The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc) - II

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 10 Dec 2015 18:01

Link to last post of previous thread

Hope the last thread will be archived as it had lot of interesting information to understand west-asia dynamic and geo-politics in general.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 10 Dec 2015 18:10

Border Battle: Syrian Army Takes on Daesh Terrorists Near Jordan Frontier - Dec 10, 2015

The Syrian army has reportedly launched an offensive against Daesh in the country's southwestern province of Daraa, approaching a strategic border crossing near Jordan.

habal · Post by **habal** » 10 Dec 2015 18:31

AoA
now you know how this is going to go ..

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

Code: Select all

I have decided to postpone my trip to Israel and to schedule my meeting with @Netanyahu at a later date after I become President of the U.S.

turks may get the message ~~maybe~~ .. not

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 1h1 hour ago

Code: Select all

Washington says it will not return anti-air defence Patriot systems to #Turkey as a result of #Ankara - #Moscow current tense relations

latest pics from dwntwn damascus.
seems like such a sweet town.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 10 Dec 2015 18:35

Yes, Damascus is a nice place. Laid back, and the people are reserved and soft-spoken yet friendly. The Syrians are probably the most soft-spoken of the Arabs. And they are very very sharp. You only need to look at Hafez and his son, both of whom are probably the best strategic thinkers the Arab world has seen in a while (will include late Shaikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi, Sultan Qaboos of Oman and Shaikh Mohammed of Dubai in that).

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 10 Dec 2015 18:48

http://rbth.com/news/2015/12/09/russia- ... ime_549147

Russia claims hit on 2 ISIS targets from submarine for first time
December 9, 2015 Interfax
•Turbulence over Syria's skies
•Kalibr missiles hit ISIS targets with a precision of up to several meters
•Defense Ministry: No operative need to deploy new Russian airbases in Syria

A multiple launch of Kalibr seaborne cruise missiles from the submerged Rostov-on-Don submarine. Source: TV Zvezda

The intensity of strikes on sites belonging to ISIS and other extremist groups in Syria was boosted on Dec. 5 in line with a decision of the Russian Armed Forces supreme commander-in-chief, the Russian Defense Ministry press service and information department said on Dec. 9.

"Russia's Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bombers stationed at the Mozdok airfield, the aviation group's aircraft stationed at the Hmeimim airfield and a submarine deployed in the Mediterranean Sea have delivered a massive missile and air strike on the sites of ISIL and other extremist organizations in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic," the report said.

A multiple launch of Kalibr seaborne cruise missiles from the submerged Rostov-on-Don submarine has been performed for the first time ever, the ministry said. "Two important command posts of the terrorist organization ISIL in the al-Raqqah province were destroyed as a result," it said.

Video by YouTube / TVZvezda
Read more: Defense Ministry: Kalibr missiles hit ISIS targets with a precision of up to several meters>>>

Tupolev Tu-22M3 strategic bombers have performed 60 combat missions from the Mozdok airfield to attack 30 terrorist sites in the al-Raqqah and Deir ez-Zor provinces.

"Operative-tactical and army aircraft stationed at the Hmeimim airfield have performed 238 combat missions and destroyed 699 hostile targets. Sukhoi Su-3o aircraft provided air support to the massive missile and air attack. All aircraft returned to base after the mission had been accomplished," the department said.
Rostov-on-Don submarine. Source: TV Zvezda

According to it, 1,920 bombs of various types were dropped within four days.

"Seventy command posts, 21 militant training camps, six ammo and explosives factories, 43 arms and hardware depots, six oil storage and refining facilities, and other sites were destroyed," the report said.

The strikes created conditions for further offensive of the Syrian army interacting with other armed units in the areas of Aleppo, Idlib, highland Latakia and Palmyra, the report said.

Russia’s ‘aircraft carrier killer’: 10 facts about the ‘Moskva’ cruiser>>>

http://fortune.com/2015/12/09/russia-su ... ile-syria/
Russian Submarine Notches Milestone With Syria Missile Strike
by Clay Dillow
December 9, 2015,

Russia has just achieved a first for its military.

