Our media is full of stories about fighting in Syria, but they all seem to be targeted at people who are smarter than I am and/or who have a much deeper understanding of history and geopolitics.
From the New York Times:
An array of different groups have been taking territory from the government in other parts of the country as well.
Clear as mud, in other words.
A few questions, for starters:
- I thought that Turkey was fighting to prevent Kurds from having their own country. But now Turkey is also fighting to depose Assad, the secular ruler of Syria, so that Islamists can take over?
- Syria declared war on Israel in 1948 and, like Lebanon but unlike Egypt and Jordan, was never interested in a peace treaty or recognition of Israel. If there is a new government, is Syria then still at war with Israel?
- Does Israel have a dog in this fight? Would Assad retiring to Jeddah, as Idi Amin did, be good for Israel?
I would appreciate an overall high-level explanation.
“targeted at people who are smarter than I am”
Totally this: they target decision makers like like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, so intellectual midgets like us just have to pick up any little bits that we can, like peasants attending Latin Mass.
OT PSA to readers: Do NOT fill out the FinCen BOI:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2024/12/06/fincen-says-corporate-transparency-act-cta-reports-are-voluntary-following-court-decision/
(non-paywall: https://archive.is/ajI7i )
https://www.cir-usa.org/2024/12/judge-orders-nationwide-injunction-against-enforcement-of-cta/
https://www.foley.com/insights/publications/2024/12/federal-court-enjoins-government-enforcing-corporate-transparency-act/
FB: I’m always the dumb one!
https://x.com/PhilipGreenspun/status/1849189051066208682 (Oct 23, me):
I just completed filling out a “who owns the LLC” form for the Federal government. Nearly all of the information that I sent in was information that they get every year via K-1s with the LLC’s taxes. The government wants this form badly enough to threaten peasants with $591/day fines. For established businesses, why doesn’t the government send out a pre-filled form with the information that it already has from tax filings and then let the business add whatever is required via paper or web? Why not make it easy for small businesses to comply given that the government already has 99% of the information sought?
@PhilG:
It’s’ a lot of things, many of them unconstitutional. In addition to the legal arguments in the other posts, I think it is a dragnet, a Fifth Amendment violation in certain cases (e.g., the Oregon growers of healing marijuana lawsuit), an unnecessary security risk (when, not if, state-sponsored hackers breach the database), a way to collect a list of business owners to persecute (_IBM and the Holocaust_). Beyond those, and worthy of elaboration, it is an unconstitutional sharing of information other agencies to enable investigation of people who are not otherwise suspected of a crime, and it creates an impossible-to-avoid “wildcard” non-crime “crime” that now gives Federal prosecutors substantial leverage over millions of law-abiding citizens for essentially failing to report to their “probation officer” / “parole officer” at FinCen.
Regarding the “sharing of personal information with unnecessary agencies,” suppose that when you moved to Florida you retained a share in a Delaware LLC which owns an aircraft based at KBED. The LLC complies with all relevant Federal (FAA, IRS), Delaware, Massachusetts, and municipal (e.g., city fire inspection) provisions. Assuming argumento that Florida had a business income tax, would it be right for Florida agents to visit your home about the LLC’s failure to file Florida corporate tax returns? Also, is it reasonable for victims of domestic violence and/or TikTok/Instagram/OnlyFans “creators” to wish to keep their RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS confidential rather than shared with “state and local law enforcement,” which could be thousands of cops, to avoid being another Rebecca Lucile Schaeffer?
To the “impossible to avoid Kleene star,” think Al Capone. To the long-established situations of government “service” in Washington, military service, and vacation homes, this era of divorced families, cohabitation, vandwelling, short-term jobs, the gig economy, and remote work creates legitimate doubt about many people’s RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, when the RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS changes, and the fact that said RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS (e.g., a hotel) may not be the most reliable place for them to receive mail (unlike a business address with a receptionist, an accountant’s or attorney’s office, parent’s house, or a mail-forwarding service).
What matters is NOT whether the “CRIME” can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt: the issue is, now that business owners are effectively on Federal Reporting probation / parole, whether the government can use the SUSPICION of the non-crime of not reporting an address change as a pretext to raid and subpoena information, or the INDICTMENT over this non-crime to impoverish its victims with legal fees. It is the white-collar equivalent of how a baseless incantation of “I smell marijuana” eliminates the Fourth Amendment in a traffic stop and allows the police to ransack a car and cut open the seat cushions for no real reason.
