PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 19th, 2024: Mass Graves Expose Assad's 'Machinery Of Death' & Zelensky Admits Ukraine Cannot Reclaim Lost Territories

Summary

Podcast Summary: The President's Daily Brief Afternoon Bulletin | December 19th, 2024

Host: Mike Baker

---

1. Unveiling Atrocities: Mass Graves Reveal Assad's 'Machinery of Death'

In today’s bulletin, Mike Baker opens with a harrowing update from Syria, uncovering the extent of atrocities committed under Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Following the regime's downfall, mass graves discovered near Damascus indicate that hundreds of thousands have been tortured and killed since the civil war erupted in 2011.

Key Findings:

• Mass Grave Discovery: The Syrian Emergency Task Force, a U.S.-based advocacy group, reported over 100,000 bodies in a newly uncovered mass grave on Damascus outskirts, suggesting this is merely a fraction of the total victims.
• Wider Implications: Additional discoveries include three other large mass graves and two smaller sites, with overall estimates of victims reaching into the hundreds of thousands, as per Reuters' report.
• Organized State Terror: Stephen Rapp, former U.S. War Crimes Ambassador at Large, described Assad’s regime as engaging in "a level of brutality not seen since Hitler." He elaborated, “[07:45] …from the secret police who disappeared people from their streets and homes, to the jailers and interrogators who starved and tortured them to death, to the truck drivers and bulldozer drivers who hid their bodies, thousands of people were working in this system of killing.”
• International Response: The International Commission on Missing Persons in The Hague is actively collecting DNA samples to identify victims, with reports indicating up to 66 mass grave sites across Syria. However, verification remains pending, and the full scope of the atrocities is still unfolding.

Local Testimonies: Residents near the graves recount regular deliveries of refrigerated trucks since 2012, with authorities overseeing the clandestine operations. One resident poignantly stated, “[15:30] this is the place of horrors,” highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the regime’s violence, encompassing men, women, children, and the elderly.

Rebel Accountability: Abu Muhammad Al Jilani, a rebel leader, has pledged to prosecute those responsible for these heinous acts. He declared, “[22:10] we will not hesitate to hold accountable the criminals, murderers, security and army officers involved in torturing the Syrian people.”

The uncovering of these mass graves not only sheds light on the extensive human rights abuses under Assad but also sets the stage for potential war crimes trials, as efforts continue to document and bring perpetrators to justice.

---

2. Ukraine's Stark Admission: Challenges in Reclaiming Occupied Territories

Transitioning to Eastern Europe, Mike Baker addresses a significant development in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly acknowledged that Kyiv currently lacks the military capacity to retake all territories occupied by Russia since 2014.

Zelensky’s Admission: In an interview with French outlet Le Parisien, Zelensky stated, “[31:50] this is not about compromise. This means Putin will get away with everything again, and this is impossible.” This candid revelation marks a rare moment of vulnerability from the Ukrainian leadership amidst the protracted conflict.

Constitutional Stance: Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s unwavering commitment to its territorial integrity, emphasizing, “[33:20] legally we cannot give up our territories.” This adherence to the constitution underscores the nation’s resolve to resist external aggression despite military limitations.

Call for Western Support: While acknowledging current deficits, Zelensky expressed hope that Western nations could intensify pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in meaningful diplomatic negotiations. He implied that enhanced international support might pave the way for a sustainable resolution.

Conflict Overview:

• Territorial Control: As per the Ukrainian monitoring project Deep State Russia, Russia controls approximately 43,000 square miles (18% of Ukrainian territory), including Crimea and parts of the Donbass region, comparable in size to the U.S. state of Virginia.
• Military Progress: Since initiating a full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has annexed additional regions through disputed referendums, claiming sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions despite partial occupation.
• Ukrainian Counteroffensives: Ukraine has successfully reclaimed over 16,000 square miles since 2022. However, progress has stagnated since 2023, with Moscow maintaining and even advancing control in strategic areas like Donetsk and Kharkiv.

