Toronto Shooting Distracts from Canada's "Legal Obligation" to Resettle White Helmets?

I'm going long. Been working on this post for a couple of hours this morning.
Commit to reading it all before commenting. That would be appreciated a great deal.

The Toronto Shooting sure takes the heat off of the Trudeau governments support for terrorists and terrorism. Oops I mean the "white helmets" 

Take notice that as the  Toronto shooting is getting global coverage it helps take the heat off of the Israeli/UK/US governments as well. 

Before really digging in I need to extend my sincerest sympathies to all those harmed by this shooting.

First covered this information on Friday:

Canada, US & Britain to Rescue Terrorist "White Helmets" At Golan

Yesterday, Sunday, one couldn’t help but notice the news regarding the White Helmet terrorists and their dramatic rescue was top of the news heap. There were dozens and dozens of reports.
When I’d covered the news on Friday there was a mere handful of news articles most of them NOT North American. But, by Sunday, the spin had gone into full speed. 

What was different in the reporting from Friday to Sunday?

There were 3 specific differences that I'd noticed in Sunday's reporting, as follows:

1st of all Friday, the reporting regarding the terrorist relocation  to Canada was more speculative, Sunday we had confirmation.

2ndly, Israel's involvement which was obvious on Friday anyway, was kept quiet. Sunday it too was confirmed. Israel's involvement shouldn't have been speculative because Israel's been involved with destabilizing Syria from day #1.

3rd: The general tone of the news coverage regarding this terrorist extraction was presented in a morally justified tone- These guys are heroes and deserve to be saved. Israel was just an awesome humanitarian state for assisting in this move.

Was chatting last evening with a family member, one who only gets tv program-ing, she informed me of the spin aspect- 'these were good guys' 

Yesterday the CBC (hattip YaYa) reported that our own Chrystia Freeland had made an impassioned plea to save the thugs

  “Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland made "an impassioned plea" to her colleagues, according to several sources.”

She should take them into her home. Or at the very least her riding. Every last one of those cut throat killers should be placed in her jurisdiction.

White Helmets are Controversial to Say the Least!

All that said it’s very widely known the White Helmets are controversial. And that’s an understatement. Millions and millions of people are aware, globally, that this group is little more then a pack of western backed terrorists providing an emotional narrative for the gullible masses.

Bringing them to Canada may have stirred up a whole bunch of controversy for the ‘lovable’ Trudeau government- Yah, I’m being facetious. The Trudeau government is not lovable- They are destructive, by design.

As if on cue a mass shooting occurs

Cue the mass shooting in Toronto- This incident knocked the White Helmets news right off the front pages (metaphorically speaking).  Giving Canadians no time to think about what our government was or had been actually participating in, while conniving to bring thugs and killers here to Canada.
 No time to question the myriad of issues with this entire operation- from what the heck is Canada doing aiding in the freeing of war criminals through to how deeply has Canada been involved with the terrorists all along?

Distracting the masses with tragedy allows for complete unaccountability. No questioning. 
No thinking about what the Trudeau government is up to?
So we’re going to talk a bit about the shooting- The shooter looks calm. Doesn't appear frantic or overly hurried. See video footage below:
 

He’s obscured his identity well. Dressed all in black- Hat partially obscuring his face
There are reports that he exchanged fire with Toronto Police but managed to escape, being found dead later in an alley, unclear if it’s suicide or due to the alleged exchange with police- I’ve got a bit of a problem with this narrative. Is the man fired on by police the same man as was found in the alley. I don’t know. Do you? 
cp24

According to the SIU, the gunman was located by officers on Bowden Street and an exchange of gunfire took place.

The suspect, the SIU said, fled the area and was later found dead on Danforth Avenue.

That means we have a break in the chain of evidence.

Bowden and Danforth are intersecting streets- But where on Bowden was this individual shot and where on Danforth was the alleged perpetrator found? - I don’t know. These details are lacking.
And this gap makes me wonder about the shooter. The real identity of the shooter.
Link to google maps detailing the vicinity. We can see that Bowden runs for 4 blocks off of the Danforth.

Before anyone leaves a comment something like this.. “oh you conspiracy theorists! Governments wouldn’t do anything like that? Use a shooter to terrorize their own population to keep them quiet or complacent”

To which I will respond- Oh really? And here’s our government importing terrorists into our ‘home and native land’ obfuscating the reality of the entire situation surrounding these individuals and I'm supposed to assume our government wouldn't engage in a strategy of tension type operation?

Not wanting to be a distractor from the issue of Canada’s legal obligation to resettling terrorists....Nor Israel's involvement in delivering them safely to Canada via Jordan

Hattip jo6pac: Israel Aids Evacuation From Syria of Hundreds of ‘White Helmets’ and Families

 NYT's “Israel has facilitated the evacuation of hundreds of rescue workers, known as the White Helmets, and their families “

CBC: "The Israeli military said Sunday it was responsible for rescuing members of the Syrian volunteer organization from the volatile frontier area and evacuated them to a third country — the first such Israeli intervention in Syria's lengthy civil war."”

This is not Israel’s “first such” intervention in the Syrian destabilization. Israel has been involved in this planned destabilization from the very moment in began. The locale from which this long planned balkanization originated, informs us all from whence it was encouraged. 
Daraa is located all snug and cozy to Israel! And the first “rebels” wanted Israel to come and save them. Israel was obviously going to be heavily involved in the extraction of these high value terrorists from Syria. Because..... Location, location, location.

The White Helmets are not a “volunteer organization”- that would suggest non payment for services. White Helmets are well paid for their services.

I'm going to include some indepth information on the White Helmets- Background information explaining whose "White Helmets" these really are. Keep reading. You won't miss it.


Canada’s Legally Binding Obligations to Terrorists

“A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Jordan, Mohammad al-Kayed, said that his country had authorized the United Nations to facilitate the entry of hundreds of Syrians to Jordan after Britain, Germany and Canada had made a “legally binding undertaking to resettle them within a specified period of time due to a risk to their lives.”

Canada made a legally binding undertaking to resettle them. So was that part of their employment as killers contracts? They do the dirty work and take the risk for good pay and a cushy retirement. 

White Helmets Bio- 
Good Read

How the White Helmets Became International Heroes While Pushing U.S. Military Intervention and Regime Change in Syria

Brief Video

Best taken together

Canada, US & Britain to Rescue Terrorist "White Helmets" At Golan

No word on if Israel is assisting with this operation- But, you can be sure they are! Pay particular attention to where these terrorists are going after their evacuation. Let's just say they'll be rewarded for their terrorism with a new home and a generous stipend 

With this news breaking on Friday it will get very little notice.  So spread it around!
TRT News  & Reuters UK &  Detroit News

 (Caption for image to the right)- Friday, August 29, 2014, an unspecified armed group of rebels gather at Syria’s Quneitra border crossing between Syrian- and Israeli-controlled parts of the Golan Heights. (photo credit: AP/Ariel Schalit, File)

US to attempt rescue of trapped Syrian White Helmets at Golan border

WASHINGTON — US officials say the United States is finalizing plans to evacuate several hundred Syrian civil defense workers and their families from southwest Syria as Russian-backed government forces close in on the area. 