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In any of these scenarios, when does the 30 day clock truly start due to a CHANGE IN RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, and at what point can the government claim SUSPICION of failing to update the address?
* At puberty, Addison created an LLC for her social media content for administrative convenience and to protect her privacy (cf. Rebecca Schaeffer). At 18, she joined the military. As a member of the military, most / all states give her considerable freedom regarding driving with her home state’s license, postponing her license renewal, renewing her license remotely, or obtaining license to any state in which she is stationed as the military shuffles her around the country and around the world. Does FinCen require her to fill out a form each time she is ordered to at a different base? If she is deployed overseas with poor personal Internet connectivity, a secret location, on an aircraft carrier, or on a submarine, can she still be prosecuted?
* Kevin has beaten the odds for children of divorce and successfully completed his computer science degree and obtained a remote job. After his freshman year, he had formed an LLC to operate an online message board discussing video games. He decides to live with his father in Arizona and spends some of his rent money to purchase a 1987 Camaro project car. In April, his mother mentions a medical concern (nothing definite yet, just some rounds of tests), and he drives his RAV4 to her Minneapolis condo help her and escape the Phoenix heat. After a few weeks and taking his mother to a few rounds of tests (she is OK), he spends the night at the apartment of a Tinder match, and one day wakes up to realize that he has done so for 32 straight days.
* Lisa is a traveling nurse. Although she works through an agency using her SSN, she is one of four siblings who co-own an LLC which owns the family vacation cabin on a lake in rural western Wisconsin, valued at $80k.
* Dave co-owns a 1972 Cessna 150 through an LLC. He accepts a 90-day contract job in another state.
* Mark has worked at a consulting company in Ohio since 2017. In August 2024, his sends him to work at a customer’s Pennsylvania office for a 2-month contract, so he packs a bag and drives his Ohio-registered vehicle to a hotel near the customer. A week before his contract expires, it is renewed for an additional two months. The contract is renewed a few more times and he ultimately returns after approximately six months. Pennsylvania and Ohio have an income tax treaty.
* Will (Prowse) was medically unable to study or work in his college-age years, so he lived in an old RV on the streets of California. After giving up on doctors’ advice and learning to improve his health, he formed an LLC, using a registered agent service and a PO Box. He wrote an eBook on mobile solar energy and started a popular YouTube channel. Would he have been in violation from Day One, since he did not even *have* a true RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS? [The real Mr. Prowse eventually a real house in Nevada with his book/YouTube income…but imagine if he had faced a Federal indictment when he was just starting out.]
* Dick (Lugar) moved to MacLean, Virginia upon his election to the US Senate in 1977, maintaining his Indiana voter registration at a vacant lot until his defeat in 2012 [I cannot find a link, but I think this was a major talking point of the successful “Retire Lugar 2012” campaign].
* Dick (Cheney) accepted a job in in 1993 Dallas as the CEO of Haliburton. King Bush II asked his good friend to write a report on who would be the best VP candidate. Dick Cheney’s report said: Dick Cheney! Due to 12th Amendment concerns, Dick changed his voting registration to Wyoming on 2020-07-21, four days before he was officially announced as King Bush II’s running mate. Several lawsuits challenged his residency:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=122289
* Robert (Kennedy Jr.)’s residency was the subject of considerable debate and lawsuits this year.
https://nypost.com/2024/05/20/us-news/rfk-jr-may-face-legal-trouble-after-listing-westchester-home-as-residence-without-actually-living-there-experts/
https://nypost.com/2024/08/07/us-news/rfk-jr-defends-bizarre-wildlife-hobbies-pet-emu-at-trial-accusing-him-of-lying-about-living-in-ny-to-get-on-ballot/
https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/happened-rfk-jr-s-ballot-access-trial-albany-19629132.php
https://www.mercurynews.com/2024/08/12/judge-rules-against-rfk-jr-in-fight-to-be-on-new-yorks-ballot-says-he-is-not-a-state-resident/
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Now that these LLC beneficial owners are all treated as though they are on parole / probation (despite the _de minimis_ revenue of a gaming Web site and the noncommercial nature of an inexpensive family cabin), what are some scenarios which could trigger a criminal investigation (particularly Democracy had not been defeated on the ballot and King Biden had remained in power) into a possible BOI Violation?