Implications for the Future: The stalled territorial gains highlight the immense challenges in achieving a decisive military victory. According to Politico, Putin has declared that any peace talks are contingent upon Kyiv's withdrawal from the annexed regions, complicating diplomatic efforts.

Zelensky’s admission underscores a critical juncture in the conflict, where military ambitions face stark realities, and the need for robust international support and diplomatic initiatives becomes increasingly paramount.

---

Conclusion

Mike Baker’s afternoon bulletin delivers a sobering analysis of two significant global issues: the extensive war crimes under Syria’s former regime and the challenging realities faced by Ukraine in its struggle against Russian occupation. The revelations from Syria emphasize the necessity for international accountability and justice, while Ukraine’s current military stance highlights the profound complexities in resolving enduring geopolitical conflicts. As these situations continue to evolve, staying informed remains crucial for understanding and addressing the pressing challenges facing America and the wider world.

---

For more detailed insights and daily updates, subscribe to The President's Daily Brief by The First TV.

Transcript

[Lifelock Sponsor]

This episode is brought to you by Lifelock. The holidays mean more travel, more shopping, more time online and more personal info in places that could expose you to identity theft. That's why Lifelock monitors millions of data points every second. If your identity is stolen, their US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Get more holiday fun and less holiday worry with Lifelock. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast terms apply.

[Mike Baker]

