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

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 14 Oct 2015 02:16

Map of Syria and some commentary on the military operations:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semp ... syria.html

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 14 Oct 2015 04:03

On Tittar by Mittar

Tuan · Post by **Tuan** » 14 Oct 2015 04:20

Some observers, including Sen. John McCain, have described the ongoing escalation in Syria as a "proxy war" between the United States and Russia since the end of Cold War, however , IMO, the so called "cold war" had never ended, rather it was diminished to some extent...apparently it is still very "hot war"

U.S., Russia escalate involvement in Syria

habal · Post by **habal** » 14 Oct 2015 04:37

can you believe it ?

stunning Ministry of Defense (MoD) report circulating in the Kremlin today states that a communiqué received from the joint intelligence headquarters of Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria in Baghdad is reporting that their technical/intelligence assests tracked a C-17 Globemaster III belonging to the 728th Air Mobility Squadron of the US Air Forces 39th Air Base Wing depart from the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey and land at the Erbil International Airport in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Upon this US Air Force cargo aircraft landing in Erbil, this report says, a large shipment of weapons and war supplies were then unloaded and transferred to Kurdish Peshmerga military forces, who then formed three convoys to transport these supplies to their front line fighters battling ruthless and barbaric Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) terrorists—which the Obama regime declared this past week they would, in fact, do.

To the “astonishment/amazement” of these joint intelligence forces tracking this US Air Force cargo aircraft, this report continues, once it had returned to Turkish airspace, 3 Turkish Air Force F-16 warplanes took off from the same Incirlik Air Base that the US Air Force cargo aircraft had just used and approached the Syria-Turkey border where Syrian fighter aircraft and air defense systems were able to repel them.

After fleeing from this initial confrontation, this report notes, these 3 Turkish F-16 warplanes were then directed by their US/NATO air controllers at the Incirlik Air Base to overfly Iraqi Kurdistan where they then attacked and bombed two of the Peshmerga convoys that had just received their promised Obama regime weapons and war supplies, and then reentered Turkish airspace where they continued their attack against the Kurdish people in their own country.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 04:49

Yes. It explains several things:
a) Why the reports said that the intended recipients had received the weapons delivery.
b) Why there was no Russian attack on them, though it occurred in plain view of the Syrian/Russian satellites/ AWACS etc.
"Force 10 From Navarone" all over again.

Man! The glamor of having Security Clearance! Imagine the mental processes of the NATO/USAF controllers. No need to imagine the plight of those who received the kind attentions of the US-supplied Islamic Ottoman Air Force.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Oct 2015 05:54

Parts of gotus have gone feral? Directly sabotaging a potus gift?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 06:21

I HOPE the report is false (Russky propaganda is as good as anyone's) but the facts fit. Turkey is threatening to go to war, and I think they don't have a choice - if they don't, Kurdistan becomes a reality (Iraq is in no position to object, Syria is in no position to object). Kurdistan will be a natural as an ally of both the West and Russia, and Erdogan will go down the tubes. I think the Turks feel far **stronger** (as in willingness to use tanks and attack helicopters and fighter-bombers and hang the separatists) about Kurdistan than Indians feel about Kashmir. But will they really go to war against the Russians? Will NATO allow the Turks to drag them into war with Russia? Esp. if Turkey is the aggressor?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 06:34

This is the other side of that story - and why Putin's CTs Inc has motives to put out that fine CT.

Turkey’s prime minister has lashed out at both the United States and Russia for supplying weapons and support to the Democratic Union Party (PYD) of Syria in its bid to fight extremist jihadists, raising concerns that the arms could be used against Turkey by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an affiliate of the PYD.

Turkey summoned the United States’ ambassador to Turkey, John Bass, on Oct. 13 to the Foreign Ministry to convey Ankara’s strong reaction over the airdropping of ammunition to the PYD late Oct. 11. A similar message was scheduled to be conveyed to Russia later on Oct. 13.

“We have expressed this to the U.S. and Russia in the clearest way. This is an issue of national security for us. Everybody perfectly knows how we take action when it’s about our national security, just like we did on the night of July 23, when we attacked the PKK and Daesh,” Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told Ankara bureau chiefs of newspapers on Oct. 12. Davutoğlu used the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as he recalled Turkey’s launch of a comprehensive military operation against ISIL and the PKK.

Davutoğlu’s reaction came as the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that a U.S. cargo plane airdropped some logistical material to the PYD late Oct. 11 in line with Washington’s plans to reinforce the Syrian Kurds in their fight against ISIL in Syria.

