veteranstoday--2020-10-05--Times of Israel: Jews to Flee US if Trump Wins, Fearing New Holocaust from GOP-Nazi Coalition (good

Times of Israel: Jews to Flee US if Trump Wins, Fearing New Holocaust from GOP-Nazi Coalition (good read)

JTA — By 11:42 a.m. on the morning after US President Donald Trump refused to condemn white supremacists during the presidential debate , Heather Segal had received four inquiries from Americans interested in moving to Canada .
Two of them were Jewish .
Segal , an immigration lawyer in Toronto , knows there ’ s always a spike in inquiries during US election years .
But in her 25 years of experience , it ’ s never been as big as it is now .
In 2016 , she said , she received a couple dozen inquiries , total , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This year , she gets six or seven inquiries every day .
And most of them , she said , are from Jews .
“ In my life , I have never seen what I ’ m seeing , ” said Segal , who is herself Jewish .
She said she hears the same fears from one Jewish American after another .
“ What they echo to me : ‘ We ’ ve seen this before , ’ ” Segal said .
“ ‘ I ’ m not going to get stuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get caught .
We know how this goes .
There ’ s going to be a civil war .
It ’ s going to be the end of democracy .
I ’ m very concerned for our future .
I don ’ t want to wait and see what happens .
My grandparents left Poland in World War II.
’ ” She added , “ Whatever it is , honestly , it gives me pause .
What do I hear ?
‘ I never thought that I would be looking for this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States .
My family is here , my business is here .
This is not something I ever thought would happen or that I even considered.
’ That line is not one person saying it .
I hear it several times a day.
” Americans vowing to move to Canada after the presidential election is almost a cliche .
Among observant Jews , the same might be said of moving to Israel — where most Jews get automatic citizenship — if the wrong person takes office or if conditions change in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , say immigration lawyers and others who work in the small industry of Jews permanently crossing borders .
Much of the drive to leave has to do with the prospect of Trump winning reelection , potentially after a chaotic post-election period in which he or others dispute the results of the vote .
American Jews , lawyers and advocates say , are also chilled by a climate of rising extremism and anti-Semitism , some of it stoked or condoned by the president .
Longtime Jewish leaders who are seen as moderate are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 1930s Germany , when Hitler rose to power and the fate of the Jews in Europe began to be sealed .
For members of a people who have never experienced lasting security under any government until the last century , the moment is awakening deep-seated anxiety about how to ensure their family ’ s safety if the worst comes to pass in the United States .
“ There ’ s a lot that goes through my head while this is going on , about what was my family thinking as Hitler was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morris , a lawyer in Colorado whose grandfather , originally from what was then Czechoslovakia , was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust .
Morris is one of an increasing number of American Jews who are exploring finding a home outside the United States — whether in Canada , Israel , or the European Union .
She is eligible for Canadian citizenship and submitted her application in August , spurred by fear of what could happen on and after November 3 .
It is , of course , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its aftermath spark a wave of Jews and other Americans moving abroad .
Certainly , most people who vow to emigrate over election results ultimately do not .
But Morris ’ s story reflects the anxiety that is shaping many American Jews ’ thinking right now .
She and her wife have discussed getting a mobile home , partly in case they decide to leave home at a moment ’ s notice for a prolonged period of time .
“ You think about those kinds of questions : What would be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave the country ?
” she said .
“ It ’ s really challenging to know exactly what that tipping point should be .
And I think I have a different sort of understanding of that challenge that our ancestors probably had to go through in deciding whether or not to go.
” Other Canadian immigration lawyers are seeing the same pattern .
Joseph Young , another Jewish immigration lawyer in Toronto , usually gets about two inquiries per week about moving to Canada .
That number has jumped recently to at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approximately 2 % of the US population , he estimates that about 20 % of his inquiries are from Jews .
Nan Berezowski , another Canadian immigration lawyer , also said inquiries about leaving the United States have risen , though she couldn ’ t quantify the increase , and that at least 20 % appear to be from Jews .
“ Things in the United States are getting a little bit out of hand , ” Young said .
“ If Trump wins , I think you ’ re going to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration ] applications , or at least applying .
They ’ ve lived through four years and they ’ re saying ‘ I ’ m not going to live through another four years.
’ ” Moving to Canada is not simple .
Applications for permanent residency are evaluated based on a points system that takes into account language fluency , age , profession , and whether the applicant has previous connections to Canada , such as Canadian family or a Canadian academic degree .
The process can take a year or more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re a graduate of a Canadian university and young , you ’ re a prime candidate for Canadian immigration , ” said Greg Siskind , an immigration lawyer in the United States who is considering working on emigration from the US as well , based in part on the rising number of people seeking to leave .
“ If you are older and middle class , you ’ re probably not going to have such an easy time.
” Another option available to some American Jews is also onerous : securing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , owing to their histories of anti-Semitic persecution and expulsion , offer citizenship to Jews whose ancestors fled their borders .
Austria widened its doors earlier this month .
On that front , too , interest appears to be on the rise .
Hollander-Waas Jewish Heritage Services , an agency founded last year that helps Jews track down genealogical records and navigate the countries ’ citizenship processes , is getting two to three inquiries about pursuing European citizenship per week , as opposed to one a month several months ago .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have also both individually pursued European citizenship for themselves , for emotional and practical reasons .
Hollander has obtained her German citizenship , while Waas is still in the process with Portugal , the homeland of his ancestors .
The irony of potentially seeking refuge on the continent where the Holocaust and centuries of anti-Semitism were perpetrated does not escape them .
Both , however , said the idea of having an option outside of America was compelling at a volatile time .
She added , “ It ’ s reclaiming something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this was mine .
You can ’ t take this .
And to me , at least , it ’ s righting a wrong that was done in 1938.
” Israel , of course , represents a global redress for the wrongs done in that year and the following decade .
Almost any Jew in the world is eligible under the Law of Return , which gives Jews the ability to claim citizenship in the country if they move there .
Right now , the number of American Jews seeking to exercise that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B ’ Nefesh , which facilitates Israeli immigration , has seen double or triple the number of applications opened from the US every month from May through September compared to the previous year .
The number of completed applications , indicating a sustained interest , has also doubled or tripled every month .
Even September , which saw skyrocketing COVID-19 case numbers in Israel , saw a 72 % increase in completed applications compared to September 2019 , to 523 people .
But a spokeswoman for the group , Yael Katsman , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been interested in moving to Israel and felt able to make the leap after their workplaces went remote because of the pandemic .
“ The political unrest is not dominant at all , ” she said .
That may be because Jews must actually move to Israel to gain citizenship , making it a perpetual and vital backup plan , but not a first-line destination for Jews anxious about the political situation in America .
In contrast , citizenship programs for Jews in European countries don ’ t require applicants to live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ qualify , citizenship in Europe gives them a potential refuge while they see how things in the US turn out .
“ Especially this year , it ’ s been like , I need to have a backup beyond Israel because to have a Portuguese passport doesn ’ t necessarily mean you have to go and live in Portugal , ” Waas said .
Hollander added , “ It ’ s having multiple options , multiple routes , and that ’ s what a lot of people are realizing more and more.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who don ’ t fear direct , physical danger following the election but worry that another Trump term will transform the US into a place that does not reflect their values .
Jeremy , an educator in Pennsylvania who has focused his energies on teaching immigrants and underprivileged students , has found himself recently searching Canadian job boards and researching the cost of living in different Canadian cities .
He said Canada is appealing because life there seems relatively similar to the US , but that the country appears to care more for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him as a Jew .
“ I knew from a young age that I ’ m different because I ’ m Jewish , ” said Jeremy , who did not give his last name due to concerns regarding privacy and job security .
“ That makes us able to understand certain things , to live certain fears that we have or that pretty close ancestors of ours have had in this country or in other countries .
That very directly relates to how I feel about immigration .
That very explicitly relates to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Segal , the Canadian immigration lawyer , said the rising number of people seeking to leave the US is “ devastating to see , ” despite the uptick in potential business for her .
She ’ s always looked at the United States as an inspiration .
Now she views it with fear and concern .
“ It saddens me because , you know , I love America and what it stands for and what it ’ s accomplished , ” she said .
“ I keep saying to myself , what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see a lot of fear and I feel like we ’ re at this stage [ where ] , the fear , we don ’ t know what it ’ s going to bring .
”