Two officials familiar with the plans said Thursday that the US, Britain and Canada are spearheading the evacuation that would transport members of the White Helmets group to transit camps in neighboring countries. 

Syrian Military on Patrol- from Times of Israel

From there, they will be sent to third countries, including Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and possibly Canada, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter. 

It was not immediately clear if Israel had any role in the operation. The IDF maintains its side of the Quneitra crossing, and has used it to transfer supplies to refugees as well as to evacuate wounded Syrians for medical care.

The officials, and a member of the White Helmets who is due to be evacuated from Quneitra province, said the operation appears to be imminent as the Syrian army continues to gain ground in its latest offensive.

The White Helmets, who have enjoyed backing from the US and other Western nations for years, are likely to be targeted by Syrian forces as they retake control of the southwest, according to the officials.

Brief digression: 

 Recall from this post? Helsinki Dog & Pony Show: Putin/Trump Summit
Where it was stated, by yours truly, this was a probable deal worked out at the Putin/Trump summit

 "Small arrangements may be made. Deals worked out? Like giving a free pass for Usrael's terrorists aka 'white helmets' Reportedly discussed at the recent NATO meeting" West Scrambling to Find Options to Pull White Helmets Out of Syria – Reports

Back to Times of Israel

The officials said planning for the evacuation has been taking place for some time but accelerated after last week’s NATO summit in Brussels.

“These are hard hours and minutes,” the White Helmets volunteer in Quneitra said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear for his life. “This is the worst day of my life. I hope they rescue us before it is too late.”

The evacuation is expected to take place from Quneitra, which straddles the frontier with the Golan Heights and where the civil defense team is trapped. It is the last sliver of land still outside government control in the region.

Sadly, US, Canada and Britain will rescue their thugs and relocate them. 

July 19 airstrikes targeting USrael backed terrorists

Since the government offensive began in June, the area along the frontier with the Golan Heights has been the safest in the southwestern region, attracting hundreds of displaced people because is along the disengagement line with Israel demarcated in 1974 after the Yom Kippur War. The Syrian government is unlikely to fire there or carry out airstrikes.

On Tuesday, approximately 200 Syrians who were displaced by the recent onslaught approached the Israeli border, some of them waving white flags, in an apparent effort to get assistance from the Jewish state. Israel has refused to accept any refugees, including those seeking transfer to a third country.

Soldiers used bullhorns to tell them to back away from the fence.

I guess Israel was waiting for Canada, Britain and the US to come help with the evacuation?

"Syrian government supporters accuse the White Helmets, who only operate in opposition-held areas where government services are almost non-existent and aerial bombings are recurrent, of being politically affiliated with the rebel groups. Russia and the Syrian government have repeatedly accused them of staging chemical attacks in opposition areas, a charge that has never been proven.
They have continued to receive US support even as President Donald Trump presses ahead with his plans to withdraw all American forces from Syria as soon as Islamic State forces are routed"

In June, the State Department freed up a small portion — $6.6 million out of some $200 million — in frozen funding for Syria stabilization programs to keep the White Helmets operating through the end of this year.

In other parts of Syria, where government control has been restored, civil defense volunteers have almost always evacuated to other opposition-controlled areas. It is not clear why this time they will be evacuated out of the country.

This is disturbing news. Terrorism is rewarded by Canada, US & Britain. Sickening. Truly.

From yesterday: 

"Authoritarian Gold Bugs" Strike Again! Venezuela & Turkey Cooperate

 

"Authoritarian Gold Bugs" Strike Again! Venezuela & Turkey Cooperate

 Authoritarian Gold bugs is a reference to this previous post:

• Russia, Turkey and Other “Authoritarian Gold Bugs”

As reported for years at this blog. The US has been targeting Turkey. 
Turkish leadership knows this and has taken a number of measures to protect the country.

One such example of this move to self defense from potential US attacks is rather obvious in the purchase of the Russian S-400.

• If US Doesn't Plan on Attacking Turkey, It Shouldn't Fear S-400 Deal – Analyst

"This weapon will be used against Turkey in case of possible hostilities. So if the US does not plan to attack Turkey or support those who intend to attack it, they don't need to be afraid of the S-400 deal. If the American goal is to deprive Turkey of the defense system and attack it, then this is a completely different matter," Bozkurt concluded.

As has been previously explained:

- Turkey did not participate in the US sanctions scheme against Iran. 
- Which raised the ire of US officials resulting in the Halkbank kangaroo court case. 
- With the Magnitsky name being bandied about as an excuse to justify sanctions against Turkey.
If you're following the bouncing ball.... Magnitsky bounces to Bill Browder. 
Bill Browder was mentioned most recently at the Helsinki summit by Putin. 

• Trump/Putin Press Conference: NO Deal!

Putin spoke of Bill Browder - Browder being the impetus for the Magnistsky act and all those sanctions against Russia- Putin mentioned how much money he was able to extract from Russia inappropriately-

I've covered the issues regarding the Halkbank show trial. The fact that Turkey and Iran still traded despite the US edict to ostracize, wage economic warfare against, Iran. Even though Turkey did nothing illegal, as was all previously written about here at the blog.

Most recently:

• Turkey/Halkbank: The Biggest (Conjured Up) Sanctions-Evasion Scheme in Recent History

  "A legal loophole. Meaning none of the trading was actually circumventing the sanctions? In fact if we go back to 2013, an earlier Jonathan Schanzer article from the Atlantic, again

  “Remarkably, it was legal under the current sanctions regime”

• Turkey's State Bank Headed for Trouble? Sanctions trouble?

• Zarrab Trial & Magnitsky 2.0 Readied for Turkey

Brief detour: Aren't show trials just the greatest!  Undertaken to influence. To manage perception. Having nothing to do with justice

Presently we see and can read about this same circumvention of sanctions  playing out again in relation to US sanctions against Venezuela- And Turkey, again, ignoring US edicts, is processing Venezuelan gold at the request of Venezuela's government. These two nations are working together to assist one another from being stymied by empire America's war making.

US Sanctions Venezuela, yet again!

— The Trump administration placed new sanctions on Venezuela on Monday, seeking to block President Nicolás Maduro from selling off government debt to enrich himself the day after he claimed victory in what the United States government called a “sham” election in his crisis-ridden country.

The sanctions imposed Monday, the third round that Mr. Trump’s administration has placed on Venezuela, are intended to stop Mr. Maduro and his government from using a strategy they have pursued to raise cash.