* Transferring a driver’s license to another state (e.g., if Kevin’s DL expired in May and he decided to transfer to Minnesota using his mother’s address, despite his desire to return in the fall to work on the Camaro)
* Receiving multiple parking or traffic violations in a different jurisdiction
* Taking a federal licensing exam (e.g., FAA , FCC)
* Filing taxes using another address (e.g., Kevin’s mother’s address)
* Cell phone location records incompatible with the stated RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
Apparently, Rose of the Desert (see Vogue) is already in Moscow along with the surgeon hubby.
What a surprise !
@PhilG
To finally respond to your question “Why can’t they send me what they know and let me approve it?” This is often asked for other forms, e.g., income tax, and is in fact how income taxes are filed in many countries: “Our records showed that you earned $X, you paid $Y, and you owe $Z. Click “OK” to agree or “Adjust/Dispute.” In the US, vehicle registration renewal is usually simply: “Your registration is due: Send us $X by D date and we’ll send you a sticker: otherwise, you will be breaking the law and may face a large ticket.”
In my previous answer, the creation of a “wildcard crime” is the secondary answer to your question.
The PRIMARY answer can be found by understanding the difference between this form and every other government form and by paying close attention to the words of my “favorite” part, the residential address:
“Filings will not allow business addresses or P.O. boxes due to the LIMITED INVESTIGATIVE VALUE these addresses provide”
Do you see it? A legitimate engagement with government, e.g., obtaining a hunting license, registering to vote, enrolling a child in public school, filing taxes, requesting a passport, or taking an FAA checkride, you will usually see a Privacy Act disclaimer such as “We collect your name, address{, and SSN} FOR THE PURPOSE OF {administering your tax, determining if you are a state/district resident, mailing your passport/airman certificate, etc.}.” Here the government is engaging in a LEGITIMATE ACTIVITY, often at YOUR request, and has a LEGITIMATE REASON for obtaining the information: possibly to SERVE YOU by mailing your credential.
In contrast, THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS LAW IS TO AID AN OPEN-ENDED, WARRANTLESS, SUSPICION-LESS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF YOU AND TO COMPEL CRIMINALS TO SELF-INCRIMINATE.” There is no other reason. You are not obtaining an education, license, or fulfilling your 16th Amendment obligation.
So that is why they can’t fill it out for you: the purpose is for YOU to AID THEIR dragnet INVESTIGATION and INCRIMINATE YOURSELF if possible! (The secondary purpose is to automatically incriminate you for neglecting to file or missing a deadline.)
I believe that you find the idea of child abuse as abhorrent as Gary Plauché did. But what would you think if your children’s school hired a physician to perform a weekly Sexual Assault Forensic Exam on each student, absent any specific suspicion, “to ensure the children’s safety?” This law is the financial crimes equivalent: sweepingly invasive and unconstitutional.
It’s stupidly simple.
Israel hates Assad and always has and has, along with the US, been running “rebel” groups against him for over a decade (they’re Islamists but they’re OUR Islamists). This time around the Syrian army was finally defeated, either because their Russian ally was distracted in Ukraine or because they were bribed to melt away. These “rebel” groups always mysteriously avoid attacking or criticizing Israel.
“It’s a Jewish conspiracy” is a great all-purpose explanation, but I don’t see how it can be correct in this case. Syria is in a declared state of war with Israel. If Israel wanted to get rid of Assad it could just drop a bomb on his head and nobody could complain.
Did I say anything about “Jewish”? You are reacting reflexively.
The “rebel” groups are supported by the USA and Israel, this is well known, Assad has kept them at bay for a long time but for some reason he is no longer able to. They can’t just drop a bomb on his head, he’s well-protected and even if they succeeded his party would still retain power. To actually take over requires militias.
This isn’t that complicated.
Joe: I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that you meant it was Arab Israelis who were controlling the Syrian forces opposed to Mr. Assad.
(The BBC says that the Syrian rebels who are currently winning are backed by Turkey and doesn’t mention any other country as backing them.)
Stop bring disingenuous. Believing in “Jewish conspiracies” is a distinct pathology that has nothing to do with specific discussion of the actions of the state of Israel. Bringing it up is a cheap way to avoid discussion. The fact that Israel is a Jewish state may be relevant to some of its actions, but its various covert operations are fair game for discussion without calling such discussion a Jewish conspiracy theory. This is also an area in which the USA is heavily involved, both the CIA and the Pentagon are supporting the groups fighting Assad.
