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

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 15 Oct 2015 18:35

Putins recent interview on Syria ( Had English Subtitles )

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 15 Oct 2015 18:39

Two Russian Mi-28N seen in Latakia,Syria ( pictures )

http://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/69152/

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 15 Oct 2015 19:44

ISIS retreating in Syria, missile system destroyed, 33 targets hit - Russian military - Oct 15, 2015

The 9K33 Osa short-range air defense launcher was destroyed by a Sukhoi Su-34 bomber in Eastern Douma near Damascus, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the media in his Thursday daily briefing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThLkCtqIO78
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GliDWLZKA8

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 15 Oct 2015 20:16

Isis used Mongol massacre tactics to destroy enemy morale in their initial quick surge. No experienced ex Iraq army, Irani or hizbollah units were present then to control situation. Most of Saddam best formations were Sunni and disbanded post oif. Some became insurgents and later Isis core team.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 15 Oct 2015 20:30

Yes, but the charge of cowardice/lack of resolve/guts in Ramadi was baseless: they were sold out.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 15 Oct 2015 20:37

by Ramana
Jordan is Sunni.
On NPR an expert was saying King is a descendant of prophet !

most of the people who are Descendant of the prophet are Shias (Descendant from Fatima (daughter of Prophet) and Ali (found of Shia Islam Cousin of Prophet). Sunnis start from Ayesha (youngest wife of Prophet) and Abu Bakr (friend of Prophet)

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 15 Oct 2015 20:50

SBajwa wrote:
by Ramana
Jordan is Sunni.
On NPR an expert was saying King is a descendant of prophet !
most of the people who are Descendant of the prophet are Shias (Descendant from Fatima (daughter of Prophet) and Ali (found of Shia Islam Cousin of Prophet). Sunnis start from Ayesha (youngest wife of Prophet) and Abu Bakr (friend of Prophet)

Mohammad doesnt have children except from khadija- first wife/Maria (coptic slave).

His other wifes were not allowed to remarry and dont have children. Infact I believe the only descendants of him are from Fatima line.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 15 Oct 2015 21:31

So if he did not have kids where are they descending from? But descending they sure have.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 15 Oct 2015 21:34

Wiki entry claims 7 children and 13 wives

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 15 Oct 2015 21:37

Singha wrote:Wiki entry claims 7 children and 13 wives

6 from khadija - 2 sons 4 daughters, sons died in childhood
1 from slave - ibrahim - died around 20 ish without marriage.

There is unanimous agreement on Mohammed's children on only Fatimah. There is atleast one doubt or clarification or something something in one or the other sources- regarding the rest.

Dont want to go there, but as long as khadija was alive, she was his only wife. There are also some questions raised about Ibrahim's parentage. Bji could explain more about this.

Ramana: The fatimah line is the fountainhead for all the descendants of Mohammad.
Anyway OT.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 15 Oct 2015 22:14

I think descendants of Mohammads are called Saeeds
I think that descendants of the tribe Quresh (Tribe of Mohammad) are called Quereshis (india/pakistan)

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 15 Oct 2015 22:24

Yes, they are sayyeds and have traditionally been accorded a lot of respect. Both Sunnis and Shias have claimants to the lineage. And the Jordanian royal family connection is quite well known in the sunni world.

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 15 Oct 2015 22:38

SBajwa wrote:
by Ramana
Jordan is Sunni.
On NPR an expert was saying King is a descendant of prophet !
most of the people who are Descendant of the prophet are Shias (Descendant from Fatima (daughter of Prophet) and Ali (found of Shia Islam Cousin of Prophet). Sunnis start from Ayesha (youngest wife of Prophet) and Abu Bakr (friend of Prophet)

Incorrect...there are plenty who claim the Fatimid lineage in the sunni world. There was no surviving progeny through any other than first wife.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 15 Oct 2015 23:11

Putin Tells Everyone Exactly Who Created ISIS

Sid · Post by **Sid** » 16 Oct 2015 00:03

My hypothesis, for ISIS creation & sustenance, is that they were created as a biggest symbol of evil in middle east which can only be contained by west. If they had wanted, they could have stopped them a long time ago.