“The aircraft delivery includes small arms ammunition to resupply the local forces” to enable them to continue operations against ISIL, Pentagon spokeswoman Elissa Smith told Anadolu Agency on Oct. 13. Smith said the “successful” airdrop was conducted by a “U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft flying from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility” and added that all aircraft exited the drop area safely. Like the U.S., Russia is also in close contact with the PYD, but there are no confirmed reports about arms supplies from Moscow.

“I have instructed the foreign minister on this. Necessary diplomatic initiatives are being taken and our message is that ‘We don’t and never will approve of such a thing,’” he said.

‘These weapons will be destroyed’

Recalling that ISIL was now using the sophisticated weapons Washington had supplied to the Iraqi army a year ago, Davutoğlu indirectly addressed the U.S., saying: “When you provide weapons to a group, you should also be able to foresee whose hands these weapons could go to later. At the moment, nobody can assure us that these weapons delivered to the PYD will not go to the PKK. If we find out that these weapons are taken into the northern Iraq and used there, we will destroy them wherever they are. Nobody should expect understanding on this issue. These weapons will harm our soldiers, police and civilian citizens,” Davutoğlu said.

Turkish prime minister underlined that Turkey will take all necessary measures in the event of any infiltration from Syria into Turkey or the transportation of any ammunition “just like the Turkish army is doing in northern Iraq.” “I want to announce this with clarity.”

PKK, PYD indistinguishable from each other

Recalling that the situation in the region and in Turkey had changed as the PKK resumed its violent acts against the Turkish army, Davutoğlu said: “Five or six months ago when there were no PKK attacks against Turkey, allied countries’ intention to arm the PYD could be seen in a certain frame. It was not right but had a sort of a meaning. The crisis in Syria is a Syrian crisis until an attack targets Turkey. [If] the PYD or the al-Assad regime were to commit an act against Turkey, necessary actions would be taken. We have made clear that we will have no tolerance.”

October/14/2015

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 14 Oct 2015 06:58

Is Turkey on the brink of Yemen style civil war?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 07:12

udayji, that blog needs more detailed posting:

Turkey learned nothing from Yemen. The militants freely moved on the territory of Turkey, had the opportunity to relax, receive treatment, train new recruits, for show calling them "the moderate opposition". Of course, many transactions under the scheme "oil in exchange for weapons" went through Turkey. Perfect. The Kurds were slightly defiant, objecting the support of the ISIS. The local population of the border areas did not feel safe, and, of course, a huge number of refugees did not stabilize the situation in the country. But ISIS entrepreneurs and politicians, playing the anti-Syrian and anti-Kurdish card could not be disturbed by the discontented murmurs of the population in predominantly Kurdish areas.

This balance could last for a long time, however, in the war there has been a shift not in ISIS favor. This shift happened even before Russia's entry into the war, the Kurdish militia started to push the rebels in some parts of the front. Before the Turks in the near future loomed the perspective of an independent Kurdish state. Turkey made desperate attempts to keep the status quo, even started bombing Kurdish positions in Syria and Iraq, but in vain.

And then suddenly Russia enters the war on the side of Bashar al-Assad... At that point, the outcome of the war has become clear to all. Hysterical statements about the violation of Turkish air space by the Russian aircraft, threats to shut off gas, to terminate the contract for the construction of NPP in Akkuyu only proved to the international community the already known fact: ISIS project has expired and there is nothing that can stop it. It's time for Turkey to pay the bill and likely, on its own. The US is far away, and Saudi Arabia, the next intended victim of ISIS after Turkey, decided not to wait around for the war to begin on its territory and appealed for help to Russia.

The militants are moving from Syria in several directions and the main one is Turkey, some of the CIA militants are trying to get to Iraq, some - to North Afghanistan, closer to the Russian border, others — to the territory of Saudi Arabia. Turkey's problem is that for many years it has turned a blind eye to ISIS creating its infrastructure, unlike Saudi Arabia, which has helped ISIS mainly financially, preferring to support terrorism and terrorists away from its borders.

Now ISIS militants prefer to hide on the existing bases in safe Turkey and not in the Iraqi desert under the bombing of Iraqi air force. In Afghanistan ISIS has no future, despite the use of the infrastructure of American PMCs and the support of pro-American administration. The Afghan Taliban is strong enough militarily to put up armed resistance to ISIS on the one hand, and its leaders have significant religious authority among the local population to confront ISIS ideologically. Unlike the American commercial enterprise ISIS, the Taliban has all the signs of national liberation movement and is much more similar to a moderate opposition, than that opposition which is so elusive in Syria.

