My field trip to ancient Maaloula: Saint Martha vs. America, Zionists, Saudis & ISIS

     In his latest book, The Management of Savagery, Max Blumenthal gently reminds us of the obvious -- that savagery can never be managed.  Once you let the monster out of the bag, it can never be put back inside again.  https://thegrayzone.com/2019/06/14/syrian-network-for-human-rights-opposition-snhr/

     This truism is clearly obvious to even the dimmest bulbs on the porch -- unless of course you are either delusional or in charge of America's foreign policy.  "They may be monsters but they are our monsters."  I forget who said that.  Perhaps Osama bin Ladin's first American handler back in the good old mujaheddin days? 
http://syria.trendolizer.com/2019/09/visit-to-syria-the-reality-our-media-wants-hidden.html

     "I want to go to Douma and Yarmouk today," I said to the desk clerk at my hotel in Damascus.  "How can I get there?  Take a taxi?"

      "You could -- but it would be expensive and take you over an hour each way.  But why would you even want to go there?"

     "To see the very place where the American media made up all those lies about President Assad using chemical weapons of course," I replied.  https://www.claritypress.com/product/axis-of-resistance-towards-an-independent-middle-east-2/

     "We have a tour bus leaving for Maaloula in a half-hour.  If you are desiring to see some war-torn ruins, that would be a good place to start."  Plus the tour bus was free.  Sure.  Sign me up.  I got onto the bus.

     "Maaloula is a rocky cliff-side town famous for its ancient Christian monasteries," said our tour's organizer.  "Legend has it that St. Martha herself retired there in 40 A.D.  Residents of Maaloula still speak Aramaic."  Geez Louise, this town is out in the middle of nowhere.  How did Saint Martha even manage to find the place?

     "During the proxy invasion of Syria, the Saudis, Americans and Zionists supported a gang of al-Qaeda-slash-ISIS 'rebels' who terrorized this town.  See that arched gate over there?  An ISIS suicide bomber blew it up first, and then ISIS berserkers rampaged throughout the city."  https://www.globalresearch.ca/us-eastern-syria-relies-isis/5672489

     Don't you just hate hypocrisy?  When elected officials in Washington constantly claim ad nausea to be morally holier-than-us just because they name-drop the God-word on TV all the time -- all the while secretly supporting al Qaeda and ISIS on the down-low?  That's totally un-Christian behavior. 

     But if Jesus ever had to make a choice between siding with Saint Martha and the Arab Christians of Maaloula or else siding with the heinous American, Saudi and Zionist criminals who support ISIS?  It's clearly a no-brainer who he would choose!  And all those phony American "Christians" who always continue to elect and re-elect butchers like Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump?  They ought to be ashamed of themselves.  And Jesus is clearly ashamed of them too.  https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-relationship-between-washington-and-isis-the-evidence/5435405

     But I digress.

     As our brave little bus slowly drove up the steep narrow winding streets of Maaloula, we could still see what was left of various bombed-out homes, shops and holy places, still clinging precariously to the cliff walls.

     "Al Qaeda forces then asked their Saudi handlers what to do with the residents of Maaloula.  'Kill them all,' came the reply."  Even the U.S. media had a hard time pretending that these butchers were "rebels" and "freedom fighters" -- but even the New York Times managed to pull it off.  And NPR actually had the nerve to insinuate that these al-Qaeda-slash-ISIS "rebels" were actually saving some brutally kidnapped nuns, not holding them hostage.  https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2013/12/19/255548730/rebel-leader-nuns-were-led-to-safety-not-seized-in-syria

     Our tour bus continued to wind its way up the steep hillside streets of Maaloula until we finally came to yet another bombed-out building on the mountaintop.  "This used to be a nice hotel for pilgrims," said our guide.

     The bombed-out hotel was made even sadder by the sight of the twisted steel of partially-destroyed playground equipment in front of it.  A mangled slide.  A broken teeter-totter.  Some metal springs that used to hold up bouncy plastic animals for kids to ride on -- you've seen stuff like that in almost every park in America.