Once ISIS had neutralized current known command hierarchy in Syria/Iraq, then it would have focused on Iran. Hence without firing a single shot, and without fear of their nukes/IRBMs, NATO would have gotten rid of its biggest stumbling block in middle east.

And then NATO could ride in on a white horse with shinning armor as a savior (like always). Or they would have left the region in turmoil for years to come to take advantage of weak structure to their liking (lower or no oil prices).

When collapse of Syria became imminent, and so the danger to Iran, Russia intervened. This imminent collapse would have also signaled decay of any remaining Russian influence in region. So IMO their hand was forced into this.

If we (India) ever could invest in such a long term risky strategic move, could we? Or we lost our moment in Lanka, after perfectly executing it in Bangladesh?

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 16 Oct 2015 02:46

Russia Bombs More Targets in 1 Day than Obama Did in 1 Month
http://pamelageller.com/2015/10/russia- ... jagbm.dpuf

American pilots report not being allowed to fight ISIS.

U.S. military pilots carrying out the air war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria are voicing growing discontent over what they say are heavy-handed rules of engagement hindering them from striking targets.They blame a bureaucracy that does not allow for quick decision-making. One Navy F-18 pilot who has flown missions against ISIS voiced his frustration to Fox News, saying: “There were times I had groups of ISIS fighters in my sights, but couldn’t get clearance to engage.”He added, “They probably killed innocent people and spread evil because of my inability to kill them. It was frustrating.”Sources close to the air war against ISIS told Fox News that strike missions take, on average, just under an hour, from a pilot requesting permission to strike an ISIS target to a weapon leaving the wing -

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 16 Oct 2015 03:14

B reajonabal, bliss:

just under an hour, from a pilot requesting permission to strike an ISIS target to a weapon leaving the wing -

Think about it:
T=0 Foxtrot One Sixer 2 Control:
Bogey in sight. 200-plus men, shooting upwards, moving in a circle, tents nearby, lots of veehicles, requesting permission to fire.

T+0.00.10
Control to Foxtrot One Sixer: Roger, hold position, do not fire. Seeking permission from High Command.

T+0.05.23 Control returns from pakistan; stops by his superior's cubicle.
Control to Foxtrot One Sixer: Hold position. Barb's attending a Motivational Speech, can't be disturbed. Call back in 600 seconds.

.... u get the idea. Barb returns, but before checking her email she has to try out the new PowerPoint Template that the Motvational Speaker asked her to check out on the Pentagon HR website.

Eventually checks and sees message to let Control know if he can come by and chat. Acts PROMPTLY.
T+ 20 Barb calls a Brainstorming Meeting, sends out Microsoft Office message to her Team.
T+40 Brainstorming session in progress. Team agrees remarkably fast that the request should go to the Pentagon because number of targets exceeds 199, per email dated... (never mind, Classified).
T+55 Message reaches General Killum at the golf course outside the Beltway.
"Sir, request from Eyerak - our command facilities are being attached by terrorists. Request permission to fire in self defense.
T+55.00.05
"Permission granted, Gaw****it! Kill 'em all, Let ***** sort 'em out!"
T+59.58.40
"Control calling Foxtrot One Sixer: Permission to Fire, granted. Fire at will! General Killum says to Kill 'em All!"

And thus, in JUST UNDER AN HOUR, remarkably fast, the pilot is ordered to blast another wedding party where the gentle Kurds were shooting into the sky. 230 ppl killed, including the 65 wimmens and children in the tents.

habal · Post by **habal** » 16 Oct 2015 04:56

russian thermobaric weapons capable of flattening 8 city blocks deployed in syria.

tos1A deployed to flatten empty ruins and skeletal shells of city quarters.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z3oZhixJsg

The blast is lethal in itself, but the vacuum that follows the explosion is strong enough to cause deadly internal damage, including rupturing of vital organs, such as the lungs.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 16 Oct 2015 05:42

Still seeing too many misses on these strike videos. Time and again, you can tell the bombs aren't hitting where they're supposed to. I'm aware the drone crosshair isn't always going to be on the target, but unless the Russians are deliberately targeting empty fields close to buildings, these are misses. Watch these strike videos more closely and rewind to just before the impact. Again and again, you'll see the bomb striking dirt, usually close to a building but not directly hitting it. In most cases it looks like the occupants would have survived, though shaken, because the blast wave isn't enough to knock down the structure.