A sign marks the Canadian border. (Lorie Shaull/Flickr/ via JTA)
JTA — By 11:42 a.m. on the morning after US President Donald Trump refused to condemn white supremacists during the presidential debate, Heather Segal had received four inquiries from Americans interested in moving to Canada. Two of them were Jewish.
Segal, an immigration lawyer in Toronto, knows there’s always a spike in inquiries during US election years. But in her 25 years of experience, it’s never been as big as it is now.
In 2016, she said, she received a couple dozen inquiries, total, from Americans looking to move to Canada. This year, she gets six or seven inquiries every day. And most of them, she said, are from Jews.
“In my life, I have never seen what I’m seeing,” said Segal, who is herself Jewish. She said she hears the same fears from one Jewish American after another.
“What they echo to me: ‘We’ve seen this before,’” Segal said. “‘I’m not going to get stuck. I’m not going to get caught. We know how this goes. There’s going to be a civil war. It’s going to be the end of democracy. I’m very concerned for our future. I don’t want to wait and see what happens. My grandparents left Poland in World War II.’”
She added, “Whatever it is, honestly, it gives me pause. What do I hear? ‘I never thought that I would be looking for this. I’m well established in the United States. My family is here, my business is here. This is not something I ever thought would happen or that I even considered.’ That line is not one person saying it. I hear it several times a day.”
Americans vowing to move to Canada after the presidential election is almost a cliche. Among observant Jews, the same might be said of moving to Israel — where most Jews get automatic citizenship — if the wrong person takes office or if conditions change in the United States.
This year feels different, say immigration lawyers and others who work in the small industry of Jews permanently crossing borders. Much of the drive to leave has to do with the prospect of Trump winning reelection, potentially after a chaotic post-election period in which he or others dispute the results of the vote. American Jews, lawyers and advocates say, are also chilled by a climate of rising extremism and anti-Semitism, some of it stoked or condoned by the president.
Longtime Jewish leaders who are seen as moderate are now comparing this moment in American politics to early 1930s Germany, when Hitler rose to power and the fate of the Jews in Europe began to be sealed. For members of a people who have never experienced lasting security under any government until the last century, the moment is awakening deep-seated anxiety about how to ensure their family’s safety if the worst comes to pass in the United States.
“There’s a lot that goes through my head while this is going on, about what was my family thinking as Hitler was rising to power?” said Sarah Morris, a lawyer in Colorado whose grandfather, originally from what was then Czechoslovakia, was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust.
Morris is one of an increasing number of American Jews who are exploring finding a home outside the United States — whether in Canada, Israel, or the European Union. She is eligible for Canadian citizenship and submitted her application in August, spurred by fear of what could happen on and after November 3.
It is, of course, too soon to tell if the presidential election and its aftermath spark a wave of Jews and other Americans moving abroad. Certainly, most people who vow to emigrate over election results ultimately do not.
But Morris’s story reflects the anxiety that is shaping many American Jews’ thinking right now.
She and her wife have discussed getting a mobile home, partly in case they decide to leave home at a moment’s notice for a prolonged period of time.
“You think about those kinds of questions: What would be the triggering point that would cause me to leave the country?” she said. “It’s really challenging to know exactly what that tipping point should be. And I think I have a different sort of understanding of that challenge that our ancestors probably had to go through in deciding whether or not to go.”
Other Canadian immigration lawyers are seeing the same pattern.
Joseph Young, another Jewish immigration lawyer in Toronto, usually gets about two inquiries per week about moving to Canada. That number has jumped recently to at least five. And though Jews make up approximately 2% of the US population, he estimates that about 20% of his inquiries are from Jews.
Nan Berezowski, another Canadian immigration lawyer, also said inquiries about leaving the United States have risen, though she couldn’t quantify the increase, and that at least 20% appear to be from Jews.
“Things in the United States are getting a little bit out of hand,” Young said. “If Trump wins, I think you’re going to see more people continuing and completing their [immigration] applications, or at least applying. They’ve lived through four years and they’re saying ‘I’m not going to live through another four years.’”
Moving to Canada is not simple. Applications for permanent residency are evaluated based on a points system that takes into account language fluency, age, profession, and whether the applicant has previous connections to Canada, such as Canadian family or a Canadian academic degree. The process can take a year or more.
“If you speak English, you’re a graduate of a Canadian university and young, you’re a prime candidate for Canadian immigration,” said Greg Siskind, an immigration lawyer in the United States who is considering working on emigration from the US as well, based in part on the rising number of people seeking to leave. “If you are older and middle class, you’re probably not going to have such an easy time.”
Another option available to some American Jews is also onerous: securing a European passport. A handful of European countries, owing to their histories of anti-Semitic persecution and expulsion, offer citizenship to Jews whose ancestors fled their borders. Austria widened its doors earlier this month.
On that front, too, interest appears to be on the rise. Hollander-Waas Jewish Heritage Services, an agency founded last year that helps Jews track down genealogical records and navigate the countries’ citizenship processes, is getting two to three inquiries about pursuing European citizenship per week, as opposed to one a month several months ago.
The founders, Caitlin Hollander and Michael Waas, have also both individually pursued European citizenship for themselves, for emotional and practical reasons. Hollander has obtained her German citizenship, while Waas is still in the process with Portugal, the homeland of his ancestors.
The irony of potentially seeking refuge on the continent where the Holocaust and centuries of anti-Semitism were perpetrated does not escape them. Both, however, said the idea of having an option outside of America was compelling at a volatile time.
“If I can have another passport — a Jew can never have too many passports,” Hollander said. “It gives you that one little piece of freedom, one little piece of being able to travel freely without having to worry about one more visa, one more restriction, what new restrictions could exist.”
She added, “It’s reclaiming something that had been stolen, and saying this was mine. You can’t take this. And to me, at least, it’s righting a wrong that was done in 1938.”
Israel, of course, represents a global redress for the wrongs done in that year and the following decade. Almost any Jew in the world is eligible under the Law of Return, which gives Jews the ability to claim citizenship in the country if they move there.
Right now, the number of American Jews seeking to exercise that right is on the rise. Nefesh B’Nefesh, which facilitates Israeli immigration, has seen double or triple the number of applications opened from the US every month from May through September compared to the previous year.
The number of completed applications, indicating a sustained interest, has also doubled or tripled every month. Even September, which saw skyrocketing COVID-19 case numbers in Israel, saw a 72% increase in completed applications compared to September 2019, to 523 people.
But a spokeswoman for the group, Yael Katsman, said most people completing the process had long been interested in moving to Israel and felt able to make the leap after their workplaces went remote because of the pandemic.
“The political unrest is not dominant at all,” she said.
That may be because Jews must actually move to Israel to gain citizenship, making it a perpetual and vital backup plan, but not a first-line destination for Jews anxious about the political situation in America.
In contrast, citizenship programs for Jews in European countries don’t require applicants to live in the country. So for those who qualify, citizenship in Europe gives them a potential refuge while they see how things in the US turn out.
“Especially this year, it’s been like, I need to have a backup beyond Israel because to have a Portuguese passport doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go and live in Portugal,” Waas said.
It’s having multiple options, multiple routes, and that’s what a lot of people are realizing more and more
Hollander added, “It’s having multiple options, multiple routes, and that’s what a lot of people are realizing more and more.”
A move abroad appeals even to Jews who don’t fear direct, physical danger following the election but worry that another Trump term will transform the US into a place that does not reflect their values.
Jeremy, an educator in Pennsylvania who has focused his energies on teaching immigrants and underprivileged students, has found himself recently searching Canadian job boards and researching the cost of living in different Canadian cities. He said Canada is appealing because life there seems relatively similar to the US, but that the country appears to care more for marginalized groups, which is important to him as a Jew.
“I knew from a young age that I’m different because I’m Jewish,” said Jeremy, who did not give his last name due to concerns regarding privacy and job security. “That makes us able to understand certain things, to live certain fears that we have or that pretty close ancestors of ours have had in this country or in other countries. That very directly relates to how I feel about immigration. That very explicitly relates to how I feel about systemic racism.”
Segal, the Canadian immigration lawyer, said the rising number of people seeking to leave the US is “devastating to see,” despite the uptick in potential business for her. She’s always looked at the United States as an inspiration. Now she views it with fear and concern.
“It saddens me because, you know, I love America and what it stands for and what it’s accomplished,” she said. “I keep saying to myself, what is going on in America? Because I see a lot of fear and I feel like we’re at this stage [where], the fear, we don’t know what it’s going to bring.”


