"When the Roman Empire was collapsing – it lost the provinces first – while trying to maintain the fiction of control and strength. By the Fourth Century, Romans themselves weren’t much interested in fighting —Rome’s best legions were Germanic mercenaries."
Incorrect.
In the fourth century AD Diocletian regrouped Rome and following this Constantine the Great established Constantinople in 325 AD and the Roman Empire was militarily stable.
You are correct that in the 5th century AD Romans 'weren't interested in fighting'-not because of apathy but because Rome, like the US or UK today was overrun by despotic immigrants and the sturdy Roman families over the years had been Genocided by competing Roman patrician families in the struggle for power to be Emperor.
Love your columns-I do the same thing you think 400's sometimes you transcribe accordingly.
If you are interested read some Tenney Frank (an early 20th century historian) on his ideas of the fall of Rome which eerily also describes our contemporary world.
Embarrassing. But thanks. I had gotten interested in Rome's 4th century after reading Gore Vidal's book "Julian". Then got into Constantine and Christianity and Rome's orientation eastward and the eventual creation of the Eastern Empire. Oh how complicated ....but fascinating. The more I got into it, the more I noticed that historians don't really agree on much.....LOL. Right now, my special article has a lot of "Rome" in it before getting to Putin and Xi. Here, too I see various versions of history forming.
You mean "despotic deportation". That's what in the PR and media world we call "langling".....mangling language for emotive effect. Twas brillig and the slithy ....:)
No, in my opinion and Tenney's-Rome was a commercial magnet for immigrants-mostly from Asia, and they eventually, through, numbers destroyed the Roman farmer, labourer and their military enlistment and as such sown the seeds for the dissolution of the Roman Empire.
"Rome had also leveled down the spiritual force in the all‑inclusive empire. It is possible that her greatest mistake was an erroneous liberalism based partly on self-interest, partly on sentimentality. The easy gift of citizenship p527 to hordes of slaves who could never comprehend the Roman institutions that had made the state great, and who were temperamentally unfit for the succession of duties into which they came, and the constant inclusion of foreign territory within the empire, were not always marks of true liberalism. Too often this seeming humanitarianism was spurred on by the desire to have more land to exploit or to cheapen labor, regardless of the consequences to the state. But it was also in some measure an expression of an old time republican liberalism, and the attraction of the most useless element to Rome by the lavish gifts of grain and games was due in some measure to disheveled sentimentality. Rome, if any nation, needed to discover some formula whereby a state would not through mistaken humanitarianism betray the strong-fibered stock to the exploitation of the morally, mentally, and physically unfit. We have seen above, that, according to the best evidence available, Rome and Italy were in Hadrian's day peopled by men and women that had but a trace of Roman blood. Perhaps that alone is enough to account for the complete change in the spirit of Rome. The Empire then seemed a success to most observers, but the Empire had let the fiber of the great tree decay at the core, and the storm was near at hand which only a sound tree could withstand." (1)
Tenney's basic thesis is germane. But I think he was also projecting issues affecting the British Empire at the time he wrote it--hence the concepts of "liberalism", "sentimentality", "humanitarianism" that were operative or operational memes for British imperialism. There are analogs of course --but it can be misleading. I would approach it differetly.
By the 5th Century, to the average Roman citizen in the Western Empire, there wasn't much difference between the Roman legions or the Germanic armies.
Except after the Franks or Visigoths or Vandals took over, the taxes went down and the worst of the old landlords were dead or fled, so there's that. We do know that grain production went down throughout the fourth century and into the fifth in the West before the "barbarians" invaded, that more land lie fallow, and that there was reforestation.
Just saying the Roman collapse was a long time coming, as is the American one we're living in now.
The disasters in North Carolina and California were inevitable in a country ruled by global capitalist elites, and there will be more, because our elites don't give a shit about that stuff. Fixing it isn't profitable.
Maybe one President will mobilize enough resources to adequately address one future disaster, but our government is not doing enough to maintain existing infrastructure of all kinds, much less adapt it to the new needs caused by our changing climate.