Could the US be jamming or interfering with their GLONASS signals? I wonder if the Russians could use laser guidance instead?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 06:46

One rus general said their glonass is not so accurate as gps now. It's some 3m vs 1m or such. He said the accuracy will improve in phases. Not sure if sw update or newer sats are needed.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 16 Oct 2015 07:20

Barbaric style hacking in public.
ISIS executes two supporters in city center for abusing power - Oct 16, 2015

ISIS has executed Qasim Hilal, 36, on charges of using the group’s power “for personal interests”, and Mohammed Jurouh, another ISIS loyalist, on charges of communicating with an American journalist.

Speaking to ARA News in Deir ez-Zor, media activist Saray ad-Din said that ISIS has put Qasim Hilal in a cage after crucifying him in the city of Mayadeen in Deir ez-Zor province.

“However, local residents explained that Hilal was punished after defending his wife when the ISIS-linked security force of al-Hisba tried to arrest her for violating the legitimate dress,” he added, pointing out that the victim was crucified for three days in public.

Interesting snippet from this report is:

Speaking to ARA News, media activist Bashir Abbad said that fighting between ISIS and pro-Assad forces in the vicinity of the Military Airport of Deir ez-Zor has stopped since Sunday.

“The pro-regime forces are currently fortifying the military airport with high earth mounds and deep defensive trenches,” Abbad reported.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 08:00

even a manpower heavy army like old red army or new IA/PLA cannot afford to get sucked up endlessly in fighting amid the ruins of syrian towns and wasting precious time, ammo and manpower. they urgently need to get bulk supplies of area blasting weapons like TOS and heavy artillery since the manpower issue is not going away. they need to crush these jihadi pockets and move on into central syria which lie under ISIS boots at the moment with no challenger at all.

china seems to be laying a plan not to risk its blood and treasure but offer a lot of reconstruction aid using its surplus production capacity for steel, cement, telecom etc etc. it could be structured as a american style aid (aka domestic subsidy) where GOTUS pays LM/GE/raytheon/Boeing to deliver stuff to Israel and it gets accounted as aid to israel annually.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 16 Oct 2015 08:05

Y. Kanan wrote:Still seeing too many misses on these strike videos. Time and again, you can tell the bombs aren't hitting where they're supposed to. I'm aware the drone crosshair isn't always going to be on the target, but unless the Russians are deliberately targeting empty fields close to buildings, these are misses. Watch these strike videos more closely and rewind to just before the impact. Again and again, you'll see the bomb striking dirt, usually close to a building but not directly hitting it. In most cases it looks like the occupants would have survived, though shaken, because the blast wave isn't enough to knock down the structure.

Could the US be jamming or interfering with their GLONASS signals? I wonder if the Russians could use laser guidance instead?

Experience in Iraq and other places has shown that these terrorist don't just hide in these structures waiting to be blown away, they build a rat hole like structure under ground near the house to hide and in case of air strike they stay hidden so even if actual structure are destroyed the terrorist do not get killed.

So it is necessary to disperse the bomb widely over a tessorist structure to do wide damage as possible.

The goal is to kill terrorist and not a technology contest , we can easily get carried away by oh they are not using lgb but just dumb bomb but the wide damage caused by dumb bomb has its own usefulness in knocking terrorist near by and creating shock n fear

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 08:05

does anyone know how having more ground stations boosts the accuracy as this article claims?

http://www.liveviewgps.com/blog/russias ... s-compare/

Accuracy The first major difference between GPS and GLONASS is that GPS has a higher accuracy rate. Tests conducted to look at how accurate the data and information is for each type of satellite navigation system have revealed, at least so far, GPS is still coming out ahead. The last series of tests showed GLONASS being accurate from 10 feet, while GPS was ahead at 6 feet.