  Being fully aware that sanctions are simply another form of warfare- we have to realize that the US is waging war against Venezuela. As usual. No different then the sanctions against Russia or Iran or Syria or whatever other nation the US has in it's sights.
 Venezuela is a resource rich nation. And it's resources are it's own. Which is why the US has had such a huge problem with this nation state. 

Below is an interview with President Maduro via Daily Sabah

In an interview, Maduro answered Daily Sabah's questions regarding the July 15 coup attempt and talked of mutually beneficial relations between Turkey and Venezuela.

DAILY SABAH: First of all, welcome to Turkey, we are extremely happy to have you here. Can you share with us how you feel about being here today?

PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO: Hola. We're building very close relations with Turkey, we admire your history and your culture. Together we've been able to devise a map of a cooperation that will be mutually beneficial. Venezuela wants peace, development and mutual benefit.

DS: July 15, the anniversary of the failed coup attempt is here, so what do you feel? We know that you are very outspoken about this issue. What do you think about what happened in Turkey two years ago?

NM: President Erdogan has been the victim of a coup d'état, which was very similar to coup d'états we've gone through in Latin America. In the same manner that we have denounced and we have defeated coup attempts in Latin America. The first day after the attempt, we expressed our total solidarity with President Erdogan. There should never ever be a new attempt to trouble the life of the people because we believe that the people say the last word in democratic societies. So we need to reiterate that we need to have a free, independent and peaceful path for the people for them to be able to progress.

DS: How about Turkey-Venezuela bilateral relations? Which particular areas need to be improved between the two countries in the near future?

NM: We may progress in the production economy in oil and various fields. We are open to development. We have already started in the commercial field, because Turkey is a first rate supplier of raw materials that Venezuela needs. The other fields are refining and processing gold. Venezuela has certified reserves. Currently Venezuela has certified what could become the first largest gold reserve in the world.

Venezuela has gold and oil. Lots of gold and oil Turkey has the tools to refine and process gold.

Likewise, the same goes for the supply of oil and anything related to energy as well as in air transportation and tourism. We are already working in many other areas that are moving forward and they are doing great. Turkey also can benefit from petro cryptocurrency launched by Venezuela. Petro cryptocurrency can be used in foreign trade and investments. This will benefit Turkey and improve our economic ties.

DS: Beyond political and economic ties, you are really engaged with Turkish culture. Where does your special interest in Turkish culture and, in fact, popular culture, comes from?

I am very much aware of the history of Turkey. It is a wonderful history. Today, President Erdogan somehow summarized the history of Turkey during the inauguration ceremony. Each person should be very proud of Turkish history. There should be a very wide dialogue of civilizations and different cultures that we can meet with each other in diversity.

DS: Turkish people, especially on social media, follow you very closely. You share many things about popular Turkish culture, especially about the well-acclaimed historical TV series, "Resurrection: Ertugrul."

Ertugrul! My wife and I, we love this historic series regarding Turkey. We never miss an episode of Ertugrul. Never.

DS: Why do you prefer to watch Dirilis instead of watching let's say "Vikings?" I mean why do you prefer to Turkish historical figures and heroes over others?

You're right I do prefer them over others. Because in that series, there are many values that are conveyed. Also, the series has a spectacular quality of production and the actors and actresses are perfect in their roles.

DS: Gracias, thank you so much. Thanks for your time.

Turkey and Venezuela have positive relations and are willing to work together, peacefully.
Turkey is processing Venezuelan gold because Switzerland would comply with US edicts.
So much for the concept of the neutral nation of Switzerland?! 

Venezuela says it is refining gold in Turkey following sanctions

  Venezuela’s central bank this year began refining gold in Turkey following a wave of international sanctions that have left it unwilling to carry out such operations in Switzerland, the country’s mining minister said on Wednesday.

The central bank for several years has been buying gold from small miners in the south of the country and refining it to be used as monetary gold to shore up its international reserves that have tumbled as the country’s socialist economy implodes.

“This is an agreement established with Turkey and the Venezuelan central bank,” said Victor Cano in a press conference. “It’s being done by allied countries because imagine (what would happen) if we sent gold to Switzerland and we are told that it has to stay there because of sanctions.”

Imagine what would happen to Venezuela's gold if the Swiss got their hands on it. Surely it would go the way of Libya's gold/wealth. All stolen. 

You do all recall that Libya's wealth was held for 'safe keeping' by loving humanitarian bankers who wanted only to help the Libyan people? NOT!

RT : Some €10 billion of Libyan government funds, frozen as part of sanctions against the late Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle, has mysteriously disappeared from a Belgian bank somewhere between 2013 and 2017, according to local media. 

James Rickards, senior managing director at Tangent Capital Rickards Says Libya's Gold Bullion May Never Be Found

I'm thinking Venezuela is trying to avoid having their assets go missing. Libya was unable to avoid this fate.

Oh and btw: I don't believe that NATO  is unaware of where all that Libyan gold has gone to.
It's was surely spirited away.

Interesting too is that Turkey has repatriated it's gold from the US.
Lest their assets go missing as well?
I'd say so. 

Ankara has decided to bring back all its gold stored in the US Federal Reserve, according to Turkish media. In recent years, Turkey repatriated 220 tons of gold from abroad, and 28.7 tons was brought back from the US last year.

Turkey’s gold reserves are estimated at 564 tons and are worth about $20 billion, Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak reported. This makes Ankara the 11th largest gold holder, behind the Netherlands and ahead of India. The reports come at a time when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a tough stance against the US currency.


 Gold Bug Authoritarians hailing from Venezuela, Turkey, Russia. All three caught in US cross hairs. All wishing to avoid the fate of Libya. Banker plunder coming on the heels of a NATO military intervention

Israel’s Implausible, Dark Night & Torches, Heist of Iranian Nuclear Secrets

National Post

“Last year, the spies began planning a heist that one senior Israeli intelligence official said bore a strong resemblance to George Clooney’s adventures in “Oceans 11.”

 This absurd tale is the reason, so we’re told, that Trump was convinced to pull out of the JCPOA/P5+1.
 It’s so Hollywood. The whole narrative. Complete with the above reference to George Clooney’s Oceans 11. But not the new all girl one cause that one is supposed to be a stinker. 

 After reading just two paragraphs, just the two opening paragraphs, recalling this so called dramatic heist. I was completely skeptical.

The first two paragraphs via the National Post

“TEL AVIV, Israel — The Mossad agents moving in on a warehouse in a drab commercial district of Tehran, Iran, knew exactly how much time they had to disable the alarms, break through two doors, cut through dozens of giant safes and get out of the city with a half-ton of secret materials: six hours and 29 minutes.

The morning shift of Iranian guards would arrive around 7 a.m., a year of Israeli surveillance of the warehouse had revealed, and the agents were under orders to leave before 5 a.m. to have enough time to escape. Once the Iranian custodians arrived, it would be instantly clear that someone had stolen much of the country’s clandestine nuclear archive, documenting years of work on atomic weapons, warhead designs and production plans”

Netanyahu's big diagram for his big expose

“The morning shift of Iranian guards would arrive around 7 a.m.”