So you're right. I'd say we were going down that Roman road, but that would be terribly unfair to the Romans. Their roads never required yearly repaving.
MSM? Vanessa Beeley? David Miller? “A summary here of the bombshell revelations made by Bashar’s media adviser Kamel Saqr during an interview on the Mazeej podcast a couple of days ago.”?
Who Betrayed Syria? Assad’s Escape and the Fall of the Syrian Government – UK Column News – 8th January 2025
– Mazeej Mix : This is how Bashar al-Assad escaped Damascus. Full interview in Arabic
– Hassan I Hassan (on X): Fascinating details about Assad’s last days in this interview with Assad’s media “tsar”, his media chief and close aide. (Interview summary in English – See below…)
– Vanessa Beeley Telegram: Julani interview
– David Miller on X
“A summary here of the bombshell revelations made by Bashar’s media adviser Kamel Saqr during an interview on the Mazeej podcast a couple of days ago.”
– Akbar Ganji : Causes of the collapse of the Syrian government. Iranian statement (See below).
UK Column Is Member-Funded—Your Support Matters
Syria’s Fragmentation: Jolaní, Israel, and the Fight for Power – UK Column News 8th January 2025
– BBC: New elections could take up to four years
-UK closes borders to persecuted Syrians mirroring EU
– GOV.UK (2021): New UK sanctions targeting Assad regime for “lack of constitutional reform” while Jolani says 3 years for new constitution.
– Fiorella Isabel (on X): Syria’s New “Minister of Justice:”
“We will implement Islamic law and prevent women judges from holding this position, and they must hand over their cases to male judges.”
– Press TV : Images emerged showing Syria’s newly appointed Justice Minister Shadi Muhammad al-Waisi overseeing the execution of two women
– Syrian Coast Observatory (Telegram): Members of the HTS militias of Ahmed al Sharaa (Aka alJolani) assaulted a civilian young man in his twenties with severe beatings and whipping because he belongs to one of the religious minorities
– Vanessa Beeley (on X): Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Mahmoud Abbas – Translation under the leadership of President Assad
– Save Christians in Syria (on X): Video destroying statue of Mary
– The Jerusalem Post: Turkey aiming for maritime agreement with Syria
– The Energy Consulting Group: Syrian Oil and Gas
– The Washington Institute (2013): Russia-Syria Offshore Gas Deal
For full news please go to the UK Column website.
+--+
Causes of the Collapse of the Syrian Government – First Russia
A summary here of the bombshell revelations made by Bashar’s media adviser Kamel Saqr during an interview on the Mazeej podcast a couple of days ago.
In sum, Bashar and Syria were sold out by Putin, who cut a side deal with Turkey to ensure Russia’s interests would be protected in a future ISIS-run, colonised and fractured Syria.
Iranian policymakers were left blindsided and without either the time or the air support to help protect Syria’s sovereignty against the ISIS hordes and their Turkish backers.
The Zionist strategy of constant airstrikes on Syria over several years, with Russian complicity and without a response from the Resistance, created the opportunities the Zionists needed. The US, Turkey and the GCC all worked with this Zionist strategy to ensure an ISIS takeover. https://t.co/hAA1fKcJ1a
Assad in Moscow had to wait two days to meet Putin. On the day of the meeting, his appointment was moved three times. The Russians asked for only Assad and his escort, Brigadier General Muhsin Mohammed. The meeting lasted for one hour.
News of the meeting was leaked on Russia-linked Telegram channels, but Putin sent an aide to Assad at his residence at the Four Seasons to tell him personally (after a day’s delay, and despite protocols) that Putin preferred not to issue official statements about the meeting.
Assad thought Putin probably had his personal reasons not to issue an official statement about the meeting.
The Russian plane took them back to Syria on Saturday at 8 p.m. (Nov 30).
The fall of Aleppo was “very shocking” for Assad. Before Aleppo, the development seemed serious but not too alarming. He had zero expectation such a thing would happen. The army was not mentally or logistically ready to fight. Russia was at the peak of its distraction in Ukraine.