If Russia will intervene in the conflict in Afghanistan in order to neutralize ISIS and will demonstrate wisdom of avoiding war on two fronts, the fate of the Islamists in Afghanistan is set. However, the Mujahideen are doing well on their own, only it takes a little more time.

A series of terrorist attacks in Turkey, I suspect with a high degree of probability, has been organized by the Turkish security forces in order to neutralize the Turkish Kurds. Terrorist attacks can certainly cause the opposite effect: the Kurds, declaring a moratorium on the war with Turkey before the election, can cancel this moratorium. Possibly this is what Erdogan wants.

Whether elections are cancelled or postponed, ISIS is not going anywhere from the Turkish territory and the newly elected government will inherit the ISIS problem, which must be somehow solved. The politicians will have to either figure out where to ship the militants to fight, or begin arresting them. Arrests will be accompanied by constant skirmishes with the police. Armed men who have been to war may not want to go to a Turkish prison without resistance, and with a prospect of ending up in Guantanamo or similar correctional facilities.

American friends could come to the aid of the Turks, offering the militants a quiet creeping occupation of some place Americans no longer needed, such as Georgia or Ukraine. Not far from the Turkish border, close to the Russian, Americans puppet-states are quite suitable, in order to quietly dump the Turkish problem on somebody else's head. It is still possible to smuggle the fighters into Europe.

The first fruits of the emerging problems for the Turkish authorities are already evident:

http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2674158

In Turkey, the opposition organizes mass protests and demands the resignation of the government. In turn, the authorities detain everyone associated with ISIS and bomb the positions of Kurdish rebels. How was the day after the terrorist attack in Ankara?

http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2673920

...Molotov cocktails, broken windows, mass brawls with police — and that was just the beginning. In the morning the opposition was preparing large-scale rallies across the country. The largest took place in Ankara, Istanbul, Diyarbakir. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets with demands for the government to resign.

...Nobody took the responsibility for the attack. Authorities suspect everyone just in case — from ISIS and Kurdish rebels to local nationalists and the radical left. Arrests have already began. Anyone who might be associated with terrorists of "Islamic state" is detained.

http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2674046

In the Turkish city Senkaya, Erzurum province, in the exchange of fire that ensued during an anti-terrorist operation, two soldiers have been killed, reports Anadolu News Agency.

Unexpectedly resumed bombings of the Kurdistan workers party positions. Although on the eve the Kurdish rebels have decided to cancel any military actions against the authorities until the parliamentary elections on November 1st, thus indirectly stating that they are not involved in the tragedy.

Rather than Musharraf becoming Kemal Attaturk II, Erdogan has become Musharraf II. Now everyone is going to biss on Turkey, and the Turkish passport will enjoy the high dunia-wide respect that only Paki and Somalian passports do now. A shame: most Turkish people I have met are decent, gentle, hardworking people.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 14 Oct 2015 09:20

Sathish_A wrote:Russian Smerch in action? It says MRLS

That's beautiful - the piglets are really catching hell. Can you imagine being on the receiving end of that?

That youtube vid says cluster bombs but I agree with you, it looks more like MLRS in action. I wonder if that's Smerch using anti-personnel submunitions. Whatever it is, it looks damned effective.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 14 Oct 2015 09:44

That's stunning! ISIS must now know what it was like to be on the receiving end in WW2 by the Nazis! The sound of attack helos also going into action to mop up survivors indicates a sound tactical battle plan .,Air strikes,MBRLS and arty soften up the ungodly then attack helos reconnoitre the field to mop up remnants and to allow ground forces and their armour to move in with the least amt. of resistance.

The would-be "Superman" of the neo-Ottoman empire of Turkey,Erdogan,has now been reduced to ""0-Man" aka "Zero-Man",with the ungodlies of the world all p*ssing downstream into Turkey.

