The War Against Israel: 1948 to Present

THE COMING GRAND SHIFT IN MIDDLE EAST ALLIANCES

Forgive me for rambling a bit on this matter. I will start with a quick word on Iraq, before speaking in depth about the changing roles of Iran and Russia that I believe are on the way.

Iraq backs Egypt crackdown on Morsi supporters
AFP | Aug 19, 2013, 06.49 AM IST

"BAGHDAD: Iraq's premier backed the Egyptian military crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi in a statement on Sunday, the latest Arab leader to back the operation. Nuri al-Maliki appealed for "self-restraint" but said Baghdad stood with the Egyptian government, describing its moves against the Muslim Brotherhood as efforts to impose law and order."

-- Iraq backs Egypt crackdown on Morsi supporters - The Times of India

This reinforces what I have been saying: The Arab world supports the new government, except Tunisia and Gaza.

Meanwhile, Dr. Naser al-Tamimi gives compelling reasons why the RUSSIANS should be and are drawing closer to the Saudis and to the current Egyptian government; but they do not propose that the Russians SEVER their ties with the SYRIAN government. As long as the Assad regime in Syria is in hock to Hizbullah and Iran, Russia cannot dump Iran in favor of the Arabs.

I don't believe love triangles can last long in international politics: Either the Russians will continue to back Assad, and accept the Iranian baggage that entails, or they will back the Saudis and Egyptians, and lose their naval base in Syria. They could get even better naval facilities in exchange, in Alexandria; but they have so far not shown an inclination to do so.

The best of both worlds, for the Russians, would be if Syria's Assad somehow dumped his Iranian masters. At the moment, he doesn't appear strong enough to do that. The Pro-Assad Syrians are clearly on the same side as the Saudis concerning Egypt:

August 15, 2013, 9:30 AM
Syrians See Egypt Through The Lens Of Their Own Struggle

-- Syrians See Egypt Through The Lens Of Their Own Struggle - Middle East Real Time - WSJ

(and NOT on the side of the Iranians, who have condemned the Sissi-backed government). Assad will not openly break with Iran, though, unless the Russians (and Saudis??) could somehow stand in the gap and protect him from reprisals by Hizbullah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. If Russia were to tip the balance, say, by supplying advanced weapons to Syria, though, this would put them into direct conflict with Israel:

Israel stays clear of Egyptian crisis, fearing Russian military’s return to a second border after Syria
DEBKAfile Special Report August 19, 2013, 11:45 AM (IDT)

-- Israel stays clear of Egyptian crisis, fearing Russian military’s return to a second border after Syria

I hope I haven't made this overly complicated. Israel seems increasingly caught between the rock and the hard place. At the moment, they and the Ramallah Arabs are both tacitly on the Saudi side; and both are ingratiating the Americans as well by holding sham peace negotiations with each other. If the Saudis and Egyptians would somehow drift more into the Soviet camp, then Jordan and Israel would probably reflexively move deeper into the clutches of the Americans. The last time the region was divided anywhere along these lines was in the 1960s; but then, both Saudi Arabia and Iran were allied with the US. That is definitely NOT the case now, nor will it be in the future.

The best-case scenario for Israel, would probably be if the Syrians did dump the Iranians, Assad and Russia did sidle up alongside Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and that this new Saudi-Russian alliance pursued moderate policies toward Israel. In all likelihood, Iran would then ally itself with Turkey, in an Ezekiel 38-39-type alliance. If I had to put money on it, in fact, I would bet that this will be the situation in perhaps two years.

WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST?

In my previous post, I likened Turkey's anti-Jewish leader, PM Erdogan, to former German Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler. Some have likened Hitler to the coming "Antichrist". Since he has come and gone, thought, I suspect that he was not the one. Is Erdogan the Antichrist? That's not an easy question to answer, because I'm not even sure what "antichrist" (substitute messiah) means in its Biblical context. Let's look at the scriptures:

1 John 2
[18] Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
[22] Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1 John 4
[3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

2 John 1
[7] For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

From all this, I gather that Antichrist will be an end-time DECEIVER, who denies the humanity of Christ.