In the months before the Aleppo operation, the visibility and presence of Shia militias in Syria had been reduced, as Hezbollah received heavy blows in Lebanon. Syria was closely watched by Israel.
“The Iranian side was also feeling a degree of disappointment, seeing rapprochement between Syria and Arab countries at the expense of its relationship with Iran. Hezbollah had also received its heaviest blow since its establishment.”
Upon his return from Moscow, Assad met with the political council (the foreign minister & his deputy, the Vice President & Assad’s aide Buthaina Shaaban). They asked him about the meeting with Putin.
Assad told them that Putin rang the Russian army chief of staff in front of him and asked him to do everything to facilitate Iran’s air bridge into Syria.
Assad had a very specific request from Putin: to personally ensure safety for Iranian military support in Syria, including air supplies. Russia was not in a position to get involved. Iran too.
The Iranians told Assad they did not receive signals or assurances from Russia that it was safe for them to fly to Hmeimim through Iraq. Assad then checked with Moscow, but he got no response.
The Iranians told the Syrians a plane moved nonetheless from Tehran to Syria through Iraq, but were warned by the U.S. that the plane would be shot down if it continued on its way. (News reports at the time indicated that the U.S. struck Shia militias in Syria near the border.)
“In the mind of the Syrian army, the war had been behind it. Psychologically, the military felt that the fighting didn’t produce a national value. What is the point of rebooting the war again after 2020?”
“All the conditions were suitable for the operation. The Russians, to them, thought their mission was completed in Syria, outside the Syrian equation.”
Assad wanted Iran to reach out to Turkey, and the Iranians did, but they didn’t throw their full weight behind it. He said the Iranians were not as optimistic as they had been in previous situations to enter the war.
On Thursday, December 6, Turkey told Iran that the time for mediation was over. It was over.
Why did Assad refuse to meet Erdogan? He says: The main reason was Assad’s firm belief that meeting Erdogan would involve making political concessions rather than restoring ties.
Assad thought he had achieved victory on the ground and was unwilling to offer political concessions. Erdogan was also unwilling to give back territory under his control.
In the summer, Assad had two meetings with the Russians and the Iranians. The Russians spent half of their meeting talking to Assad about the necessity of meeting Erdogan. To wiggle out of it, Assad insisted on a “deposit” similar to Israeli “Rabin deposit” to his father Hafez which would involve a Turkish commitment, even if not enforced now, to withdraw from Syria.
The Russians then offered a meeting at the level of foreign ministers. Assad insisted on having only security meetings, usually held privately in Kasab, Syria. Russia was not happy about it. Iran also proposed the same, to no avail.
Assad realized he was in trouble when Putin would not pick up his calls from Tuesday to Thursday (three days before his departure from Syria). At one point, Assad was told Putin was traveling (in Belarus) and wouldn’t be able to take the call.
On Thursday, Assad prepared a 400-word speech to be delivered on television. The speech had several sections: the 1st warning about dividing Syria, the 2nd attacking Turkey & its dishonesty, the 3rd urging Arab support for Syrian unity & finally urging Syrians to fight.
Assad, he says, always wrote his speeches. He said this speech was different — it oozed nervousness and anxiety in its prose and content. It was reflective of his state of mind. He said he was personally surprised by the speech.
The plan to give a speech was delayed for a day and then another day. On Saturday, Assad told him he no longer planned to give the speech. After Homs, it became clear. After that, the army was dropping its arms. Assad had little doubt at that point.
Saturday evening was the last time the media office spoke with Assad. Assad spoke about a military meeting at Hmeimim air base between the Russians and the Syrians.
At around 2:15 a.m., his special secretary told Kamel that he (the secretary) would depart (but he wouldn’t say where) because Assad had left. Earlier, at midnight, the Russian military attaché had met Assad to secure his departure.