The asinine practice of arming the turds..oops! Sorry,the Kurds by the US and then Turkey bombing them,reveals the utter bankruptcy of US/western/NATO foreign policy. Eventually,all the "allies" ,the US,Sauds,Turks,will be at each others throats for sabotaging the alliance. To be brutally frank,each has used the alliance for their own national and personal interests.The speed with which the Saudi Deaf Min. sped to Russia indicates that Russia hinted that if ISIS took refuge in Saudia Arabia,it would be open season on them.The Saudis would love to cut a deal with Russia and see a hike in oil prices to avoid the growing unrest in the kingdom,esp. after the Mecca tragedy.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 92556.html
Russian military claims it has destroyed 'most' Isis munitions and heavy weapons with Syria air strikes
Experts have said the claim, which comes after just 10 days air strikes, is 'ridiculous'
Adam Withnall

The Russian military claims to have destroyed “most” of Isis’s ammunition and heavy weapons after days of intensive air strikes across Syria.

The extraordinary claims, which have been met with scepticism from experts, were accompanied by a series of videos showing attacks on targets by Su-24 and -24M bombers.

According to the ministry, at least 86 Isis targets were hit during 88 separate sorties over 24 hours on Monday and Tuesday. Russia said it carried out more than 100 air missions in Syria over the weekend.

“Russian air strikes resulted in the elimination of the majority of ISIS ammunition, heavy vehicles and equipment,” the Russian defence ministry said in a statement, adding that ammunition depots, vehicles, explosive plants and field camps were among the targets.

Srdja Trifkovic, a Serbian-American foreign affairs expert and editor with Chronicles magazine, told Russa Today: “The Russians with Syrian boots on the ground have done more to degrade Isis in less than 10 days than the US did in more than a year of its half-hearted campaign.”

But the official line from the Russian government was described as a “ridiculous” claim by UK-based experts.

Charlie Winter, a senior researcher for the anti-extremism think-tank Quilliam, said reports on the ground of Isis territorial gains “run contrary to Russia’s claims”.

“I highly doubt that even the Russians, who will be party to much of Assad intelligence, know where the “majority of ISIS ammunition, heavy vehicles and equipment” is located,” Mr Winter told The Independent.

He described Vladimir Putin’s intervention in Syria as an attempt to “contest the monopoly” of the West’s “War on Terror”, and described the defence ministry’s statement as “propagandising to this end”.

Dr Andreas Krieg, an expert on the Middle East from King’s College’s Department of Defence Studies, said the positions Russia had said it was targeting "have been in the hands of moderate rebels for months now" - not Isis.

"They also do not have the precision strike capability that Western air forces have," he said. "These claims that Isis has been significantly weakened are either highly exaggerated or wrong."

Russia began launching air strikes in Syria on 30 September, allowing Syrian government forces to carry out a multi-pronged ground assault.

The Syrians and their backers on the ground now have to seize the moment esp. when ISIS and anti-Syrian entities,microscopic though they may be,are in panic and confusion. A swift offensive against the key map locations which when linked would bring back into the Assad regime's fold as much of territory that it can effectively hold is required. From media reports,the backbone of ISIS infrastructure appears to have suffered greatly. The Russian air offensive musn't slacken,push them into Iraq and then take out targets of opportunity in Iraq too,so that a link up of Iraqi govt/Shiite/Iranian forces takes place,with the aim of squeezing ISIS into zones where they can be bombed into history.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Oct 2015 10:02

if anyone has noticed the number of sorties has doubled per day from 30 to 60 over the last week.

they need to get heavy bombers like bears, backfires and blackjacks into action whether directly from russia or a base in western iran. once the ISIS is engaged in pitched battle these will be useful.
also rats hiding in stalingrad type ruins can be smoked out or buried easier.

just get the iraqi govt to grant them a secure airlane to and fro which goat coalition will not use.

habal · Post by **habal** » 14 Oct 2015 10:48

If you check the 1 hr notice given by Putin before the air campaign by Russia began. Then it is obvious whom it was targeting.

I belive that there may be 100s nay 1000s of brit, Israeli, US experts in construction, logistics, training, warfare, maintenance to run a show as big and smooth as IS. $10/hour sudanese and chechen dimwit nut jobs may will not able to carry that off. Though there may be the odd exceptions here and there.

thus Putin only gave them 1 hr notice, so he could get 'em . In any case they can't all flee as that would need 500 choppers and.. would collapse IS in 10 minutes. And that probably why NATO and EU started screaming 'staap the bombinnng'.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 Oct 2015 10:49

Iraq using info from new intelligence center to bomb Islamic State: official

By Babak Dehghanpisheh
Related Stories

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has begun bombing Islamic State insurgents with help from a new intelligence center with staff from Russia, Iran and Syria, a senior parliamentary figure said on Tuesday about cooperation seen as a threat to U.S. interests in the region.

