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

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 23 Oct 2015 00:17

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ame ... verride=in

Something that the Americans have done good. They launched a rescue operation and saved 69 people from ISI knives. Together with Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces.

Paul · Post by **Paul** » 23 Oct 2015 03:51

Kurdish opening to Assad has its limits as Kurds have claims on Iranian territories as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnd60U7HM38

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 23 Oct 2015 09:24

Russia: "Terrorists in Syria losing fighting capacity, deserting positions"- Armed Forces
Uploaded Oct 22, 2015

Deans · Post by **Deans** » 23 Oct 2015 09:53

Singha wrote:fascinating thread on whether the germans ever saw the sun shining off kremlin domes or not
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=194166

in any case they never reached less than 25km from red square.

I've stood at the spot from where the Germans (incl. Field Marshal Von Bock) were supposed to have seen the Kremlin. In their line of sight is actually an old walled church complex in a Moscow suburb, which also has church domes similar to those at the Kremlin, which is probably what some enthusiastic German mistook for the Kremlin. This is a few km north of the Kremlin and is probably what they saw.
The Kremlin would not have been visible to any German unit advancing towards Moscow.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Oct 2015 12:52

VVS hit a bridge in Syria used by ISIS to re-enforce cadre from Iraq

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Oct 2015 12:53

Thermobaric rockets fired from TOS-1A Buratino 220mm heavy launcher/flame thrower

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Oct 2015 13:13

Medvedev: Russia will help Syria to defend its sovereignty

On Tuesday the visit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Moscow - like Medvedev. - Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his Syrian counterpart. Bashar al-Assad has passed meeting with the leadership of the Russian Federation, in which I participated."

Before that, I saw the Syrian president during his visit to Damascus in May 2010. Then Syria was a very different country - a quiet and civilized. Historic Damascus, in which I was able to walk and talk with its inhabitants, looked a city where peaceful coexistence of people of different nationalities and religions. I talked to the Syrians, who spoke warmly about Russia and its people, photographing ancient mosques and temples. It was a modern secular country

"Things have changed in just a year. Since 2011, the Syrian people's life turned into a nightmare: war, terror, death, the destruction of religious sites and monuments of world significance", - stated Medvedev.

He stressed that "Russia has never changed its position on the Syrian issue. And then, and now we support the only legitimate authority." "Although the past few years, I want to note that President Bashar al-Assad during his last visit to Moscow was as calm and balanced, as well as five years ago," - said the chairman of the Russian government.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Oct 2015 13:15

Assad Agrees to Russian Support of Syrian Opposition in Anti-ISIL Fight

http://in.sputniknews.com/russia/201510 ... -club.html

Putin said he had asked Bashar al-Assad how he would view an armed opposition force that was genuinely ready to combat Islamic State militants. "He answered: 'Positively'," Putin said during a session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Russia's Sochi.

He added that whether al-Assad should go is up to the Syrian people via transparent elections.

"We must be sure that the government is being formed based on transparent democratic procedures. And we can speak, of course, of certain international control of these procedures, including elections. But this control must be objective," Putin said at the Valdai International Discussion Club, adding that the Syrian people should formulate the process, its final aims and how it should be done.

"I mean both the Syrian legitimate government and opposition," Putin said.

Dividing Syria would lead to a permanent conflict in the region, Putin stressed.

"Dividing Syria is the worst option, it is unacceptable. It will not end the conflict and only create conditions for its escalation and continuation," he said.

"If Syria is divided into separate territories, they will fight with each other endlessly and nothing good will come out of it."

According to Russia's leader, outside interference and attempts to reorganize the Middle East have led to a rise in global threats.

"We see what is happening today in the Middle East. For decades, sometimes perhaps even centuries, ethnic, religious, and political conflicts, acute social problems have been piling up here," Putin said.

"In short, the explosive mixture was rising, and outside attempts to blatantly reorganize the region were the match that led to a real explosion, the destruction of statehood, an increase in terrorism and, in the end, an increased threat to the whole world," the president added.