     "I came here two years ago," said one of the tourists in our group.  "Much government-sponsored restoration work has been done on the monasteries and churches since then."

     And the pilgrims have also returned as well.  I counted eleven huge tour buses parked outside the Melkite church and another eight tour buses parked outside St. Martha's former monastery.  "If you rebuild it, they will come."

     But wait!  It's hot outside.  Is anyone selling ice cream in Maaloula?  Yes?

     Like Jesus resurrecting from the grave, this wonderful town is in the process of restoring itself.  Thank goodness that ISIS is gone!  The Saudis would never have let me eat ice cream.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29058214-the-dirty-war-on-syria-washington-regime-change-and-resistance

     Managing savagery is an impossible task.  Americans need to finally realize that and stop arming and training all of their barbaric al-Qaeda-slash-ISIS savages.  But first things first.  How do you say "ice cream" in Aramaic?

PS:  I can never really take any of my fellow Americans' petty complaints about their lives seriously any more -- not after having seen all the pain and suffering that America's dirty proxy "war" on Syria has brought to Maaloula.

 
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Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

Springsteen, Baez, Robeson & me: My five minutes of fame in Damascus

     The conference I'm attending in Damascus has been going on for over seven hours already.  Approximately 200 trade-union delegates from all over the world had arrived here in order to express solidarity with their fellow trade unions in Syria.

     However, unlike in America where corporate CEOs are the top guns and only teachers and nurses have enough cajones to go out on strike, workers' unions in Syria are totally helpful and alive.  For example, all of us delegates are staying in a massive four-star hotel whose usual purpose is to give hundreds of Syrian workers and their families a week-long all-expense-paid vacation destination.

     Can you even imagine Walmart doing anything like that for its workers?  Or Jeff Bezos?  Ha.

     I arrived at the conference hall early and grabbed a front row seat so I could see all the action.  "You can't sit there!" said another delegate who had also arrived early.  "You're not in a union!" 

     "The hell I'm not!" I exclaimed.  SAG-AFTRA, bitches.  Union Maid through and through.

     But then a nice Korean union representative said I could have a seat next to him, a nice South African union rep also volunteered a seat for me and a nice union rep from Belfast patted my hand.  Union solidarity forever!  http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/09/democracy-dies-when-labor-unions-do.html

      Seven hours of speeches later?  The conference hall was starting to empty out.  Only 50 or so delegates were left.  "It's time for you to make a speech, Jane."  Me?  Oh, okay.  I can do this!  Slouching hesitantly up to the podium and bravely looking the last remaining 30-odd delegates in the eye, I began to do my best -- and hoped that somehow it might be good enough.

     "I had some other kinda cheesy speech prepared to give here today about my own wonderful union," sez me, "but after seeing Damascus and talking with dozens of Syrians, I've changed my mind.  I want to talk about America instead -- and what, exactly, the Syrian people are actually up against.  And how heroic you all are to take an almost-hopeless stand against the American killing machine."

     So far so good.  No one has thrown me off the podium yet.  No rotten tomatoes.  I slogged on.

     "21 trillion dollars.  That's how much debt the American government is in right now.  It's as if you went out to buy a car.  A fancy car.  A Maserati, let us say.  And then you were told that no matter how much money you spend on this car, it doesn't matter.  Your credit card will never be maxed out.  Your Visa card will always be good."

     At that point some of the delegates had actually stopped leaving.  I cleared my throat and muscled on.

     "This is what the Syrian people are up against.  Bottomless wealth.  But.  It is a false wealth.  It is an illusion, a fantasy.  And yet the American people still cling to this unrealistic dreamland.  But.  America can't be a global invader, an international empire, the world's only superpower -- not based solely on play money and plastic.   America is just a house of cards."

    This speech is going on far too long.  I expect Vanna White to suddenly come across the stage and cut me off at any moment -- or Steve Harvey to slap his buzzer.   But Chris Harrison didn't come out to lead me tearfully away from the rose ceremony and so I continued.