While that may be true, Russia, on multiple occasions, prioritized Turkey over Syria. I was in Saraqeb when Turkish drones massacred SAA and at same time Lavrov gave condolences to Turkey for deaths of Turkish soldiers that had invaded Syria. The Daraa file was a disaster. Idlib was an unmitigated disaster. Aleppo liberation took too long because Russia kept agreeing to ceasefire. They allowed “humanitarian” crossings supplying weapons to Jolani to remain open. Etc etc. Ultimately Russia was out maneuvered by Erdogan.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
Actually, that’s my point. Those who entered Damascus were not HTS, ISIS. They were the southern remnants of terrorist factions that Russia put under the umbrella of the 5th Legion in Daraa. Unfortunately, after doing this, very little was done by Russia to manage the project effectively, leading to the US and Israel to use them to take Damascus before HTS and Turkey.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
You forget, maybe, that Ukraine special forces had been training Jolani terrorists in Idlib for approximately one year. Jolani terrorists were being sent to fight in Ukraine. Does that not make Syria an extension of the Ukraine war. Ukraine has been invited to Damascus, not Russia. How many Chechens under HTS command will eventually be a threat to Russia on behalf of NATO? It’s easy, intellectually, to see that Russia considered Syria too much of a commitment but on a human and geopolitical level the decision to drop Syria will have far reaching consequences for Russia.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
I was not using the word betrayal. However, it’s undeniable that Russia made a decision to leave Syria to its fate. A fate that has so far been a hell on earth. Imo they overstretched and were unrealistic in their belief in any kind of political solution and meddled in some aspects of management of the Syrian file without truly considering all the potential consequences. I speak as someone who lived in Syria for 5 years and worked there for 9 years.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
@OneQuantumLeap Why are LATAM anti-imperialist nations re-evaluating relations with Russia? You might not read about it publicly but it’s a thing.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
@OneQuantumLeap I find it fascinating how people are trying to flip the narrative to protect their own biases. Understandable but not realistic. Making this statement also demonstrates that Turkey now sees itself in the driving seat. It knows to what extent Russia depends on them.
Duh. I'm a fucking journalist and educator, and so, I read tons of journalism, and of course, the main scum media, as well as news sources from around the fucking world. Alternative sites? Of course. Vanessa lived and worked in Syria, so not sure what your bone to pick you have with her, but, whatever.
Ahh, I am not a fan of EuroTrashLandia, Klanada, InBred UnUnited Queendom and NZ and AU, but Christ, there are good writers and true leftists working from those countries.
Your Article inspired Cassandra to do a call out to Europeans, to wake up and RISE, because they are MAD and don't TAKE IT ANYMORE...
You need 'X' / Twitter to see it in its full glory, it is two connected tweets and a reference to unrest in Romania, because the EU stole their Elections...:
"When the Roman Empire was collapsing – it lost the provinces first – while trying to maintain the fiction of control and strength. By the Fourth Century, Romans themselves weren’t much interested in fighting —Rome’s best legions were Germanic mercenaries."
Incorrect.
In the fourth century AD Diocletian regrouped Rome and following this Constantine the Great established Constantinople in 325 AD and the Roman Empire was militarily stable.
You are correct that in the 5th century AD Romans 'weren't interested in fighting'-not because of apathy but because Rome, like the US or UK today was overrun by despotic immigrants and the sturdy Roman families over the years had been Genocided by competing Roman patrician families in the struggle for power to be Emperor.
My bad, I should have written the FIFTH century -- 400 AD on, which is what I was thinking!. You are exactly right. I will correct that!
Thanks a lot. I updated the post. I appreciate the correction.
Love your columns-I do the same thing you think 400's sometimes you transcribe accordingly.
If you are interested read some Tenney Frank (an early 20th century historian) on his ideas of the fall of Rome which eerily also describes our contemporary world.
Embarrassing. But thanks. I had gotten interested in Rome's 4th century after reading Gore Vidal's book "Julian". Then got into Constantine and Christianity and Rome's orientation eastward and the eventual creation of the Eastern Empire. Oh how complicated ....but fascinating. The more I got into it, the more I noticed that historians don't really agree on much.....LOL. Right now, my special article has a lot of "Rome" in it before getting to Putin and Xi. Here, too I see various versions of history forming.