@Joseph, I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but Israel doesn’t “hate Assad” per se. Israel’s main priority is maintaining stability in the region. In fact, since the early 1990s — I would argue the 1980s — there has been no direct conflict between Israel and Syria. Israel’s primary concern is Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Israel is engaged in an ongoing conflict with both Hezbollah and Hamas.
The Syrian army’s sudden collapse can be attributed to bribery by HTS and its backers (Turkey to name one), who offered better pay and positions to the Army. Additionally, the army was already fatigued and demoralized under Assad’s Alawite minority rule, further compounded by the prolonged civil war.
As for U.S. and Israeli support for “rebel” groups, can you tell me which groups you’re referring to? The only “support” from the U.S. is diplomatic backing for the Kurds and what were once considered moderate rebel factions. However, these moderate groups were effectively eliminated years ago by the hardline Islamic.
Why do you believe Israel cannot target Assad? They have successfully conducted precision strikes in both Iran and Lebanon to eliminate high ranking leaders. The reality is that Israel doesn’t want to kill Assad, they know and want him as a stabilizing force in the region — that’s not the case any more.
Maybe it’s a CIA/Mossad/Turkey in this 2nd iteration of the war against Assad? Initial push was from Bush Jr and his merry band of neocons. Obama didn’t feel as strongly about that boondogle. So with US funding all kinds of “moderate” and ISIS-Al Qaeda “opposition” initial push failed (except against US allied Iraqi gov’t?). The question is who came up with this latest plan. Bribery, as you suggest, is very likely as almost no resistance took place. Now the West will get millions more Muslim refugees and Al-Qaeda will get to run Syria, as US apparently wanted all along?
I think that Israelies are mostly eating popcorn in their Merkava tanks that moved into neutral with former Asad regime land on Golan heights. Clearly winners are Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Loosers are Iran and Russia. I think that Israel is on the fence. Positive for Israel is that Iran arms flows to hezbollah are now somewat impeded, since hezbollah was another major ally of Asad and is now a looser. But Israel suffers from Islamic state groups too and sometimes prosecutes Israeli Bedouins for joining ISIS. So it is expected that in some time isis groups will replace hezbollah in attacs on Israel. In the past, during Lebanese Civil wars, hezbollah members collaborated with Israeli security against PLF terrorists of so-called Yasser Arafat, former mid east arch-terrorist and pal of Clintons.
Gino: Are you sure that the West will be enriched by more Syrian refugees? The millions who are currently in Europe are there because they were targeted for death by the Assad regime. So in theory they can all now return home to Syria in perfect safety. On the other hand, Syrians who were loyal to Mr. Assad now all need asylum in Europe and the U.S. So if these two sides were equally balanced, there will be a lot of Syrians moving but there won’t be any net increase in the number of Syrian refugees (except via births to Syrian refugees, who have a fertility rate of between 4 and 6 (i.e., each Syrian refugee who identifies as a woman ultimately has 4-6 children)).
George A: If memory serves, your family is actually Syrian Christian? It’s great to have your persepctive!
@Gino, this was orchestrated by Turkey, with President Erdogan giving the green light. He emerges as the true winner in this situation. In fact, he’s already capitalizing on the opportunity by launching airstrikes against the Kurds in northeastern Syria.
@Philip, yes, my Christian family in Syria, along with the Alawite and Druze communities, will bear the brunt of this situation. In fact, Christian women and girls are already being told to cover their hair in public. HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani may claim to respect minorities, but it’s all a facade. During a recent interview, even the CNN reporter was required to cover her hair to meet with him for the interview [1].
The West often labels Assad and his father as dictators, but the reality is that the Middle East has historically been governed by dictatorship for centuries. The real question isn’t whether a dictator is in power, it’s what kind of dictator you want. Do you want one like those in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia?
The question for the U.S. and the West is now this: Should they engage with HTS to rebuild Syria or maintain their stance of isolation? After all, the U.S. still has a $10 million reward for the capture of its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani [2]. Perhaps President Biden should issue a pardon for him?!
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/06/world/video/abu-mohammad-al-jolani-syria-rebel-leader-karadsheh-digvid
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Mohammad_al-Julani
Several EU countries have already ‘paused’ arriving soi-disant Syrian refugees. The immigration skeptic Sweden Democrats proposed such a pause here too, coupled with repatriation, but were told by their electoral allies “this is not the time”.
