Syria: In a demonstration that even when the U.S. appears to have achieved a success even “success” turns out to be other than what appears at first glance. A post ops statement by NSA insisted that, “[t]he US government did not coordinate with the Syrian regime, nor did we advise them in advance of the operation.” Which on the face of it may be “true.” But how account for the safe passage afforded America’s Delta Force across Syrian airspace, “bristling with Syrian air defense units” backed by Russian air defense facilities? One explanation might suggest that Kerry’s 12 March trip to Moscow was to inform Obama’s ally in the Syria poison gas cooperation of the upcoming mission which Putin would then have passed on to Assad. Whatever the reason Delta Force managed to safely traverse Syria and carry out its nearly successful (they failed to capture their target alive) mission. Another indication of the burgeoning US-Russia/Iran alliance while America’s “official” allies, Arab and Israeli, remain outside the loop.

US Middle East policy from Eisenhower to Obama: Six decades of dysfunction

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