Nothing’s what it seems

United Nations Security Council voted 15 to 0 on Monday to authorize cross-border convoys of emergency aid for millions of deprived Syrian civilians in rebel-held areas, without prior approval by the Syrian government.

U.N. Council, in Unanimous Vote, Backs Aid Delivery to Syrians in Rebel Areas – NYTimes.com.

All Syria watchers know well that this decision is meant to target ISIS and Al-Qaeda’s official affiliate in Syria, Al-Nusra Front, rather than the Assad regime, seeing that most border checkpoints are controlled by the these two groups. In fact, the decision calls for a measure of coordination with the Assad regime as well. In a sense, then, the Resolution re-legitimizes the Assad regime. This is why the Russians did not veto it, and ended up endorsing it. A deal over Syria seems to have been reached between the Americans, Iranians and Russians, and it’s one of those usual cynical deals that harken back on the darkest days of the Cold War, and comes as a further expression of how fucked up our sense of humanity continues to be.

Syrian opposition in Turkey needs to address issue of refugees

Anti-Syrian sentiment reaches dangerous levels.

Many of the problems that Syrian refugees encounter in Turkey stem from the fact that their presence has become part of that country domestic politics. PM Erdogan’s AK party has done much to support them, but his unwavering support has become fodder to be used by his political rivals, especially the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the Republican People’s Party (CHP). This development does not augur well for the future wellbeing of Syrians in Turkey. The fortunes of Syrian refugees in Turkey cannot be tied solely to those of one of her political parties, a much wider support for the plight of Syrian refugees in Turkey is needed.

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Ah, the sheer lunacy of it all!

Mideast-Israel-Palest_Horo-31-965x543 — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Friday, July 11, 2014. (photo credit: AP/Gali Tibbon, Pool)

Netanyahu finally speaks his mind | The Times of Israel.

If Netanyahu rejects a binational state and a fully sovereign Palestinian state, then, what does he endorse: apartheid “lite”? The expulsion of Palestinians into Egypt and Jordan? What other conclusions can one draw here? I mean a demilitarized entity encircled by walls and fences and crisscrossed by security checkpoints won’t even amount to a Lesotho-type state. Be that as it may, it’s clear that the Two-State Solution has by now taken its last breaths.

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Obama Administration already reaching out to Assad?

Latest Syria Threat ‘More Frightening Than Anything’ Else, Holder Says – ABC News.

Few days ago, Attorney General Eric Holder was in Oslo where he held meetings with Norwegian officials to “exchange information in the way that you can’t if you’re not present” and “come up with techniques to thwart those who would try to do us all harm.” In this, he was referring to the growing Jihadi threat emanating from Syria as a result of the indifference of the Obama Administration vis-a-vis the ongoing conflict.

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