It is like the old European wars. They are just a few centuries behind. It reminds me of the famous quote concerning the Thirty Years’ War.
“They wanted peace and they fought for thirty years to be sure of it. ”
Or the quote from Kubrick’s “Barry Lyndon”
“Narrator: [voice-over] It would require a great philosopher and historian to explain the causes of the famous Seven Years’ War, in which Europe was engaged, and in which Barry’s regiment was now on its way to take part. Let it suffice to say that England and Prussia were allies… and at war against the French, the Swedes, the Russians, and the Austrians.”
Dan Senor and guests don’t seem to have a better idea than you whether this is good for Israel. Israel’s situation is that the enemy of their enemy is also an enemy.
Let me begin by addressing the three bullet-pointed questions you raised. I will follow up with another post discussing Syria, the Civil War, Assad, HTS, the recent developments and the fallout from it.
— Turkey seeks a distraction to consolidate power, enabling President Erdogan to potentially rule indefinitely. At 70 years old, there’s no reason he couldn’t remain in power for another two decades or more. The primary obstacle to his power grab has been the Kurds, including groups like the YPG, YPJ, SDF, and PKK. However, with the Kurds now establishing an autonomy in northeastern Syria, they will pose far less of a direct threat to Turkey. Erdogan is also supporting HTS to mitigate the fallout of the Syrian civil war, preventing its ripple effects from further destabilizing Turkey’s already fragile economy. It’s worth noting that Erdogan is a supporter of Islamic principles, aligning ideologically with groups like HTS hardline following Islam. Erdogan has given the green light to HTS.
— Not much will change from the current status quo. The never-ending conflict between Arabs and Israel is unlikely to resolve anytime soon, or ever. HTS and other rebel groups currently controlling Syria will likely project messages of “unity” and “peace” to both Syrians and the international community — though not through DEI initiatives (and no, this isn’t a joke) — to present themselves as the “good guys.” In reality, HTS will continue to impose stricter control over minorities and women, showing little genuine commitment to inclusivity or freedom. Their priorities are not focused on Israel, the Palestinians, or slogans like “from the river to the sea.” As a side note, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War wasn’t just a conflict between Syria and Israel, it involved Lebanon, Iraq, and Egypt as well. Even Saudi Arabia contributed forces, which operated under Egyptian command.
— This development doesn’t change much for Israel or their position. If anything, it reinforces Israel’s rationale for maintaining its hardline stance. HTS is far more dangerous and unpredictable than Assad or Hezbollah, posing a new and uncertain threat. As a result, Israel doesn’t have to compelled to justify its actions to the international community and will likely seek and secure even greater support from the United States.
Sounds like a good day for Greenspunyahu with another dictator surrendering & Israel claiming a small piece of Syria before the next dictator arrives. The war never ends.
Here’s Assad explaining it (2 minutes @2x speed):
https://x.com/TeamAmerica2020/status/1863278772939530740
Hi Phil – your theory about Syrians returning home voluntarily from the EU is quite optimistic. According to Wikipedia, in 2023 after most had been in Germany for 8 years, 55% of Syrians were on state benefits. It’s unlikely they will give this up voluntarily, as a couple gets almost 1k euros a month plus another 300 eur for each minor – 6 kids puts them in solid middle class with no need to work.
Well, they might leave not quite so voluntarily. Germany suspends Syrians asylum bids. Maybe it is not Israelis but Germans who supported Al Qaeda to overthrow Syrian government, so that they can send Syrian people back.
Yesterdays terrorists can be tomorrows heroes.
The rebels faced little resistance from Assad’s forces. It appears that, if Obama had enforced his “red line” after Assad used chemical weapons, the world would have seen then how weak Assad actually was. The counterfactuals to the subsequent events which actually transpired go on and on. Syria not a strong Iran proxy, Iran also weaker than previously thought, etc. Would Hamas have attacked Israel?
Maybe his prospective Peace prize influenced his actions. Another interesting unintended consequence of the misguided.
I am largely ignorant of the situation, but some are calling for the establishment of a Kurdish homeland.
Many say that will never happen without strong US involvement, but I have always believed that where there’s a Kurd, there’s a way.
