Own Findings on Syria. mintpressnews.com 
Judging by the minimal impact of the news, there will likely be few consequences for those who suppressed information and misled the world, nor for those who called for war on the basis of it, their assertions proving, once again, disastrously wrong.
(2019-10-29). Trump's Syria "Withdrawal": Where Less is Probably More. counterpunch.org 
When US president Donald Trump announced his plan to relocate a few dozen US soldiers in Syria — getting them out of the way of a pending Turkish invasion — the Washington establishment exploded in rage at what it mis-characterized as a US "withdrawal" from Syria. Instead of fighting that mis-characterization, Trump embraced it, pretending More
(2019-10-29). Pentagon's plans to stay in Syria and Iraq are in disarray. workers.org 
The U.S. Department of "Defense" plans to keep its troops in Syria. This may come as a surprise to those who assumed that dumping support for the Kurdish militias meant the Pentagon finally intended to withdraw. The sudden convenient execution of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. forces on Oct. 27 . . . | Continue reading Pentagon's plans to stay in Syria and Iraq are in disarray at Workers.org
(2019-10-29). Fear on the Streets: Hezbollah and the Protests in Lebanon. counterpunch.org 
Those tens of thousands of largely young protesters demanding a non-sectarian Lebanon were joyful, filled with happiness, determined that this time they would change the wretched confessional nature of their state forever. Then the Hezbollah turned up, a truckload of them, dressed in black and shouting through loudspeakers and holding up posters of their all-Shia More
(2019-10-29). Lebanese PM Saad Hariri Resigns Amid Pressure From Protesters. telesurenglish.net Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced on Tuesday that he was headed to the Baabda Palace to submit his cabinet's resignation to President Michel Aoun "after having reached a dead-end, and sensing the need for a positive shock." | RELATED: | Lebanon Protesters Step up Roadblocks to Keep Pressure on Gov't | During his brief speech, which began at 4 P.M. (local time), Hariri addressed the ongoing protests and the issues plaguing the country. | Hariri said that his governm…
(2019-10-29). By protecting Syria's Idlib, the US created a safe haven for Baghdadi and ISIS. thegrayzone.com With the killing of self-proclaimed ISIS "caliph" Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the shoddy narrative pushed by US government officials and regime…
(2019-10-29). Media Silent as Nobel Prize Winning OPCW Found "Fixing" Its Own Findings on Syria. theantimedia.com New evidence leaked from whistleblowers suggests the OCPW suppressed evidence and testimony that contradicted the U.S. narrative in Syria.
(2019-10-29). Distracting With Baghdadi Psyop, US Sends "Withdrawn" Troops Back Into Syria, Along With MANY More. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/28/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-29). Lebanon's Revolution Unites a Divided Country. progressive.org A long-sectarian society has come together as one people, bringing hope and some much-needed levity to the streets as they push for an end to their current government.
(2019-10-29). Headlines for October 29, 2019. democracynow.org Pentagon: U.S. Will Fight for Control of Oilfields in Syria, Ukraine Expert Who Listened to Trump Phone Call to Testify in Impeachment Hearings, Iraq: Death Toll from Month of Anti-Government Protests Tops 220, Trump Officials Join Industry Executives at Davos in Desert, Boeing CEO to Testify to Congressional Committees, Sanders Endorses Chesa Boudin for San Francisco District Attorney, Facebook Workers Call on Zuckerberg to Reverse Policy of Allowing Politicians to Lie in Ads, North Carolina Court Rules Against State's Gerrymandered Congressional Maps, U.S. Extends Deportation Relief to Salvadorans to 2021, Mexi…
(2019-10-28). Trump gives $4.5 million to Syria's White Helmets, which partnered with jihadists and joined Turkey's ethnic cleansing. thegrayzone.com While touting his efforts to end US involvement in Syria, Trump approved $4.5 million more for the White Helmets. This…
(2019-10-28). Monday's Daily Brief: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, gender gap in Latin America, Syria talks in Geneva, human rights in Egypt, the future of digital telecommunications. un.org A recap of Monday's top stories: 'Multi-generational tragedy' in Israel and Palestine demands viable two-State solution; gender gap persists in Latin America's workforce; Syria envoy urges prisoner release ahead of talks in Geneva; Egypt urged to end repression of protesters and rights defenders; future of digital communications discussed at world conference.