That leaves a LOT of room for interpretation. Most obviously, it describes the Muslims, who say that Jesus was not human, and only appeared to die:Since antichrist is described as though he is a person, then, perhaps he is Muhammed -- or perhaps he is a spokesman for Islam, like the Ayatollah of Iran, or Turkey's PM Erdogan.

Alternatively, antichrist could be one of many Atheists, Jews and others, who say that Jesus never existed; that he was invented by the early Christians.

When we search the Book of Revelation for an end-times person who might be the Antichrist, we find:

Rev 13
[11] And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
[12] And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
[13] And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
[14] And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
[15] And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
[16] And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
[17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
[18] Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

This "beast coming up out of the earth" is elsewhere called "The False Prophet". He obviously had tremendous power and authority, much more that Mr. Erdogan has or is likely to have. In fact, he doesn't seem to he a Muslim at all; because Muslims are forbidden to worship images -- particularly an image of a talking creature.

Who is it that has made a talking image? Thomas Edison? or does this indicate the United States, personified as a beast? THAT would be a beast with power! and that beaxt certainly IS able to make fire come down from heaven. I have elsewhere likened the US to the "little horn", spoken of in

Daniel 7
[8] I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

That "little horn", if it indicates the US, plucked up Germany, Italy and Japan by the roots -- three of the ten great Colonial Powers that ruled the world until the end of World War II. Perhaps Herr Hitler, then, DID personify the first beast before him, described allegorically as the resurrected Roman Empire (Third Reich).

What I haven't figured out, though, is how the "image" created by this "False Prophet", if it is indeed an image on either TV, the Big Screen or the Internet, should be that of the "first beast", and how he thus compels people to "worship" it. Hitler is not glorified in any of these media. Neither are the Colonial Powers, for that matter, nor, it seems, the Roman Empire.

Before we can put our finger on who the "False Prophet" is, we need to be able to put our finger on what image he is compelling us to worship.


Still baffled...

¿WHOSE FAULT IS IT?

Our old friend, Turkish PM Erdogan, whom I affectionately know as Gog, is in the news again. The last we heard of him, he was blaming Israel for the collapse of the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt. That hasn't gotten him much mileage, and his country still has incredible problems. Eventually, as Ezekiel 38-39 tells us, he will try to solve everything by attacking Israel. Meanwhile, there are those nagging problems, so...

Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Erdogans Witch Hunt Endangers Economy


"Investors Nervous - Erdogan's Witch Hunt Endangers Economy
By Ozlem Gezer and Maximilian Popp Spiegel Online 08/20/2013 06:10 PM
Erdogan Endangering Economy With Financial Sector Witch-Hunt - SPIEGEL ONLINE

"Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has begun scouring the financial industry for scapegoats to blame for the political unrest in his country. Banks and industrialists are being controlled and intimidated, and foreign investors are being scared off..."

-- IMRA - Tuesday, August 20, 2013 Erdogans Witch Hunt Endangers Economy

Reported Syrian gas attack killing hundreds after first US-trained rebel incursion from Jordan
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report August 21, 2013, 12:41 PM (IDT)

"Syrian opposition activists report between 200 and 650 dead...

"debkafile reports exclusively that Assad is acting to counter the first organized incursion of US-trained Syrian rebels from Jordan into southern Syria..."

-- Reported Syrian gas attack killing hundreds after first US-trained rebel incursion from Jordan

Let's see what corroboration we can find...

UN stops short of demanding probe over Syrian chemical attack
By REUTERS
08/22/2013 01:09

"Argentina's UN ambassador says UN Security Council seeking clarity on on opposition claims Syrian troops used chemical weapons; UN diplomats say Russia, China opposed language that would have demanded investigation...

"Russia's Foreign Ministry called for a fair and professional investigation into reports that troops loyal to Assad were responsible for the suspected attack. But Moscow suggested that rebels could have staged the alleged assault to provoke international action..."

-- UN stops short of demanding probe over Syrian chemical attack | JPost | Israel News

UN to hold a meeting on Syria chemical weapons attack
August 21, 2013 ⋅ 7:27 p


"...the U.N. team’s leader, Ake Sellstrom, is in discussions with the Syrian government on all issues related to alleged chemical weapons use, including Wednesday’s incident..."

