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    <font size="+3">In the words of Martin Luther King  - More true
      today than it was in 1967<br>
      <br>
      " </font><br>
    <a
href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23924.Martin_Luther_King_Jr_"
      class="leftAlignedImage"><img alt="Martin Luther King Jr."
        src="cid:part1.07080303.03080802@comcast.net"></a>
    <div class="quoteText"> “I could never again raise my voice against
      the violence of the oppressed, without having first spoken clearly
      to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today – my own
      government.” <br>
      ― <a
href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23924.Martin_Luther_King_Jr_">Martin
        Luther King Jr.</a><br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <br>
      <br>
    </div>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 9/29/2014 11:57 PM, Roger Helbig
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote
cite="mid:CALZ0NqUWPa5cQEm2e0fAZes0xN=MnGRR+SEfPEWDMANb+f_JgA@mail.gmail.com"
      type="cite">
      <div dir="ltr">why would Chechen be in NATO camps - UN operates
        "camps", not NATO - this sounds like it is pretty poorly
        researched or just slanted to attract the far left that wants to
        believe and wants to blame US/UK NATO for the cause of ISIS.  </div>
      <div class="gmail_extra"><br>
        <div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Sep 29, 2014 at 3:45 PM, David
          Johnson via Peace-discuss <span dir="ltr"><<a
              moz-do-not-send="true"
              href="mailto:peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net"
              target="_blank">peace-discuss@lists.chambana.net</a>></span>
          wrote:<br>
          <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
            .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
            <div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
              <h1><big><big><big>Islamic State was born in NATO camps</big></big></big></h1>
              <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
              <div><big><big><big> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                        href="http://rt.com/op-edge/authors/andre-vltchek/"
                        target="_blank"> <img
                          src="cid:part5.08010703.04060802@comcast.net">
                      </a> </big></big></big>
                <p><big><big><big> Andre Vltchek is a novelist,
                        filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has
                        covered wars and conflicts in dozens of
                        countries. </big></big></big></p>
                <big><big><big> </big></big></big></div>
              <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
              <div><big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                <div><big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                  <div><big><big><big> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                            href="http://rt.com/op-edge/191620-nato-isis-camps-turkey-syria/"
                            target="_blank">Get short URL</a> </big></big></big></div>
                  <big><big><big> <span> Published time: September 29,
                          2014 20:11 </span> </big></big></big></div>
                <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                <div style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;float:none"><big><big><big><img
                          title="" style="margin-right: 0px;
                          margin-left: 0px; float: none;" alt="Entrance
                          to Apaydin camp (Photo by Andre Vltchek)"
                          src="cid:part8.07010904.03020707@comcast.net"></big></big></big>
                  <p><big><big><big>Entrance to Apaydin camp (Photo by
                          Andre Vltchek)</big></big></big></p>
                </div>
                <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                <div> <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                  <div>
                    <div><big><big><big><a moz-do-not-send="true"><span
                                title="Facebook"></span></a><span>63</span><a
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                  <big><big><big> </big></big></big></div>
                <big><big><big> </big></big></big></div>
              <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
              <div><big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                <div><big><big><big> </big></big></big>
                  <p><big><big><big>Tags</big></big></big></p>
                  <big><big><big> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/arms/"
                          target="_blank">Arms</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/army/"
                          target="_blank">Army</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/clashes/"
                          target="_blank">Clashes</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/conflict/"
                          target="_blank">Conflict</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/human-rights/"
                          target="_blank">Human rights</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/iraq/"
                          target="_blank">Iraq</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/middle-east/"
                          target="_blank">Middle East</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/military/"
                          target="_blank">Military</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/nato/"
                          target="_blank">NATO</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/politics/"
                          target="_blank">Politics</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/syria/"
                          target="_blank">Syria</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/turkey/"
                          target="_blank">Turkey</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/uk/" target="_blank">UK</a>,
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/usa/" target="_blank">USA</a>,
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/violence/"
                          target="_blank">Violence</a>, <a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://rt.com/tags/war/" target="_blank">War</a>
                      </big></big></big></div>
                <big><big><big> </big></big></big></div>
              <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
              <p><big><big><big>The West and its client states in the
                      Middle East are now bombing Islamic State (ISIS)
                      positions in Syria, killing both militants and
                      civilians, violating countless international laws
                      and treaties.</big></big></big></p>
              <big><big><big> </big></big></big>
              <p><big><big><big> Oil installations inside Syria are in
                      flames; the West <em>“informed”</em> Damascus
                      that the bombing campaign could take three years,
                      as if it would be the sole owner of the Middle
                      East. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The fact that it is done with no
                      international endorsement is by now not surprising
                      anybody. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> There is nothing standing on the way of
                      this campaign; no air force is defending Syrian
                      territory, no surface-to-air-missiles are fired. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Yet, the US and the UK make no secret
                      that this is not just a campaign to debilitate
                      ISIS positions. The US is openly declaring
                      alliance with the <em>“moderate opposition
                        forces”</em> inside Syria, which essentially
                      means those forces that are fighting to overthrow
                      the government of President Assad. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Damascus’ plea for a broader coalition
                      to fight ISIS is being ignored. No wonder – for
                      years Islamic State (or ISIS) was actually an
                      integrated part of the <em>“opposition movement”</em>
                      supported, trained and financed by the West and
                      its regional allies. </big></big></big></p>
              <h2><big><big><big> Hezbollah is already fighting IS </big></big></big></h2>
              <p><big><big><big> The excuse or justification, for the
                      latest attacks against Syria, is simple. British
                      Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers: <em>"This
                        is not a threat on the far side of the world.