Read more: http://in.sputniknews.com/russia/201510 ... z3pNXys2bT

sudhan · Post by **sudhan** » 23 Oct 2015 15:34

Austin wrote:Thermobaric rockets fired from TOS-1A Buratino 220mm heavy launcher/flame thrower

At least the first exploding rockets look like Napalm carrying ones.. Thermobaric explosives have a unique pressure wave signature.. They seem missing here, at least to my eyes..

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Oct 2015 16:16

^^ I think those are Fuel Air Explosive that warhead.

srin · Post by **srin** » 23 Oct 2015 17:43

FAE explosives have dual-blast, don't they ? One to scatter the fuel and the second to ignite the fuel cloud. These seem to be vanilla HE blasts.

Shanu · Post by **Shanu** » 23 Oct 2015 19:35

Got this interesting view point about Europe's migrant crisis being a 'manufactured crisis' by Erdogan. Don't know how valid this is.

During the interview, Taleb Ibrahim explained how Erdogan is displacing the people in Syria. Erdogan is bringing thousands of Islamist Turks from other Turkish lands into Turkey, training them and then sending them into Syria to help fight Assad. He gives an example of a couple of Chinese villages that have recently cropped up inside Syria that he said both Erdogan and ISIS brought in to help fight Assad.

So basically he’s saying that Erdogan is pushing these people out of Syria and into Europe as he changes the demographics of Syria from Arabs to Islamist Turks, all for the sake of reviving the Ottoman empire!

Link - http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-real-c ... ey/5483642

The above explanation may be a bit far fetched, but when you read this together with other facts - how Turkey's Ottoman foreign policy collapsed with the fall of Brotherhood Governments in Egypt and Tunisia and economy in a tailspin, it becomes clear how a EU membership can save it from impending doom. And the refugee crisis have achieved just that and more..

Posting the relevant points.

This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Turkey. There she announced that she will push to accelerate Turkey’s accession to the European Union. That is pretty surprising statement from a politician who was elected 10 years ago, in 2005, on the promise that Turkey would never join the EU. In May 2010 Merkel went even further and ruled out the possibility of Turkey becoming member of the European club.

Turkey prepared well for Merkel’s visit. In return of agreeing on a common EU–Turkey Joint Action Plan on migrants, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu requested four points: the opening of negotiation chapters with the EU, visa liberalization for Turks traveling to the EU, 3 billion euro to deal with the refugees, and the invitation of Turkish leaders to EU summits.

When the Arab Spring took off in December 2010, Davutoglu and Erdogan saw their chance. Turkey would be the model of future Islamic democracies in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and other countries that would follow their path. Erdogan visited these countries and was welcomed as a hero. Masses on the street shouted: “Erdogan, Saladin.”

In May 2013, Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) had to deal with its own revolt on Taksim square in Istanbul. The protests quickly spread to all parts of Turkey. One month later, Egypt’s Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted by mass protests and an army coup. The friends of the Muslim Brotherhood became the enemies of Egypt’s new strongman, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi. When Ennahda lost the elections in Tunisia, it seemed that Erdogan and Davutoglu had lost all their friends.

In short, the dream of Erdogan and Davutoglu was shattered. There was not one ally or friend left in the neo-Ottoman region. Even Qatar had to change its pro-Muslim Brotherhood strategy after being politically strangled by Saudi Arabia. Turkey played but the game was lost.

Davutoglu and Merkel are in survival mode. They have to cast aside old principles and promises in order to save what they have. For Merkel, it is not only about her re-election but also about the position of Germany in Europe. For Davutoglu, it is more than a collapsed dream; it is about getting Turkey out of its current dangerous isolation. The current deal—refugees for EU membership—is for both the only way out of a situation they themselves created.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... cally.html

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 23 Oct 2015 20:42

Shanu wrote:Got this interesting view point about Europe's migrant crisis being a 'manufactured crisis' by Erdogan. Don't know how valid this is....

