Friday, July 27, 2012

Advancing The Ball For War On Syria.

by Stephen Lendman
What's ongoing bears disturbing similarities to events preceding NATO's 1999 Yugoslavia aggression.

In the 1990s, NATO lawlessly intervened for the first time outside territories of its member countries. No nation or alliance may attack another except in self-defense.

Doing so requires Security Council authorization. Washington considers that notion quaint. Rule of law provisions don't matter. Advancing America's imperium alone guides official policy.

From August 30 - September 20, 1995, NATO conducted Operation Deliberate Force. Naked aggression targeted the Serb Republic. Hundreds of aircraft flew thousands of sorties. It preceded what followed.

From March 24 - June 19, 1999, Operation Allied Force was unprecedented in ferocity. For 78 days, devastating bombing ravaged Yugoslavia. Around 600 aircraft flew about 3,000 sorties.

Thousands of tons of ordnance were dropped. Hundreds of ground-launched cruise missiles were used.

Nearly everything was struck. Massive destruction and disruption followed. An estimated $100 billion in damage was inflicted. A humanitarian disaster resulted. Environmental contamination was extensive.

Large numbers were killed, injured or displaced. Two million people lost their livelihoods. Homes and communities were destroyed.

Nobel laureate Harold Pinter called NATO's aggression "barbaric (and despicable), another blatant and brutal assertion of US power using NATO as its missile (to consolidate) American domination of Europe."

Lawless aggression became humanitarian intervention. An avenue to Eurasia was opened. A permanent US military presence was established. American imperialism claimed another trophy.

In 2001, NATO intervened in Macedonia. Post-9/11, much more lay ahead. Iraq followed Afghanistan, then Libya, now Syria, ahead Iran, and numerous proxy wars against Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and other challengers to US hegemony.

On June 22, two Turkish warplanes provocatively entered Syrian airspace low and fast. Doing so showed hostile intent. Orders came from Washington. Ankara plays lead attack dog....read more

http://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=630700