-- UN to hold a meeting on Syria chemical weapons attack | Ya Libnan | World News Live from Lebanon

As it stands, it appears that an attack has taken place, that there were large casualties, and that nobody knows for sure who did it.

Yesterday, 16:44
Chemical weapons use in Damascus: 'only a fool can believe it' - expert

"...These things have happened before. As soon as international experts come to Syria, a massive media attack is launched.The question is whether the Syrian government is as silly as to use chemical weapons the very moment UN chemical weapon experts arrive..."

-- Chemical weapons use in Damascus: 'only a fool can believe it' - expert - News - World - The Voice of Russia: News, Breaking news, Politics, Economics, Business, Russia, International current events, Expert opinion, podcasts, Video

Good point!

UN will probe Gaza war, but not Syria chemical attack?
Thursday, August 22, 2013 | Ryan Jones

-- http://www.christianforums.com/newreply.php?do=postreply&t=7719455

Good point!

PM: Iran watching carefully how world responds to Syrian chemical weapons atrocities
By HERB KEINON
08/22/2013 19:37

Iran is using Syria as a testing ground and carefully watching how the world responds to Damascus' use of chemical weapons against its own people, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Thursday.

This was Netanyahu's first public comment on reports of the massacre Wednesday of hundreds of Syrian civilians by Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces using chemical weapons...

Netanyahu characterized as "absurd" a situation where UN investigators, who are now in Damascus to investigate the possible previous use of chemical weapons, were prevented by the Syrian regime from going to the newly afflicted area.

International Relations Minister Yuval Stenitz went even further than Netanyahu in criticizing the UN efforts, saying that the UN investigation of Assad's use of chemical weapons was a "joke." "To now investigate claims of the use of chemical weapon a half a year and a year ago, and not investigate what happened last night, is ridiculous,.."

-- PM: Iran watching carefully how world responds to Syrian chemical weapons atrocities | JPost | Israel News

The United States will not intervene, no matter who killed how many people how horribly, because the US is broke. The EU, likewise, will not act unless the US does. Turkey, likewise, will DO nothing; but I am counting the hours until they get around to blaming Israel for the atrocity...

...so far, nobody is blaming Israel -- save British MP Geroge Galloway, who blames Israel every morning for causing the sun to rise and waking him up.

On behalf of the UN, I will say this: Right now, the place of the corpses is in a contested military area; and if I were a UN inspector, I would not want to endager my life by carrying on an inspection under fire. On the other hand, the ones doing most of the firing into the area are the Syrian government forces; so that if Assad consented to it, I don't think it would be too difficult to arrange a ceasefire. If they cannot do that much, when even the Russians are calling for a thorough investigation, the UN might as well close shop. As PM Netanyahu says, it is ridiculous to investigate year-old crime scenes, and not investigate an ongoing situation, half an hour's drive down the street.

The implications for Israel, of this international inaction, is that when it comes to ISRAEL's turn to defend itself against weapons of mass destruction (as, Iranian nuclear weapons) Israel must act unilaterally.


IRAN: Update on the Parchin Site
by David Albright and Robert Avagyan
August 22, 2013
Download PDF

Recent commercial satellite imagery of the Parchin site in Iran shows the extent of new paving as well as the extent of other alternations undertaken at the site over the past year and a half starting in February 2012. Iran appears to be in the final stages of modifying the suspected high explosive test site at the Parchin complex, having recently asphalted large sections of the site. As noted in several of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) quarterly Iran safeguards reports and in numerous ISIS satellite imagery reports on Parchin, asphalting and the other documented activities have significantly changed the site and impacted the ability of IAEA inspectors to collect environmental samples and other evidence that it could use to determine whether nuclear weapons-related activities once took place there. Asphalting an entire area in this manner would make it very hard to take soil samples and likely be effective at covering up environmental evidence of nuclear weaponization-related experiments. Iran in 2003 and 2004 conducted similar concealment activities at Lavisan-Shian, razing and rebuilding the entire site in an effort suspected to be aimed at concealing alleged, undeclared military nuclear efforts...

