Articles (322)
For the First Time, a Zionized Billionaire Discloses the UAE's Goals in Syria
Written by Kassioun Research Unit
On April 6, “Annahar Alarabi” newspaper published an article entitled: “The UAE and Syria... a relationship that may redraw the future of the region”, written by Hasan Ismaik, who, based on a search, is not a journalist but a Jordanian billionaire residing in the UAE. Ismaik began writing (or signing articles with his name) only after the “Abraham Accords”. While he had previously worked in secret, all the articles on which he put his name were on the same topic, which is shamelessly promoting and defending normalization with the Zionist entity.
China Closes the “Creative Chaos” Door and Open the Stability Door
Written by Mohannad Dlykan
(The following article was originally published in English on geopolitika.ru on the 17th of March 2023)
On Friday, March 10, a historic agreement was announced between Saudi Arabia and Iran, including resumption of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries after an interruption that lasted more than seven years (since January 2016). This agreement was reached through Chinese mediation at the highest levels. The two sides expressed gratitude to Chinese President Xi Jingping personally for his efforts to achieve a settlement between the two countries.
As It Exhausts its Sabotage Tools, the West is Trying its Luck Again with Jolani
Reem Issa
The region has witnessed major developments over the last few months, including ones in the Syrian file. The main development of the latter is concrete and quick steps towards a Syrian-Turkish rapprochement within the Astana framework. This would contribute to laying the foundation to creating the appropriate conditions to move forward towards getting out of the Syrian crisis, through a comprehensive political solution through the full implementation of UNSC Resolution 2254. As Kassioun has indicated in many articles, this is a source of major concern for several local, regional, and international players, specifically the extremists in the Syrian sides, “Israel”, and the West led by the US. This makes these playing activate their sabotage tools in a desperate attempt to halt the train, force it off the tracks, or completely destroy it. As time goes on and matters develop in the directions the region and world have witnessed, and as quickly as it has during the last year, the tools at the disposal of these players have dwindled in quantity and quality.
How Will the Saudi-Iranian Reconciliation Reflect on the Syrian File?
Political Editor
Through the many years of the Syrian crisis, and even shortly before it, Syria was portrayed as an arena of conflict and competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Western cultural, media, and political sabotage had reached the point of attempting to portray the Syrian arena as a foundation for rapprochement between the “Arabs” and “Israel” against Iran. Now this tale and these attempts have collapsed once and for all.
What lies behind the U.S.'s hysterical allegations of China?
Written by Mohannad Dlykan
(The following article was originally published by CGTN, on the 10th of March 2023)
Since February 24, 2022, Washington has tried to impose on the entire world a specific perception of the battle in Ukraine, not as a battle taking place in Europe, but as a global battle in which the U.S. is the commander of one of its sides, and the entire world must choose to be either with or against it. This is the same way George W. Bush acted during the so-called war on terror.
Once Again, Re-raising The Question About US Presence in Syria
Reem Issa
US House of Representatives member Matt Gaetz introduced on February 21 a bill pursuant to the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The brief bill states that “Congress directs the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from Syria by not later than the date that is 15 days after the date of the adoption of this concurrent resolution”. Later, on March 1, Gaetz introduced a modified copy of the bill, in which the period was changed from 15 days to 180 days. The bill is still in the early stages, where it has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and it has not yet been put to vote.
Why are China's mediation efforts in Ukraine different from many others?
Written by Mohannad Dlykan
(The following article was originally published in English by CGTN on the 25th of February 2023)
On February 18, Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, while attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany, said that China would publish a document outlining its "position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis."
After The Earthquake, A Syrian-Turkish Settlement Is More Urgent
Mohannad Dlykan
(The following article was originally published on geopolitika.ru website)
On Tuesday, February 14, a Russian MFA media release about a meeting between Mikhail Bogdanov, the Special Representative of the Russian President, and Kadri Jamil, one of the Syrian Opposition leaders, stated: “the Russian side stressed the need to establish practical cooperation between Damascus and Ankara in order to overcome the consequences of the earthquake on February 6.”
This statement confirms Russia’s pursuit of a Syrian-Turkish settlement, which over the seven months preceding the earthquake, was the main item on the agenda of the Astana Format (for Syria peace talks).
Is the Earthquake or the Aid Being Politicized, or is the Issue Fundamentally Political?
Reem Issa
Nearly two weeks after the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey, seismographs are still recording aftershocks that usually occur after every major earthquake, the strength of which gradually decreases until it fades away. This is the opposite of what is happening on the humanitarian level, where the strength of the aftershocks increases on the humanitarian side in all the areas affected by the earthquake, especially those in Syria.
A Syrian-Turkish Settlement to Break the Sanctions
Political Editor
For the Syrian public, inside and outside Syria, the humanitarian aspect related to the earthquake disaster and the deep pain it left behind, as well as to their crisis that erupted 12 years ago, is always the most valued and important aspect, at least in its emotional and national side. For the political sides, especially the extremists, as well as for the external powers, especially the Western ones, the humanitarian aspect is the least important, and it is just a tool to pass policies.
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Did the U.S. really lift sanctions off Syria temporarily?
Mohannad Dlykan
(The following article was originally published by CGTN, on the 17th of February 2023)
The U.S. Treasury announced a decision on February 9 claiming to allow an easing of sanctions imposed on Syria for the ensuing six months until August 8, as part of "earthquake relief efforts."
The decision allows for "third parties" to transfer aid to Syria without fear of U.S. sanctions, but should only be intended for aid to earthquake-effected areas. Nonetheless, the sanctions programs applied to Syria for many years, the most severe of which are the Caesar Act (2019) and Captagon Act (2022), provide for "humanitarian exceptions," but are conditional on U.S. approval.
For the US, Whoever Provides Syrians with Humanitarian Aid is Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Reem Issa
The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued a decision on February 9, titled “Authorizing Transactions Related to Earthquake Relief Efforts in Syria”. In its preamble, the decision states that “all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts in Syria that would otherwise be prohibited by the Syrian Sanctions Regulations… are authorized [until] August 8, 2023”. The US bragged about this step as evidence of its “humaneness” by providing a “humanitarian exemption” in response to the catastrophe that befell the Syrian people as a result of the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey shortly after 4 am last Monday, February 6.
It remains unknown how many Syrians are still under the rubble, and they are hundreds, maybe thousands, and maybe more. It is not known who among them is still alive, but there are certainly some waiting to be saved and are still to this moment groaning under the rubble of their homes.
US media, and Western media in general, are still preoccupied with discussing the removal of Ilhan Omar from the Committee on Foreign Relations in the US Congress, by a House resolution passed on Thursday, February 2. The resolution passed by a vote of 218-211. The vote was divided exactly along party lines, where Republicans supported it and Democrats opposed it, with the exception of a Republican representative who voted “present”, meaning that he neither supported nor opposed the resolution.