You can look back on History all you want BUT we are now in the 21 Century. Things have changed?
Things haven't changed if one is student of history; man is still the same -technology just extrapolates human nature.
Of course, you are both right. Things change - but man does not. Or, he does very slowly. Give us another 50,000 years.
What is a "despotic immigrant?"
I am interested in your argument.
You mean "despotic deportation". That's what in the PR and media world we call "langling".....mangling language for emotive effect. Twas brillig and the slithy ....:)
No, in my opinion and Tenney's-Rome was a commercial magnet for immigrants-mostly from Asia, and they eventually, through, numbers destroyed the Roman farmer, labourer and their military enlistment and as such sown the seeds for the dissolution of the Roman Empire.
Tenney Frank explains it better than I:
"Rome had also leveled down the spiritual force in the all‑inclusive empire. It is possible that her greatest mistake was an erroneous liberalism based partly on self-interest, partly on sentimentality. The easy gift of citizenship p527 to hordes of slaves who could never comprehend the Roman institutions that had made the state great, and who were temperamentally unfit for the succession of duties into which they came, and the constant inclusion of foreign territory within the empire, were not always marks of true liberalism. Too often this seeming humanitarianism was spurred on by the desire to have more land to exploit or to cheapen labor, regardless of the consequences to the state. But it was also in some measure an expression of an old time republican liberalism, and the attraction of the most useless element to Rome by the lavish gifts of grain and games was due in some measure to disheveled sentimentality. Rome, if any nation, needed to discover some formula whereby a state would not through mistaken humanitarianism betray the strong-fibered stock to the exploitation of the morally, mentally, and physically unfit. We have seen above, that, according to the best evidence available, Rome and Italy were in Hadrian's day peopled by men and women that had but a trace of Roman blood. Perhaps that alone is enough to account for the complete change in the spirit of Rome. The Empire then seemed a success to most observers, but the Empire had let the fiber of the great tree decay at the core, and the storm was near at hand which only a sound tree could withstand." (1)
1.A History of Rome
by
Tenney Frank
published by
Henry Holt and Company
New York 1923
Tenney's basic thesis is germane. But I think he was also projecting issues affecting the British Empire at the time he wrote it--hence the concepts of "liberalism", "sentimentality", "humanitarianism" that were operative or operational memes for British imperialism. There are analogs of course --but it can be misleading. I would approach it differetly.
UM. Very interesting but I know all this and it does NOT pertain to the future of the World!
We are not just in Europe now.
I understand your concept of immigration here but THIS IS EUROPEAN HISTORY.
When the USA takes over countries because they don't like the politics is it surprising that immigrants want to move?
IF we cannot understand what a "world empire" does......who are we IF we neglect the immigrants who flee their countries.
THIS is gross hypocrisy!
Thanks for the lesson.
My pleasure.
Chappie News Network🥰🤣
By the 5th Century, to the average Roman citizen in the Western Empire, there wasn't much difference between the Roman legions or the Germanic armies.
Except after the Franks or Visigoths or Vandals took over, the taxes went down and the worst of the old landlords were dead or fled, so there's that. We do know that grain production went down throughout the fourth century and into the fifth in the West before the "barbarians" invaded, that more land lie fallow, and that there was reforestation.
Just saying the Roman collapse was a long time coming, as is the American one we're living in now.
The disasters in North Carolina and California were inevitable in a country ruled by global capitalist elites, and there will be more, because our elites don't give a shit about that stuff. Fixing it isn't profitable.
Maybe one President will mobilize enough resources to adequately address one future disaster, but our government is not doing enough to maintain existing infrastructure of all kinds, much less adapt it to the new needs caused by our changing climate.
So you're right. I'd say we were going down that Roman road, but that would be terribly unfair to the Romans. Their roads never required yearly repaving.
The bloody Capitalist For-Profit only system.
"In God We Trust, all others pay through the nose".