With advancements in the works for GLONASS this could change in the near future. The fact that the GLONASS stations are mostly in Brazil and Antarctica while the U.S. system has them worldwide likely makes a difference. Number of Ground Stations GLONASS may not have their ground stations in as many locations around the world, but they are quickly building up the number of ground stations. GPS is winning with the quantity of ground stations, but Russia is planning on adding 50 stations in 35 countries in the coming years. If Russia follows through with these plans, they may pass up GPS and become an excellent alternative for the US-based system. Currently, GPS is in the United States, Europe, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa. Russia wants to set up in Cuba, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Spain. Satellite Locations One way GLONASS appears to be ahead of GPS is by having satellite systems that are meant for high latitudes, where GPS systems currently cannot reach. While it will likely never replace GPS, it does make it an excellent alternative for signals in certain parts of the world. However, it does suggest a benefit for having antennas and receivers that can pick up signals from both GPS and GLONASS in order for the most pertinent and accurate information. - See more at: http://www.liveviewgps.com/blog/russias ... EjzXq.dpuf

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 08:07

agree with Austin, the bunkers are likely to be a short sprint away, moment they hear aircraft they will decamp. but if the building is used for storing materials and not a hangout place for jihadis, its better to both smash the building and any surrounding rat holes

so a spread of dumb bombs to plaster the place is needed. but only big planes like B1/Bears can carry that much bombs to really work the place over twice.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 16 Oct 2015 08:13

Singha wrote:does anyone know how having more ground stations boosts the accuracy as this article claims?

I would guess it reduces error creep.

habal · Post by **habal** » 16 Oct 2015 09:00

Over 1,500 Iraqi and Pakistani Shia Join Hezbollah and the Syrian Army for Massive Aleppo Offensive

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), Hezbollah, and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have received a huge boost in military personnel recently, as over 1,500 Iraqi and Pakistani Shi’i fighters have made the journey from rural Latakia to the Aleppo Governorate’s southern countryside in order to participate in the long-awaited offensive against both the Islamist rebels and the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS).

http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ove ... offensive/

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 16 Oct 2015 09:09

As far as Glonass Accuracy goes here is official statement from Russian Space Chief on program
http://tass.ru/en/russia/795582

Today the accuracy of the GLONASS domestic satellite navigation system is 2.7 meters, Rogozin said. ‘We plan to reach the figure of 60 cm by 2020," he said.

New Generation Glonass-K has been launched , 2 has been launched which are test platform to test new technology and many more are planned till 2020 , it has a life of 15 years , Check the link it has detials

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/uragan-k1.htm

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 16 Oct 2015 10:04

Singha wrote:does anyone know how having more ground stations boosts the accuracy as this article claims?

http://www.liveviewgps.com/blog/russias ... s-compare/

Accuracy The first major difference between GPS and GLONASS is that GPS has a higher accuracy rate. Tests conducted to look at how accurate the data and information is for each type of satellite navigation system have revealed, at least so far, GPS is still coming out ahead. The last series of tests showed GLONASS being accurate from 10 feet, while GPS was ahead at 6 feet.

My thinking is any where between 5-10 m is a good accuracy for 99 % of the job in civilian or military sphere and to have a 0.6 or 0.1 cm is good only if you want to drop a mini tini bomb with 0.1 kg explosive in it

GPS/GLONSS or others are not really primary navigation for most missiles or aicraft etc they just are add on for Laser INS or Strap Down or Radar Guidance or IIR or DSCM etc

The GPS/GLONSS/Bideo etc is turning out to be like Intel Processor war for desktop users where every time they release a new CPU with more and more processing capability and forcing the user to change with some good PR , when in reality even the last CPU used by user was barely using 30 % of CPU power for most average task

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 16 Oct 2015 10:11

2013 Video of John McCaine

habal · Post by **habal** » 16 Oct 2015 11:29

are the Russians air strikes hitting their targets.
Jihadi guy explodes over Russian airstrikes

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 16 Oct 2015 11:46

Y Kannan: Apart from what Austin explained, the Russians are also keener on striking AA guns, Tanks, Ammo dumps etc than buildings. The drone videos mostly have a building around which area the bombs fall. In fact, it clearly shows the accuracy of targeting where they leave the building alone. Russians are avoiding Mosques and some other buildings deliberately.

