Major offensive against Assad being organised

This is EXACTLY what I've been expecting. Fight another proxy war against Russia while things intensify in the Ukraine/Crimea.

Syria - U.S. and Israel Organizing Major Offensive Against Assad In the South

Even as the crisis intensifies in Ukraine, Washington is preparing its rebels for military operations in the south of Syria.

SCG News,

11 March, 2014

According to numerous sources, the U.S., Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are in the process of preparing a massive military operation against the South of Syria intended to open the road for an assault against Damascus.

When Obama promised that 2014 would be a year of action he wasn't kidding. To ramp up for another push against Syria even as the Ukrainian crisis rapidly escalates into a showdown with Russia is ambitious. Perhaps the word "desperate" is more appropriate in this case. They are, after all, running a bit behind schedule.

None of this would be necessary if Washington's attempt to frame Assad with chemical weapons in 2013 hadn't ended in such an epic failure. With U.N. inspectors coming forward saying that the attacks had in fact been carried out by the NATO backed rebels and the public vocally opposing any military strikes, the agenda in Syria had to be put on the back burner. But give the people a few months and a few highly contentious domestic issues to bicker over and they'll stop paying attention.

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Distracted yet? Good, because it's time for round two, and this time it's a multi-pronged attack. With the situation evolving rapidly in Ukraine, signs of an impending escalation in Venezuela, and a Syrian offensive hitting at the same time it's going to be much harder for the public to know where to focus their attention. It's also going to make it much harder for Russia and China to respond effectively.

Related: Ukrainian War: Russian Council Unanimously Approves Military Deployment - Seizes Two Airports

The most dangerous possibility here is that Damascus may fall or come close to falling to rebel forces. In such a scenario Iran, Russia and China would be forced to decide whether to intervene. If they let Syria be taken, Iran will be in the cross-hairs, but direct Russian intervention in Syria, especially in the context of a showdown in Ukraine, could easily escalate into a hot war.

The one thing humanity has going for it in this madness is the fact that Russia and China are determined to prevent this from escalating to open conflict, and so far they have consistently out maneuvered Washington diplomatically. However if either party comes to view open warfare as imminent they will strike preemptively. If that happens all bets are off.

US to give Israel for Iron Dome missile system

Max Keiser Report,

via Facebook

US to give Israel $429 million for its Iron Dome missile system.he United States and Israel have signed an agreement under which $429 million of American taxpayers’ money “will be transferred immediately to Israel” to fund its Iron Dome missile system.

The pentagon says the agreement was signed last week in a bid to “continue support of the production of the Iron Dome weapon system” and provide opportunities for US industry to “receive meaningful co-production opportunities for Iron Dome components.”

On March 4, the US House of Representatives also passed a bill which named Israel a “major strategic partner” of the US and called for the expansion of Washington’s military ties with Tel Aviv.

The legislation, which was passed by a 410 to 1 vote, calls for expanding the delivery of US arms and military technologies to Israel and commits US Congress to increase funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile system.

Last week, some reports said funding for Israel’s missile systems has been cut in US President Barack Obama’s budget for fiscal year 2015.

However, the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which is the most powerful pro-Israel lobby group in the US, told Israeli press that the funding remained intact and that the lobby group will work with Congress to ensure the funding levels remain as high as previous years'.

AIPAC also said that it is not the US President but Congress that decides on the funding levels.

Israel already receives billions of dollars from the US each year. Under an existing 10-year aid agreement between Washington and Tel Aviv signed in 2007, $30 billion of American taxpayers’ money is flowing to Israel.

The US annual military aid to Israel has been elevated from $2.4 billion to $3.1 billion through 2017 under the existing agreement.

Meanwhile, US and Israeli officials have discussed a surge in US military aid to Israel in a new aid package that would extend through 2027.