I really had trouble believing that there would only be a morning/day shift of guards on the job guarding such precious and secret materials.  Yet, that’s what we’re supposed to believe

“ Once the Iranian custodians arrived it would be instantly clear that someone had stolen .....”

So no Iranian guards at work guarding the country’s alleged super duper clandestine nuclear archives over night? When any would be spies would have the benefit of the dark and a lack of people out and about necessitating the presence of guards, much more then through the day time!

No sooner had I finished read the excerpts above when it seemed most probable the rest of the story is bogus.
It feels like a rehash of something I’ve heard or read previously? Possibly more then one time?

"Netanyahu says his government has obtained “half a ton” of secret Iranian documents proving the Tehran government once had a nuclear weapons program."
 

As if the absurd idea of Iranian guards not working a night shift to protect these alleged state secrets isn’t enough- there’s still more silliness to confront. 
Consider the fact that this type of operations runs counter to usual Mossad ops

“In most Mossad operations, spies aim to penetrate a facility and photograph or copy material without traces.”

Instead we’re supposed to believe that the superspooks fled with half a ton of old documents!

“There is no way to independently confirm the authenticity of the documents, most of which were at least 15 years old”

 “The Israelis hand-picked the documents shown to the reporters, meaning that exculpatory material could have been left out”

The Israeli’s hand picked, for the media show, documents that have no provenance.

“For all the cinematics of the raid, the immediate aftermath was absent much drama. There was no chase, said Israeli officials, who would not disclose whether the documents left by land, air or sea —“

At this point in the presented narrative, I’m thinking no one gave chase because these agents were never in Iran for this raid.

“At exactly 7 a.m., as the Mossad expected, a guard arrived and discovered that the doors and safes were broken.”

At exactly 7:00 am as the Mossad had expected a guard arrived ? How is this known?
Was someone left behind to keep watch? That’s not indicated in the recount. The report reads as if everyone left with their 1000 lb load of papers.
Finally:

“The Iranians have maintained that the entire trove is fraudulent — another elaborate scheme by the Israelis to get sanctions reimposed on the country.”

I would tend to agree with the claim that the entire trove of unverifiable documents is fraudulent. And this cinematic drama is a really bad story. Thumbs down!

Trump/Putin Press Conference: NO Deal!

Yup, I watched and took notes.
Trump was, surprisingly, diplomatic. Well spoken. Not verbose or brash.
Putin, via a translator, was his usual self. Which means he spoke much as he does, every time I’ve watched/listened to him speak previously-
Putin and Trump were both pragmatic.

Putin spoke of first steps. Fine tuning dialogue.
Apparently the START treaty was discussed. IMF. No weapons in space.
Putin favoured continued cooperation between Russia and US.
Treaty of ‘74 was mentioned wrt Golan 
Which suggests Putin is ok with Syria and Israel maintaining the status quo regarding Golan.
Resolution 338 was also mentioned by Putin 
Putin mentioned North Korea, as well as broaching the p5+1 or JCPOA. He stated Iran became the most controlled nation on the planet. Putin talked trajectory of growth- restoration of cooperation etc

Trump talked about Israel a bit too much.
His first concern when Syria was brought up was for Israel. 
Then for civilians.
His priorities are very clear!
Trump will continue pressuring Iran- No Iranian involvement in Syria
As for Ukraine? - Putin stated Trump made very clear his stance on Crimea. Which was Russia’s annexation illegal. 
Russia doesn’t see it that way. Elections. Referendum and mostly everyone is Russia there anyway.
Trump brought up pipelines transiting Ukraine- Putin said they could work that out that so long as the US genuinely works on the agreement made at Minsk. (Dispute to be settled through Minsk)

I’ve got about 8 small note pages of notes, so above is a brief synopsis of the press conference


Of special interest:  Putin spoke of Bill Browder - Browder being the impetus for the Magnistsky act and all those sanctions against Russia- Putin mentioned how much money he was able to extract from Russia inappropriately- Trump said nothing. 

There was NO agreement regarding Iran or the JCPOA. There was clearly no agreement regarding the Iran issue as it relates to Syria either. There was NO agreement with regard to Crimea. In other words there was NO Grand Deals made! Not that I expected anything like that to actually occur.

Conclusion? Russia and the US remain far apart on a number of very important issues.

HELSINKI, July 16. /TASS/. A meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump has been going on for two hours. The two leaders are meeting tete-a-tete behind closed doors, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene.

The Russian and US leaders began the talks with exchanging brief greetings. The Russian president said he would like to discuss relations between Russia and the US and global issues with the US counterpart. For his part, the US president noted the two countries have "a great opportunity together." "I think we will end up with an extraordinary relationship," he noted.

The one-on-one meeting is expected to continue with the participation of delegation members, and the two leaders will tell reporters about its results at a news conference.

Related Posts

• Brazen Israeli Airstrikes North of Nairab Airport Aleppo, Syria. Warning Turkey?

• Helsinki Dog & Pony Show: Putin/Trump Summit

where it was suggested:

There will be no grand deal on Syria, Ukraine or Crimea. 
To my way of thinking all those claims presented by the always managing your perception media have been little more then unadulterated, Grade A, stinking piles of distractionary dung! 

UPDATE July 17/2018:

Transcript of the Putin/Trump press conference including Q & A afterwards
via NPR

Brazen Israeli Airstrikes North of Nairab Airport Aleppo, Syria. Warning Turkey?

 Quite the northern locale strike into Syrian territory for Israel- But what else can be expected of Israel? Other then brazen war making activity?
And surely the US was completely aware and on board with this attack, right before the Helsinki summit. I've no doubt of that!

• Helsinki Dog & Pony Show: Putin/Trump Summit

sputnik

Israel has conducted a rocket strike on Syrian military positions north of Nairab airport in Aleppo, local media reported Sunday night.
The strike by Israeli armed forces on Syrian military position caused material damage, Reuters reported, citing Syrian state media.
Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) quotes a military source as saying that Israel had struck Syrian military positions north of the airport in Aleppo. Several reports on social media say that several aircraft took part in the strike, which according to those reports lasted up to 10 minutes.

daily mail

Syrian state media accused Israel of bombing a military position in Aleppo province late Sunday in what would be a rare Israeli attack so far north in the war-ravaged country.
Citing a military source, state news agency SANA said the missile attack hit near a strategic air base.
"The Zionist enemy (Israel)... targeted with its missiles one of our military positions north of the Neirab military airport, but the damage was only material," SANA said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said it had recorded a wave of blasts around Neirab on Sunday night.
"They were caused by a missile attack, suspected to have been carried out by Israel, targeting positions held by Syria's regime and its allies at the Neirab airport and around it," the Britain-based monitor said.

rt

Syrian military positions near Aleppo airport have come under a missile strike, state media reports, blaming Israel for the attack.