                        Left unchecked, we will face a terrorist
                        caliphate on the shores of the Mediterranean."</em>
                    </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> By this, he was perhaps referring to
                      that short Syrian Mediterranean coastline dotted
                      with the cities like Latakia and Tartus, but also,
                      most likely, to the entire Lebanon, which,
                      according to a regional analyst, Michael Jansen, <em>“...is
                        already the third battlefront in the war against
                        the Islamic State (IS) and, like embattled Syria
                        and Iraq, it has neither the political unity
                        needed, nor the material means to fight its
                        battle.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> It is enough to read Daily Security
                      Information Reports by UNSIOC in Lebanon to see
                      how serious the situation really is. There are
                      incursions from Syrian soil by the militants,
                      kidnappings and constant arrests. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> But most of the people in the region
                      would definitely disagree with both Mr. Obama and
                      Mr. Cameron about on whose shoulders rests the
                      responsibility for this disastrous state of
                      things. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> </big></big></big></p>
              <div style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;float:none"><big><big><big><img
                        style="margin: 0px; float: none;" alt="Apaydin
                        Camp (Photo by Andre Vltchek)"
                        src="cid:part31.00060207.07020401@comcast.net"></big></big></big>
                <p><big><big><big>Apaydin Camp (Photo by Andre Vltchek)</big></big></big></p>
              </div>
              <p><big><big><big> Outspoken leader of Hezbollah, Sayyed
                      Hasan Nasrallah, spelled out his take on the
                      situation, in Lebanon, on September 23, 2014: </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> <em>“We are against American military
                        intervention and an international coalition in
                        Syria, whether that [action] is against the
                        Syrian regime or Daesh (ISIS)... Under the false
                        pretext of fighting terrorism the U.S. seeks to
                        take control of the region...”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Hezbollah is actually already fighting
                      ISIS, but, despite its great popularity in Lebanon
                      and in the region, and its inclusiveness and great
                      social projects (or maybe because of them), the
                      organization is on the list of terrorist groups,
                      at least in the US and in several European
                      countries. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> It appears that the West is making sure
                      that Lebanon remains defenseless, even as it
                      appears likely that ISIS could soon intensify its
                      attacks or to make a decisive dash across the
                      border, from Syrian territory. Weapons from France
                      had not been delivered yet, partially because
                      France <em>“worries”</em> that they could be used
                      against Israel. The US is blocking any purchase of
                      Russian weapons by Lebanon (Defense Minister of
                      Lebanon, Ms. Nouhad Mashnouk visited Moscow trying
                      to secure delivery of Russian-made arms), because
                      of <em>“the tension between the West and Russia
                        over Ukraine.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <h2><big><big><big> Region ruined, West controls the game
                    </big></big></big></h2>
              <p><big><big><big> The situation is extremely complex but
                      what is clear is that the West is pressing all the
                      control buttons in the <em>“game.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> It helped to create and to strengthen <em>“Syrian

                        opposition,” including its most radical elements
                        like Islamic State. The goal was to depose
                        President Assad. Now when the ISIS went “out of
                        control,”</em> and began gaining territory in
                      both Iraq and Syria, their brutality and military
                      success are used as justification for direct
                      intervention in Syria. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> It is becoming clear that no matter
                      what, President Assad would never be allowed to
                      win; even if (and perhaps especially if) he is
                      supported by the majority of the Syrian people. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> As a result of actions taken by the
                      West, both Iraq and Syria are now fully
                      destabilized, or more precisely, they are in
                      ruins. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> </big></big></big></p>
              <div style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;float:none"><big><big><big><img
                        style="margin: 0px; float: none;" alt="Hidden
                        camera Jordan - Syrian border (Photo by Andre
                        Vltchek)"
                        src="cid:part32.02000104.06070902@comcast.net"></big></big></big>
                <p><big><big><big>Hidden camera Jordan - Syrian border
                        (Photo by Andre Vltchek)</big></big></big></p>
              </div>
              <p><big><big><big> Lebanon does not even have fully
                      functioning government or sound military, and may