The center has been operational for about a week, and it provided intelligence for air strikes on a gathering of middle-level Islamic State figures, Hakim al Zamili, the head of parliament's defense and security committee, told Reuters.

The new security apparatus based in Baghdad suggests the United States is losing clout in a strategic oil-producing Middle East, where it has been heavily invested for years.

Two weeks ago Russia started bombing anti-government rebels in neighboring Syria, including the ultra hardline Islamic State, to support its ally, President Bashar al-Assad, to the consternation of the West.

Iraqi officials, frustrated with the pace and depth of the U.S. military campaign against Islamic State, have said they will lean heavily on Washington's former Cold War rival Russia in the battle against the Sunni Muslim jihadists.

Two Russian one-star generals are stationed at the intelligence center in Baghdad, according to an Iraqi official who asked not to be named.

Zamili, a leading Shi'ite Muslim politician, said each of the four member countries has six members in the intelligence sharing and security cooperation cell, which holds meetings in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone" that once housed the headquarters of the U.S. occupation.

“We find it extremely useful," the Iraqi official said. “The idea is to formalize the relationship with Iran, Russia and Syria. We wanted a full-blown military alliance.”

Iran, a longtime Middle East adversary of the United States, already boasts deep influence in Iraq. Iranian military advisers help direct Baghdad's campaign against Islamic State, which aims to expand its self-proclaimed caliphate in the Middle East.

It is Russia's participation in the intelligence hub that is causing the most Western anxiety.

Washington, with a history of close security links with Baghdad, now worries the intelligence center may foster closer Russian-Iraqi ties, particularly with respect to operations against Islamist militants, a U.S. security official said.

The United States believes the main point of the intelligence pact, which also covers operations in Syria, is to show that Russia is taking a greater role in the conflict in the neighboring country, said the official.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has said he would welcome Russian air strikes against Islamic State on Iraqi soil.

The Baghdad government, and allied Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias who are leading the fight against Islamic State in Iraq, say the United States lacks the decisiveness and the readiness to supply weapons needed to eliminate militancy in the region. Washington denies such accusations.

U.S.-led air strikes on Islamic State militants who control a third of Iraq, have failed to turn the tide in Iraq's conflict, which has sapped the OPEC oil producer's finances and fueled sectarian bloodletting.

Iraqi warplanes bombed a convoy this week that was thought to be carrying Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, based on information from the center, said Zamili. Security officials later said Baghdadi had not been in the convoy.

"We can get a lot of use from Russian intelligence, even if they don't do air strikes," Zamili said.

Sami al-Askari, a former member of the Iraqi parliament and one-time senior adviser to ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, said Iraq was aware of the sensitivities of the new arrangement.

“The Iraqi government wants to do this in a way that doesn’t look like they’re pushing the Americans away,” he said.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Oct 2015 11:04

rt.com
9:43 GMT
Russia forwards air safety draft on Syria to US
An air safety draft to come into effect during bombing operations in Syria, drawn up by Russian Defense Ministry, has been forwarded to its US counterparts, the Russian Defense Ministry reports. Russian air-to-surface military operation in Syria began September 30 at the request from the Syrian government. The Syrian Army, backed by Russian airstrikes, has advanced significantly since then.

17:01 GMT
Unclear what US is doing in Syria – Lavrov
It is unclear what the US is doing in Syria and why the results of its actions are so insignificant, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told NTV. “We have very few specifics which could explain what the US is exactly doing in Syria and why the results of so many combat sorties are so insignificant,” he said. “With 25,000 sorties one can blow out the whole Syria,” he added. Russia launched its anti-IS military operation in Syria on September 30, at the request of the Syrian government. The US believes that Russia has the wrong strategy, supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad, and does not want to cooperate with Moscow.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 Oct 2015 11:37

25,000 sorties are huge but I read in another news 80 % of those sorties would just return back without dropping bombs , So the number of sorties might not exactly translate to targets getting hit in each of those

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 14 Oct 2015 11:50

Then what exactly are they doing there as Russians asked? 25k sorties will surely burn a huge hole in the pocket.

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 14 Oct 2015 11:51

What was work worse, when these sorties were on, ISIS was having 100 convoy Black flag parades which were too discreet for US Intelligence assets, hence these aircraft 20000 sorties without dropping bombs and came back.