.....
Davutoglu and Merkel are in survival mode. They have to cast aside old principles and promises in order to save what they have. For Merkel, it is not only about her re-election but also about the position of Germany in Europe. For Davutoglu, it is more than a collapsed dream; it is about getting Turkey out of its current dangerous isolation. The current deal—refugees for EU membership—is for both the only way out of a situation they themselves created.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... cally.html

This will be very interesting.
I just returned from Turkey and while it does seem better than most Muslim countries regarding Secularism etc. (weirdly enough, small villages and towns seemed less Islamized than bigger cities like Istanbul, Izmir, Denizli etc.), its nowhere near European level. Some areas of Istanbul give very Paki feeling (at least from what I have imagined Pakistan to look like lol). Its a thoroughly Muslim country, no doubt, despite the great efforts of Kamal Attaturk (have to respect the man though, for what he achieved and tried to achieve) and I didnt even see the eastern areas of Turkey, which are much more Islamic from what I heard, including the trademark birthrate of 6-7 children per woman.
Turkey is also a very nationalistic country. The flags on every nook and crany will give you an idea. So I dont see how this Islamic and nationalistic society will fit in European Union.
Not to mention Turkey will have the maximum possible number of seats in European parliament (owing to its population) which will be equal to Germany. Inclusion of Turkey will just destroy the whole EU system, not to mention overwhelm EU with around 75 million more Muslims.
I dont see how thats a good idea, but it will be something very interesting.

member_29089 · Post by **member_29089** » 23 Oct 2015 21:00

Bhurishrava wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ame ... verride=in

Something that the Americans have done good. They launched a rescue operation and saved 69 people from ISI knives. Together with Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces.

It would be naive to take the press story at face value. US SEALS would not go in unless some CIA type was also among the prisoners. BTW one seal was killed. ** Deleted **

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Oct 2015 21:47

https://www.rt.com/news/319501-nato-equ ... tuck-sand/

Rt losing no chance

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Oct 2015 21:51

Russia cuts Euphrates bridge that leads back to Isis depots in Iraq
https://www.rt.com/news/319499-russia-a ... euphrates/

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Oct 2015 06:34

50 ton-question: Who got US ammo intended for anti-ISIS Arabs? - Oct 23, 2015

Arab rebels in northern Syria say they have received none of the ammunition air-dropped by the US. The supplies appear to have ended up with Kurdish fighters, whose anti-ISIS offensive stalled following protests from US ally Turkey.
The Pentagon said the shipment dropped by US airplanes on October 11 was intended for the “Syrian Democratic Forces,” an alliance of Arabs and Kurds several thousand strong intent on attacking the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) capital of Raqqa. The group’s existence was announced just hours before the first airdrop .

The newly minted coalition consists of the al-Sanadid Arab tribal militia, a Christian group dubbed the Assyrian Military Council, and the Burkan al-Furat (“Euphrates Volcano”), a joint Kurdish-Arab group on the Raqqa front, as well as the formidable Kurdish YPG militia, which outnumbers all the other forces by 4 to 1, according to the Washington Post.

The notion of US ammunition ending up in Kurdish hands has angered Turkey, which only recently agreed to open its airbases to US drones and bombers operating against Islamic State. Turkey has fought a 30-year counter-insurgency against its Kurdish minority, which lives along the Syrian border, and considers the Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) a terrorist organization. While Washington has also placed the PKK on the terrorist list, the US does not extend that label to the YPG in Syria or its political wing, the PYD, despite their close ties.

“We view the PYD as a terrorist group and we want all countries to consider the consequences of their cooperation,” one Turkish official told Reuters on October 13, protesting what he called US and Russian support for the Kurds. Turkey has even threatened to intervene if the Kurdish forces push west of the Euphrates.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 06:56

Iranian general killed in clashes in central Syria - report
World
October 24, 3:48 UTC+3
Brigadier General Reza Khavari "was martyred in clashes with Takfiri terrorists in the Northern parts of the province of Hama

TEHRAN, October 24. /TASS/. A top commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) who fulfilled his duty as a military adviser has been killed in clashes in central Syria, the Fars News Agency has reported.

Brigadier General Reza Khavari "was martyred in clashes with Takfiri terrorists in the Northern parts of the province of Hama, Central Syria, Thursday night." This brings the number of IRGC casualties in the war-torn country over the past several days to eight.

The eight casualties have been confirmed by IRGC Public Relations Chief General Ramezan Sharif.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 06:59

Looks like heavy fight in Hama province , Iran lost quite a few Sr military officer there , seems they are leading from front

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 07:37

Need to check the BBC hardtalk aired on Monday but some bites from the interview

Kremlin: US and allies fail to identify Assad’s opponents having no links with terror

LONDON, October 23. /TASS/. The United States and its allies have failed to identify any force from among those in opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that has no links with terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with BBC World News’ HARDtalk, extracts from which were released on Friday.

