SYRIA – what just happened?
So where the heck did the overthrown of the diabolical Bashar Al Assad Government in Syria come from? One day a person could be arrested, tortured and locked away for the slightest perceived infringement of some unwritten law, the next the smooth talking killer of hundreds of thousands of his own people has slunk out of his own country to create a new (pointless) life with his supporter and equally adept killer, President Putin in Moscow. All the evidence of the Al Assad’s incredibly brutal regime is now on show and has been exposed in full to the world’s media.
Naval gazing
But what happened to any forewarning by the West’s spy and intelligence services? Did none of the international ‘spook’ services pick up on the fact that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) was strong enough to make a move, did indeed break out of Aleppo, pushed aside the Syrian Army (surprised the Russians), swept into Hama then Homs and then took Damascus. How was it that easy? Even the international media were hugely surprised.
Turkey and Israel
Turkey allegedly knew of HTS’s plans in advance – but how far in advance? Did they help HTS logistically and if so, how and with what? What did Israel know and when? By watching it happen, did Israel see another opportunity (which it has grasped quickly and with both hands), to launch a massive campaign to obliterate the Syrian Army’s forces while they were static so no new government, coalition or factions could go and help themselves (which also includes what’s left of Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon). Oh and they also pushing into Syria around the Golan Heights (good luck with getting that back).
RUSSIA – not a reliable friend.
A big loser this week. Now proven to the world that it cannot protect its friends. Looking like the loss of one strategically valuable air base and naval port for Russian forces in the Middle East with access to the Mediterranean. Troops stationed in Syria couldn’t wait to leave – but won’t they find themselves fighting alongside other North Korean allies in Ukraine? Good luck with that. Not likely that IHS will let the Russian’s stay, given that they have indiscriminately bombed and killed Islamic fighters for years.
Ukraine – the Russian military push goes on to try and get the best possible position geographically before newly re-elected President Trump takes office. Does Putin think (or know) he can rely on Trump to broker a forced settlement that will see the United States undoing everything it has done to date to defend Ukraine.
NATO – Ambition three percent.
As if to beat re-elected President Trump to the punch, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called for a new defence spending target of three percent of GDP by 20230 (up from the current two percent of GDP).
“It is time to shift to a wartime mindset,” he said. Mmmm – easier said than done, especially when financial institutions have been limiting or even denying defence firms investment money. Ethical pressure has been built up over years to the extent that UK ministers are now campaigning to reverse the trend.
On 7 August 2023, the Financial Times reported that: “Fund managers based in the UK have cut their holdings in companies including BAE Systems and Qinetiq by an average of nine per cent since the start of 2022, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group.”
With Russian industry now widely proclaimed to be on a ‘war-footing’, the West is currently entering the ring with one arm firmly secured behind its back.
by Andrew Drwiega, Armada International’s Editor-in-Chief