(2019-10-28). Headlines for October 28, 2019. democracynow.org ISIS Leader al-Baghdadi Reportedly Dies in U.S. Raid in Syria, California Declares State of Emergency over Wildfires, Chile: Over One Million Take to Streets in Protest Against Inequality, Dozens Killed in Iraq Amid Latest Round of Anti-Government Protests, Lebanese Form Human Chain Across Country as Protests Continue, Alberto Fernandez Wins Argentine Election in Defeat for Right-Wing Incumbent, Brexit Deadline Extended Until Jan. 31, Trump Booed, Taunted at World Series Game, Pentagon Hands Microsoft a $10 Billion Contract, Chicago Teachers Strike Continues, While Support Staff Reach Tentative Deal, UAW and Gene…
(2019-10-28). The Death of al-Baghdadi: ISIS Grew Out of U.S. Invasion of Iraq. What Will Happen Next? democracynow.org 
President Trump announced Sunday that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. special forces raid on his compound in northwestern Syria. According to Trump, al-Baghdadi detonated an explosive vest he was wearing, killing himself and three of his children. The raid began early Sunday when eight U.S. military helicopters flew from a base near Erbil, Iraq, to northwestern Syria over airspace controlled by Syria and Russia. Baghdadi had led ISIS since 2010. In 2014, he proclaimed the creation of an Islamic State or caliphate during a speech in Mosul. At its peak, ISIS controlled a large swath of land ac…
(2019-10-28). "People Have Reached the Limit": Lebanon Joins Wave of Anti-Government Protests Across Middle East. democracynow.org 
Tens of thousands of people in Lebanon joined hands on Sunday to form a human chain spanning north to south across the entire country. It was a symbolic display of unity across regional and sectarian divisions amid mass protests that have rocked the country in recent days. The protests sweeping Lebanon come amid a wave of similar anti-government protests in Iraq, Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East. We speak with Rami Khouri, senior public policy fellow and journalist-in-residence at the American University of Beirut, and a columnist at The New Arab.
(2019-10-28). US Boosts Troop Numbers in East Syria to Control Oil. theantimedia.com (ANTIWAR.COM) — With several hundred US troops already planned to stay in Syria to "control the oil," US convoys are sending more troops into Syria Deir Ezzor Province from neighboring Iraq, and reinforcing the areas around the oil fields. Exactly how many troops are there, or how many were sent is not known. President Trump previously classified …
(2019-10-26). Everyone Is Denouncing the Syrian Rebels Now Slaughtering Kurds. But Didn't the U.S. Once Support Some of Them? theintercept.com 
It's a lazy, cynical rewriting of history to pretend these groups have nothing to do with the U.S., or were never backed by the U.S., in their current form.