GPS / GLONASS accuracy: GPS and GLONASS signals overtime decay in accuracy as the 'clock' goes out of sync or slows down. These may be extremely small time fractions but over long distances and where exact fix for the accuracy as req for precision bombing is needed, these fractions become critical. To keep accuracy or check for errors creeping in we used a system called D-GPS or Differential GPS. Ground based stations with accurate time and accurate known coordinates would compare GPS signals and check for error and error keep. More stations would mean more authentic and accurate error measurements across geographies. I am not sure, but this could be what the Russians are referring to as more Ground Based facilities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_GPS

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 14:22

60cm accuracy would be great for the 100kg SDB type weapons which probably have their hardened casing and 50kg of explosive - about as much as a 155mm shell. even smaller weapons might be on drawing board down to Shiv's famous guided grenade which he sometimes rants on

4 SDBs go under one pylon of a F-15 using a flat adapter pylon to create the holding points. so a F-15 could carry some 12-16 + amraams + aim9x. thats a lot of omnirole payload

habal · Post by **habal** » 16 Oct 2015 15:16

thermobaric bombs have priimary explosion but it is the vaccum after the explosion that kills. So even if buildings are intact the humans and animals inside may still not make it out alive. The lungs are the weakest link in this scenario and will take the hit.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 16 Oct 2015 15:17

Enter the Persians!
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/o ... ards-assad

Iran ramps up troop deployment in Syria in run-up to ‘anti-rebel offensive’

Iran’s role in war has been relatively low-key so far, but deployment and dispatch of famous commander reinforce perception of new stage in support for Assad

Ian Black and Saeed Kamali Dehghan

Wednesday 14 October 2015 20.24 BST
Iran is escalating its role in the war in Syria, sending hundreds of men from its elite forces to support Bashar al-Assad and dispatching its most celebrated Revolutionary Guards commander to an area where an anti-rebel offensive is expected shortly.

Arab diplomats and analysts said on Wednesday that Iran had already sent hundreds of troops to northern and central Syria, after reports that up to 2,000 are to be deployed alongside fighters from Tehran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah and foreign Shia militia units under the cover of Russian airstrikes.

Iran has backed the Assad regime from the start of the war four and half years ago, but its role so far has been relatively low-profile. Pictures of Gen Qassem Suleimani, commander of the al-Quds force of the Revolutionary Guards, addressing fighters in Syria, reinforce the perception that a new stage of deeper Iranian involvement may be beginning.

Diplomats say Iran urged Russia to intervene militarily in support of Assad after serious losses of territory and manpower this year. Suleimani visited Moscow in July, reportedly to make that point. But some experts also see a degree of competition between Moscow and Tehran for influence in Damascus.

Suleimani was pictured addressing unidentified fighters in the Latakia area. The image was distributed on Tuesday by al-Mayadeen, a Lebanese TV channel that is close to Iran and Hezbollah. This generated intense attention on social media. The channel linked his presence to a forthcoming offensive against anti-Assad rebels.

Iran has advised the Syrian army and trained Shia militia units from Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai reported that Tehran would send 2,000 troops to Syria, along with 5,000 Iraqi and Afghan Shia fighters.

Who backs whom in the Syrian conflict
Read more

Iranian fighters began arriving two weeks ago, after Russian airstrikes began, and have accelerated in recent days, an unnamed regional official told the Associated Press. The Iranians flew into Damascus airport and were transported to a base in Latakia from where they were deploying in Hama and Aleppo provinces.

“We have seen received confirmed reports of Revolutionary Guards being deployed in the hundreds in an attempt to regain territory recently lost in Aleppo by Assad,” a senior Arab diplomat told the Guardian. Another Arab source warned, however, that information about the Iranians could be deliberately misleading propaganda.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday that Iranian troops were continuing to arrive and being sent to a base in Jableh, near Latakia.

“There is no doubt an Iranian escalation [is being] coordinated with the Russian intervention,” said Emile Hokayem of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). “There is an operational and territorial division of labour, whereby Iran contributes skilled manpower and Russia air power, probably increasingly in the form of close air support.”

Pinterest
Iran’s huge underground missile depot shown on state TV

Iran’s enhanced role is a risky one, as shown by the rising number of funerals held for members of the Revolutionary Guards killed in Syria in recent months. The Syrian conflict has cost the lives of more senior Iranian guards than any other conflict apart from the eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s.

Members of the guards killed in Syria are referred to as “defenders of the holy shrine” by Iranian media. “In Qom, people are seeing such funerals almost on daily basis,” one source said. “This shows that they are sending soldiers to fight in Syria.”