veteranstoday--2020-10-05--#UNRIG Video (33:21) Elana Freeland on Sub Rosa America Deep State Mind Control Geoengineering Satan

#UNRIG Video (33:21) Elana Freeland on Sub Rosa America Deep State Mind Control Geoengineering Satanic Ritual Abuse

Robert David Steele is the conceptualizer of integrated election reform ( # UNRIG ) and the integration of holistic analytics @ @ @ @ @ and Open Source Everything Engineering ( OSEE ) such that we can achieve a prosperous @ @ @ @ @ % the cost of the failed Western economic model burdened by banks and lawyers.A former @ @ @ @ @ the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity , he is today the Chief Enabling Officer ( CeO @ @ @ @ @ , a 501c3 and now also CeO of Open Source Everything ( OSE Inc. ) @ @ @ @ @ with non-fiction reading , posting over 2,000 reviews across 98 categories ; his hobbies include @ @ @ @ @ to his blog at PhiBetaIota.net Subscribe free to videos at # UNRIG @ YouTube Subscribe @ @ @ @ @ Steele Report

Robert David Steele is the conceptualizer of integrated election reform (#UNRIG) and the integration of holistic analytics, true cost economics, and Open Source Everything Engineering (OSEE) such that we can achieve a prosperous world at peace at 10-20% the cost of the failed Western economic model burdened by banks and lawyers.
A former US spy and co-founder of the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, he is today the Chief Enabling Officer (CeO) of Earth Intelligence Network, a 501c3, and now also CeO of Open Source Everything (OSE Inc.). He continues his education with non-fiction reading, posting over 2,000 reviews across 98 categories; his hobbies include off-shore sailing and racketball.


veteranstoday--2020-10-05--Russia saved not only Syria from Western backed jihadi terrorists