"Unfortunately all our partners have failed up to now to identify a serious opposition that has no links to terror, no links with extremist organizations, no links with ISIL, Al Qaeda and others," he said, adding that that was why it was that important to save Syria. "It’s important to save Syria’s integrity, territorial and political integrity, not to let the whole region, including the countries that are bordering with Syria, to go into a nightmare of collapse and hegemony of terror," he said.

When Stephen Sackur, the Hardtalk host, said Russia was trying to back up the Assad regime in Syria, Peskov said, "No it is not. It is an attempt to save Syria from terrorists and extremist organisations."

There is hope that Syrian army will save its soil from terrorists

According to Peskov, there's slight hope that the Syrian army will manage to save their soil from terrorist and extremist groups.

"The American-led coalition has been doing their bombing for more than a year, the result, and I’m not debating about the result, I am just witnessing the result, is that the majority, two-thirds of Syrian territory is occupied by ISIL. And unfortunately the situation tends to be more grave," Peskov said.

He explained that the ineffectiveness of the US-led coalition was the reason why the Russian armed forces started supporting the government forces in Damascus.

"It is a little bit early to speak about concrete results but we see the first signs of successful offensive by Syrian army and thus a slight hope that they will manage to save metre after metre, kilometre after kilometre their soil from terrorist and extremist gangs," Peskov said.

The full interview will be aired on Monday.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 07:42

Satya_anveshi wrote:The Pentagon said the shipment dropped by US airplanes on October 11 was intended for the “Syrian Democratic Forces,” an alliance of Arabs and Kurds several thousand strong intent on attacking the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) capital of Raqqa. The group’s existence was announced just hours before the first airdrop .

Thats been the case with even Free Syrian Army , they made few people in suite boot to sit near Hillary Clinton in 2011 and proclaim this was the FSA and they are moderates and will replace Assad , folks from GCC and Foreign Minister too present for photo op

Folks like John McCain meeting these guys and 3 Gun men with pics with him and they become freedom fighter

In 2015 FSA is just a phantom and what has been replaced in the years are AQ and ISIL occupying more than 2/3 of Syria may be more

I would have dread had Assad been thrown and replace by so called FSA , ISIL would have got their Khalifa by now.

I cant but appreciate Western Stupidity magnified 100x times , they dont seem to learn their lesson from Liyba

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Oct 2015 08:14

News from Turkey:
ISIL members housed in state-owned guesthouses, CHP deputy claims

Bombs sent to ISIL by truck being exploded in Turkey now, says former deputy

Fuat Avni claims attacks will take place in İstanbul prior to Nov. 1 election

Early Friday morning a government whistleblower who tweets under the pseudonym Fuat Avni claimed that a group of people in the presidential palace with links to the Zionists are planning to organize attacks, including suicide bombings, in İstanbul's important locations including the Bosporus Bridge, metro buses and ferries, in order to create a chaotic atmosphere and make people support the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in the Nov. 1 general election.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 08:28

Todays ISIL is tommorow's AQ and yesterdays FSA , these folks keep changing orginisation depending on who pays them well.

No one is really fighting in Syria for its ideology but for money barring Syrian Army who has a state to defend and Kurds who have to defend themself.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Oct 2015 09:55

IMO, situation is ripe to create a Syrian malala and distract attention from being exposed of aiding and abetting terrorism to being seen as supporting children, women, health, education causes. We will get to see how this will start, play out, and end.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 24 Oct 2015 12:40

https://www.rt.com/op-edge/319296-terro ... is-russia/

'Russia gatecrashed underground NATO party in Syria'
Published time: 21 Oct, 2015

Russia has turned on the lights on a Syrian operation that has been going on now for four years, where NATO countries have been able to operate more or less in the shadows, Patrick Henningsen geopolitical analyst from 21st Century Wire.com told RT.

Syrian President Bashar Assad met Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The main agenda was the fight against Islamic State and the volatile situation on the ground in Syria.

RT: A surprise visit by Assad to Moscow, how much importance can we read into it?