A freshly-minted Russian submarine fired at least one cruise missile into Syria from the Mediterranean Sea Tuesday, marking the first time the Russian military has used a sub-based cruise missile in combat.
Russian media reports that the Rostov-on-Don submarine fired the Kalibr cruise missile as part of a wave of airstrikes launched against multiple targets in Syria over the last three days. Those reports quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who confirmed the strikes were the first cruise missile strikes Russia has launched from a submarine as its military continues to test new capabilities in the ongoing Syrian conflict.

The strikes targeted the Syrian city of Raqqa, destroying munitions factories and depots as well as oil infrastructure being used by the Islamic State, according to Shoigu. Raqqa is the de facto capital of the Islamic State.

Prior to launching salvo of cruise missiles from a fleet of surface vessels in the Caspian Sea in October, Russia had never previously used its 3M-14 ship- and submarine-based Kalibr cruise missiles in a live military operation. In those strikes and in strikes since, the Russian Navy has launched the missiles from surface ships, targeting sites up to 1,000 miles away. The Russian air force has also armed its Tu-95MS heavy bombers with its latest Raduga Kh-101 air-launched cruise missile, which made its combat debut in Syria over the past two months as well.

By launching its first combat strikes from a submarine, Russia is gaining key real-world experience with previously-untested systems. It’s also demonstrating to itself and to the West that it now has a long-range cruise missile capability formerly monopolized by the U.S. and its allies.

The strikes also serve as an important real-world workout for the newly-operational Rostov-on-Don, which was commissioned earlier this year and only finished up its final at-sea testing in October. It is the second of six so-called Project 636 Vashavyanka-class submarines being built for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. NATO refers to the Project 636 subs as “Kilo-class,” though the new Project 636 is an improved version of the older Project 877 Paltus class subs that also carry the Kilo-class designation.

Aside from demonstrating that Russia has overcome the myriad technological challenges inherent in launching cruise missiles from a sub, the successful combat launch of long range Kalibr cruise missiles from a Kilo-class submarine carries political ramifications as well. Cruise missiles like the Kalibr are designed to fly circuitous, low-altitude routes to their targets to avoid radar and other enemy air defenses along the way. Russia has exported Kilo class submarines to several other countries, including China, India, and Iran.

In an exchange between Shoigu and Russian President Vladimir Putin broadcast on Russian television Tuesday, Putin noted that the Kalibr cruise missile can be fitted with both conventional and nuclear warheads, adding that the latter would “never be needed in the fight against terrorism.”

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 10 Dec 2015 18:58

Kissinger had said senior Asad was a genius

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 10 Dec 2015 19:10

Some new mil eqpt:

Chinese and Russian hardware:#SAA New equipment: The #Russian bomb-launcher AGS-17 and The #Chinese Type 87

#Syria DIY self-propelled artillery. Truck-mounted 122mm D-30 ( 2A18M) used by SAA

habal · Post by **habal** » 10 Dec 2015 19:15

phoenicians are sharp, long neck, curious, intellectual, partial to fine arts and with these features can also look vulnerable and one may develop a feeling of nurturing, or a sense of protectiveness around such people. Maybe Putin has such a fatherly protective complex for syrians. One may not easily develop such feeling around a desert bedouin or similar earthy types.

that is why I think he is not going to back down, come what may. And those entities who think otherwise are going to find out the hard way if they happen to push it that far. Like they say 'vinash kaale vipreet buddhi' .. won't be surprising if it come to pass !

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 10 Dec 2015 19:16

Paul wrote:Kissinger had said senior Asad was a genius

Yes he was. Master of statecraft. No one comes close to Hafez Al Assad in 20th century among Arab leaders. Chanakya would have admired.

His son is doing his best to fill those shoes. He's doing a fine job so far. Hafez would be proud. Let's see how it goes. But it clearly is in the genes.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 10 Dec 2015 19:18

Another angle:

'Invincible unity' (or the lack of it)

rsingh · Post by **rsingh** » 10 Dec 2015 19:23

Damascus is oldest inhabited city in the world. There are up to 7 layers of ruins in the city.