-- Institute for Science and International Security › ISIS Reports › Iran › Update on the Parchin Site

Pro-Iranian Jihad Islami aimed four rockets at Israel from S. Lebanon. Two caused damage
DEBKAfile Special Report August 22, 2013, 9:16 PM (IDT)

"The four rockets striking northern Israel from South Lebanon Thursday, Aug. 22, turned out to have been Grad 120mm rockets launched by the Jihad Islami from the Palestinian Burj Al-Shamali refugee camp near Tyre. This emerged after a stream of muddled and conflicting communiqués came from the IDF spokesman..."

-- Pro-Iranian Jihad Islami aimed four rockets at Israel from S. Lebanon. Two caused damage


News Update
Northern Israel airspace closed after rocket fire from Lebanon
DEBKAfile August 22, 2013, 5:39 PM (GMT+02:00)

-- http://www.debka.com/newsupdate/5429/

FIRST INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED PICTURES OF DAMASCUS ATROCITY

GAS ATTACK 22 AUG 2013

Graphic images have been sanitized for viewing. The video verifies that an atrocity occurs, consistent with the use of a chemical agent. Attempts by the international community to "verify" that a chemical attack has taken place are therefore a waste of time. The critical issue, namely, who CAUSED the deaths, will remain unanswered without a more in-depth investigation (for instance, interviews with Syrian gunners, spy satellite date, accurate and timely forensic reports, the "smoking gun" of a suspect shell -- or satchell charge?, expertly analyzed, etc.) are unlikely to be produced.

The Holocaust was not verified until years after it was perpetrated, and 6,000,000 died in it. Will this killing of perhaps 1,000 be dealt with quickly? I doubt it. This is one for the forensic historians, YEARS from now.

THE GAS ATTACK IN SYRIA: AN APPALLING LACK OF INTEREST BY CHRISTIANS

I am simply amazed, at how little interest those on CF are showing in the horrible incident unfolding in Damascus. Perhaps 1000 people have been killed in a chemical attack, and there is more interest among the saints in a parade of scantily-clad women in Washington, DC, a homosexual detective, and the like than in this horrible event. Time is of the essence, to get teams of experts on the ground and determine who caused the deaths and why; and only the Western intelligence services have the necessary people and equipment to get on site.

By default, Syria is the #1 suspect, seeing that they are continuing to shell the area as the wounded are being treated and evacuated, not only preventing UN inspectors from investigating but also destroying evidence.

The outcome of the investigation, whether shabby or professional, indicts President Obama and the US government for its failure to act after repeatedly saying that just such an incident as this would be the RED LINE that would cause them to intervene in this war. Such an intervention would be costly, at a time of when the US Government is having to think about cutting precious programs in order to balance the budget -- programs such as digging tunnels under highways, so turtles can get across the road.

Q: Why did the turtle cross the road?

A: Because the US President went back on his word, and abandoned the Middle East to our enemies, so we could spend the money making turtle tunnels.

NATO is ready to intervene in Syria, but they will not do so without American leadership and assistance. What the US is doing, in failing to act decisively at this truly pivotal moment, is putting the world on notice that we are indeed weak, and will not help them when the chips are down. Israel, especially, must heed this warning, and plan on taking out the Iranian nuclear threat on their own.

What I am saying is simply the reality of the international situation. I am not advocating either action or inaction; just saying what the consequenses will be. Ezekiel 38-39, indeed, seems to indicate that the US will NOT act, and that Turkey will take matters into its own hands in dealing with the Syrians. This will bring them into conflict with the Israelis, and lead to a war. In this passage in Ezekiel, the US and Western Europe (the "Merchants of Tarshish") will be bystanders, looking on with dropping jaws.

LATEST VIDEO EVIDENCE ABOUT THE DAMASCUS INCIDENT

Remember him?


President Clinton had the opportunity to prevent 9/11, but he took ineffective measures instead -- blowing up some sand dunes in Sudan, instead of aggressively pursuing Al Qaeda (who had already made an attempt on the World Trade Center in 1993).

President Obama takes credit for killing Osama bin Laden; but time will tell, whether he deals with Bashar Al Assad and his Iranian backers any more effectively than Clinton dealt with Osama.