                      be swept away by the destructive tide. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The region is now literally flooded
                      with millions of refugees. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> And the West is once again pounding the
                      area with Tomahawk missiles and bombs. Several
                      pro-Western Arab regimes that are co-responsible
                      for the situation in Syria and Iraq - Bahrain,
                      Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
                      Emirates - have joined the <em>“campaign,”</em>
                      by offering their jets. This way, there is some
                      illusion of legitimacy - their handlers in
                      Washington can trumpet to the world that <em>“they
                        are not in it alone.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> While the <em>“threat of terrorism”</em>
                      and <em>“danger to the region and its people”</em>
                      are quoted as the main justifications for the
                      military action, there is really very little logic
                      in those arguments, and many citizens of the
                      Middle East now simply believe that the West is
                      aiming at the overthrowing of the government of
                      Syrian President Assad, at creating an
                      independent, oil-rich, and pro-Western Kurdish
                      state, and possibly even at igniting conflict with
                      neighboring Iran. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> It is also understood that things could
                      get resolved without the Western bombing campaign;
                      through the channels that the US and EU would
                      never use: governments in Damascus and Teheran
                      would have to stop being pushed into the corner.
                      In fact, Syria and Lebanon would have to be
                      allowed to rearm and to be allowed to fight their
                      own enemies. And Iran would have to be encouraged
                      to join the fight against the Islamic State
                      (ISIS). </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> On 21 September 2014, AP reported:<em>“Syria's

                        parliament speaker said Sunday that the US
                        should work with Damascus to battle the Islamic
                        State extremist group rather than allying with
                        nations which he accused of supporting
                        terrorism. Speaker Jihad Laham was apparently
                        referring to Saudi Arabia and other countries
                        backing rebels trying to overthrow Syrian
                        President Bashar Assad.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> But the West is not aiming at resolving
                      the crises. It is pushing and fighting for full
                      domination of the region. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> It is playing chess with both white and
                      black pieces. In between are tens of millions of
                      people, and entire nations. Every move terminates
                      countless lives. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> </big></big></big></p>
              <div style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;float:none"><big><big><big><img
                        style="margin: 0px; float: none;"
                        alt="Barricaded government building in Beirut
                        (Photo by Andre Vltchek)"
                        src="cid:part33.07090602.04040703@comcast.net"></big></big></big>
                <p><big><big><big>Barricaded government building in
                        Beirut (Photo by Andre Vltchek)</big></big></big></p>
              </div>
              <h2><big><big><big> Create them, use them, fight them </big></big></big></h2>
              <p><big><big><big> ISIS did not fall from the sky. They
                      were armed, financed and trained in the refugee
                      camps built for <em>“Syrian refugees,”</em> in
                      Turkey and Jordan. Both countries are staunch
                      allies of the West; Turkey is on top of it a
                      member of NATO. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Several regional reporters, including
                      Turkish investigative journalist Huseyin Guler and
                      Ulusal’s TV documentary filmmaker Serkan Koc,
                      identified the camps as training facilities,
                      particularly Apaydin in the vicinity of Hatay,
                      near the Turkish border. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The fact that Jordan is offering its
                      territory for purposes of <em>“training the
                        opposition”</em> is no secret. Earlier this year
                      I worked in two refugee camps near the
                      Jordan-Syrian border: an old and overcrowded
                      Zaatari Camp and one new one, which is still only
                      partially operational – Azraq. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> From testimonies given to me by both
                      refugees and local inhabitants, Zaatari Camp has
                      been used as a training facility for <em>“Syrian
                        opposition fighters,”</em> for years. In the
                      area, there was a clear presence of both Saudi and
                      Qatari cadres. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The AP reported: <em>“Jordan is…
                        officially denying that any training of
                        anti-Assad fighters takes place on its soil,
                        though both Jordanian and American officials
                        have acknowledged it does.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The National, a daily newspaper
                      published in the United Arab Emirates, reported on
                      December 28 2013: </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> <em>“A command centre in Amman or