Samay · Post by **Samay** » 10 Dec 2015 19:31

Steve jobs was a Syrian too.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 10 Dec 2015 19:43

Donald Trump cancels Israel trip 'until I'm president' and
insists UK in denial about 'massive Muslim problem'

US Republican presidential candidate announces he is postponing his trip to the Holy Land as a petition calling to ban Trump from UK passes 400,000

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... -live.html

Trump postponing trip to Israel
Raf Sanchez in Tel Aviv and Harriet Alexander in New York

Donald Trump has abruptly cancelled his trip to Israel after Benjamin Netanyahu criticised his statements on Muslims and dozens of Israeli MPs publicly accused him of racism.

The Republican billionaire was due to meet the Israeli leader this month but Mr Trump announced on Twitter he had decided to "postpone my trip to Israel and to schedule my meeting with @Netanyahu at a later date after I become President of the US".

Mr Trump said he called off the trip because he "didn't want to put [Mr Netanyahu] under pressure".

"I decided I'll really focus on this. I have a tremendous amount of support from Israel. So all I am doing is postponing it, and I think that's a better alternative," he told Fox News.

Mr Netanyahu's office did not immediately respond to questions on whether the Republican had given any warning that he was canceling the meeting.

Mr Trump's announcement came hours after Mr Netanyahu released a statement saying he "rejects Donald Trump's recent remarks about Muslims" but would still meet him in Jerusalem on December 28.

The Israeli leader said he was committing to meet any US presidential candidate, regardless of their party or personal views, as an "expression of the importance" of the US-Israel relationship.

The decision to go ahead with the meeting led to a furious backlash in the Israeli parliament. Thirty-seven of the 120 members of the Knesset signed a petition saying it was "unthinkable" for the meeting to go ahead given Mr Trump's "racist and scandalous" statement.

“Donald Trump declared that Muslims should be completely banned from entering the US. After this racist and scandalous statement, which elicited strong reactions world over, it is unthinkable that his visit take place as planned,” the petition read.

The petition was spearheaded by Arab MPs and members of the Left-wing opposition but some backbench members of Mr Netanyahu's own coalition government also signed.

Israel's security services were also said to be concerned that Mr Trump's visit could spark rioting in Palestinian areas, especially if he tried to visit the sensitive al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem.

The site is known by Jews as the Temple Mount and is of major religious significance in both Judaism and Islam. Visits by non-Muslim politicians are seen as a provocation by Palestinians and Mr Netanyahu recently banned all Israeli MPs from visiting in an effort to reduce tensions.

Israeli police feared that even rumours of an al-Aqsa visit by Mr Trump, who is reviled by Palestinians,
could spark fresh violence.
“The el-Aqsa Mosque is not a place for such vile people. Trump at the mosque is like an idol in the temple,” said Ahmed Tibi, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 10 Dec 2015 19:55

Sorry to digress but
http://www.sutrajournal.com/sanskrit-in ... mes-cooper
This refers to the Mitanni texts found in Syria

According to academia, the oldest recorded name Harvat, was found in the Mittani/Hurrian documents spoken by King Tusratta some 3500 years ago. In the documents he refers to his Kingdom as Huravat Ehillaku.

We should note, however, that the King who spoke this 3,500 year old inscription was a Vedic/Hindu King, Tusratta being a corruption of Dasaratha, dasa being Sanskrit for ‘ten’ and ratha Sanskrit for ‘chariot’.

King Dasaratha, according to academia, was one of many Vedic Kings who ruled the Kingdom of Mittani. The chronology of these Mittani Kings are as follows: Kirta - Suttarna - Baratarna - Parsatatar - Saustatar - Rtadharma - Suttarna II - Artashumara - Dasaratha - Mativasa - Sattuara - Vashasatta - Sattuara II.

These names are all Sanskrit/Vedic. Suttarna is Sanskrit for ‘good son’; Dasaratha is Sanskrit for ‘ten chariots’; Parsatatar is a variation of Sanskrit Parasu, ‘he who rules with the axe’; Mativasa is Sanskrit for ‘the abode of prayer’; Ritadharma is Sanskrit for ‘the law of dharma’ and Artashumara is Sanskrit for ‘the winds of righteousness’.