Any Intelligent Westerner, American, Indian or human can see what parts of the American Government were upto and it was not in compliance with Mordern values.

habal · Post by **habal** » 14 Oct 2015 12:00

sorties are also for resupplying combatants. And many times USAF pilots refused to drop supplies to ISIS and there was kind of revolt by these pilots who were obviously taken aback at having to constantly resupply ISIS, then new protocols were initiated and pilots were supposed to air drop only on specific GPS locations and not behind ISIS lines. If US military contractors are working with ISIS they will also need resupply and aerial sortie numbers can be explained there as well.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 14 Oct 2015 12:21

Read the full article and ensoi.

The Mystery Of ISIS’ Toyota Army Solved

It’s fair to say that whatever pipeline the US State Department and the British government used to supply terrorists in Syria with these trucks was likely used to send additional vehicles before and after these reports were made public.

The mystery of how hundreds of identical, brand-new ISIS-owned Toyota trucks have made it into Syria is solved. Not only has the US and British government admitted in the past to supplying them, their military forces and intelligence agencies ply the borders of Turkey, Jordan, and even Iraq where these fleets of trucks must have surely passed on their way to Syria – even if other regional actors supplied them. While previous admissions to supplying the vehicles implicates the West directly, that nothing resembling interdiction operations have been set up along any of these borders implicates the West as complicit with other parties also supplying vehicles to terrorists inside of Syria.

habal · Post by **habal** » 14 Oct 2015 12:22

Qassem Soliemani arrives in Syria for expected military campaign

rumors on internet that a new force of quds/hezb/shia recruits from afghanistan/IRGC have beeen assembled and given training as commanders to lead a team of 10-20 men. Soleimani is giving motivational speech to the troops. This force was battle trained in Tikrit theatre and was the reason why Tikrit was taken back from ISIS in extra speed. Their first target seems to be Aleppo.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=5e4_1444 ... q9v51oV.99

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 14 Oct 2015 12:25

They easily have the range.The route has to be worked out. But these saturation attacks will come only when they have ISIS cornered in enclaves.That may be the strategy,to force them into zones where they can be obliterated.The problem is the civvy population,who must be given adequate warning to flee

The safest place for ISIS ungodlies is to take refuge in Turkey,Iraq,Saudi A and the Gulf states,their backers.They have their strongholds in Iraq which must also come on the bombing list.The first task though is to eradicate them from Syria,strengthen Assad's grip over the country ,then pursue them relentlessly,in the company of a joint Iraqi,Shiite/Iranian.Kurdish JV.

https://www.rt.com/news/318615-syria-us ... ts-lavrov/

Lavrov: Unclear what exactly US is doing in Syria & why results so insignificant
Published time: 14 Oct, 2015 03:07
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov © Maxim Shemetov

The Russian Foreign Ministry has questioned the effectiveness of the US-led year-long air campaign in Syria, saying it’s unclear “why the results of so many combat sorties are so insignificant.” Failing to curb ISIS, the US has now “adjusted” its program.

“We have very few specifics which could explain what the US is exactly doing in Syria and why the results of so many combat sorties are so insignificant,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian channel NTV. “With, as far as I know, 25,000 sorties they [US-led air campaign] could have smashed the entire [country of] Syria into smithereens,” the minister noted.

Lavrov questioned the Western coalition's objectives in their air campaign, stressing that Washington must decide whether its aim is to eliminate the jihadists or to use extremist forces to pursue its own political agenda.

“Maybe their stated goal is not entirely sincere? Maybe it is regime change?” Lavrov said, as he expressed doubts that weapons and munitions supplied by the US to the so-called “moderate Syrian opposition” will end up in terrorists’ hands.

“I want to be honest, we barely have any doubt that at least a considerable part of these weapons will fall into the terrorists’ hands,” Lavrov said.

American airlifters have reportedly dropped 50 tons of small arms ammunition and grenades to Arab groups fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in northern Syria. US officials assure concerned partis that the fighters have been screened and are really confronting IS.

"We do not want the events, when [some countries] not only cooperated with terrorists but plainly relied on them, to happen again,” Lavrov said, recalling that the French, for instance supplied weapons to anti-government forces in Libya in violation of a UN Security Council resolution.

Lavrov has called on the US to “transcend themselves” and decide what is more important, either “misguided self-esteem realization” or getting rid of the “greatest threat” that is challenging humanity.

Speaking about the American refusal to answer Russia’s calls to create a wider anti-ISIS coalition, Lavrov suggested that US reluctance is based on a number of “factors and causes.”