How Russia ’ s five-year long involvement in Syria war changed balance of power in Mid East & beyond [ Editor ’ s Note : VT has had to do most of our work at long distance , due to budgetary and time constraints , plus the physical wear and tear of road trips , which can include having to get through Homeland Security when coming back .
As an example , the Stew Webb attempt to set us up with being searched on one return trip blew up in their faces when the “ leak ” that Gordon had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that he was running guns into Afghanistan , presumably to the Taliban , when it was widely known that they already had plenty of guns .
DHS seized Gordon ’ s cell phone photos that showed a treasure trove haul of Gordon and his old school buddy Mike Chester on a whirlwind tour of Germany to see Gordon ’ s relatives , with hundreds of date and time stamped photos and videos detailing their travels .
DHS had been scammed by Webb .
His punishment for that was the DHS gave up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule that a source that provides bogus information loses his confidentiality as a result .
We have traveled overseas when there was a critical need and when it was feasible , like my first trip to Syria as an election monitor in 2014 , or the Damascus Counter-Terrorism Conference in the summer of 2015 where Gordon gave the signature address , and then a rushed trip back in the fall a month before the Russians came in .
At the time we could not discuss the details of the last trip , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archives .
Getting to meet the Grand Mufti , our last stop on the last day , was a memorable treat .
He was a true blue Syrian patriot , and highly respected by all , except for the Jihadis and the US for some reason .
The US of course would never accept the blame for the Russians being in Syria , for what appears to be not only the next 50 years , but maybe 50 more if they renew their basing options .
The Trump regime will not accept that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enhance America power , but actually decrease it , a huge diplomatic failure .
And by that I am not using military hardware as the key measurement , but the US loss of credibility in terms of purity of motive , having set aside rational diplomacy , and consequently becoming viewed more as a threat to peace than a guardian of peace .
Americans have a lot of work to do , as their lack of resistance has put their de facto approval on most of what has happened .
Will Biden turn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once respected ally it used to be ?
Or would the Israeli Lobby have him dancing the jig for them like Trump has done ?
We will have to wait and see .
But if he does , VT will go into opposition , because that ’ s what we do .
We don ’ t sit back and lap it up , as we watch so many do… Jim W. Dean ] Jim 's Editor ’ s Notes are solely crowdfunded via PayPal Jim 's work includes research , field trips , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thanks for helping .
Click to donate > > The Russian involvement became a turning point for Syria , which has been engulfed by civil war since 2011 .
As a declassified document compiled by the US Defense Intelligence Agency ( DIA ) in 2012 indicated , the major forces driving the insurgency in the Arab Republic were the Salafists , the Muslim Brotherhood* , and al-Qaeda in Iraq ( AQI ) * that “ supported the Syrian opposition from the beginning , both ideologically and through media ” .
At that time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the so-called “ moderate ” Syrian rebels and urged Assad to step down .
In September 2014 , the US intervened in Syria under the pretext of the war against Daesh ( ISIS/ISIL ) * , a terrorist organisation that emerged out of AQI .
The US military led a coalition of several regional and external players – including forces from the UK , France , Jordan , Turkey , Canada , Australia – and provided support to the Syrian rebels and the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US-led coalition , tens of thousands , perhaps hundreds of thousands of fighters poured into Syria from Turkey , Jordan , Lebanon and Iraq , recalls Ghassan Kadi , a Middle East expert and political analyst of Syrian descent .
“ They were heavily armed and trained ” , he stresses .
“ Without the use of targeted air power , eliminating such forces would have been a very difficult task to perform on the ground.
” There was a considerable likelihood that the terrorists were going to win , the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevailed , the political , constitutional and demographic nature of Syria would have changed “ from that of tolerance , secularism and inclusivity , to that of a Wahhabi Sunni fundamentalist , one that does not even tolerate Sunnis who don ’ t adhere to this tradition ” , according to Kadi .
By September 2015 , jihadi groups had moved very close to the Syrian capital , Damascus , which was nearly two-three weeks away from falling to foreign-backed terrorist groups , echoes Basma Qaddour , a Syrian journalist and head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moscow ’ s military move of 30 September 2015 came as a “ huge turning point ” , according to the observers .
“ The biggest role that Russia played militarily was in the use of its air power and expertise on how to fight in a dense urban environment ” , notes Ghassan Kadi .
“ This tipped the balance of power against the invaders and in favour of the Syrian Army.
” What Goals Have the Russo-Syrian Alliance Achieved ?
By December 2017 , the Russo-Syrian coalition eliminated 60,318 jihadists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberated 1,024 settlements , most notably the strategic cities of Aleppo , Palmyra , Akerbat , Deir ez-Zor , Meyadin and Abu Kemal .
Backed by the Russian Aerospace Forces , the Syrian Arab Army eliminated Daesh ’ s major strongholds , with Idlib remaining the only jihadi hotbed in the country .
Thus the Russian military presence on the ground and successful anti-terrorist aerial campaign made any prospective full-scale NATO offensive irrelevant , according to Ghassan Kadi .
After the deployment of the military police in the Arab Republic to monitor a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and agreeing with Damascus on the formation of a permanent grouping at the Tartus naval facility and the Hmeimim airbase , President Vladimir Putin announced the withdrawal of the Russian troops to their permanent bases in December 2017 .
However , Moscow continued to provide support to Syria : in general , the Russo-Syrian coalition has liquidated more than 133,000 jihadi militants .
In parallel with its military effort , Russia , together with Iran and Turkey , arranged peace talks between the Syrian government delegation and opposition forces in Astana in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Astana format of negotiations led by Moscow , Tehran and Ankara helped to lower the intensity of the clashes on the ground by concluding ceasefire deals and founding four de-escalation zones in the war-torn country .
“ Here we can point out to the fact that the Astana peace talks aimed at a post-war Syrian order as an effective alternative to similar efforts within the United Nations ” , Basma Qaddour underscores , referring to the Geneva peace talks on Syria held since June 2012 under the auspices of the UN .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hampered by the US and Turkish military presence in the region , argues Qaddour , stressing that these foreign players must pull out of the Arab Republic .
Touching upon the issue of the US-SDF military bases in the region , the journalist suggests that the Syrian popular resistance is likely to squeeze them out from these areas .
In August 2020 , Syrian tribal leaders in Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo called upon the US and their Kurdish proxies to leave the region .
“ The problem is that US-backed ‘ Syrian Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eastern Syria are currently in control of approximately 70 % of Syria ’ s national oil resources and a number of valuable gas facilities .
The eastern Euphrates is under the control of US occupation forces and SDF militia , ” says Qaddour .
In addition to this , Idlib is still controlled by terrorist groups , she points out , stressing that as many as 85 % of terrorists in Idlib are affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) * .
Kadi echoes the journalist ’ s concerns : “ Apart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or fled , the remaining actual Syrian fighters are all in the Idlib region , hence any reconciliation talks will have to wait until the region is fully back under the control of the Syrian Government ” , he notes .
Turkey , which supervises the Idlib de-escalation zone , has vowed to separate the moderate opposition from terrorists , liberate the M4 highway and form a security corridor around this highway .
According to Moscow and Ankara , these agreements are being gradually implemented .
However , at the present moment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back from centre court , as the major issue to deal with at the moment is the economy , Kadi points out , citing the Syrian oil issue and Washington ’ s Caesar Act strangulating the country .
“ The Western-centric order has made it almost impossible for nations to trade and interact without reliance on the greenback , the Internet and the SWIFT banking system ” , the Middle Eastern expert says .
“ Any nation that finds itself under Western sanctions risks being isolated and falling under the mercy of even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Under these circumstances , Damascus is expanding business ties with Russia to facilitate economic recovery .
During the Russian delegation ’ s September visit to Syria , Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told the press that Moscow had presented a package of economic proposals to the Arab Republic in July in order to tackle the post-war crisis and US sanctions .
It is expected that these proposals will be sealed in December 2020 .
The economic difficulties and the pressure exerted by the West have prompted regional players , most notably Syria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic partnerships , notes Kadi .
According to him , the US sanctions policy is doomed as “ the West is no longer the centre of manufacturing even of advanced commodities ” .
The political analyst suggests that in the foreseeable future nations such as Russia , China , Iran , Syria , in theory , will be “ capable of supplying each other with all of their basic needs without having to resort to Western imports ” .
The Syrian civil war and subsequent events on the ground have once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war Western-centric world order are over , echoes Basma Qaddour .
“ The US pushes an anti-world agenda in order not to face the difficult reality that it is no longer the world ’ s only superpower and it has to adapt to an increasingly multipolar world ” , she concludes .
*Al-Qaeda , Daesh ( ISIS/ISIL ) , the Muslim Brotherhood , and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ( HTS ) are terrorist groups banned in Russia .