It is an academic fact that the Kingdom of Mittani was ruled by Vedic Kings. Here we note that the capital of Mittani was called Vasukhani. Vasu being Sanskrit for ‘wealth’ and Khani means ‘mine’ – ‘a mine of wealth’. So if the roots of Croatian civilization are intimately connected with Iran and Persia, and in particular Mittani and the Hittites, one should take into consideration the Vedic influence behind it all.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 10 Dec 2015 19:58

Awkward question: how is it the Russians can fly thousands of combat sortiesover hostile Syria including many at very long range (all the way from Russia proper) without losing any aircraft to mechanical failure? And all this with a fleet
of aircraft older and generally less sophisticated than our own?

We can't seem to manage this feat even in peacetime. I think we need to compare notes after this is over.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 10 Dec 2015 19:59

Samay wrote:Steve jobs was a Syrian too.

Jobs was a back stabbing thief who cheated Woz in a deal when they were just starting out. Woz is the real deal not Jobs.

Jobs also stole all his Mac ideas from Xerox. For some unfathomable reason Xerox never sued. Mouse, windows, icons, pull down tabs/windows, everything.

Notice what Apple did to Samsung for copying look-alike cell phones.

Sorry to digress, no more from me.

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 10 Dec 2015 20:11

TSJones wrote:
Jobs was a back stabbing thief who cheated Woz in a deal when they were just starting out. Woz is the real deal not Jobs.

Sorry to digress, no more from me.

Sorry for this OT, but totally agree, Wozniak being short changed is documented in the movie as well. Maybe there was something in the air at Reed College, because met a classmate of Jobs from that place and he (also a billionaire) is also a back stabbing SOB. He claimed that he had inspired Jobs to go and wander in India as a hippie after he had done the same. But amazingly he spoke reasonable Hindi learnt some 35 + years ago wandering India.

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 10 Dec 2015 20:16

Y. Kanan wrote:Awkward question: how is it the Russians can fly thousands of combat sortiesover hostile Syria including many at very long range (all the way from Russia proper) without losing any aircraft to mechanical failure? And all this with a fleet
of aircraft older and generally less sophisticated than our own?

We can't seem to manage this feat even in peacetime. I think we need to compare notes after this is over.

No. You are reading issues from a perspective of abject ignorance. Russia has hardly flown thousands of sorties and they have about 50 aircraft all twin engined. You also forget that the Russians made the same mistake as the Pakistanis in the east in 1971 when 3 Sabres were shot down in one go because they kept up the same flight pattern every day flying over a part of Indian territory expecting no opposition. The Turks set their qibla right on that count

The IAF flies 600 plus aircraft flying day and night and bad weather all year round - very often on training missions with rookie pilots. At other times they are intercept missions tracking unknown flying objects spotted by radar. Please don't confuse peacetime and wartime. The issues are exactly the same as long as no one is shooting at you (which is what the Russians are doing - staying safe from ground fire). The IAF has had in the past on average 12 accidents a year of which 6-8 are fighters. Others are helos in rescue missions/supply missions over the Himalayas/eastern mountains in bad weather. The accidents rates are lower now.

If you don't know the statistics or the facts it is unfair to make comparisons that are on the one hand egregious, and on the other hand show up your ignorance with a propensity to reach conclusions rather than asking about what you don't know. However there is a mitigating factor in your ignorance - you just read what the media write - it is the media that are full of ignorant asshole reporters and your comments merely reflect what the media have said from time to time without any knowledge of what is going on.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 10 Dec 2015 20:22

>>The Turks set their qibla right on that count

Trust BRF to suddenly deliver sidesplitting laughter

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 10 Dec 2015 20:29

Jobs also stole all his Mac ideas from Xerox. For some unfathomable reason Xerox never sued. Mouse, windows, icons, pull down tabs/windows, everything

IIRC, it was because Xerox did not consider the technologies would help them make money. No vision (we can say that safely after the fact - which by itself is not right).

Many companies do that: Sun Microsystems did it with a Data Integration product that went on to become webMethods (actually Active Software, bought out by webMethods). And, then Sun gets bought by Oracle and Oracle builds a Data Integration product.

OT.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 10 Dec 2015 21:01

shiv wrote:
Y. Kanan wrote:Awkward question: how is it the Russians can fly thousands of combat sortiesover hostile Syria including many at very long range (all the way from Russia proper) without losing any aircraft to mechanical failure? And all this with a fleet
of aircraft older and generally less sophisticated than our own?