“It is probably not very nice [for them] to see how effective[ly] our military is working compared to the more than a year-long operations [of] the coalition created by the United States of America, which has carried out, in my estimates, about 60,000 sorties, half of which were supposed to be fighting missions, yet the positive results 'on the ground' are not visible," Lavrov said. "In contrast, Islamic State and other terrorist groups such as Al-Nusra, which is a branch of Al-Qaeda, only expanded its influence and territory in which they are ... truly creating a caliphate, organizing people's lives by [their] ... own laws.”

On Tuesday, Washington ‘adjusted’ its controversial program of aiding the Syrian rebels, opting to vet commanders rather than individual fighters, and provide supplies instead of training.

“The train-and-equip program has changed, but it has not gone away. We’re still equipping moderate Syrian opposition fighters,” Colonel Steve Warren, spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, told the press.

PS:Headline in the Telegraph UK,explains a lot!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/
Putin condemns US for refusing to share Syria terror targets

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 Oct 2015 15:06

US refuses to receive PM Medvedev’s delegation to coordinate anti-terrorist actions in Syria
https://www.rt.com/news/318634-us-refus ... elegation/

Washington has refused to receive a Russian military delegation, headed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, to discuss coordinated action on the fight against terrorism in Syria, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

“We have proposed to Americans what President Vladimir Putin informed the public about yesterday, namely, to send a delegation of military experts to Moscow to agree on a whole number of joint steps, afterwards we would be ready to send a high delegation led by Prime Minister Medvedev to Washington,” Lavrov told the Russian Parliament on Thursday.

"Today we were told that they will not be able to send a delegation to Moscow. At the same time, they are unable to receive our delegation in Washington," he added.

The top Russian diplomat also said that when Moscow invited partners to join Baghdad-based anti-terrorism center it got unconstructive response

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 16:18

if anyone has noticed the number of sorties has doubled per day from 30 to 60 over the last week.

they need to get heavy bombers like bears, backfires and blackjacks into action whether directly from russia or a base in western iran. once the ISIS is engaged in pitched battle these will be useful.
also rats hiding in stalingrad type ruins can be smoked out or buried easier.

88 per day recently.
Heavy bombers would be great if they can be caught out on a fixed frontline and defensive positions like Pakis on the Shomali Plain - or at the moment (maybe 15-minute window) when they are rushing in AOA mode to swarm a city's defense lines. The latter requires much closer airbases, at least a couple of bombers on CAP at all times, and good ground-air coordination to pinpoint targets.

But it WOULD be sweet if there is a Shomali Plain repeat. After that the pakis were in total panicked downhill skiing, or surrounded and finished off. Not counting the 20,000 packed in containers in the Dostum Desert Express.

I think a CAP at the Turkey border is all that is needed. Saturation bomb on both sides, incl the Turkish side to convey the message loud and clear to Mush II.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 14 Oct 2015 17:06

habal wrote:can you believe it ?

stunning Ministry of Defense (MoD) report circulating in the Kremlin today states that a communiqué received from the joint intelligence headquarters of Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria in Baghdad is reporting that their technical/intelligence assests tracked a C-17 Globemaster III belonging to the 728th Air Mobility Squadron of the US Air Forces 39th Air Base Wing depart from the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey and land at the Erbil International Airport in Iraqi Kurdistan.....

No link? So I searched, and found this - I don't know if it is the original.
http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index1924.htm
That Kremlin MoD report supposedly continues:

Opposing the Obama regime, however, this report explains, President Putin has neither been indecipherable or unexplainable in stating that Russia’s goals are to completely destroy these Islamic terrorists by helping the legitimate governments in this region.

Which he has done to great effect, this report says, as evidenced by this weekends attacks against these terrorists that has killed another, at least, 300 of them and has, possibly, today, killed their main leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi with a joint forces air attack on his convoy.

And with President Obama fast continuing the Islamization of America with his latest directive ordering no more pork be served to the prisoners in his nation in order to comply with Islamic Sharia Law, this report concludes, it continues to rest upon President Putin’s shoulders to conduct this Holy War against Obama’s Jihad on behalf of all Christianity lest the entire world fall under the control of these barbarians—and which Russia’s leader seems fully capable of doing.

member_29001 · Post by **member_29001** » 14 Oct 2015 17:13

Russia should enforce a no fly zone over Iraqi Kurdistan.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Oct 2015 17:51

A few strikes from today
https://youtu.be/ZunBtqzg8Ak

habal · Post by **habal** » 14 Oct 2015 18:03

aur yeh aage aa rahe hain full toss ball par .. turkey jaisi army .. thappad khaane ke liye bechain .. apne helmet ko full toss ball kee taraf le jaate hue..