How Russia’s five-year long involvement in Syria war changed balance of power in Mid East & beyond
…from Sputnik News, Moscow
[ Editor’s Note: VT has had to do most of our work at long distance, due to budgetary and time constraints, plus the physical wear and tear of road trips, which can include having to get through Homeland Security when coming back.
As an example, the Stew Webb attempt to set us up with being searched on one return trip blew up in their faces when the “leak” that Gordon had traveled to Syria to train ISIS snipers and that he was running guns into Afghanistan, presumably to the Taliban, when it was widely known that they already had plenty of guns.
VT at Syrian Counter-Terrorism Court during the Damascus Counter-Terrorism Conference, December 2015 – Jim Dean Archives
DHS seized Gordon’s cell phone photos that showed a treasure trove haul of Gordon and his old school buddy Mike Chester on a whirlwind tour of Germany to see Gordon’s relatives, with hundreds of date and time stamped photos and videos detailing their travels. DHS had been scammed by Webb.
After midnight meeting, Syrian Justice Minister Dr. Nagym with VT – Jim Dean archives
His punishment for that was the DHS gave up his name, under the long time rule that a source that provides bogus information loses his confidentiality as a result.
We have traveled overseas when there was a critical need and when it was feasible, like my first trip to Syria as an election monitor in 2014, or the Damascus Counter-Terrorism Conference in the summer of 2015 where Gordon gave the signature address, and then a rushed trip back in the fall a month before the Russians came in.
At the time we could not discuss the details of the last trip, but did have a few photos in the archives. Getting to meet the Grand Mufti, our last stop on the last day, was a memorable treat. He was a true blue Syrian patriot, and highly respected by all, except for the Jihadis and the US for some reason.
Meeting the Grand Mufti was a treat, as he was the real deal. Mattingly is in the center
The US of course would never accept the blame for the Russians being in Syria, for what appears to be not only the next 50 years, but maybe 50 more if they renew their basing options.
The Trump regime will not accept that its unipolar strategy was destined not to enhance America power, but actually decrease it, a huge diplomatic failure.
And by that I am not using military hardware as the key measurement, but the US loss of credibility in terms of purity of motive, having set aside rational diplomacy, and consequently becoming viewed more as a threat to peace than a guardian of peace.
Americans have a lot of work to do, as their lack of resistance has put their de facto approval on most of what has happened.
Will Biden turn back the clock to make America the once respected ally it used to be? Or would the Israeli Lobby have him dancing the jig for them like Trump has done?
We will have to wait and see. But if he does, VT will go into opposition, because that’s what we do. We don’t sit back and lap it up, as we watch so many do… Jim W. Dean ]
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Author with the Syria election commission just before the 2014 vote – Jim Dean Archives
– First published … October 05,2020 –
Five years ago Russia became involved in the Syrian civil war, prompting an abrupt U-turn in the situation on the ground and ending the spread of Islamist terrorism in the country. Middle East expert Ghassan Kadi and Syrian journalist Basma Qaddour have taken a look at the Russo-Syrian strategic partnership’s achievements and plans. On 30 September 2015, Russia started an air operation against Daesh* in Syria in response to a request for military help from the Arab Republic’s legitimate government headed by President Bashar al-Assad.
“We all know that thousands of people from European countries, Russia, and the post-Soviet region have joined the ranks of the so-called Islamic State, a terrorist organisation that – I want to stress again – has nothing to do with genuine Islam”, President Vladimir Putin told a special summit of government members on that day. “There is no need to be an expert to realise that if they succeed in Syria, they will inevitably return to their own countries, and this includes Russia.”
Russia’s Involvement Became a Game Changer
The Russian involvement became a turning point for Syria, which has been engulfed by civil war since 2011. As a declassified document compiled by the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in 2012 indicated, the major forces driving the insurgency in the Arab Republic were the Salafists, the Muslim Brotherhood*, and al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)* that “supported the Syrian opposition from the beginning, both ideologically and through media”. At that time the US and EU signalled their sympathy with the so-called “moderate” Syrian rebels and urged Assad to step down.
In September 2014, the US intervened in Syria under the pretext of the war against Daesh (ISIS/ISIL)*, a terrorist organisation that emerged out of AQI. The US military led a coalition of several regional and external players – including forces from the UK, France, Jordan, Turkey, Canada, Australia – and provided support to the Syrian rebels and the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the ground.
Apart from the invasion by the US-led coalition, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of fighters poured into Syria from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq, recalls Ghassan Kadi, a Middle East expert and political analyst of Syrian descent.
“They were heavily armed and trained”, he stresses. “Without the use of targeted air power, eliminating such forces would have been a very difficult task to perform on the ground.”
There was a considerable likelihood that the terrorists were going to win, the Middle East expert continues. If the jihadists prevailed, the political, constitutional and demographic nature of Syria would have changed “from that of tolerance, secularism and inclusivity, to that of a Wahhabi Sunni fundamentalist, one that does not even tolerate Sunnis who don’t adhere to this tradition”, according to Kadi.