The strike targeted “one of our military positions north of the airport in Aleppo,” a military source told the Syrian Arab News Agency, stressing that the damage from the aggression was “limited to material.”
The source denounced the raid as a “desperate attempt to support the defeated terrorist groups” in Daraa and Quneitra, where the Syrian army is actively working to defeat them. Furthermore, the publication accused the IDF of being “directly involved” in raising the morale of militants from al Nusra and other terrorist groups.

So. I'm making a pot of sage/ lemon balm tea and I'm thinking why so far north in Syria?
And then it hit me! Today is the two year anniversary of the USrael backed coup on Turkey.
Which has me wondering if there is a message to Syria and Turkey, both, with these airstrikes. 

Israel warns Turkey: Stop impeding Israel 2.0 aka Rojova/Kurdistan 

UPDATE July 16/2017:

I checked the location of the Israeli airstrikes- Just north of Nairab Airport in Aleppo- not to far from Aleppo's commercial airport- Wanting to know how close the strikes were to Turkish occupied Syrian territory? Using google maps, the distance to travel from the Nairab airport to Jarabulus is about 50 minutes via car- 

Jarabulus is located on the western banks of the Euphrates- occupied by Turkish forces- Impeding the expansion of Israel 2.0, aka Kurdistan ,in it's desired plan to get to the Mediterranean.

Jarabulus (Arabic: جرابلس‎ / ALA-LC: Jarābulus; Turkish: Cerablus, Aleppo dialect: Jrāblos), is a Syrian city administratively belonging to Aleppo Governorate. Jarabulus, also known as Jerablus, lies on the western bank of the river Euphrates

Turkey marks 2nd anniversary of thwarting violent coup- Today July 15/18

With prayers and other events, Turkey on Sunday commemorated the second anniversary of thwarting a coup against the Turkish president and the government that left nearly 290 people dead and hundreds wounded.

Israel is big on anniversary dates. 

Israel wants Israel 2.0 because it's greater Israel, by another name. 

The US is happy to help.

Turkey's holding up the plan.

The date and location of the strike seems designed to message Turkey, Syria, Russia and Iran

Helsinki Dog & Pony Show: Putin/Trump Summit

My thoughts?

 Like any/every other dog and pony show this alleged summit is going to be all show and no substance at all!

The NGO's will steal the day.  They've got protests all ready to go. They'll get the majority of the news coverage. They'll blather on about human rights etc., All of it meaningless of course, but, it's what NGO's exist to do! 

Trump and Putin will be derided. For perception management purposes.

 The idea of Trump 'bull in the china' demeanor is pushed so when the desired war worsens or expands, everyone will go- oh that Trump he's so irrational- He's so erratic. 
That meme is reinforced constantly. That's not an apology for the man because he does thrive on that concept. However, that is the idea behind the promotion of Trump as a one man wrecking crew.

Contrary to the 'wrecking ball' rhetoric at the most recent NATO summit, reality was, Trump did as every American leader has in the past- He used NATO, as the tool it was designed specifically for,  keeping Germany down and Russia out!

• Germany is "totally controlled by Russia" Trump Says Regarding Northstream

While 'encouraging' the EU to toe the line. The is a classic NATO, led by the US, stance.

Flashback to West Unhinged Over Turkish Referendum

- Keep in mind that NATO was created, as stated by the very first secretary General of NATO General Ismay, "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down"

From my reading today and yesterday Putin will be in attendance in Helsinki, as will Sergey Lavrov, in hopes of some sort of meeting of the minds. There will be NO meeting of the minds.  Not in a big picture sort of way. There can't be.  Because the US has all sorts of designs on Russia. They've long had a plan to destroy Russia and believe they are closer to this goal. 
If one has this mindset, which the US political class does, nothing can or will be accomplished.

There will be no grand deal on Syria, Ukraine or Crimea.  

To my way of thinking all those claims presented by the always managing your perception media have been little more then unadulterated, Grade A, stinking piles of distractionary dung!  

 If any type of  grand deal is made. Which is highly doubtful.
 It will be reneged on in short order 
As mentioned in- RAND: Time To Make A Deal on Syria? Like Pompeo's Offer To Iran? 

Small arrangements may be made. Deals worked out? Like giving a free pass for Usrael's terrorists aka 'white helmets' Reportedly discussed at the recent NATO meeting.
West Scrambling to Find Options to Pull White Helmets Out of Syria – Reports

Several NATO countries have discussed the possibility of evacuating the White Helmets from Syria, specifically from Daraa province, with US President Donald Trump, CBS News reported, citing an anonymous US official. According to the media outlet, western countries are afraid that Damascus could "assassinate" the NGO's members as it advances through Daraa province.

"They are promising no retribution on anyone in the southwest but nobody trusts or believes that," the source told CBS.

Hope to be wrong. Hope that the US and Russia make some real moves towards peacefully resolving a number of on going struggles
But no breath holding for me!

hattip to YaYa for directing me to this interview with Sergey Lavrov. 
He is always excellent. Thoughtful and informed.
RT

 

Germany is "totally controlled by Russia" Trump Says Regarding Northstream

CNBC

Ahead of a NATO meeting, the president blasted the German government on Wednesday for backing the new natural gas pipeline link from Russia to Germany.

Cause you German folk are supposed to freeze in the dark! I'm being sarcastic 

In launching the fresh attack against Germany, Trump waded into a long-running debate about energy security that has split the European Union

Germany is 'totally controlled' by Russia, Trump says from CNBC.

Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline project slated to transport natural gas from eastern Russia to northern Germany, where it would link up with infrastructure that carries fuel to Western Europe. It would run 1,200 kilometers, mostly under the Baltic Sea along the existing Nord Stream pipeline: hence the name Nord Stream 2.

Russian gas giant Gazprom is building Nord Stream 2. Five European companies, including Royal Dutch Shell and Wintershall, are shouldering half the cost of financing the project.

Why is Nord Stream 2 controversial?

Some European countries oppose Nord Stream 2, arguing that it increases Europe’s dependence on Russia and poses threats to their national security. The opposition comes primarily from the Baltic states and former Soviet satellite nations, including Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Nord Stream is controversial because the US makes it that way!
There is not one person saying "I don't want heat for my home"

Where does the United States stand?

President Barack Obama opposed Nord Stream 2 and President George W. Bush came out against the original Nord Stream prior to its completion in 2011

That policy has carried over into the Trump administration. 

Hence the controversy

Greece Expels Russian Diplomats at the Behest of Washington

sputnik

The expulsion of two Russian diplomats from Greece is unfounded and could seriously damage bilateral relations, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"Washington… is behind the anti-Russian decision of the government of Greece," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the Greek side had provided no justification for the expulsion of the Russian diplomats from Greece, emphasizing that Moscow considers the incident absolutely groundless.