We can't seem to manage this feat even in peacetime. I think we need to compare notes after this is over.
No. You are reading issues from a perspective of abject ignorance. Russia has hardly flown thousands of sorties and they have about 50 aircraft all twin engined. You also forget that the Russians made the same mistake as the Pakistanis in the east in 1971 when 3 Sabres were shot down in one go because they kept up the same flight pattern every day flying over a part of Indian territory expecting no opposition. The Turks set their qibla right on that count

The IAF flies 600 plus aircraft flying day and night and bad weather all year round - very often on training missions with rookie pilots. At other times they are intercept missions tracking unknown flying objects spotted by radar. Please don't confuse peacetime and wartime. The issues are exactly the same as long as no one is shooting at you (which is what the Russians are doing - staying safe from ground fire). The IAF has had in the past on average 12 accidents a year of which 6-8 are fighters. Others are helos in rescue missions/supply missions over the Himalayas/eastern mountains in bad weather. The accidents rates are lower now.

If you don't know the statistics or the facts it is unfair to make comparisons that are on the one hand egregious, and on the other hand show up your ignorance with a propensity to reach conclusions rather than asking about what you don't know. However there is a mitigating factor in your ignorance - you just read what the media write - it is the media that are full of ignorant asshole reporters and your comments merely reflect what the media have said from time to time without any knowledge of what is going on.

You're right; the Indian armed forces are sacrosanct and there's nothing we can learn from the Russians. For a moment I forgot what forum I was on.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 10 Dec 2015 21:10

Jobs biological father was/is a casino manager. Jobs never kept in touch with him.

++++++++++++

In the 70s there was a saying in ME after the Camp David accord. There can be no war without Egypt and no peace possible without Syria.

With the current events I suppose this can be laid to rest now.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 10 Dec 2015 21:13

Philip wrote: Russia claims hit on 2 ISIS targets from submarine for first time

And I was only targeting Turkey.. but this is interesting since I mentioned it here
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... s#p1940687

so, the russians are reading me as well!

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 10 Dec 2015 23:12

^That is a cheap shot, as if Indian upbringing produces only virtuous men.

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 11 Dec 2015 00:00

I agree Jobs being a dip shit has nothing do with his up bringing or being american. Wosniak was also american.

But more relevant. I hope IN is busy integrating the Kilos or Scorpenes to fire Nirbhays.

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 11 Dec 2015 07:08

Following is somewhat related to due to the response to migrant crisis...

EU plans border force to police external frontiers (Source: Financial Times)

Brussels is to propose the creation of a standing European border force that could take control of the bloc’s external frontiers — even if a government objected.
...

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:14

stick to topic boys.....no discussion of upbringing and steve jobs here.

ManjaM · Post by **ManjaM** » 11 Dec 2015 07:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hARwIwDuDn4

Video is titled "Kuwaiti Prisoner Finds AK-47 Among Dead And Turns It Against His Captives ". No matter Kuwaiti or Syrian, the captive does his last charge and takes down a few tormentors on his way out.
Can someone id the language spoken.
Interestingly, there is an American accent saying "You have to move his leg, move his leg" and later "Cease fire god damn it"

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:26

Sam Tamiz ‏@SamTamiz 11h11 hours ago
#Iran appoints new head of #Syria ops, Brigadier General Gholamhossein Golparvar

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:30

SAA has regained some momentum in south alleppo after stalling for a while.

maybe they will be able to cut the M5 highway at multiple points this time and hold on to it. counter-attacks by Nusrah will be fierce.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:32

see saw battle in maheen and al-qaraytn.....SAA 1st line forces withdrew after taking it , leaving auxiliaries in charge who could not stop the ISIS counterattack

Ibrahim Joudeh ‏@Ibra_Joudeh Dec 9
#Maheen is once again under #ISIS control , #SAA retreated toward #Sadad

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:33

Brasco_Aad ‏@Brasco_Aad Dec 9
#Iraq-i #KataibHezbollah say it's HIGHLY likely they will attack #Turkish Forces inside Iraq in the coming days

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:37

A marketing manager of Indian Oil Corporation arrested for recruiting online for #ISIS #Rajasthan.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 07:40

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/516 ... nager.html

Indian Oil Corporation marketing manager arrested for ISIS links
Jaipur, Dec 10, 2015, (PTI)

Objectionable materials were seized from his residence in Jaipur, the ADG said, adding he used to contact youths through social media.

