Syrian Students Condemn American-Led Sanctions that are inflating food prices
Damascus Street Notes
"Who does that obnoxious woman think she is?" demanded a staffer who works in the Russian Embassy media office inside the vast windowless soviet-style massive high-walled compound that belongs to his country, here in Damascus.
"Viktor" had been invited to our table, for lunch at the "Lady of Damascus" ("sitt a cham") restaurant in the middle-class neighborhood of Shalan, having been spotted by our charming host, a Sheik and MP in Syria's Parliament. The well-spoken gentleman was furious, after putting down his mobile phone having apparently heard some rather upsetting news. What ignited Viktor were the recent statements of the US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, and her seemingly anti-Russian statements lecturing and insulting Syria's ally, which Victor considered a bald effort to misinterpret the recent statement of Russia's Middle East envoy, Mikhail Bodganov. Badganov on 12/13/12 had stated, in response to a question, "One must look the facts in the face; unfortunately, the victory of the Syrian opposition cannot be ruled out." Bogdanov also noted that the Syrian government was "losing control of more and more territory."
Viktor explained that what has galled the Russian and his embassy colleagues here about Nuland, known for her pro-Zionist, anti-Syrian, Russian, Arab and Muslim views, was her arrogant language: "We want to commend the Russian government for finally waking up to the reality and acknowledging that the regime's days are numbered."
According to Viktor, "Bodganov said nothing really new. And we will issue a clarification of this very soon." He continued, "Everyone knows that theoretically the foreign-backed rebels could win. This is not new and is always a possibility during an uprising. But Mrs. Nuland surely knows that the Syrian government has purposely pulled back from some rural areas where there is mainly open space in order to concentrate its forces to protect population centers. This is very basic military strategy and has been employed throughout history. In the English language I think it's called something like a "strategic retreat or tactical redeployment. It is reprehensible for western and Gulf media to use our Middle East envoys statement as a form of psychological warfare while deceiving the media." He added, "Of course we have contingency plans for an evacuation of our citizens if necessary. This is quite normal and we and other countries have such plans for Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, the Gulf countries and Palestine, among others. Russia has not lessened its support for Syria and to think otherwise is yet another in the series on many miscalculations from Washington."
Sure enough, within hours, the Russian Foreign-Ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, a friend of Viktor's, issued a statement: "We would like to remark that he (Bogdanov) has made no statements or special interviews with journalists in the last days. We once again confirm the principled Russian position about the lack of any alternative to a political solution in Syria."
After venting on Nuland, Victor and others at our table were totally dismissive of the statement of the secretary general of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "I think the regime in Damascus is approaching collapse," he told reporters in Brussels after a meeting with the Dutch prime minister at NATO headquarters. "I think now it is only a question of time."
The Syrian MP explained that Rasmussen has no credibility at all after all the lies he spoke concerning NATO in Libya and how NATO's more than 9,000 bombing missions "protected the civilian population" whereas in truth, everyone there at the time (including this observer) knew very well that the main threat to Libya's population, starting in March 2011 and continuing until mid-October, was from NATO. From Sorman to Sabna NATO forces rained indiscriminate death on the civilian population of Libya and according to Russian President, due to meet with Obama in February, has condemned the US and NATO for deceiving Russia and the international community regarding its true aims. Viktor told us that his country fears the same deception is afoot in Syria.
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