Patrick Henningsen: It is interesting; this is the second high-profile world leader to come to Moscow and to have diplomatic meetings with the President there in Russia. Again, we’re seeing Russia take the role of leadership on the international stage. It has seen an opening in the situation in Syria and it has moved in order to provide leadership in a situation that many people felt was dragging on and on with no real conclusive results.

We know now the reason for that – it is because there is are a lot of clandestine activity that has been going on, not just in Syria but in the periphery as well – in Turkey, in Jordan, in Northern Iraq as well. And because of that clandestine activity the US… the game plan was not to make progress in flushing out the terrorist menace that infested Syria and Northern Iraq. If it had been, we would have seen it disappear already after 22,000 bombs were dropped in the last 13 months.

RT: As you said, the US has been carrying out its campaign for already 13 months, while Russia destroyed over a hundred targets in approximately a couple of weeks. How do you think Russia made such progress in such a short amount of time? It is confusing, isn’t it?

PH: It isn’t if you look at common sense. Even in the combat theatre, and there are quite a few military experts that are constantly bending platitudes around Washington all day and every day on US media. But I said on your program back in 2012 and 2013 that if the US and the West was really serious about dealing with the terrorist threat, which had infested that country, that they would work with the Assad government, work with the government in Damascus, because that is the ground force – they have the most ground intelligence, they have the best ability to spot targets and gather intelligence and act on that.

READ MORE: Assad to Putin at Moscow talks: Terrorists would seize larger areas if Russia did not act

That is all Russia is doing – it is just going in and working with the key player that they need to work with. Because the US has already blocked itself off from any real solution by insisting that the government in Damascus go, or leave, or insist on regime change, as their stated policy directive since 2011, then there really was no chance ever that it could achieve what its stated goals are – which was to deal with the terrorist menace when it came on the scene when ISIS was announced last summer.

RT: If the US claims that it really wants to destroy ISIS, why then it doesn’t it want to unite with Russia and other countries that are willing to fight terrorism?

PH: It should be, but unfortunately the US put all its poker chips on one side of the table from the beginning… insisting on regime change in Damascus, which is basically an extension of what Washington has managed to achieve in places like Iraq, in places like Libya, regime change by force. They believe that they can do this again and it is proven to be quite a challenge. In fact, it has been a complete failure this time around.

That is not to say that the clandestine or the proxy war will not continue. This is really a proxy battle between the NATO countries and Russia, now using Syrian as the playing pitch, not unlike what we saw in Lebanon in the 1980’s- early 1990’s – where Lebanon was being used as a sort of battle pitch for some kind of a war between numerous parties, including Syria and Israel. The result was that the country was completely decimated, and it has taken 20 years to rebuild itself. I would guess that Syria will take a few decades to not just rebuild itself, but to find some kind of social cohesion.

Even still today we have CIA ex-operatives coming on CNN saying that Syria will have to be Balkanized, it will have to be partitioned, because Sunnis can’s live with Shia anymore. This is amazing considering the US has been pushing the division in that country by fueling, funding, arming guerilla warfare and terrorist groups by extension, in that country. And they are turning around now and saying the country needs to be Balkanized, It’s absolutely astonishing.

RT:There has been a recent change of rhetoric with certain Western leaders who used to say that Assad has to go. Now they are saying that maybe he can stick around for a little bit. Is there a particular reason why the rhetoric has suddenly changed?

PH: I think it changed. Russia has basically gatecrashed an underground party – if you want to use that metaphor – that has been going on now for four years – where countries like the US, like Turkey, like Jordan, like NATO countries, Britain included, France have been able to operate more or less in the shadows here in this grey area which they prefer to operate in, and Russia is just basically barged in, switched on the lights saying: “Look, who’s going to clean up this mess?” We’re in danger of losing a nation state here; we’re in danger of tremendous further loss of life; more refugees fleeing the battle zone. And Russia is coming to flick the lights on and said: “Right, the party is over! Let’s get down to ... attacks now. I’m going to work with Damascus. We’re going to deal with this.”

