The Hamas terrorists release a video of one of the Americans held hostage (plus, news on Syria)
On Saturday, the sick group released a proof-of-life video of American hostage Idan Alexander, who they’ve held in captivity for over 400 days after they captured him during the massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.
Alexander pushed for President-elect Donald Trump to negotiate his release—something Trump has indicated is his priority even before he re-enters the Oval Office—but presumably, Alexander was told what to say by his captors …
I think the most important thing about this video is that the reference to Trump indicates it was made recently and that therefore the hostage is still alive, or was until a little while ago. In the video he refers not only to the Trump election but also states that he’s been held captive for more than 420 days, and also references the murder of Hersh Goldberg-Poulin. Of course, two different videos might have been made a while ago – one for a possible Harris victory and one for a possible Trump victory. But the reference to Hersh Goldberg-Poulin’s killing means the video was almost certainly made no earlier than late August of 2024.
Quite ominously, however, a video of Goldberg-Poulin was released about four months before he was killed.
NOTE: By the way, a coup seems to be underway in Syria. Nothing good, though; reports are it’s a Taliban-like group seeking to take over.
This Guardian article call the insurgents a “jihadist” group. However:
As well as Russia, Assad has been backed in the civil war by Iran and allied militant groups, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
I’m pretty sure there are no good guys here.
the core group is called Hayat al Tahir, the Army of Conquest, they are rebranded Al Queda, (they have a marketing department too) other groups Turkic, Druze et al, may be part of the umbrella, but if they triumph it will be bad,
Syrian military affairs have the subtlety of the Soviet officers who trained them at Frunze meaning none, much like the Algerians eridicateurs who prevailed in the 90s, at horrific coast
I say this because Assad apparently has returned from Moscow with orders to set things right, and that will get bloody, if precedent holds up
Syria is a horrible mess. Thanks, Obama, for funding the “Any Group Fighting Assad” approach to meddling in Syria. Assad was never any prize, but he was better than what’s been going on.
Obama still rules in Syria. Pity.
again the devil you know, Assad versus the ones you don’t, Israel got in a quandary supporting Yassins humanitarian fronts over Fatah for that same reason, in the 70s, which has been presented as endorsing the Islamic Resistance Movements actual goals, I assume the rebels will put up some figurehead like they did with the Arab Spring in Egypt, buy rest assured they will not have any real power,
we have seen this rodeo before, of course and it doesn’t end well,
Obama didn’t oppose Assad.
He favored Iran-Russia-Hezbollah who were backing Assad; he disfavored the slaughtered 500,000-the fleeing Sunnis-and Turkey, with NATO’s southern flank into that bargain (and of course disfavored the USA and Israel in his main objective). He set up the PKK, while blathering on about jihadi-ISIL twerps. Wake up, people.
oh that,
https://x.com/sunnyright/status/1862907511793172912
well the PKK is a long standing matter, Ocalan if memory serves
Hamas needs to turn over living hostages and the bodies of the dead and give up.
For what it’s worth:
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-831388
I’m shocked, shocked miguel at that tweet. Who would have thought anything like that could happen? (not enough sarc tags in the universe for this)