@FB, A significant portion of the Kurdish population resides in the western and southwestern regions of modern-day Turkey, occupying over one-third of the country’s land. The Kurds have been fighting for independence from Turkey since the 1920s. In comparison, a smaller Kurdish population lives in northwestern Syria, less then one-tenth of the country’s land.
Following the Syrian Civil War, the Kurds gained control of over one-third of northwestern Syria. They are determined to retain this territory at all costs. If the US and the West endorses the establishment of a Kurdish homeland, in Syria, Turkey will back it in a heartbeat.
President Erdogan is the winner. By supporting and backing HTS and granting them the green light to take over, he has effectively played his cards to Turkey’s advantage.
By the way, I strongly believe the U.S. should stay out of this entirely. It’s a no-win situation, regardless of how much effort we put into it. We’ve already spent an enormous amount of money in the Middle East backing and support the wrong people and group and not knowing it.
mata – you give German mainstream politicians too much credit. There’s almost 1M Syrians already in Germany, and over 8 years most of them have residency and even citizenship (that only takes 5 years). Maybe the last 50k or so that came in the last year or two might be affected. I do think it’s hilarious that Al Qaeda taking over Syria is said to be good news by Western politicians/media. Not sure why Taliban is being discriminated against in that case – they try just as hard as ISIS and AQ!
Oh, Talibans will be heros again, they just have to wait for their turn. Maybe in Rambo 11. Syrian rebels may be removed from UK terrorist list. Talibans could be the next.
I wanted to share a follow-up update from family members currently in Aleppo.
HTS has now imposed new restrictions requiring all women and girls to cover their hair and ensure no skin is visible above the elbows or knees. In addition, churches are no longer allowed to decorate the exterior for Christmas. The same restriction applies to families who wish to decorate the outside of their homes. Furthermore, all religious symbols and figures displayed outside churches must either be removed or covered, with the cross being the only exception.
There are also discussions about implementing school segregation for boys and girls. I won’t be surprised restrictions on education, particularly for girls, may follow soon. While it may not reach the extreme levels seen in Afghanistan, it will likely still be highly restrictive, similar to policies seen in Saudi Arabia, a supposed “ally” of the West.
Meanwhile, Western governments and media continue to label Assad a dictator, and claiming that Syria has been “liberated.” Furthermore, the U.S. and Europe are now engaged in direct talks with HTS, the group that is given a terrorist label.
There are approximately half a million Christians in Syria. Will the U.S. and Europe consider opening their borders to them? How does that number compare to the influx of illegals entering the U.S.?
After posting the above, I run into this: “Cafes Can’t Play Music, but the Water Taps Work: Life Under Syria’s Rebels” [1].
What has been happening in Idlib is now the new reality for all of Syria.
What the West fails to understand is this: so-called “dictators” like Assad of Syria, Gaddafi of Libya, or Hussein of Iraq were often the ones keeping extremist at bay. The world was arguably better off under these leaders than under the rule of extremists like HTS or authoritarian regimes such as Saudi Arabia’s monarchy.
[1] https://archive.ph/EiT3Q
Syrian Christians should clearly should have priority in US asylum granting process. But would not mass displacement of Christians from Syria and ME to amount to moder genocide? Maybe Lebanon can exchange those who seek Islamic fundamentalist society for Syrian Christians. Hezbollah for example.
Newly I’ve heard a theory, crazy simple and crazy logical: What if Trump, Putin and Netanyahu sat together and made an agreement: you get Ukraine, we get Syria. CIA supports ISIS until they remove Assad, then Israel occupies enough of Syria that their strategic interests are satisfied. Everybody gets what they want, and who cares about the rest.
Trump has a hard time keeping Zelensky in check, so he’ll have even less influence on other world leaders. He’s kind of hinted lately that a possible Ukraine deal will take a lot of work and won’t happen quickly. Also, a lot of Trump’s advisors are repeating neocon talking points…
Believe it or not that’s how Syrian refugee females dress even in Germany, where HTS is not (yet) in charge. I know bc I saw them carrying Syrian flags the other day.
Gino, believe it or not, that is how my grandmother (I am in my late fifties) had been always dressed in a very catholic land in south eastern Europe, has never been islamic. I bet in Italy (just across the Adriatic sea) it was very similar. It is very funny how the life goes. It reminded me how once, in some other topic, Italian girl told me: I can not believe you still live like this. And her German boyfriend told her: shut the f… up, in the area were you live, 15 years ago, you lived exactly same like this.