They are very upset in Washington, they still throw temper tantrums. Even this week they are saying: “Oh, Russia has made a horrible move.” Ash Carter saying that when Russia sustains causalities, it is not going to be so much fun anymore, and also saying things like: “This is going to be their Afghanistan all over again.” Well, this is very different from Afghanistan because Russia has been invited in by the sovereign, by the legal democratically elected internationally recognized government in Damascus...

This is like Operation Cyclone in Afghanistan – only the US is basically doing what they were doing there back in the late 1970’s – early 1980’s along the lines of the big new [Zbigniew] Brzezinski foreign policy project – nation building project. That is more or less what the US has been doing by creating another Sunni mujahedeen conglomerate or conclave, which is running amok in the region and is causing a tremendous amount of instability. Hopefully we’re seeing that cartel a bit now, and a lot of people in the international community are beginning to realize that this is a very good thing – what has been happening the last two weeks.

q
Robin Tilbrook, leader of English Democrats Party said: “Obviously, with Russia’s help the Syrian regime gets control back to its country, then the future is that [Bashar] Assad will continue being the president. If we wind up with a situation where full control can’t be retained, then eventually I suppose there will be some sort of peace deal which fragments the state.”
Q
Game over? Russian intervention in Syria could be 'game ender' not game changer

Neil Clark, journalist and broadcaster said: “We talk about the Russian intervention has been a game changer. It could be a game ender. It could mean ‘game over’ for Western plans for regime change in that country.”

RT: The meeting marked Assad’s first trip outside his country since the civil war began four years ago. How significant is this meeting?

Neil Clark: I think it is significant because… President Assad hasn’t actually left his own country for four years since this terrible Western-backed proxy war started. It shows that he is confident now that he can leave the country, because in the last three weeks we’ve seen a radical change in the situation in Syria, haven’t we? We talk about the Russian intervention has been a game changer. It could be a game ender. It could mean ‘game over’ for Western plans for regime change in that country. And I think that reflects the fact that President Assad feels he’s confident to actually leave the country for the very first time in four years.

RT: But the West claims that its intentions are about not getting rid of Assad, but about the war on terror, isn’t it?

NC: Not at all, that is just a smokescreen, isn’t it? Let’s face it: the US has been bombing ISIS for over a year, and ISIS has actually extended its territory in that year. They were making a very few bombing raids; their only interest was in clipping the wings of ISIS, because their number one objective all the way through. In fact it goes back to 2006 where we’ve got WikiLeaks revealing the US ambassador talking about how they could destabilize Syria back in 2006. So it is a long term project, this bringing down the government of Syria. And this fighting ISIS has just been a smokescreen, we know that. What Putin has done now, he’s called the West’s bluff in a spectacular way, hasn’t he? Because the Russian attacks have done more damage to ISIS in two-and-a-half, three weeks than the United States did in over a year.

RT: Canada says it's taking its fighter jets out of Syria and Iraq, does this make Russia's role even more important?

NC: That is interesting, isn’t it? Of course we think Canada is pulling out. Britain, which was supposed to be joining in very soon, David Cameron has been the whole summer trying to propaganda ISIS for British air strikes on ISIS, ostensibly against ISIS, but we know that his main aim is regime change. We still haven’t had a vote in Parliament on that.

So I think what the Russian intervention has done has meant that the Western powers have had to rethink their policy – this business of supporting airstrikes on ISIS, when really the main aim was bombing the infrastructure. The US was bombing the electricity grid in Aleppo, for example. They were aimed to destroy the Syrian state infrastructure, not really tackling ISIS... We’ve got the declassified documents from a couple years ago showing that the US and its allies actually welcomed the rise of ISIS in Syria as a way of isolating “the regime.”

member_29089 · Post by **member_29089** » 24 Oct 2015 14:57

^^ I do not know why RT.COM is seen as an honesty ridden source of information. The very first thing to refute from the utter propaganda is that the US supports ISIS, or that the US does not kill ISIS goons.

Not that the US is not to blame. But it would be wise to understand the belief-system of the decision makers and policy makers in the US. They are mostly Evangelical Christians and Jews.

Their main belief is to unconditionally support Israel and to relentlessly destroy the enemies of Israel. (Nothing wrong in that). The reason for the US to demand the removal of Assad and the Baath party forces is because their unceasing support for anti-Israel terrorists. US policy has ingeniously destroyed Iraq and Libya and is bent on destroying Syria. ISIS is a small pawn in the big game.