Last week a senior guards commander, Hossein Hamedani, was killed near Aleppo. It emerged on Wednesday that two other senior members were killed this week: they were named as Farshad Hasonizadeh and Hamid Mokhtarband. The Isna news agency said they were helping the Syrian army and “Islamic resistance fighters”.
Senior Iranian commander killed in Syria
Read more

Hasonizadeh was a former commander of the guards special forces unit, Tip-e-Saberin. Morad Veisi, an expert on Iran’s armed forces who works with Radio Farda in Prague, said more Saberin personnel appear to have been sent to Syria.

“It is no coincidence that three Iranian generals have been killed in just a week,” said Hokayem of the IISS. “The planning and operations of ambitious campaigns require senior oversight so more risk-taking by Iranian generals.”

On Monday two funerals were held in south Tehran for guards from Iran’s Fatemiyoun brigade, composed of Iran-based Afghan expatriates.

Following the rising Iranian death toll in Syria, Iranian officials have become vocal in vowing to crush “takfiri terrorists”. Mohsen Rezaee, a former guards commander, said: “We will bury takfiris in Syria and Iraq and we will prove to the world that conspiracy and deception has no place in Islam.” A takfiri is a Sunni Muslim who believes it is legitimate to kill Muslim apostates, and is Iran’s terminology when referring to Islamic State (Isis).

Ali Akbar Velayati, a foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said this week that maintaining Assad in power remained Tehran’s red line. “Russia’s presence in Syria is important and effective,” he said. “We’ve supported Bashar al-Assad for more than four years and we will continue to do so.”

US donkey,Ash Carter, gnashes his teeth in jealous rage vowing to fix Russia for showing how impotent the US is. By refusing to cooperate with Russia in defeating ISIS,the US haws shown the world its duplicitous and demonic foreign policy,where it endeavours to set as much of the world on fire ,setting nation against nation,peoples against peoples,destroying much of the civilised world that isn't White Anglo-Saxon and (supposedly) Protestant ,preserving its own relative tranquility enjoying the global chaos,whilst making billions upon billions in arms sales as a bonus, Ash Carter has exposed himself as a warmongering unmentionable of the lowest order.

US defense chief: we will deter Russia's 'malign and destabilizing influence'
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015 ... ia-ukraine

Spencer Ackerman in New York and Shaun Walker in Moscow

Wednesday 14 October 2015 20.48 BST
The US defense chief has vowed to take “all necessary steps” against a resurgent Russia which is challenging a frustrated Washington in eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Ash Carter, the US defense secretary, said the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had wrapped his country in a “shroud of isolation” which only a drastic change in policy could reverse.

“We will take all necessary steps to deter Russia’s malign and destabilising influence, coercion and aggression,” Carter said, attacking Russian military intervention in Ukraine and Syria.

The speech at a US army convention on Wednesday included some of the strongest language yet by the Obama administration, which came into office determined to “reset” relations with Russia and move them in a more cooperative direction.

Carter said that as long as Russia pursued a “misguided strategy” in Syria to bolster its client Bashar al-Assad, “we have not, and will not, agree to cooperate with Russia”.

Meanwhile, Russia claimed that the United States snubbed its overtures for high-level consultations on Syria, refusing to send a delegation to Moscow or receive a high-ranking Russian delegation.

On Tuesday, Putin said he wanted to send a delegation led by the Russian prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, to the US. Moscow said the suggestion was first raised during a meeting between Putin and Barack Obama on the sidelines of the UN general assembly last month.
Who backs whom in the Syrian conflict
Read more

“Literally today, we got an official reply,” the foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on Wednesday. “We have been told that they can’t send a delegation to Moscow and they can’t host a delegation in Washington either.”

Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Wednesday evening: “Given the current situation in Syria, refusing dialogue does not help to save the country and region from the Islamic State.”

There was no immediate response to the claim from US officials, though the accusation stands in contrast to two weeks of unresolved requests from the Pentagon to the Russian defence ministry for a clear procedure to avoid midair conflict.

While the US Defense Department last week held out hope for “deconfliction”, three rounds of talks have yet to result in clear rules for US and Russian pilots and their commanders, despite a series of undisclosed proposals and counterproposals. A third video conference made “progress” on Wednesday, and was described as “focused narrowly on the implementation of specific safety procedures” by a Pentagon spokesman, Captain Jeff Davis.