A good one here:
Disclosure by General Behrouz Esbati, one of the senior commanders of the Revolutionary Guard in Syria:
🔹 Russia was one of the main factors in the collapse of Syria and Assad
🔹 Russia turned off the radar so that Israel could attack the intelligence headquarters
🔹 Russia both deceived Assad and betrayed Iran
🔹 All of Russia’s actions after October 7th were to secure Israel’s interests
Putin is a groveling Jewish Fanboy and Wannabe Western Kinda Guy. Same White Ghoul as the rest of the racist fucks.
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2025/01/12/carving-up-syria-assads-last-hours/
I am interested how you came to this conclusion with regard to Russia?
IF you think Russia betrayed Assad: Why are there still Russian bases in Syria?
Has Russia betrayed Iran? Are you cognizant with the CIA/Mossad or are you just reading Mainstream Media.
Just before Trump comes to power: Are you aware that Iran and Russia are about to sign a comprehensive agreement o support each other?
DO not post MSM comments.
MSM? Vanessa Beeley? David Miller? “A summary here of the bombshell revelations made by Bashar’s media adviser Kamel Saqr during an interview on the Mazeej podcast a couple of days ago.”?
Who Betrayed Syria? Assad’s Escape and the Fall of the Syrian Government – UK Column News – 8th January 2025
– Mazeej Mix : This is how Bashar al-Assad escaped Damascus. Full interview in Arabic
– Hassan I Hassan (on X): Fascinating details about Assad’s last days in this interview with Assad’s media “tsar”, his media chief and close aide. (Interview summary in English – See below…)
– Vanessa Beeley Telegram: Julani interview
– David Miller on X
“A summary here of the bombshell revelations made by Bashar’s media adviser Kamel Saqr during an interview on the Mazeej podcast a couple of days ago.”
– Akbar Ganji : Causes of the collapse of the Syrian government. Iranian statement (See below).
UK Column Is Member-Funded—Your Support Matters
Syria’s Fragmentation: Jolaní, Israel, and the Fight for Power – UK Column News 8th January 2025
– BBC: New elections could take up to four years
-UK closes borders to persecuted Syrians mirroring EU
– GOV.UK (2021): New UK sanctions targeting Assad regime for “lack of constitutional reform” while Jolani says 3 years for new constitution.
– Fiorella Isabel (on X): Syria’s New “Minister of Justice:”
“We will implement Islamic law and prevent women judges from holding this position, and they must hand over their cases to male judges.”
– Press TV : Images emerged showing Syria’s newly appointed Justice Minister Shadi Muhammad al-Waisi overseeing the execution of two women
– Syrian Coast Observatory (Telegram): Members of the HTS militias of Ahmed al Sharaa (Aka alJolani) assaulted a civilian young man in his twenties with severe beatings and whipping because he belongs to one of the religious minorities
– Vanessa Beeley (on X): Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Mahmoud Abbas – Translation under the leadership of President Assad
– Save Christians in Syria (on X): Video destroying statue of Mary
– The Jerusalem Post: Turkey aiming for maritime agreement with Syria
– The Energy Consulting Group: Syrian Oil and Gas
– The Washington Institute (2013): Russia-Syria Offshore Gas Deal
For full news please go to the UK Column website.
+--+
Causes of the Collapse of the Syrian Government – First Russia
A summary here of the bombshell revelations made by Bashar’s media adviser Kamel Saqr during an interview on the Mazeej podcast a couple of days ago.
In sum, Bashar and Syria were sold out by Putin, who cut a side deal with Turkey to ensure Russia’s interests would be protected in a future ISIS-run, colonised and fractured Syria.
Iranian policymakers were left blindsided and without either the time or the air support to help protect Syria’s sovereignty against the ISIS hordes and their Turkish backers.
The Zionist strategy of constant airstrikes on Syria over several years, with Russian complicity and without a response from the Resistance, created the opportunities the Zionists needed. The US, Turkey and the GCC all worked with this Zionist strategy to ensure an ISIS takeover. https://t.co/hAA1fKcJ1a
— David Miller (@Tracking_Power) January 7, 2025
Assad in Moscow had to wait two days to meet Putin. On the day of the meeting, his appointment was moved three times. The Russians asked for only Assad and his escort, Brigadier General Muhsin Mohammed. The meeting lasted for one hour.