Putin wants to support Syria because Syria was a paying customer for Russian hardware. And Russia can test and showcase their weapons to other big customers such as India by doing some target practice killing Mohammedans. (Nothing wrong with that).

Why Evangelists Support Israel

The Evangelist wacos also believe in the 2nd coming of Jesus to Israel which will be after a "great war" to usher in an era of the entire world surrendering to Jesus.

Guys, please do not buy into USA supporting ISIS whatever, drop your popcorn and beer and get some samosa and lassi and enjoy the show. I see this as the sacrifice of Shia and Sunnis in the great yagya for the purification of the earth.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 15:36

^^ Thats a nice bollywood romantic type story good to enjoy with samosa and lassi

when evidence points to contrary of US along with GCC supporting ISIS and funding them

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 24 Oct 2015 18:29

Guys, please do not buy into USA supporting ISIS whatever

Gunther, I too do not (a) believe everything or even 80% of what I read on RT.com, and certainly disbelieve most of the 'battlefield videos' from all sides. I applaud your desire to "first refute the notion that the US is supporting ISIS..".

So I am holding my breath to read the refutation, but am afraid I may not survive that exercise.

The facts do very strongly and irrefutably so far, indicate that the ISIS was generated with the knowledge, resources, training and weapons from the US. Perhaps indirectly from the US, but certainly through its allies Turkey, the KSA and the Gulf Emirates, if not that perennial terrorist-fomenter the United Queendom and other NATO allies.

Let us please hear why the USAF/USA have been so pathetically ineffective (sorry to use the words, but rebut if you can) at eliminating the ISIS during their massed attacks on Iraqi cities. Iraq after all, had its armed forces destroyed and disbanded by the US, so its security is very much the responsibility of the US. In particular, air superiority over Iraq is all owned by the US/NATO.

Next, please answer why US ally Turkey has been blatantly supporting, facilitating, arming, entertaining and transporting ISIS terrorists. Turkish rail has been transporting their heavy guns and armor across Turkey to Syria. Turkish fighter planes have been bombing Kurds who have been desperately fighting to save themselves from ISIS genocidal attack.

Why has the US/NATO been unable to stop the FUNDING for the ISIS?

Why has the US/NATO been unable to stop the FUEL SUPPLIES to the ISIS?

Why has the US/NATO been unable to stop FUEL SALES by the ISIS (who buys the fuel, and why are they immune to US pressure?)

Why has the US/NATO been unable to stop terrorist recruits from their own nations going to fight for ISIS? There are no passport controls?

Answering these would be more profitable than advising people to eat samosas etc. You may be well advised to consider training to acquire a taste for crow..

If the answer is that the US intelligence, air force, army, Special Forces are all incompetent, and the ISIS have technological, intelligence, logistics, financial and aerial/naval superiority, why has there not been an outcry in the US Congress to quadruple the Defense Budget (or declare unilateral disarmament and suggest surrender and mass conversion to ISIS loyalty?) After all, there must be good $$ in the Slave Trade, and centuries-old experience in that business in the USA, hey?

BTW, NONE of the above questions is based on any RT report. It is mostly based on reports from 'western' sources. I am holding my breath...

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 24 Oct 2015 19:33

Why has the US/NATO been unable to stop FUEL SALES by the ISIS (who buys the fuel, and why are they immune to US pressure?)

Black market sales to the Syrian government/Assad. This is the Arab world as it exists.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 24 Oct 2015 19:54

Austin wrote:Looks like heavy fight in Hama province , Iran lost quite a few Sr military officer there , seems they are leading from front

the former personal bodyguard of ex PM admednijad a veteran of the quds force has also died in some fighting there.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 24 Oct 2015 19:55

TSJones wrote:
Why has the US/NATO been unable to stop FUEL SALES by the ISIS (who buys the fuel, and why are they immune to US pressure?)
Black market sales to the Syrian government/Assad. This is the Arab world as it exists.

