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By Matthew Russell Lee, CJR Letter PFT Q&A

UN GATE, Oct 27 – Before 10 pm on October 26, Donald Trump tweeted that something big had just happened. It was noted on SNL. At 9 am on October 27 Trump held a press conference to announce, in detail, the killing of al Baghdadi.

  Then US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “This is a great day for United States, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, and people all across the world who have suffered far too long from the cruelty of terrorism. ISIS’s leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, met the fate that he long-deserved, taken down during a raid on his hideout by U.S. Special Forces in northwest Syria last night. While there is still work left to do to ensure ISIS’s enduring defeat, Baghdadi’s death follows the path of scores of other ISIS leaders that have been removed from the battlefield and can no longer commit heinous atrocities or spread their vile ideology of hatred to poison and recruit vulnerable minds. His evil acts of beheadings, enslavement of women, rape, torture, and pure brutality follows him to his grave.  This Administration came to Washington committed to applying relentless pressure on terrorists around the world. Working with the Global Coalition, we destroyed ISIS’s so-called caliphate earlier this year. Baghdadi’s demise is further evidence — available for all to see — that the United States will not stop in the pursuit of bringing evil to justice and delivering on our promise to do everything in our power to keep America safe and to bring this scourge to its knees.  This success underscores the importance of our continued D-ISIS mission in Syria and our determination to continue working with our partners in the Global Coalition to pursue ISIS wherever they may be, and ensuring its enduring defeat.”

  Two and a half hours later, nothing from the UN of Antonio Guterres - just as, for example, there was been nothing on the SDNY case against Halkbank, and conviction of Honduras' brother of the president Guterres met with last month not about their corruption but Guterres' fig leaf, sustainable development. Inner City Press will stay on this.

Back on February 15 the UN's Syria envoy Geir O. Pedersen released a transcript of his "on the record" press breakfast in Geneva, see below. Now in September, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has tried to stay on track to a corrupt second term as SG by naming a "UN Board of Inquiry in northwest Syria," to be led in its secretive work by Nigerian Lt General Chikadibia Obiakor.

 On October 17 from Vice President Mike Pence in Ankara: "The Turkish side will pause Operation Peace Spring in order to allow for the withdrawal of YPG forces from the safe zone for 120 hours. All military operations under Operation Peace Spring will be paused and Operation Peace Spring will be halted entirely on completion of the withdrawal. Our administration has already been in contact with Syrian defense forces and we've already begun to facilitate their safe withdrawal from the nearly 20-mile-wide safe zone area south of the Turkish border in Syria.”

  Then, in a desparate bid for relevance by Antonio Guterres was what some staff call his "gutless corruption" takes the UN lower and lower: "In response to questions on the discussions between the United States and Turkey     In response to today’s discussions in Turkey, the Spokesman can say the following:     The Secretary-General is aware of today’s discussions between the United States and Turkey.      The Secretary-General welcomes any effort to de-escalate the situation and protect civilians, in line with the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.     The Secretary-General recognizes that there is still a long way to go for an effective solution to the crisis in Syria.        New York, 17 October 2019."

 On October 14 from UN Spokes- / hatchetman Stephane Dujarric, this which we publish in full: "The Secretary-General is gravely concerned over the military developments in northeast Syria, which have already reportedly resulted in many civilian casualties and the displacement of at least 160,000 civilians. He continues to urge for maximum restraint and stresses that any military operation must fully respect international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law.       The Secretary-General calls for immediate de-escalation and urges all parties to resolve their concerns through peaceful means.     The Secretary-General emphasizes that civilians not taking part in hostilities must be protected at all times. Likewise, civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law. He recognizes in particular the vulnerabilities of internally displaced persons. He further stresses that sustained, unimpeded and safe humanitarian access to civilians in need must be guaranteed, including through the cross-border modality, in order to allow the United Nations and its humanitarian partners to continue to carry out its critical work in northern Syria.      He also notes with serious concern that the current military operations could lead to the unintended release of individuals associated with ISIL, with all the consequences this could entail.     The Secretary-General recalls Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which stresses that any solution to the Syria crisis must reaffirm the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Syria.        Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General  New York, 14 October 2019."

 Meanwhile, the UN won't even say if Guterres was told before or after the assault. The UN, or at least Guterres, is corrupt - and of their censorship of Press there is no doubt.

  For day Guterres' spokesmen have been dodging questions about Syria, trying to service both Turkish state media in the briefing room and Qatar state media all over. Security Council president for October Jerry Matjila of South Africa, who unlike his predecessor as PR Mutuboba has acquiesced in Guterres' censorship of Press, at 3 pm on October 9 said the Council will meet on the morning of October 10, but only behind closed doors. He declined to say who the briefer is, and those present giggled instead of pressing.

UNanswered questions: October 25-5: On Turkey, Iran, sanctions, impunity and corruption what are the comments and actions if any of the SG and separately his publicly paid legal counsel on Turkey putting Attila convicted of sanctions violations while a manager at state owned Halkbank in charge of the Istanbul Bourse? On Halkbank dodging legal process of SDNY court by saying it has no lawyer in the US and now being summoned for November 5?

October 25-6: On Honduras on which you have refused to answer or respond to Inner City Press' questions on the US v Tony Hernandez trial and guilty verdict and has asked you why SG Guterres did not even bring up corruption and drug trafficking when he met president Juan Orlando Hernandez, explaint why Guterres' chosen human rights commissioner today referred to protests in Honduaras as being "earlier in the year" and not after the narco verdict against the President's brother and by implication him, and 1) what are Guterres' belated comments and actions if any on the protests "calling for the departure of the president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, who they accuse of being a ringleader of drug trafficking networks, after a US court found his brother, Juan Antonio "Tony" Hernández guilty of drug trafficking; 2) please immediately describe activities of the UN system and resident coordinator / representative on JOH's current terms - specifically, provide the report produced by Marcie Mersky, Ana Catalina Soberanis, Mirna Cuenta and Javier Cabreja about which Inner City Press asked at the 8 Feb 2018 noon briefing before it was roughed up and banned from the UN, 479 days now

Matthew Russell Lee, InnerCityPress.com

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