"We consider this action to be absolutely unreasonable, not confirmed by facts from the Greek side, which runs counter to the nature of our bilateral relations and is capable of inflicting serious damage," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in July, the newspaper Kathimerini reported that Greece had opted to expel two Russian diplomats and ban two more from entering the country over illegal actions against the country’s national security.

Greece such a good NATO toady

Trump U.S. Ties to NATO ‘Very Strong’- Condemns Russia

Choosing to intentionally ignore all the white noise (meaningless or distracting commotion, hubbub, or chatter) about the NATO summit and opting instead to cut to the chase ( focus on what is important)  immediately below...

Trump claims victory on NATO Military Spending  & Trump signs a NATO declaration at odds with his own statements- Strongly condemning Russia

Trump at NATO Summit

Despite his attacks on allied countries and his insistence that they should pay much more, Mr. Trump joined 28 other national leaders on Wednesday in signing a NATO declaration that reaffirmed existing commitments, including the 2 percent military spending target.

The 23-page, 79-point NATO declaration, which reflects months of negotiation, censured Russia’s actions in Ukraine in the bluntest terms: “We strongly condemn Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of Crimea, which we do not and will not recognize.”
Just over a week ago, the president told reporters on Air Force One that he was considering supporting Russia’s claim to Crimea, which it seized in 2014.

The allies agreed to a NATO Readiness Initiative, which would allow the group to assemble a fighting force of 30 land battalions, 30 aircraft squadrons and 30 warships within 30 days. The initiative reflects a “30-30-30-30” plan pushed by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and meant to deter Russian aggression in Europe.

Signing onto a declaration that contrasted sharply with some of his own statements, Mr. Trump left allies and analysts alike a bit off balance.

“I think he feels it’s playing well with his base, fueling this sense of grievance against allies and trading partners, which is how he got elected,” Alexander Vershbow, a former NATO deputy secretary general, said of Mr. Trump in an interview.

Yes, Trump is certainly playing to his base. Fueling their sense of grievance.

Defensenews-Trump departs NATO summit: ‘We are very happy’

WE? Military Industrial Complex?

“The United States commitment to NATO is very strong,” Trump told reporters, checking off one of the key boxes that the allied delegations came here for. On spending, he said, “We are doing numbers like they've never done before.”

After exiting the summit, Trump is set to travel to Scotland today, where he said he would spend time on his golf course while awaiting meetings with U.K. leaders. After that, he is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.

Looking at all the photos taken at the NATO summit..
There was one national leader, in my opinion, who did look out of place. Who did appear uncomfortable. And ignored. Who appeared an outsider though not one media outlet mentioned it.  It wasn’t Trump. Take a good look at the photo.

From yesterday:

RAND: Time To Make A Deal on Syria? Like Pompeo's Offer To Iran?

 Related:

Pepe Escobar: Eagle Meets Bear Summit- No Takfiri Left Behind

 

RAND: Time To Make A Deal on Syria? Like Pompeo's Offer To Iran?

RAND :  Military Industrial Complex Linked- Time to make a deal on Syria?

Trump Putin Summit Pending

 “Although U.S. leverage is much diminished by the Assad regime's recent gains, there are still opportunities for Washington and Russia to achieve a settlement that preserves some U.S. interests”

I was thinking just that with regard to the southern front- The US had just lost some leverage in any negotiations- But was it worth giving up on the southern front to gain in the north east?

“The Kremlin does not want to continue its air campaign in Syria indefinitely in support of an outcome that mainly serves the interests of Assad and Iran. Russia could therefore be expected to support a political settlement that meets its bottom line: no regime change in Damascus and no permanent U.S. military presence in Syria.”

Assuming that was Russia’s bottom line? Pay attention to the mention of  what constitutes “no permanent” US military presence.  I’ll highlight it.

 “Many in Moscow (??) would prefer this outcome to helping the Syrian military and the Iranians brutally recapture all rebel-held areas. Indeed, if Russia enabled Assad to reconquer the entire country, Moscow would actually lose some leverage with the Assad regime by making its continued support less critical”

 Very doubtful that Russia would lose leverage in Syria if Assad took all of the territory back- for the plainly obvious reason that Russia had leverage or favourable relations when Syria held all her territory! Prior to the destabilization.

“For the Trump administration, such a settlement would hardly be a major concession. And such a deal could also deliver on Washington's bottom line — preventing the re-emergence of the Islamic State and denying Iran a free hand to expand its influence in the Middle East”

 
Of course it's not a major concession. Since Syria and Russia were the biggest threat to ISIS and the US their biggest supporters, alongside Israel, if the US actually, truly, really leaves ISIS wouldn’t be an issue.  If the goal was to establish and maintain an autonomous armed territory within Syria where's there any concession?Answer- there won't be because, of course, the US  offer of withdrawal would be ‘conditional’

“But if it wants to succeed, the administration should condition any future withdrawal from eastern Syria on Russian commitments to constrain Iranian influence in Syria”

Which, it can be assumed with confidence, Russia could never make adequate commitments to constrain Iran- in the eyes of Usrael. Doomed to fail. Like the P5+1

“Despite these challenges, there is every reason to test the proposition that Russia would be open to a deal that ends the bloodshed, preserves some autonomy for eastern Syria, prevents the country from falling fully under Iranian control, and allows for continued counterterrorism efforts against the Islamic State. If Trump can convince Putin to commit to such an arrangement at their summit, it would be a major accomplishment.”

Yes, it would be quite a major accomplishment- It would guarantee the US and Israel everything they've striven for!
Preserving some autonomy for eastern Syria- where the US has ‘some’ bases. 
Actually anywhere from 12-15 bases. With a minimum of 2,000 coalition forces ensconced within.  
Allowing the US to continue counter terrorism efforts? This is a compromise?  
This constitutes no permanent military occupation? This is the status quo! 
How is this deal making? Which would require actual concessions. 
This sounds like a replay of Iraq- And that didn’t work out so well for Iraq.
If this is the best the US has to offer, it’s not a good deal for Syria or Russia. Or Turkey. Nor Iran.

 Related to:

Pepe Escobar: Eagle Meets Bear Summit- No Takfiri Left Behind

 Also:

Former US ambassador to Syria Robert Ford wrote at the Middle East Institute this week that in Washington, policymakers in the administration plan to retain the Tanf base.

For now, the American- supported coalition isn’t budging. The office of the Combined Joint Task Force, Operation Inherent Resolve responded to a Jerusalem Post inquiry Monday. Although it won’t discuss current operations or divulge troop strength, “What we can tell you is that there has been no recent movement of any significant number of Coalition troops or partner forces into or out of at-Tanf garrison.