(2019-10-26). More Troops/Tanks To Syria Confirmed, OPCW Whistleblower, Barr's PreCrime & Mossad Clinton Blackmail. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/25/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-26). Russia Has 'Proof' US Is Smuggling Oil In Syria & Did Israel/US Create A Civil War In Lebanon? thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/26/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-25). 'There Are Noncoercive Solutions to Our Problems' – CounterSpin interview with Alex Vitale on the role of policing. fair.org 
Janine Jackson interviewed Brooklyn College's Alex Vitale about the role of policing for the October 27, 2017, episode of CounterSpin; a portion of that interview was reaired on the October 18, 2019, show. This is a lightly edited transcript of the rebroadcast. | Media…
(2019-10-25). Blowback: US-armed 'moderate rebels' slaughter Kurds in Syria. thegrayzone.com Amid outrage over Turkey's atrocities against Kurdish civilians northern Syria, Max Blumenthal discusses how some of the Syrian militias committing…
(2019-10-25). Trump To Send Possibly Thousands Of Troops & Tanks To "Secure Syria's Oil" & Iraq Goes To UN Over US. thelastamericanvagabond.com Welcome to The Daily Wrap Up, a concise show dedicated to bringing you the most relevant independent news, as we see it, from the last 24 hours (10/24/19). As always, take the information discussed in the video below and research it for yourself, and come to your own conclusions. Anyone telling you what the truth …
(2019-10-25). Headlines for October 25, 2019. democracynow.org Trump's Justice Department Opens Criminal Probe into Origins of Mueller Investigation, Trump Planning to Send Troops and Tanks to Eastern Syrian Oil Fields, U.N. to Probe Human Rights Abuses in Chile Amid Mass Protests, Ecuador's Indigenous Leaders Halt Talks with President Over Austerity Protests, Bolivia's Evo Morales Declares Election Victory as Opponents Cry Foul, Thousands March in Guinea to Oppose President's Bid for Third Term, Baltimore Congressmember Elijah Cummings Lies in State at U.S. Capitol, Joe Biden's Campaign Reverses Opposition to Super PACs, Protesters Demand New Jersey Offer Driver's Licenses…
(2019-10-24). Conflict Between Trump and Military-Diplomatic Establishment Is Full of Hypocrisy. therealnews.com 
We are living in a political world that seems turned on its head, with Democrats voting to stay in Syria and Republicans wanting to get out—but neither side is getting it right.
(2019-10-24). Thursday's Daily Brief: Syria latest, tech needs threaten life-saving weather forecasts, #UN75 birthday conversation begins, polio virus nears eradication. un.org A recap of Thurday's main stories: Wireless technology could block life-saving weather forecasts; UN gears up for 75th birthday dialogue; polio close to eradication; UN steps up northeast Syria aid; "unique opportunity" for end to Sudan-South Sudan border disputes.
(2019-10-24). Security Council: UN welcomes efforts to de-escalate crisis in northeast Syria. un.org The United Nations welcomes efforts to de-escalate the crisis in northeastern Syria in the wake of Turkey's incursion, a senior official with responsibility for the region told the Security Council on Thursday.
(2019-10-24). Ending Endless War: Andrew Bacevich on How Reckless Use of U.S. Military Power Caused Today's Crisis. democracynow.org 
President Trump has announced sanctions will be lifted on Turkey as a ceasefire remains in place in northern Syria, where Turkey invaded earlier this month after Trump withdrew U.S. troops. On Tuesday Turkey reached an agreement with Russia that would force Syrian Kurdish forces to retreat from a wide swath of the Syrian-Turkish border. The United Nations is reporting Turkey's offensive in northern Syria has displaced over 176,000 people, including nearly 80,000 children. The Turkish assault also led to a number of former ISIS fighters escaping from jail in northern Syria. We speak with Andrew Bacevich, co-founde…
(2019-10-24). Australia must cut military ties with Turkey. greenleft.org.au 
international solidarity Zerebar KarimiIssue 1242 Australia Rojava Turkey SyriaOctober 24, 2019A few years ago the world was horrified when…
(2019-10-23). Republicans Storm Closed Door Impeachment Hearing. therealnews.com 
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Cooper arrives to testify at deposition as part of Trump impeachment inquiry on Capitol Hill in Washington REUTERS/Carlos Jasso | Republicans stormed the House Intelligence Committee's Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility on Wednesday as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Laura Cooper was due to testify at a closed-door deposition. Cooper's testimony, which was delayed as a result of Wednesday's actions but resumed later that afternoon, is part of House Democrats' impeachment inquiry. | It happened a day after William B. Taylor Jr., the acting U.S. ambassador to Uk…
(2019-10-23). US troops are staying in Syria to 'keep the oil' — and have already killed hundreds over it. thegrayzone.com Hundreds of American soldiers are remaining in Syria to occupy its oil reserves and block the Syrian government from revenue…