By September 2015, jihadi groups had moved very close to the Syrian capital, Damascus, which was nearly two-three weeks away from falling to foreign-backed terrorist groups, echoes Basma Qaddour, a Syrian journalist and head of the news department at The Syria Times.
Moscow’s military move of 30 September 2015 came as a “huge turning point”, according to the observers.
“The biggest role that Russia played militarily was in the use of its air power and expertise on how to fight in a dense urban environment”, notes Ghassan Kadi. “This tipped the balance of power against the invaders and in favour of the Syrian Army.”
What Goals Have the Russo-Syrian Alliance Achieved?
By December 2017, the Russo-Syrian coalition eliminated 60,318 jihadists, including 819 terrorist leaders, and liberated 1,024 settlements, most notably the strategic cities of Aleppo, Palmyra, Akerbat, Deir ez-Zor, Meyadin and Abu Kemal.
Backed by the Russian Aerospace Forces, the Syrian Arab Army eliminated Daesh’s major strongholds, with Idlib remaining the only jihadi hotbed in the country. Thus the Russian military presence on the ground and successful anti-terrorist aerial campaign made any prospective full-scale NATO offensive irrelevant, according to Ghassan Kadi.
After the deployment of the military police in the Arab Republic to monitor a cease-fire in new de-escalation zones in July and agreeing with Damascus on the formation of a permanent grouping at the Tartus naval facility and the Hmeimim airbase, President Vladimir Putin announced the withdrawal of the Russian troops to their permanent bases in December 2017. However, Moscow continued to provide support to Syria: in general, the Russo-Syrian coalition has liquidated more than 133,000 jihadi militants.
In parallel with its military effort, Russia, together with Iran and Turkey, arranged peace talks between the Syrian government delegation and opposition forces in Astana in late December 2016.
In subsequent years, the Astana format of negotiations led by Moscow, Tehran and Ankara helped to lower the intensity of the clashes on the ground by concluding ceasefire deals and founding four de-escalation zones in the war-torn country.
“Here we can point out to the fact that the Astana peace talks aimed at a post-war Syrian order as an effective alternative to similar efforts within the United Nations”, Basma Qaddour underscores, referring to the Geneva peace talks on Syria held since June 2012 under the auspices of the UN.
Obstacles in the Path to Restore Peace & Order
Still, the reconciliation process is largely hampered by the US and Turkish military presence in the region, argues Qaddour, stressing that these foreign players must pull out of the Arab Republic. Touching upon the issue of the US-SDF military bases in the region, the journalist suggests that the Syrian popular resistance is likely to squeeze them out from these areas. In August 2020, Syrian tribal leaders in Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo called upon the US and their Kurdish proxies to leave the region.
“The problem is that US-backed ‘Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) militia in eastern Syria are currently in control of approximately 70% of Syria’s national oil resources and a number of valuable gas facilities. The eastern Euphrates is under the control of US occupation forces and SDF militia,” says Qaddour.
In addition to this, Idlib is still controlled by terrorist groups, she points out, stressing that as many as 85% of terrorists in Idlib are affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)*. Kadi echoes the journalist’s concerns:
“Apart from non-Syrian fighters who were either killed or fled, the remaining actual Syrian fighters are all in the Idlib region, hence any reconciliation talks will have to wait until the region is fully back under the control of the Syrian Government”, he notes.
Turkey, which supervises the Idlib de-escalation zone, has vowed to separate the moderate opposition from terrorists, liberate the M4 highway and form a security corridor around this highway. According to Moscow and Ankara, these agreements are being gradually implemented.
Russia to Help Syria Revive Post-War Economy
However, at the present moment, reconciliation seems to have taken a step back from centre court, as the major issue to deal with at the moment is the economy, Kadi points out, citing the Syrian oil issue and Washington’s Caesar Act strangulating the country.
“The Western-centric order has made it almost impossible for nations to trade and interact without reliance on the greenback, the Internet and the SWIFT banking system”, the Middle Eastern expert says. “Any nation that finds itself under Western sanctions risks being isolated and falling under the mercy of even further sanctions such as the Caesar Act.”
Under these circumstances, Damascus is expanding business ties with Russia to facilitate economic recovery. During the Russian delegation’s September visit to Syria, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told the press that Moscow had presented a package of economic proposals to the Arab Republic in July in order to tackle the post-war crisis and US sanctions. It is expected that these proposals will be sealed in December 2020.
The economic difficulties and the pressure exerted by the West have prompted regional players, most notably Syria and Iran, to form new alliances and economic partnerships, notes Kadi.
According to him, the US sanctions policy is doomed as “the West is no longer the centre of manufacturing even of advanced commodities”. The political analyst suggests that in the foreseeable future nations such as Russia, China, Iran, Syria, in theory, will be “capable of supplying each other with all of their basic needs without having to resort to Western imports”.
The Syrian civil war and subsequent events on the ground have once again proven that the days of the post-Cold war Western-centric world order are over, echoes Basma Qaddour.
“The US pushes an anti-world agenda in order not to face the difficult reality that it is no longer the world’s only superpower and it has to adapt to an increasingly multipolar world”, she concludes.
*Al-Qaeda, Daesh (ISIS/ISIL), the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) are terrorist groups banned in Russia.