I'm really beginning to think that the Trump/Putin summit is going to look a lot like the deal Pompeo offered to Iran. Untenable. Hope to be wrong. But, it's just not looking good.
Link

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Iran on Monday that the US would “crush its proxies”, reimpose sanctions with “full effect” and reject any new nuclear deal if Tehran does not end its regional interference and halt its ballistic missile programme.
Unveiling the Trump administration’s new strategy towards Iran after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal on May 8, Mr Pompeo listed 12 conditions to reach a new agreement. While four of those demands relate to Iran's nuclear threat, such as providing the UN's nuclear agency with "unqualified access", stopping uranium enrichment and ending the proliferation of ballistic missiles, eight of them are tied to Tehran’s regional behaviour and support for US-designated terror groups.

Of course. ISIS Launches New Offensive on SAA Position in Deir Ezzor (North eastern Syria)
Talk about timing...

Montreal’s Sensationally Speculative Heat Wave Death Stats

Yah, last week was hot. That said it’s July so heat is what should be expected.
Years ago it used to be hotter for longer periods of times. Hubby and I have had a veggie garden for 26 years now. We used to plant cool weather veggies earlier (April)- but for the past several years it’s been to cool to do that- Soil to cold and wet. For that matter it’s been too cool to plant tomatoes, eggplant and peppers until the first or second week end of June as opposed to the third week of May.

Toronto

Montreal, Quebec vs Toronto, Ontario

 Living here in Ontario, one couldn’t help but notice that everyday we we’re getting the horrific stats out of Montreal, Quebec regarding all these deaths due to the 6 day heatwave.
 Yet, I don’t think Toronto, Ontario recorded even one death.  My sister and I were chattin’ this week end and she too noticed this strange anomaly regarding the two cities. Two large cities.
The two biggest in Canada- With Montreal having the smaller population of the two (roughly 1 million less people) Considering the million plus extra people in Toronto, statistically speaking the heat should have hit Toronto harder.

Large Cities = Factory Farms for Humans

Both cities have a huge problem with the urban heat island affect- A real world affect of the big concrete human farms that large cities actually are. “ Urban Heat island “ is the result of way too many people living in too small an area- Exacerbated by the concrete/asphalt infrastructure necessary to house all the people in areas that cannot actually sustain these massive populations- It  should not be lost on the readers that the urban heat affect skews the global temperature readings. It helps to sell the AGW theory.

Personally I liken the large cities as being an equivalent to the factory farm. Same issues. Too many inhabitants in too small a place. Convenient for the corporation. Maximizing profits while minimizing expenses. All the while exerting excessive pressures on the surrounding areas at no or little cost to the factory farm or extremely large city.

There will be additional information of the Urban Heat Island problem at the end of this post

Montreal

Montreal Speculates for Political Purposes- “Climate Change”

The main push was on the excess carbon theory AGW which has been rebranded to the totally inane meme ‘climate change’
Let’s rebut the climate change claim right off the bat- G & M

A University of Waterloo climate scientist says the scorching heat wave that set records in Ontario and Quebec over the Canada Day long weekend can’t be directly attributed to climate change.

Can’t be directly attributed to climate change. No records were broken where I live!

Focus Should be on Poverty & Inadequate Housing & Health Care

For  Canadians born here in particular. Since most of the victims were older males. Schizophrenics.  Possibly Alchoholics. Likely drug users. Probably white? Who could have died for any number of reasons. Possibly exacerbated by the heat? But, maybe not.

 They were overwhelmingly men aged 53 to 85 who lived alone and had health issues such as schizophrenia or heart disease.

Their housing conditions increased their vulnerability. Most lived on the upper floors of multistorey buildings, where heat rose and became trapped.

Interesting that there are no stats on recent refugee’s being affected by the heatwave. But then even those in camps at the borders are housed in airconditioned/heated/ventilated three season tents.


Montreal, Quebec Speculates

G & M

In Quebec, as soon as meteorologists predicted a searing heat wave early in the week, public-health authorities directed front-line workers to pass along reports of deaths they considered heat-related. The measure was intended to help officials target their prevention efforts as the heat wave progressed.

Considered heat related. Not confirmed, but, considered. When I read this statement I thought about the flu pandemic number fudging- When everything was reported as the swine flu, you can create a pandemic, though one didn't exist. I covered that extensively at PFYT's at that time. Manipulating the numbers to push an agenda.

For example, firefighters in Montreal were dispatched to knock on thousands of doors to check on residents of zones considered at risk.

“It let us activate our prevention measures more rapidly,” Dr. Arruda said. The figures were made public “from a principle of transparency.”

Toronto, Ontario does not

Ontario is not releasing data on deaths during the heat wave. Officials say they do not conclude a cause of death until autopsies are performed, a process that could take at least three months.

“I can’t confirm any deaths due to the heat wave,” said Cheryl Mahyr, spokesperson for Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner. “Otherwise you’re asking our office to speculate, and we don’t deal in speculation.”

 What is the urban heat island?

Diagram of an urban heat island. Image Credit: Heat Island Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

"Urban Heat Island" (UHI) refers to the tendency for a city or town to remain warmer than its surroundings, by as much as 10 deg. F or more. This effect is caused mostly by the lack of vegetation and soil moisture, which would normally use the absorbed sunlight to evaporate water as part of photosynthesis (a process called "evapotranspiration"). This is also the reason why forests are cooler than deserts.

Instead, the sunlight is absorbed by manmade structures -- roads, parking lots, and buildings. With little or no water to evaporate, the sunlight's energy goes into raising the temperature of those surfaces and the air in contact with them. As the day progresses, a dome of warm air forms over the city as convection transports heat from the surface to higher in the atmosphere
After the sun sets, temperatures remain elevated above the vegetated areas around the city or town, and so the heat island effect persists during the night as well.

There is some evidence that the Urban Heat Island effect modifies the rainfall patterns around cities, at least in the summertime.

Interesting facts: 

THE EFFECT OF THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND ON GLOBAL

TEMPERATURES Because urbanized land areas cover only a very small fraction of the Earth, the effect of the urban heat island on global average temperatures is very small. BUT, because most thermometers are located in urbanized areas, and those areas tend to become more urbanized over time, some scientists believe that there is a spurious warming signal in global average temperature estimates computed from global thermometer data.

While the global temperature dataset developers have attempted to make adjustments for this effect, currently there is no way to know just how accurate those adjustments are.

Pepe Escobar: Eagle Meets Bear Summit- No Takfiri Left Behind

 Was hoping to get to this last week- no such luck- Still worth reading.
 I'm omitting the parts about the recent success in Daraa including the taking of the very strategic border crossing between Jordan and Syria since that was all covered in friday's post: What of Daraa? Israel Warns Syria- "Rebels" Reach Deal with Russia
Without further adieu...
Pepe Escobar- Asia Times excerpts in blue

"Ahead of the Eagle-meets-Bear Trump-Putin summit on July 16 in Helsinki, Syria-centered spin has gone into overdrive. Unknown sources have leaked what is billed as President Trump’s alleged Syria deal discussed with Jordan’s King Abdullah"

I did read news of these leaks, so called. Took them with a grain of salt. What was leaked became pretty much meaningless after the success of the southern campaign. The Kremlin didn't appear to take the news seriously- There were articles around late last week that basically came down to 'we have no idea where this stuff is coming from' 
 Pepe has a different take on what may be discussed. Syria's territorial integrity and the  legitimacy of the Damascus government.
I'm hoping the YPG/PKK are banished back to where they came. The syrian kurds, like the syrian arabs, who foolishly got on board with this destabilization are offered the chance to reintegrate- no special anything. Treacherous behaviour should not be rewarded. Syria can get back to rebuilding, her people can heal. What a terrible long time this will take. It's really appalling to think about what has gone on all these years.

