Syria in a Nutshell

From James Petras' latest essay, The Obama Regime's Military Metaphysics Rejects Diplomatic Opportunities, 23/8/13:

"For years Bashar Assad worked closely with the US in (1) curbing Al Qaeda terrorists; (2) preventing cross border attacks in Israel; (3) denying sanctuary for insurgents fighting against the US occupation of Iraq; (4) complying with US policy by withdrawing troops from Lebanon.

"Syria was a 'co-operative adversary', maintaining regional stability and a tolerant multi-ethno-religious state in a region riven by Islamist and Zionist sectarian violence. But Washington under Obama magnified their differences and prioritized the policy of establishing a submissive client state. Instead of continuing a policy of diplomatic pressure and tactical collaboration, Obama joined an unholy alliance of Persian Gulf Islamic autocracies, ex-colonial European powers (especially France and England), Israel's secret service (Mossad), and Turkey's Islamist President Erdogan in arming, training, financing, and providing sanctuary to Islamist mercenaries led by Al Qaeda brigades.

"As a result, Syria is now riven by conflict, its economy has been destroyed, security is non-existant, and millions of Syrians have fled to Iraq, Jordan, Turkey and beyond. Thousands of jihadists have journeyed from afar to Syria's neighbors to receive arms, training and paychecks in pursuit of a Taliban-style regime in Syria as a springboard to destabilise pro-US client states in the region. Turkey's and Egypt's (under Morsi) intervention on behalf of the Islamist uprising helped provoke internal mass popular protests, weakening these US collaborator regimes.

"Obama's 'all-or-nothing' attempt to establish a client regime in Syria through [Islamist] violence has produced a no-win situation: either Assad retains power as a less cooperative adversary or the Islamist terrorists establish a regime that serves as a springboard for two, three, many caliphates." (petras.lahaine.org)

Meanwhile, back at the quarry, a certain US client state receives its orders:

"The bipartisan position [of send in the UN inspectors] emerged after briefings on Syria over the weekend from the US ambassador to Australia, Jeffrey Bleich, and top officials." (Bipartisan response to Syrian chemical attack, David Crowe, The Australian, 26/8/13)

[PS - 30/8: "After initially insisting that Syria give UN investigators unimpeded access to the site of an alleged nerve gas attack, the administration of President Barack Obama reversed its position on Sunday and tried unsuccessfully to get the UN to call off its investigation." (In rush to strike Syria, US tries to derail UN probe, Gareth Porter, ipsnews.net, 27/8/13)]