     "Making your average American aware of the fact that he or she is standing on an economic cliff, about to tumble over?  That is the hard part for honest American journalists.  No one ever wants to be told that they are about to commit economic suicide.  But the bottom line here is that while economic sanctions do hurt Syria badly, please be aware that America is also sanctioning itself.  21 trillion dollars worth of sanctions.  For which America may never recover."

     Is this speech ever going to end?  Have I reached the five-minute mark yet?  What the freak am I going to say next?  And, even more important,  am I going to get shot for treason when I get home -- for pointing out that our American emperors have no clothes?

     "We Americans here in Damascus must return to the Belly of the Beast itself and try to make Americans there aware of this false illusion.  That has to be our next job.  And one thing that seems to work well in fighting fake news and false propaganda is to pick just one talking point and stick with it.  Such as 'President Assad has kept Syria from becoming another Libya'.  Sooner or later you will get your point across."  Or finally just give up.  But hopefully not.

     "Another technique that historic labor unions have used in the past to gain support for their cause has been to compose heart-wrenching songs such as The Ballad of Joe Hill.  When you get a chance later, please google Joan Baez, Paul Robeson or ever Bruce Springsteen's version of this song.  And here's my own version of it -- sorry in advance for singing off-key."

     And then it was time for my big finale.  Good grief, was I actually going to do this?  Make a fool of myself in front of the remaining 30-odd delegates?  The Korean guy had already left but the South African guy was still hanging in there.  Here goes nothing.  Break a leg!  And why not.  Syria has excellent free healthcare.

"I dreamed I saw the SAA [Syrian Arab Army] martyrs last night,

Alive as you or me.  Says I 'But guys you're eight years dead.'

"We never died, said they.

"We never died," said they.

"From Damascus in the south

To Iblib and Latak-e-aaa

Wherever workers organize

It's there you'll find the martyrs of the SAA

The martyrs of the SAA!"

     Ye cats!  People actually applauded!  "And the Oscar goes to...."  Oops, wrong dream.  I just hope that Joe Hill and The Boss might be proud.

PS:  I'm saving you the trouble of googling "Joe Hill".  Here are three different versions.  You can thank me later.

Joan Baez:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f2J4ceCikI

Paul Robeson:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Kxq9uFDes

The Boss:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2UF8yw89yE

PPS:  Did you know that Dubai is currently going all out, no holds barred, spending billions and billions of dollars on its fabulous new "Dubai World Expo 2020" which starts this October -- and yet the UAE just voluntarily allied itself with America's rabid war-mongering regarding attacking Iran (always a bad idea -- just ask the Iraqis).   https://www.expo2020dubai.com

     How can Dubai possibly expect to lure people into visiting its Expo 2020 when the UAE seems determined to hold it in the middle of a freaking war zone???  It makes no sense at all -- but then nothing else that America, the Saudis, various European colonialists and/or the Zionists have done in the Middle East during the last 100-odd years has made any sense either.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-pompeo-on-face-the-nation-secretary-of-state-says-attack-on-saudi-oil-plant-was-act-of-war-by-iran/
 
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Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM

Live from Damascus: Celebration time!

     After arriving at the Beirut airport on my way to Damascus for a conference of union representatives, I myself personally experienced just how much the Lebanese people totally hate and resent the presence of those pesky Zionists hovering around their southern border, always up to no good.  https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/28951/international_trade_union_conference_kicks_in_damascus.html

     "We've beaten them twice already -- and we can do it again," said the Lebanese guy standing behind me in line while we waited to go through passport control.  "They want to attack Iran?  Ha!  They can't even beat Lebanon!"  And that is so true. 

     After the Zionists sent a suicide drone to bomb Beirut recently, the Lebanese immediately did that eye-for-an-eye thing and returned fire on an Israeli military base.  "But the Israeli soldiers had all run away in fear!"  But I digress.  Let's get back to my passport-control story.

     "You've got an Israeli stamp in your passport!" the Lebanese TSA guy exclaimed -- and then started looking at me like I was some sort of Mossad agent.