                        "operations room" as Syrian rebels describe it,
                        gives military advice to the Free Syrian Army
                        and channels weapons to them for their fight
                        against Bashar Al Assad's regime… Rebels say
                        there is also a complex, shadowy system of
                        weapons movement, with diverse, sometimes
                        parallel, supply routes. The command centre
                        works with the FSA and the Supreme Military
                        Council - the FSA high command headed by General
                        Selim Idriss and allied with the Syrian National
                        Coalition, the opposition political alliance
                        backed by Arab states and the West.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> I investigated the situation on the
                      Turkish-Syrian border, in the vicinity of the city
                      of Hatay, on several occasions, for both the
                      documentary film I was producing for Venezuelan TV
                      channel TeleSur, and for several of my written
                      reports. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The tolerant and multi-cultural city of
                      Hatay has been living in fear for years,
                      terrorized by those machinegun-waving bearded
                      jihadi cadres who were transplanted there from
                      Saudi Arabia and from the rest of the Gulf, in
                      order to train and radicalize Syrian <em>“opposition

                        fighters.”</em> </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Apayadin Camp is where many of the ISIS
                      fighters have their roots. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> </big></big></big></p>
              <div style="margin-right:0px;margin-left:0px;float:none"><big><big><big><img
                        style="margin: 0px; float: none;" alt="Entrance
                        to Incirlik base near Adana (Photo by Andre
                        Vltchek)"
                        src="cid:part34.06010101.06090109@comcast.net"></big></big></big>
                <p><big><big><big>Entrance to Incirlik base near Adana
                        (Photo by Andre Vltchek)</big></big></big></p>
              </div>
              <p><big><big><big> Serkan Koc, who has produced several
                      groundbreaking works on the subject of the <em>“Syrian

                        opposition,”</em> explained to me in Istanbul: </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> <em>“Of course you do realize that
                        those people are not really ‘Syrian opposition.’
                        They are modern-day legionnaires collected from
                        various Arab countries, including Qatar and
                        Saudi Arabia, paid by Western imperialist
                        powers. Some are members of Al-Qaeda and other
                        terrorist organizations. Most are militant Sunni
                        Muslims. One could describe them as rogue
                        elements hired to fight the Assad government.”</em>
                    </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Some of those legionnaires, including
                      those who belong to Islamic State (ISIS) had
                      mutated and began wearing several hats (President
                      Assad was warning for months that they would).
                      They are still after President Assad whom they
                      mainly hate for being secular, and for belonging
                      to the Alawite sect, which is considered to be
                      heretical in some Sunni Muslim circles, especially
                      in the most radical ones. But now they are also
                      after non-Muslims and non-Arabs, even after the
                      interests of those who actually helped them to
                      come to life – the West. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> All this is not unlike how al-Qaida was
                      born. It mutated from Western-trained and financed
                      Mujahedeen that were first involved in the
                      fighting against the Democratic Republic of
                      Afghanistan (DRA) and later the Soviet Union. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> The West is historically using, even
                      grooming, the most horrendous allies, be it
                      Mujahedeen in Afghanistan, the military and
                      religious cadres in 1965 Indonesia, fascist
                      military in Chile, Paraguay and Argentina, or
                      present-day Ukrainian fascists crews. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> <em>“Syrian opposition”</em> is just
                      one of the latest editions. It is clear who is
                      benefiting: the military and political
                      establishment of the West, which supplies the
                      weapons, destabilizes countries, even entire
                      regions, and tries to establish full control over
                      the world. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> Then, if and when the situation changes
                      and a former client’s movements go gaga, there is
                      always another use for them: they can serve as a
                      justification for direct invasions and further
                      militarization of the regions and the entire
                      planet. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> First you create them, then you use
                      them, and in the end you fight them. </big></big></big></p>
              <p><big><big><big> <em>“The only victims”</em> are
                      millions of people who are dying and becoming
                      internally displaced in the regions destroyed by
                      these brutal imperialist games. </big></big></big></p>
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