veteranstoday--2020-10-05--COVID-19: No Worries for Washington’s Politicians

Wash. D.C .
Politicians Have Truly Lost Their Minds !
Health Editor ’ s Note : D.C. politicians continue to believe they are immune to contracting COVID-19 and if they have it , they need not be concerned about spreading it to others .
Maskless and non adherence to physical distancing is the dress and mode of the day .
Is there a message that has somehow gotten lost on these people who do not seem to have two brains to rub together ?
Mask wearing and physical distancing if you are not infected with the virus is how we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 you are to be isolated for at least 14 days….that means you do not go to work , do not meet with others , do not go to political functions , YOU STAY HOME !
As it is going now , there will be no one left who is not coronavirus positive in the White House or Capitol building or any where else the politicians gather .
And then we had Trump , leaving what should have been strict isolation , at Walter Reed and doing a drive-by to wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital .
Sure , Trump and his Secret Service agents were wearing masks , but come on , we know that Trump was spewing coronavavirus with every breath he took or cough he made .
Literally , common sense is no where near D.C. right now .
Those who aspire to all things political think COVID-19 is a joke .
This from James Phillips , chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University School of medicine and an attending physician at Walter Reed : “ That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures , ” Phillips tweeted .
“ Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary presidential ‘ drive-by ’ just now has to be quarantined for 14 days .
They might get sick .
They may die.
” I feel for the healthcare professionals and workers who will be bearing the burden of caring for these idiots when they are hospitalized…..Carol

