Epstein Secrets

f Israel. The convoy was reported to have been carrying sophisticated antiaircraft weaponry to Hezbollah. The attack— carried out on the outskirts of Damascus-was met by a sharp threat of retaliation from both the Syrian and Iranian governments: a significant indicator of the regional reverberations of the

war and the general volatility permeating the region. Despite the lack of progress of an international peace initiative spearheaded by Special Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, a new plan by Syrian opposition leader Moaz al-Khatib - comprising a dialogue with President al-Assad based on the principle of the regime's departu

my, urged in a telephone interview Wednesday that the United States and its allies attack six air bases and three rocket-launching batteries around Damascus. He said that if the United States takes out these targets, his 30,000 troops in the Damascus area "can launch attacks on the rest" of the regime's

in and over Syria. On the face of things, there are few grounds for optimism. Absurdly, Syria is not even formally on the agenda in St Petersburg. Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN and Arab League envoy for Syria, is apparently not even due to attend the meeting. Add to EFTA00678425 that Russia's generally obstructio

among the armed rebels has overshadowed the bigger fight against Assad, allowing his forces to gain the upper hand and make tactical gains in Homs, Damascus and even the rebel stronghold Aleppo. Emboldened, Assad and his henchmen, with the backing of Iran and Russia, have repeatedly reminded the opposit

re workable. We have discussed this with various friends; we've discussed this with Turkey, we've discussed this with [U.N. Special Representative] Lakhdar Brahimi, we've discussed this with the Syrian government. Have you talked with the United States about this? We have not had any discussions with the U.S.

e=tly suspended the project. <=r> Meanwhile, the CIA Hs rival plan to simply ship armaments to existing forces fighting against=the government in Damascus hasn't yielded more than "</=ont>zilch," at least according to rece=t reports. Except that the success that anti-Assad forces have had w=th anti-tan

e claim that leaders around the world were illegal=y profiting from the Oil for Food program. These charges were around=the same time that UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi indicated that Chalabi would l=kely not be welcome in a future Iraqi government. Up until this time= Chalabi had been mentioned a number of times by

a WikiLeaks cable that brilliantly foreshadowed how environmental stresses would fuel the uprising. Sent on Nov. 8, 2008, from the U.S. Embassy in Damascus to the State Department, the cable details how, in light of what was a devastating Syrian drought — it lasted from 2006-10 — Syria's U.N. food and

tlement. Whatever the case, the attempt to include Iran in the talks should come as no surprise -- for months, UN Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has privately and publicly lobbied Western and Arab countries to allow Iran into the Geneva process. While Secretary of State John Kerry has said t

think about various options that may or may not exist," John Kerry said while in Beijing. One can only imagine the profound effect this has had in Damascus, where Assad's inner circle must be spending sleepless nights wondering about options that "may not exist." Is this like the tooth fairy or maybe a

st be giggling. Options that "may not exist" has the sound of Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in the "Wizard of Oz": "Put 'em up. Put ' em up." For Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations mediator for Syria, this may come too late. He has failed to end the civil war if only because Assad won't. (Assad even seized

96 The first objection is that there is no clear strategy for intervention. Do we want foreign armies to destroy Assad's war machine and march on Damascus? The answer must be no. The intervention needed would be aimed at two precise objectives. The first is to enforce the arms embargo already approved

ome a fig leaf to hide inaction. Over the past two years, numerous diplomatic efforts have been made, including two missions led by Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi, two diplomats of the highest standing. Thanks to inside knowledge, we can report that Brahimi has offered the fairest and the most realistic comp