News of the meeting was leaked on Russia-linked Telegram channels, but Putin sent an aide to Assad at his residence at the Four Seasons to tell him personally (after a day’s delay, and despite protocols) that Putin preferred not to issue official statements about the meeting.
Assad thought Putin probably had his personal reasons not to issue an official statement about the meeting.
The Russian plane took them back to Syria on Saturday at 8 p.m. (Nov 30).
The fall of Aleppo was “very shocking” for Assad. Before Aleppo, the development seemed serious but not too alarming. He had zero expectation such a thing would happen. The army was not mentally or logistically ready to fight. Russia was at the peak of its distraction in Ukraine.
In the months before the Aleppo operation, the visibility and presence of Shia militias in Syria had been reduced, as Hezbollah received heavy blows in Lebanon. Syria was closely watched by Israel.
“The Iranian side was also feeling a degree of disappointment, seeing rapprochement between Syria and Arab countries at the expense of its relationship with Iran. Hezbollah had also received its heaviest blow since its establishment.”
Upon his return from Moscow, Assad met with the political council (the foreign minister & his deputy, the Vice President & Assad’s aide Buthaina Shaaban). They asked him about the meeting with Putin.
Assad told them that Putin rang the Russian army chief of staff in front of him and asked him to do everything to facilitate Iran’s air bridge into Syria.
Assad had a very specific request from Putin: to personally ensure safety for Iranian military support in Syria, including air supplies. Russia was not in a position to get involved. Iran too.
The Iranians told Assad they did not receive signals or assurances from Russia that it was safe for them to fly to Hmeimim through Iraq. Assad then checked with Moscow, but he got no response.
The Iranians told the Syrians a plane moved nonetheless from Tehran to Syria through Iraq, but were warned by the U.S. that the plane would be shot down if it continued on its way. (News reports at the time indicated that the U.S. struck Shia militias in Syria near the border.)
“In the mind of the Syrian army, the war had been behind it. Psychologically, the military felt that the fighting didn’t produce a national value. What is the point of rebooting the war again after 2020?”
“All the conditions were suitable for the operation. The Russians, to them, thought their mission was completed in Syria, outside the Syrian equation.”
Assad wanted Iran to reach out to Turkey, and the Iranians did, but they didn’t throw their full weight behind it. He said the Iranians were not as optimistic as they had been in previous situations to enter the war.
On Thursday, December 6, Turkey told Iran that the time for mediation was over. It was over.
Why did Assad refuse to meet Erdogan? He says: The main reason was Assad’s firm belief that meeting Erdogan would involve making political concessions rather than restoring ties.
Assad thought he had achieved victory on the ground and was unwilling to offer political concessions. Erdogan was also unwilling to give back territory under his control.
In the summer, Assad had two meetings with the Russians and the Iranians. The Russians spent half of their meeting talking to Assad about the necessity of meeting Erdogan. To wiggle out of it, Assad insisted on a “deposit” similar to Israeli “Rabin deposit” to his father Hafez which would involve a Turkish commitment, even if not enforced now, to withdraw from Syria.
The Russians then offered a meeting at the level of foreign ministers. Assad insisted on having only security meetings, usually held privately in Kasab, Syria. Russia was not happy about it. Iran also proposed the same, to no avail.
Assad realized he was in trouble when Putin would not pick up his calls from Tuesday to Thursday (three days before his departure from Syria). At one point, Assad was told Putin was traveling (in Belarus) and wouldn’t be able to take the call.
On Thursday, Assad prepared a 400-word speech to be delivered on television. The speech had several sections: the 1st warning about dividing Syria, the 2nd attacking Turkey & its dishonesty, the 3rd urging Arab support for Syrian unity & finally urging Syrians to fight.
Assad, he says, always wrote his speeches. He said this speech was different — it oozed nervousness and anxiety in its prose and content. It was reflective of his state of mind. He said he was personally surprised by the speech.