     "No, wait," I replied.  "It says 'entry denied' on top of that first stamp.  See that second stamp?  I was banned from entering ZionistLand.  Honest!"  http://jpstillwater.blogspot.com/2017/09/grilled-my-experience-at-israeli-border.html

     "But you are an American citizen.  They are required by law to let you in."  One would think so -- after all the billions of dollars that American taxpayers donate to the Israeli killing machine very year.  But, no.  Didn't happen.  They'd stopped me at the border on my way to Bethlehem.  Rumor has it that Jesus had not been pleased.

     Then the TSA guy's supervisor examined my passport.  And then his supervisor's supervisor examined it too.  Multiple photocopies were made.  Tears were almost shed.  Finally I was let through.  Whew.

     After that, we drove off to Damascus and got stored in a four-star hotel until the conference here began.  And the next day I toured Old Damascus.  Narrow streets, friendly people, families out for a stroll in the warm night air -- eating pizza by the slice.

     And then I went off to a huge exhibition at the Damascus fairgrounds, attended by thousands of Syrians.  A grand affair.  Families and teenagers and cute little babies.  Bouncy houses.  Carnival rides.  Exhibits.  Even horses.  I entered a dance-off competition -- and almost won!  If I do say so myself, I can do a mean twerk.  But then some hip-hop dude beat me.  Humph.

     What's my point here?  It's as if all of Syria had been holding its breath for eight long miserable years.  Would President Assad protect them from the al Qaeda/ISIS "rebel" hordes?  Or would America's "humanitarian" coalition turn Syria into yet another sci-fi wasteland like Libya?

     But here in Damascus, on this wonderfully warm late-summer night, it was as if all of Syria was friendly and happy and celebrating with joy that Syrians were now safe to walk in the street at night and go to school and hold down jobs and just be normal again.  "Good job, President Assad."

PS:  The high cost of the American-slash-Zionist-slash-Saudi illegal invasion was brought graphically home to me at a border station between Lebanon and Syria.  A middle-class-looking couple entered the building, looking to get their passports stamped so they could finally return safely to their home in Syria.  A mother, a father, a nine-year-old daughter and a cute little six-month old baby.  Perfectly normal, right?  Wrong.

     The nine-year-old held her baby sister and looked down at the baby with a loving look on her face -- what was left of her face that is.  A lot of her face had been chewed off by napalm or white phosphorus, including most of her nose.

     And which countries that we know of routinely go around bombing children with white phosphorus?  Suddenly I was ashamed to be an American.  You would be too.

     This young girl, almost my own granddaughter's age, was trying very hard to be normal, a struggle that she would have for the rest of her life.  America, is creating all this horror really worth it?  Is oil all that important to the powers-that-be who now own our country?  Obama?  Bush?  Trump?  What if that had been one of your daughters instead?

PPS:  Geez Louise, how did all this horrible murder and slaughter happen to Syria the first place?  To the point where America actually hired al Qaeda and ISIS to bring "Democracy" to the Middle East?  Let me tell you.  In a word.  Propaganda.  We have all been seriously duped. https://www.claritypress.com/product/axis-of-resistance-towards-an-independent-middle-east-2/

     Case in point?  The Economist.  Revered source of intellectual provenance, right?  The Economist would never lie to us, right?  And yet here is just one more torrid example of yellow journalism, taken straight from their website:  "True to his slogan, [President Assad] destroyed whole cities and gassed and starved his own people.  What rebels remain are holed up in Idlib province.  It, too, will soon fall.  Against all the odds, the monster has won."

     Uh, no.  President Assad didn't gas or starve anybody.  Americans, Zionists, Saudis and their proxy "rebels" aka ISIS and al Qaeda did all that.  Monster?  Tell that to the hundreds of Syrians I just walked among as they celebrated life at a wonderful family fair in Damascus.  The Economist would have a really hard time telling these Syrian front-row eye-witnesses  that their president is a monster.  

     Hell, these happy families probably wouldn't even be alive right now if America had actually conquered Syria.

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Stop Wall Street and War Street from destroying our world.   And while you're at it, please buy my books.  https://www.amazon.com/Jane-Stillwater/e/B00IW6O1RM