A senior official of state-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was today arrested for alleged links with terror organisation ISIS, police said.

The Special Operation Group (SOG) and ATS of Rajasthan Police arrested Mohd Sirazudin, the marketing manager of IOC here.

"Sirazudin, hailing from Gulbarga in Karnataka,... was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in (activities of) international terrorist organisation ISIS, supplying official inputs and recruiting organisation members in the country," Alok Tripathi, Additional DGP (ATS and SOG), said here.

"The accused was also active in flaring up and encouraging Muslim youths for (joining) ISIS activities," Tripathi said.

On a complaint, SOG and ATS teams verified antecedents of the accused, and checked his WhatsApp and Facebook accounts.

Objectionable materials were seized from his residence in Jaipur, the ADG said, adding he used to contact youths through social media.

A number of issues of ISIS' online magazine "Dabik", pictures, and video were also recovered from him, he said. Further investigation was on, he said.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 11 Dec 2015 09:38

Europeans will freak out hearing this news:
Daesh Said to Possess Passport Printing Equipment in Syria - Dec 11, 2015

"If [Daesh] ability to produce passports is not controlled, their operations will continue to increase and expand outside of their operational controlled areas," the report warned.

At least one fake Syrian passport has been found next to a suicide bomber in the November 13 Paris attacks that killed 130 people and injured hundreds more. Greek, Serbian and Croatian authorities have registered the passport holder at their asylum facilities in October, raising fears of Daesh fighters arriving on western soil as refugees.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 11 Dec 2015 11:03

Syrian Army Inches Closer to the Most Important Turkish Border-Crossing

http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/saa ... tronghold/

Two days ago, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) managed to impose full control over the village of Ateiri in the Lattakian countryside whilst also advancing some 4 kilometers along the Turkish border during the past few weeks.

However, local army commanders have now set their eyes on Rabi’ah which has long been a Free Syrian Army (FSA) regional capital in Lattakia, sidelined only by the Jabhat al-Nusra stronghold of Salma. Rabi’ah is geograpchically situated less than 1 kilometer South of Ateiri. A source close to al-Masdar in Lattakia city reported that Russian jets could be heard flying above the provincial capital as of tonight.

The rebel frontline in the Lattakian governorate has largely crumbled as the SAA, National Defence Forces (NDF), Syrian Social Nationalist Party (SSNP) and Al Muqāwamat al-Sūriyah (Syrian Resistance) have captured more than a dozen villages from insurgents during the past month.

If the SAA and their allies were to capture Rabi’ah and Salma, rebels would be forced to abandon the Lattakian province and flee to Jisr al-Shughour in Idlib. Furthermore, this would have the government surround the Islamist Jaish al-Fateh coalition in the province of Idlib from 3 flanks.

Chris Tomson is a Danish military analyst for Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 12:28

these are smaller crossings from the rebels. the bigger ones with proper highways seem to be azaz and jarablous much farther east.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 11 Dec 2015 12:41

Singha wrote:these are smaller crossings from the rebels. the bigger ones with proper highways seem to be azaz and jarablous much farther east.

These are human transit routes. The Azaz route and two other are oil transit routes. Different rebel groups use different access points too. In the areas of Latakia a lot of Turkmen militia and some FSA move about between Turkey and Syria.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 Dec 2015 12:50

f16 guru explains how the ambush was staged and why the s400 is there

http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2015/ ... ias-su-24/

excerpt:

The Turks made a big deal about the ten warnings they said they issued to the Russian planes. What do we make of that?

Again, that’s one of those things where it’s hard to tell and hard to know which side to believe. The Russians in their briefing, in their detailed briefing, are very clear and very adamant that the F-16s themselves, the attacking F-16s never transmitted any warning. Nor are the Turks or the Americans claiming that the F-16s warned the Russian fighters. But of course the international protocols for defending against incursions of your airspace require the attacking fighters themselves to inform the target—visually or by radio—whether it’s an airliner or a fighter or whatever, that they are now violating airspace and need to turn away.