Lavrov said on Wednesday that agreement was close and procedures “should become operational any day now”.

The diplomatic disagreement over the international community’s response to the Syrian war reflects the positions of two distinct coalitions with divergent goals. Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime of the dictator Assad have accelerated a military offensive against Assad’s Syrian enemies.

The pro-Assad coalition is reportedly aiming to retake Aleppo in the coming days, with Russian warplanes supporting Iranian ground forces.

The US and much of the west are focused instead on a relatively slower campaign against the Islamic State, which formally opposes Assad but has turned its attention to consolidating its hold on eastern Syria and north-western Iraq.
Analysis Putin's campaign to derail the west over Syria is working – for now
The firing of cruise missiles from the Caspian Sea is the latest testimony to Putin’s grasp over Nato, but domestic appetite for war will soon dwindle
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On the one hand, Russia has been using its entrance into the Syria theatre to regain diplomatic clout after isolation following its actions in Ukraine, with Putin meeting with Obama in New York on the sidelines of the UN general assembly meeting, and the latest attempt to send a negotiating group to Washington.

On the other hand, when the strategy has failed, Putin has not shied from going it alone, launching the air campaign in Syria just two days after his speech at the UN calling for a coalition, and giving the US just an hour’s notice, via diplomats in Baghdad.
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“I believe some of our partners simply have mush for brains,” Putin said, complaining that the US did not appear to have a firm set of goals in Syria.

In the balance for the US is the Iraqi government, which pivots between US and Iranian sponsorship. The Iraqi government of Haider Abadi, installed with the aid of the US last year, has begun flirting with the Russian-Iranian-Assad coalition in frustration with what it considers insufficient US support against Isis.

Iraq now hosts an intelligence fusion centre with Russian, Syrian and Iranian liaisons and reportedly has begun using situational awareness generated from the centre to bomb Isis positions.

Russia has said it would be willing to consider expanding its airstrikes to Iraq but only if it was asked to do so by Iraqi authorities.

The US has made clear it will not participate in the intelligence centre, out of concern that its Russian and Iranian adversaries would gain access to US information; the US maintains its own independent intelligence cell with the Iraqis. The Iraqi defence ministry has provided “assurances that our information will be appropriately protected”, Warren said on 1 October.

Meanwhile Carter said that he did not know if Putin would take “the opportunity to change course”.

“From the Kamchatka peninsula through south Asia, into the Caucasus and around to the Baltics, Russia has continued to wrap itself in a shroud of isolation. And only the Kremlin can decide to change that.”

PS:
Q:Why didn't the Russians use their warships in the Meditt in striking ISIS with missiles?
Ans:They're preserving their missile inventory for any misguided adventurism from the Western naval assets.The statements by "Ashes-to-ashes,dust-to-dust" Carter ,make it imperative that the Russians keep their powder dry in the face of any asinine move from the US or its allies against Russian forces engaged in Syria.That's why the naval assets in the landlocked Caspian Sea were used to fry ISIS.The Russian naval assets in the Meditt are for any gross miscalculation from the US ,NATO,etc.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 15:29

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRW-4-QWUAAWWlm.jpg

pic of russian drone shot down by al-nusrah or malfunctioned and crashed.

could be yak pchela.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 16 Oct 2015 15:33

fighting near Aleppo would seem to be 4 boxers in the ring, each wants to kill the other three

syrian army + irani/lebanon militia
YPG
jihadi tanzeems like al nusra
ISIS.

in rest of places ISIS in not in direct combat with syrian army

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 16 Oct 2015 15:59

ISIS/NATO hits back: Plane shot down

Clearly trying to force NATO into war with Russia. ArchDuke Ferdinand all over again, just a year late beyond the Centenary.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 16 Oct 2015 17:00

They shot a drone it seems

Iraqi Forces Add Russian Guns to US Tanks for ISIL Fight

New Alliances Breed Hybrid Hardware, Challenge US End-Use Monitoring Regime

US seems unhappy that these tanks use Russian .50-caliber machine gun and Iranian-stamped 12.75-mm ammunition

Cant find better humor

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 16 Oct 2015 17:05

Opinion: Russians are fighting a war of attrition in Syria:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semp ... d-cau.html