WILL THE US INTERVENE?
There are ships in the area... lots of them, in fact

Sunday,August 25 2013, Your time is 1:20:33 PM
Israel, US and Greece launch joint naval exercise


"JERUSALEM - Agence France-Presse
Israeli, Greek and US warships began a joint two-week Mediterranean naval exercise codenamed "Noble Dina" on Thursday, the Israeli military said..."

-- INTERNATIONAL - Israel, US and Greece launch joint naval exercise

That looks like a nuclear supercarrier, two helicopter carriers and many missile destroyers/ frigates/ whatever you call them. Can't see all the submarines; but they tend to be shy. On land, meanwhile,

Senior military officials to meet in Jordan for Syria talks

"25 August 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, ANKARA
Senior military officials from Turkey, the US and other western countries are scheduled to meet in Jordan in the upcoming days to discuss the situation in Syria and possible ways to respond to allegations of chemical weapons use in a Damascus suburb on Wednesday...

"A Jordanian defense source said the defense chiefs of the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Canada and Italy were expected to attend, along with those of Turkey, which has already seen the conflict spill over its border, and Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which are both supporting Syrian anti-government rebels..."

-- Senior military officials to meet in Jordan for Syria talks - Today's Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news

Interesting.

Russian Net Southbound Navy Traffic Through The Bosporus 2013:

03/07/13 Ivan Bubnov tanker 22,460 tons loaded


03/07/13 120 Moskva helicopter carrier 17,500 tons loaded
Armament:
2× twin SA-N-3 'Goblet' SAM launchers
2 × twin 57 mm guns
1 × SUW-N-1 launcher for FRAS-1 anti submarine missiles
2 × RBU-6000 ASW rockets
10× 553 mm torpedo tubes (2 × 5)
Aircraft carried:
18× Kamov Ka-25 'Hormone' or Mi-8 helicopters

13/07/13 102 Kaliningrad landing ship tank 14,060 tons loaded
Armament:
Osa-M surface-to-air missile system(1 × 2 launchers, 20 missiles)
76 mm AK-726 multipurpose gun(1 × 2 with 1000 rounds)
30 mm AK-630 air defence gun(4 × 6-barreled mounts with 16,000 cartridges)
Grad-m 122 mm rocket launcher(1 with 320 rockets)
Aircraft carried:
4 × Kamov Ka-27 or Ka-29

11/08/13 127 Minsk landing ship tank 14,060 tons loaded
Armament:
Osa-M surface-to-air missile system(1 × 2 launchers, 20 missiles)
76 mm AK-726 multipurpose gun(1 × 2 with 1000 rounds)
30 mm AK-630 air defence gun(4 × 6-barreled mounts with 16,000 cartridges)
Grad-m 122 mm rocket launcher(1 with 320 rockets)
Aircraft carried:
4 × Kamov Ka-27 or Ka-29

19/08/13 055 BDK-98 landing ship tank 14,060 tons loaded
Armament:
Osa-M surface-to-air missile system(1 × 2 launchers, 20 missiles)
76 mm AK-726 multipurpose gun(1 × 2 with 1000 rounds)
30 mm AK-630 air defence gun(4 × 6-barreled mounts with 16,000 cartridges)
Grad-m 122 mm rocket launcher(1 with 320 rockets)
Aircraft carried:
4 × Kamov Ka-27 or Ka-29

19/08/13 077 Peresvet landing ship tank 4,080 tons loaded
Armament:
2* 2*57 mm AK-257 guns (Ropucha I)
1* 76 mm AK-176 (Ropucha II)
2* 30*122 mm rocket launcher A-215 Grad-M
Strela 2(SA-N-5) surface-to-air missile system(4 launchers)
2* 30 mm AK-630 six-barreled gatling guns (Ropucha II)

20/08/13 151 Azov landing ship tank 4,080 tons loaded
Armament:
2* 2*57 mm AK-257 guns (Ropucha I)
1* 76 mm AK-176 (Ropucha II)
2* 30*122 mm rocket launcher A-215 Grad-M
Strela 2(SA-N-5) surface-to-air missile system(4 launchers)
2* 30 mm AK-630 six-barreled gatling guns (Ropucha II)