The Turkish Army has reportedly crossed their southern border and entered Syria by way of the ‘Etmeh crossing inside the Idlib Governorate on Tuesday morning; this act of defiance marks the second time this year that the Turkish Army has deliberately crossed the Syrian-Turkish border to enter Syria’s northern countryside.

According to social media activists inside the Idlib Governorate, a Turkish tank brigade crossed the border into the Syrian town of ‘Etmeh, where they took-up their positions at the Al-Halaqa Mountains in order begin building a wall along the border. [# their own unrecognized, self-declared, extended border, that is]

The purpose of this Turkey Army movement is not entirely known nor is their current status inside the town of ‘Etmeh; however, the Turkish Government has expressed their dissatisfaction in the recent Russian airstrikes.."
http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/tur ... announced/

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 14 Oct 2015 18:05

This is news from US. Can be potentially OT (or may be not):

Prisoners have a beef after pork chopped from federal prison menus - Foxy News - Oct 13 2015

However, Hooper dismissed concerns that Islamic advocacy groups had anything to do with the move, saying that while it had always pushed for halal exemptions for Muslim inmates, they have no reason to push for pork being denied to non-Muslim prisoners.

“We’ve never requested that the Bureau of Prisons remove pork from all of its menus. We would have no reason to,” Hooper said.

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 14 Oct 2015 20:05

Obama's foreign policy in last one year just fell apart. He gained impressive wins against Russia by containing it (sanctions/low oil prices). But now, specially in Syria/Iraq he simply fcuked up. Any nincompoop can see why ISIS got stronger or POTUS failed to contain them.

But (until Russia intervened) what was the greater goal? Was it to contain Turkey or Iran or SA? Assad/ISIS is just a smoke screen in this game.

What were they really after?

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 14 Oct 2015 20:28

Something that has prompted Russia to jump in. It was big no doubt.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 14 Oct 2015 21:19

some town called Jobar - now a pile of concrete - fierce fighting - suburb of damascus - used to be a jewish area .... any idea how to take such heavily built up concrete areas without casualties ? nobody seems to live there anymore...is just stalingrad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFNAiKPAXAk

huge shia militia convoy heading north to Baiji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qytQDOhyoM

rumor is Kuznetsov is preparing to sail having cut short a refit cycle and will be used to deliver cheaply in one go a large number of vehicles and perhaps munitions too.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 Oct 2015 21:31

The Iranians have copied the Tow Faithfully

Iranian copies of the TOW anti-tank systems at the government forces in Syria

More pictures in link http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1521458.html

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 14 Oct 2015 21:46

Singha wrote:some town called Jobar - now a pile of concrete - fierce fighting - suburb of damascus - used to be a jewish area .... any idea how to take such heavily built up concrete areas without casualties ? nobody seems to live there anymore...is just stalingrad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFNAiKPAXAk

huge shia militia convoy heading north to Baiji
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qytQDOhyoM

rumor is Kuznetsov is preparing to sail having cut short a refit cycle and will be used to deliver cheaply in one go a large number of vehicles and perhaps munitions too.

Only way to win such locations is to skip it. Just lay siege to it by cutting off supply lines, water/power and wait. They all come out eventually.

Effort to win over such concrete dump is a huge waste of resources and manpower, unless you have local support.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 23:03

any idea how to take such heavily built up concrete areas without casualties ? nobody seems to live there anymore...is just stalingrad

Best bet is to encircle, cut any roads leading in or out, and build roads well away from it to avoid it completely. Winter is coming and it gets pretty cold there. Same as Ukraine rail junction, except I wonder what is the strategic importance of this.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 14 Oct 2015 23:20

WEST must have suspected Russia planning intervention in Syria when French refused the delivery of Mistrals . The 2 ships could have been very handy for Russians now.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 14 Oct 2015 23:23

Turkey probably needs them to evacuate the ISIS via Lebanon. Like Kunduz airlift.

pravula · Post by **pravula** » 15 Oct 2015 02:21

Top Cuban general, key forces in Syria to aid Assad, Russia, sources say

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 15 Oct 2015 02:28

Angola redux?