The Turks do say they transmitted their warnings from a ground-control station. They also claim they transmitted those radio calls on both the civilian international emergency “guard” UHF-band frequency and on the military VHF-band frequency previously agreed to by NATO and the Russians. The Americans were quick to confirm that their monitoring equipment picked up the Turkish ground-station radio warning calls, but they’ve been careful not to say what frequency they heard. Now it so happens that Su-24s have no radios onboard for receiving UHF-frequency signals, a fact which is well known to American, NATO, and Turkish intelligence.

There’s a lot of outs to this that could be the fault of either side. It’s quite likely true that the Turks radioed warnings, but those warnings may have been deliberately transmitted only on the international civilian frequency so that the Su-24s would never hear them. Or it may be that the Su-24’s military frequency radios were on the fritz, which is easy to believe given the well-known unreliability of Russian electronics.

I do believe that the F-16s never issued any warnings, because it would be astonishing if they did. Here they went to all the trouble of tanking up and flying at a very low altitude, stretching their fuel endurance just to stay out of radar coverage of the Russians and the Syrians, and then why would they suddenly announce that they were there by warning the fighters when they had so obviously set up a situation where they were hiding? The ground-control station in Turkey probably did issue warnings, but they may have been warnings that were intended not to be received.

Would the United States have had radar coverage from its Airborne Warning and Control System or from their facilities at Incirlik? Would they be able to watch what was going on?

It’s very likely that they had a good track on that area, probably just as good as the Turks had. The Turks of course have a fairly extensive border network of radars, and the Russians and the Syrians have well mapped those radars and know exactly where the coverage is, which is why the Russians can be so precise as to say that the Su-24s entered Turkish radar coverage at 9:52, because they know pretty exactly where that radar coverage is.

The Americans could very possibly have access to those radar results. I have no idea whether they had an AWACS in the air at the time, but if they did it would’ve been easy to cover that area, too. For sure the Americans had complete radio monitoring coverage of the area, certainly heard all the radio transmission involved.

Now the Russians say that they activated air defense missiles, the famous S-400 I guess, to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Does that indeed preclude the Turks interfering with the Russians carrying out strikes in that area?

The answer is no, but it’s a hell of a threat. The longest range version of the S-400 is good for two hundred and fifty miles. The Russians are installing it at their base just south of Latakia, within fifty miles of the border. So conceivably they could shoot two hundred miles into Turkey. They may or may not be able to prevent a hidden Turkish fighter from firing at another Russian attack in the border area, but they certainly have the possibility of catching him or his friends on the way home. This is a real sword poised over the heads of the Turks now that the Russians have the capability to shoot deep into Turkey and can do so any time they want.

- See more at: http://www.intifada-palestine.com/2015/ ... 47rKL.dpuf

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 11 Dec 2015 13:01

Gains Made Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq, Coalition Spokesman Says

http://www.defense.gov/News-Article-Vie ... esman-says

WASHINGTON, December 10, 2015 — Forces fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant continue to make progress, including with the killing of three ISIL leaders, the Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman said today.

"Across Iraq and Syria, we believe that we're continuing to achieve some good effects," Army Col. Steve Warren told Pentagon reporters.

Warren, who spoke via video conference from Baghdad, said coalition strikes killed three ISIL leaders in late November. Those killed, he said, were Abu Salah, ISIL's financial minister; Abu Maryam, an ISIL enforcer and senior leader of ISIL's extortion network; and Abu Rahman al-Tunisi, who coordinated the transfer of information, people and weapons.

"Their removal will degrade ISIL's ability to command and control troops, and it disrupts their ability to finance their efforts," Warren said.

The strikes, Warren said, are an example of how the coalition is able to decimate ISIL's networks.

Warren said the commander of U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, visited Iraq last week and said indigenous forces in Syria and Iraq are on the offensive or holding ground that has been retaken from the terrorists.

"We are gaining momentum against ISIL, and I remain confident in our approach and confident that, while it will take time, we will defeat them," Austin said during the visit, Warren told reporters.

The fight against ISIL, Warren said, relates to ISIL's expansion in other areas such as North Africa and the Sinai. ISIL will take the path of least resistance, he added.

"As we continue to degrade their capability here in their stronghold of Iraq and Syria, we have to expect and plan for them to try to attempt to gain footholds elsewhere," the colonel said.