The plan to give a speech was delayed for a day and then another day. On Saturday, Assad told him he no longer planned to give the speech. After Homs, it became clear. After that, the army was dropping its arms. Assad had little doubt at that point.
Saturday evening was the last time the media office spoke with Assad. Assad spoke about a military meeting at Hmeimim air base between the Russians and the Syrians.
At around 2:15 a.m., his special secretary told Kamel that he (the secretary) would depart (but he wouldn’t say where) because Assad had left. Earlier, at midnight, the Russian military attaché had met Assad to secure his departure.
While that may be true, Russia, on multiple occasions, prioritized Turkey over Syria. I was in Saraqeb when Turkish drones massacred SAA and at same time Lavrov gave condolences to Turkey for deaths of Turkish soldiers that had invaded Syria. The Daraa file was a disaster. Idlib was an unmitigated disaster. Aleppo liberation took too long because Russia kept agreeing to ceasefire. They allowed “humanitarian” crossings supplying weapons to Jolani to remain open. Etc etc. Ultimately Russia was out maneuvered by Erdogan.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
Actually, that’s my point. Those who entered Damascus were not HTS, ISIS. They were the southern remnants of terrorist factions that Russia put under the umbrella of the 5th Legion in Daraa. Unfortunately, after doing this, very little was done by Russia to manage the project effectively, leading to the US and Israel to use them to take Damascus before HTS and Turkey.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
You forget, maybe, that Ukraine special forces had been training Jolani terrorists in Idlib for approximately one year. Jolani terrorists were being sent to fight in Ukraine. Does that not make Syria an extension of the Ukraine war. Ukraine has been invited to Damascus, not Russia. How many Chechens under HTS command will eventually be a threat to Russia on behalf of NATO? It’s easy, intellectually, to see that Russia considered Syria too much of a commitment but on a human and geopolitical level the decision to drop Syria will have far reaching consequences for Russia.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
I was not using the word betrayal. However, it’s undeniable that Russia made a decision to leave Syria to its fate. A fate that has so far been a hell on earth. Imo they overstretched and were unrealistic in their belief in any kind of political solution and meddled in some aspects of management of the Syrian file without truly considering all the potential consequences. I speak as someone who lived in Syria for 5 years and worked there for 9 years.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
@OneQuantumLeap Why are LATAM anti-imperialist nations re-evaluating relations with Russia? You might not read about it publicly but it’s a thing.
Vanessa Beeley @VanessaBeeley
@OneQuantumLeap I find it fascinating how people are trying to flip the narrative to protect their own biases. Understandable but not realistic. Making this statement also demonstrates that Turkey now sees itself in the driving seat. It knows to what extent Russia depends on them.
Seems you read British news?
Duh. I'm a fucking journalist and educator, and so, I read tons of journalism, and of course, the main scum media, as well as news sources from around the fucking world. Alternative sites? Of course. Vanessa lived and worked in Syria, so not sure what your bone to pick you have with her, but, whatever.
Ahh, I am not a fan of EuroTrashLandia, Klanada, InBred UnUnited Queendom and NZ and AU, but Christ, there are good writers and true leftists working from those countries.
Duh.
GREAT !!
Your Article inspired Cassandra to do a call out to Europeans, to wake up and RISE, because they are MAD and don't TAKE IT ANYMORE...
You need 'X' / Twitter to see it in its full glory, it is two connected tweets and a reference to unrest in Romania, because the EU stole their Elections...:
->https://x.com/OccupySchagen/status/1878498756473311296
enjoy...
Sander
Finally.... When "democracy" fails, the only answer is revolution.
It is hilarious.
MORE sanctions on Russia, targeting its oil & gas.
Global oil & gas prices rise, Russia makes MORE money.
Western "experts" always mention "sanctions relief" for Russia as key to a negotiated settlement.
I bet Russia does not even want sanctions relief, let alone can be enticed by sanctions relief.
The "west" is so brainwashed by their own bullshit reality has ceased to exist for & among them.
As usual you nailed it again. The Chappie videos are hysterical!🤣
Ayup.