This episode is brought to you by Patriot Gold Group. Now protect your retirement assets and safeguard your future. Pick up the phone and speak with the experts over at Patriot Gold today. You may have heard me say this before, but I'm going to say it again because it's important. They have been the top rated gold IRA dealer for seven years in a row. So go to patriotgoldgroup.com or call 1-888-621-3856 for a free investor guide. It's Thursday the 19th of December. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First, disturbing discoveries from Syria, where mass graves found following the downfall of the Assad regime suggest hundreds of thousands of people were tortured and killed under the repressive regime since the civil war began back in 2011. Then an update on the war in Ukraine as President Zelensky warns the west that Kyiv doesn't currently have the military strength to retake their captured territory from Russia. But first, our afternoon spotlight. I want to begin with an update out of Syria, where mass graves uncovered since the overthrow of the Assad regime are exposing some of the worst war crimes and human rights abuses since Nazi times. Officials with the Syrian Emergency Task Force, a US based Syrian advocacy organization, said they believe there are more than 100,000 bodies buried at a mass grave discovered on the outskirts of Damascus and that it's likely just a portion of the victims tortured and killed under the Assad regime. So far, the group has identified at least three other mass grave sites, along with two smaller ones, and estimate the total number of victims of the Assad regime since the civil war began in 2011 to be in the hundreds of thousands. That's according to a report from Reuters. Opposition groups and rescue workers are still sifting through the sites and collecting evidence of the many human rights abuses committed by Assad's government over his 24 year reign. They say more than 150,000 people are still considered missing, though many were likely tortured and killed by what international war crimes prosecutors have called Assad's state run machinery of death. Stephen rapp, a former U.S. war crimes ambassador at large, toured the mass grave sites in Syria on Tuesday and said what he saw was, quote, sickening. Assad reigned over his country with a bloody fist and engaged in a level of brutality not seen since Hitler, rapp told Reuters, quote, we really haven't seen anything quite like this since the Nazis. From the secret police who disappeared people from their streets and homes, to the jailers and interrogators who starved and tortured them to death, to the truck drivers and bulldozer drivers who hid their bodies, thousands of people were working in this system of killing, end quote Rapp, who is working with Syria's transitional government to document war crimes evidence for future trials, described it as a highly organized system of state terror. Separately, the International Commission on Missing Persons in the Hague said they'd received data indicating that there are as many as 66 mass grave sites scattered throughout Syria. Though these reports remain unverified, the scale of the crimes are staggering, and officials say it will likely take a considerable amount of time for a full picture of the abuses perpetrated by the Assad regime to emerge. Currently, they're working to collect DNA samples to identify the regime's many victims. Residents living near one of the mass grave sites said that since 2012, there was a regular stream of refrigeration trucks delivering bodies which were dumped into long trenches dug by bulldozers. They said the military oversaw the operation and anyone who got too close to the activity would end up a victim themselves. No one who opposed the regime was spared, with rescuers finding men, women, children and the elderly in the graves, one resident told Reuters, quote, this is the place of horrors. Now, as we discussed on last week's pdb, Syria's rebel coalition has also focused international attention on the Assad regime's infamous prisons and detention centers. Described by locals as, quote, human slaughterhouses. The prisons, or more appropriately, death camps, stood as a reminder of the violent consequences that faced those opposing the regime. Human rights groups say the regime engaged in systematic torture and secret mass executions. Others were tortured to death by being deprived of food, water and medicine, their bodies then dumped into the mass graves now being uncovered. As mentioned, more than 150,000 people are still believed to be missing throughout Syria. Some may still be trapped in secret detention centers, though local residents say they have little reason to hope that their relatives and friends are still alive. Rebel leader Abu Muhammad Al Jilani has vowed to bring the perpetrators of Assad's reign of terror to justice. Telling supporters last week, quote, we will not hesitate to hold accountable the criminals, murderers, security and army officers involved in torturing the Syrian people, end quote. Coming up, Ukrainian President Zelensky is warning the west that Kiev doesn't currently have the military strength to retake their captured territory from Russia. We'll discuss what this means for the future of the conflict after the break. I'll be right back. Welcome back to the Afternoon bulletin. In a striking admission, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated on Wednesday that Kyiv lacks the military capacity to reclaim all Russian occupied territories captured since 2014, a rare public admission of the challenges that Ukraine faces in its counteroffensive efforts. Despite his sobering acknowledgment in an interview with French outlet Le Parisian, Zelensky remains consistent in his refusal to legitimize Moscow's control over these regions. Asserting that any recognition of Russian sovereignty would amount to condoning Kremlin aggression, Zelensky stated, quote, this is not about compromise. This means Putin will get away with everything again, and this is impossible, end quote. It's important to note that Ukraine's constitution prohibits the surrender of its territories, a point Zelensky emphasized during the interview stating, quote, legally we cannot give up our territories, end quote. But the Ukrainian leader also expressed hope that Western nations can exert pressure on Russian President Putin to engage in meaningful negotiations, suggesting diplomacy could offer a way forward. Reflecting on the war's early stages, in the interview, Zelensky criticized the west for failing to provide Ukraine with adequate military support, implying that a more robust response might have altered the current front lines. For context, according to data from the Ukrainian monitoring project, Deep State Russia presently controls roughly 43,000 square miles, or 18% of Ukrainian territory, and that's an area comparable in size to the US State of Virginia. Notably, this includes Crimea and parts of the Donbass region, territories seized with back in 2014. Since launching its full scale invasion in 2022, Moscow has annexed additional territories through basically sham referendums, claiming sovereignty over four Ukrainian regions even though its forces only partially occupy them. Although faced with these grim realities, Ukraine has still managed to reclaim over 16,000 square miles of land since 2022. Yet progress has basically stalled since 2023. Despite Kyiv's summer counteroffensive that year and its August 2024 incursion into Russia's Kursk region, Moscow's forces still maintain control over critical areas and are even advancing in regions such as Donetsk and Kharkiv. The ongoing relative territorial deadlock underscores the challenges of achieving a decisive military victory in compounding matters, Politico reports that Putin insists that Kyiv must withdraw from all four annexed regions as a precondition for peace talks. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Thursday, 19th December. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to [e-mail] and to listen to the show ad free. Should you be so inclined, become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.