"The CIA and the Pentagon are not exactly enthusiastic with Trump’s alleged Syria gambit, to say the least. For assorted neocons and powerful factions of the industrial-military-surveillance complex, “Assad must go” Syria simply cannot be traded off.

And yet there’s nothing to trade. Syria cannot be “offered” to Russia because Russia is already the major player in deciding what happens in Syria, not only militarily but via the ongoing Astana format alongside Iran and Turkey. No wonder the alleged Trump “deal” was duly dismissed by the Kremlin.

What will be negotiated in the Trump-Putin summit, as Asia Times has learned, is something completely different. This negotiation, incidentally, will happen after the NATO summit in Brussels and before the next Astana format meeting in Sochi on July 30, as confirmed by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin."

 The heart of the matter remains Syria’s territorial integrity and the legitimacy of the government in Damascus. Russia, Iran and, after countless circumvolutions, even Turkey are for it. The NATO-Gulf Cooperation Council alliance is ferociously against it – especially after having, over the past few years, funded and weaponized those notorious “moderate rebels,” the overwhelming majority of which are nothing but takfiri jihadis"

 As I've explained for some time now Turkey is on board, alongside Russia and Iran with the idea of Syria territorial integrity remaining as is. It's good to read someone else mentioning this fact, finally.  The remaining problem is the US backed Kurds holding one third of Syria's territory along with massive water and oil resources.

"Damascus wants to reopen full trade connectivity between Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, a route that goes all the way to the Gulf via Masna, between Lebanon and Syria, and Naseeb between Syria and Jordan, that is essential to business for all concerned."

And Turkey- That trade connectivity is between Lebanon, Jordan, Syria through Aleppo and into Turkey.

• May 25/2018-Damascus- Gaziantep: Restoring Relations/Economic Interests or Both & More

• Russian/Turkish deal for Tell Rifaat. The Micro & Macro along the Silk Road: Pepe Escobar

"Once again, the holy of the holies concerns al-Qaeda. Actually, Jabhat al-Nusra, as in al-Qaeda in Syria, is now rebranded as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and their allied collection of 54 takfiri militias, trained and weaponized in a base in Jordan, for years, by the CIA and British Special Forces"

The current Damascus offensive in Daraa will be compounded with an inevitable, further offensive towards the US base at Al Tanf, on the Syria-Iraq border.

Al Tanf is absolutely key to the whole plot, because that’s where US advisers have been for all practical purposes rebranding takfiris into something called Maghawhir al Thawra (Commandos of the Revolution). These takfiri commandos are backed by US air power and have been attacking the SAA outside a “deconfliction zone” that the US has – unilaterally – set up within a 50-kilometer radius of Al Tanf.

The Pentagon narrative is that the US must remain in Syria to fight Daesh. That does not add up considering the Commandos of the Revolution takfiri rebranding coupled with the fact it was the SAA, Iranian advisers, Hezbollah and Russia air power who did the heavy lifting against all takfiri outfits, including Daesh."

Ah yes, I can recall doing an entire post on that topic. April 2017

• Report Sees ISIS Benefiting From Assad Downfall

" The report published Wednesday by the London-based IHS Jane Terrorism and Insurgency Centre, one of the world's leading security analysis agencies, says 43 percent of ISIS's battles between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017 were fought against the Syrian military and its allies, which include Russia, Iran and pro-government militias. Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a majority-Kurd coalition of Arabs and ethnic minorities, accounted for 17 percent of the action against ISIS."

 Sick and tired of reading how it was the US backed Kurds that were the fiercest ISIS fighters around. When they weren't. That claim was a total insult to those persons and that little nation that had actually fought against ISIS. Too many in the alt 5 eyes media insulted those that were actually in the line of fire.  Syria, SAA and their allies. Not the US. Not the US backed Kurds. Not the coalition of the displacing and killing. Syrian Arab Army and allies.

No Takfiri left behind

Takfiri being the US backed Kurds as well. I see  no difference between them and any of the other 'rebels'

"The key problem remains how to make Trump understand what’s at stake in terms of US forces leaving Al-Tanf. The Pentagon and the CIA absolutely love the idea of having the Maghawhir takfiris constantly attacking the SAA on the only available crossing between Syria and Iraq on al-Qaim-Albu-Kamal.

The reality, though, will soon set in. Russia is sending extra Special Forces. The SAA is already preparing for the offensive. And the Iraqi People Mobilization Units (PMUs) will also join, everything coordinated by an operations command in Baghdad.

All that is evidence the US does not “have” southern Syria.

What the US does have is roughly 2,000 Special Forces embedded with the Kurdish YPG in the landlocked northeast and eastern Syria near the Turkish and Iraqi borders. Absolutely no one wants them there, except the YPG."

The US and Israel are quite happy the YPG/PKK is in place. After all they put them there.
Based on what I've read there are likely more then 2,000 international forces and mercenaries in that locale. I've seen numbers as high as 4000 ensconced in anywhere from 12 to 15 military bases in the stolen territory.

"It’s no secret the usual War Party suspects want Syria balkanized and unable to concentrate on economic recovery, with help from Russia, China and Iran, to become a key node in Eurasia integration"

If you haven't been following along with Syria's Eurasian integration it's been discussed as recently as, again: Russian/Turkish deal for Tell Rifaat. The Micro & Macro along the Silk Road: Pepe Escobar

"As for Putin’s priorities, they are crystal clear: Syria’s territorial integrity, the stability of the government in Damascus and The Gates of Hell for all takfiri jihadis, whatever their denomination, so there won’t be any further blowback in the Caucasus"

No blowback in the Caucasus- As stated a weakened destabilized Turkey will lead to a weakened destabilized Russia- This has to do with Black Sea access via the Dardanelles
Another piece of the puzzle that has been discussed repeatedly at PFYT's and pretty much nowhere else. 

Turkey's Referendum: Is The Sky Really Falling?

What’s that saying in real estate? Location. Location, Location. Turkey's location on the planet is  equal to prime real estate in some desired locale.

*Turkey is the land bridge between Asia and the Middle East 

*Turkey is also nation state that ties Europe to the Middle East 

*An ability to traverse or an ability to deny travel in the Turkish Straits is extremely geo-strategically significant- To say the least.  

*Particularly if one has an eye to marginalizing Russia!

How this is going to play out is still anyone's guess.