Wash. D.C. Politicians Have Truly Lost Their Minds!
Health Editor’s Note: D.C. politicians continue to believe they are immune to contracting COVID-19 and if they have it, they need not be concerned about spreading it to others. Maskless and non adherence to physical distancing is the dress and mode of the day. Is there a message that has somehow gotten lost on these people who do not seem to have two brains to rub together? Mask wearing and physical distancing if you are not infected with the virus is how we do it. But…..if you have tested positive for COVID-19 you are to be isolated for at least 14 days….that means you do not go to work, do not meet with others, do not go to political functions, YOU STAY HOME!
As it is going now, there will be no one left who is not coronavirus positive in the White House or Capitol building or any where else the politicians gather.
And then we had Trump, leaving what should have been strict isolation, at Walter Reed and doing a drive-by to wave at his supporters in front of the hospital. Sure, Trump and his Secret Service agents were wearing masks, but come on, we know that Trump was spewing coronavavirus with every breath he took or cough he made. Literally, common sense is no where near D.C. right now. Those who aspire to all things political think COVID-19 is a joke.
This from James Phillips, chief of disaster medicine at George Washington University School of medicine and an attending physician at Walter Reed: “That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures,” Phillips tweeted. “Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary presidential ‘drive-by’ just now has to be quarantined for 14 days. They might get sick. They may die.”
I feel for the healthcare professionals and workers who will be bearing the burden of caring for these idiots when they are hospitalized…..Carol


veteranstoday--2020-10-05--Bloomberg: Biden win emerging as push for big stock market rise, high investor confidence

Bloomberg/Detroit News : With Joe Biden ’ s lead widening in the polls and President Donald Trump ’ s campaign sidelined by the virus , investment strategists now say there ’ s less of a chance for a contested election .
A clear-cut Democrat victory could avoid a long and messy legal battle and provide certainty to markets that have been nervous about election risks , according to strategists from Citigroup Inc. to JPMorgan Chase & Co .
The S & P 500 was up about 1 % as of 9:32 a.m. in New York , havens including bonds are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
“ Polls are shifting from a close election and prolonged uncertainty to more a dominant Biden and clean succession , ” said Peter Rosenstreich , head of market strategy at Swissquote Bank SA .
“ That is reducing uncertainty and increasing risk appetite.
” Cross-asset traders are taking the newsflow in their stride , despite confusion over the president ’ s condition and more positive tests from Republican leaders .
A poll released Sunday – taken between Tuesday ’ s debate and Friday ’ s news of the president ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national lead had leaped to 14 points , from 8 before the debate .
Biden also has set two records for monthly fundraising in August and September , giving him enough money to dominate Trump on the airwaves .
“ Markets seem have lowered the chance of prolonged uncertainty post-November 3 , ” Barclays Plc strategists Ajay Rajadhyaksha and Shawn Golhar wrote in a note Sunday .
“ Given that Vice President Biden has been ahead in most polls , this suggests that markets are assigning a bit more probability to his win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and contested outcome.
” Barclays strategists point to a currency pair like the Aussie dollar versus the yen , a proxy for risk appetite .
Its one-month implied volatility dropped to the lowest in weeks after the presidential debate .
It has since rebounded , but remains below its 200-day average .

Bloomberg/Detroit News: With Joe Biden’s lead widening in the polls and President Donald Trump’s campaign sidelined by the virus, investment strategists now say there’s less of a chance for a contested election.
One thing that's clear is that investors are starting to get very comfortable with the idea of a Biden victory, and increasingly don't see it as a negative for stocks https://t.co/6dfuojmlL9
A clear-cut Democrat victory could avoid a long and messy legal battle and provide certainty to markets that have been nervous about election risks, according to strategists from Citigroup Inc. to JPMorgan Chase & Co.
https://twitter.com/lloydblankfein/status/1311330616114319360?s=20
The S&P 500 was up about 1% as of 9:32 a.m. in New York, havens including bonds are seeing little demand and the greenback is down.
“Polls are shifting from a close election and prolonged uncertainty to more a dominant Biden and clean succession,” said Peter Rosenstreich, head of market strategy at Swissquote Bank SA. “That is reducing uncertainty and increasing risk appetite.”
Cross-asset traders are taking the newsflow in their stride, despite confusion over the president’s condition and more positive tests from Republican leaders.
A poll released Sunday – taken between Tuesday’s debate and Friday’s news of the president’s infection – found that Biden’s national lead had leaped to 14 points, from 8 before the debate. Biden also has set two records for monthly fundraising in August and September, giving him enough money to dominate Trump on the airwaves.
WHY A BIDEN VICTORY COULD BE A HUGE WIN FOR BANK STOCKS AND OIL STOCKS From today's @Markets newsletter https://t.co/k78VnoXt60 pic.twitter.com/dEYWqHq84k — Joe Weisenthal (@TheStalwart) September 28, 2020
“Markets seem have lowered the chance of prolonged uncertainty post-November 3,” Barclays Plc strategists Ajay Rajadhyaksha and Shawn Golhar wrote in a note Sunday. “Given that Vice President Biden has been ahead in most polls, this suggests that markets are assigning a bit more probability to his win and a bit less to a close and contested outcome.”
Biden because of the credits he'll bring as incentive to buy green cars, similar to Canada's ~$3-5K tax writeoff/discount when buying hybrid/full electric. Trump wouldn't offer that because of the conflict of interest with "dirty energy" stocks/investments like coal, oil, etc. — stoladev (@stoladev) October 4, 2020
Barclays strategists point to a currency pair like the Aussie dollar versus the yen, a proxy for risk appetite. Its one-month implied volatility dropped to the lowest in weeks after the presidential debate. It has since rebounded, but remains below its 200-day average.
read more…
The markets are rising a bit lately b/c they're beginning to price in an uncontested election b/c of a Joe Biden route of Trump. Happy Days will be here again!https://t.co/PwT9eThlmV — Make Deadbeat-Don Gone (@JohnLukeSam1) October 5, 2020
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/2020/10/05/clear-cut-biden-win-emerging-bull-case-stocks/3622088001/