03/07/13 MB-304 Sea tug 1,452 tons loaded

-- http://turkishnavy.net/

These ships are loaded for bear. I listed sounthbound ships (into the Aegean Sea) that did not subsequently return to the north (into the Black Sea)

Mudar Zahran: A Palestinian State in Jordan is ‘Inevitable’
Phillip Pasmanick | August 27, 2013


"Zahran, the Jordanian-Palestinian dissident, didn’t pull any punches Sunday afternoon, speaking at a conference entitled “Two States for Two People, on Two Sides of the Jordan River.”
By Ari Soffer

"Jordanian-Palestinian activist Mudar Zahran is not a man who minces his words. In fact, his outspokenness against the Jordanian regime has made him a persona-non-grata in his own country, forcing him to seek asylum in the UK...

"He posited that the establishment of a Palestinian state in what is today Jordan would essentially solve the Arab-Israeli conflict in a way that was both practical and “historically just” for both peoples, and further claimed that such an eventuality was “inevitable,” given what he saw as the increasing instability of the ruling Hashemite regime..."

-- Israel and Stuff » Mudar Zahran: A Palestinian State in Jordan is ‘Inevitable’Israel and Stuff

There's an Arab with common sense. The Europeans and Americans can go on with their "two state ssolution" all they want; but a vast majority of both Arabs and Jews in Israel know that Israel cannot be practically divided into two viable states. Palestine was already divided once, in 1922 -- with a Jewish homeland west of the Jordan River and an Arab homeland east of it.

« Breaking News »
French carrier despatched to Syrian coast
DEBKAfile August 27, 2013, 2:51 PM (GMT+02:00)

-- French carrier despatched to Syrian coast

NATO's attack/non-attack on Syria is becoming old news even before it happens, so let's get on with life...

Turkey's 'misunderstood prophet' is really just a loose cannon
Blaming Israel for Egyptian coup was in character for Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose reckless rhetoric doesn’t always go over well with his countrymen.
By Zvi Bar'el
| Aug. 27, 2013 | 2:46 PM |


"Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went a bit off the rails last week. Blaming Israel for concocting the military coup in Egypt overdid even his usual attacks. Erdogan was indeed immediately reprimanded by the U.S. administration, in response to which he characteristically attacked the Americans.

"During a meeting with members of his Justice and Development Party, he countered, “What business is it of theirs?” and promised he would speak to senior Washington officials about the reprimand..."

-- Turkey's 'misunderstood prophet' is really just a loose cannon - Middle East Israel News Broadcast | Haaretz

I've never heard him described as a "misunderstood prophet" before.

Hi, Dennis

Obama has his hands and feet tied by (1) an America & a Europe who overwhelmingly oppose sending troops to Syria, and (2) the US Budget hearings, which will reach crisis level by October.

Meanwhile, back in the Middle East,

TURKEY'S MAIN CONCERN IN SYRIA

Turkey supports Islamic-Jihadist groups against Kurds of Syrian Kurdistan: Analyst 27.8.2013

(General Hisham Jaber, a retired Lebanese army general, says)
"There is no doubt that Turkey is supporting the al-Nusra and al-Qaeda and all of the Jihadist groups against the Kurds because Turkey is really afraid that this region of the Kurds will later move into a mini-state and will be connected to the Kurdish state of Iraq and also it will present (pose) a major and real threat to the unity of Turkey.”

-- Turkey supports Islamic-Jihadist groups against Kurds of Syrian Kurdistan: Analyst

and,

Terrorist PKK's Bayık threatens government with war

27 August 2013 /TODAYSZAMAN.COM, İSTANBUL
The leader of the military wing of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Cemal Bayık, has said that the settlement process launched by the Turkish government to solve the decades-old Kurdish conflict is on the brink of collapse and that the PKK is set to launch a new war.

-- Terrorist PKK's Bayık threatens government with war - Today's Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news

(A PKK-connected party is the predominant group in Syrian Kurdistan).

As for that OTHER Syrian thing -- the gas, the Yanks, etc. Turkey wants to be kept informed, in case Syria plans to gas them. Otherwise, I don't think they're iuterested in anything other than crushing the Kurds there.