And your source for this claim? To me more likely that Turkey is buying cheap oil and export further for all the support it gives to ISIS.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 24 Oct 2015 19:57

http://www.ibtimes.com/isis-oil-revenue ... c2-1892370

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-captur ... n-control/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/syria ... al-n232381

http://www.businessinsider.com/revealed ... sis-2015-3

ad nauseam and ad infinitum........

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 24 Oct 2015 20:47

TSJones wrote:http://www.ibtimes.com/isis-oil-revenue ... c2-1892370

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-captur ... n-control/

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/syria ... al-n232381

http://www.businessinsider.com/revealed ... sis-2015-3

ad nauseam and ad infinitum........

TSJ super.

Nice circles of smoke there. First the very forces who oppose Assad make a claim, and then their loyal mouthpieces report that and then their dutiful citizen passes of the junk as proof. Nothing wrong with it but he deliberately chose to ignore contrary news. Ha ha ha.

So ISIS captures the last oil fields in Syria as per your second link.

The NBC link has an official from US - Undersecretary David Cohen, who says this :

ISIS, which controls oil refineries in the vast territory it has seized in Syria and Iraq, sells oil to middlemen, including some from Turkey, who move it for resale, the undersecretary said. The regime of President Bashar Assad of Syria has made an arrangement to buy ISIS oil, and some oil from ISIS territory has been sold to Kurds in Iraq, Cohen said.

He did not specify who among the Kurds was buying. But the cooperation of Iraqi Kurds, along with the main government of Iraq and rebels in Syria, is a critical element of the American strategy to fight ISIS.

No proof but just a claim. And this becomes the "Truth".

So it is sold to Turkey for further exports - no? Also, the US news is one year old. A simple google search will show the first three results today as
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 07146.html

Isis sells crude oil to smugglers at prices between $10 and $35 per barrel, undercutting the international price of around $50 per barrel.

The smugglers then sell the oil to middlemen in Turkey.

Turkey's prime minister's office issued a statement saying it had taken measures to strengthen border security.

http://www.ibtimes.com/amid-anti-isis-c ... te-2153769

ISIS sells crude to smugglers at prices that vary between $10 and $35 per barrel, Iraqi intelligence told the Associated Press. The international price of oil is about $50 per barrel. The smugglers then sell the oil to middlemen in Turkey, or, according to one Iraqi official, to individuals in Kurdish areas of Iraq, as well. A Kurdish politician denied the claim. ISIS was believed to extract about 30,000 barrels a day in Syria, and about 10,000 to 20,000 barrels per day in Iraq.

https://www.rt.com/news/319510-isis-oil-50mln-month

The Associated Press ✔ @AP
Islamic State earning up to $50 million a month in oil sales despite U.S. attempt to stop it: http://apne.ws/1W83f2z
3:30 PM - 23 Oct 2015
The Associated Press
Photo published for Despite US-led campaign, Islamic State rakes in oil earnings
Despite US-led campaign, Islamic State rakes in oil earnings
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic State rakes in up to $50 million a month from selling crude from oilfields under its control in Iraq and Syria, part of a well-run industry that U.S. diplomacy and airstr...

Now, TSJ, I understand loyalty and the difficulty of admitting guilt. But the US is guilty of letting ISIS capture all Oil Fields, it is guilty of ensuring they can continue to drill for Oil, it is guilty of letting them get hold of mint new arms and ammunition (and God knows who trained them?), it is guilty of letting Turkey get away with being a haven for ISIS oil and also guilty of bombing Syrian water tanks / sanitation tanks, Syrian power stations. The propaganda linked by you is just that - American propaganda.

For one year, the great US has been launching air attacks on ISIS, but what do they have for show? ISIS sits on a greater area with more weapons and more money through Oil sales then before US was there.

Your senators and officials have abetted, funded and turned a blind eye to the humanitarian night mare of ISIS.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Oct 2015 20:58

^^all US media reports and therefore SD and CIA propaganda

. ISIS is controlling majority of Syria and therefore most of Syria's oil fields. Syria is now importing oil from Iran but some of the ISIS loot is going to cover the local demand without which civilization will stop. That gets goat of folks like above. Here is some data reported:

ISIS’ Illegal Oil Empire: By The Numbers - Oct 02, 2015

The Islamic State is considered the richest terrorist organization in the world. Most of its money comes from taxing its citizens. But trading oil and antiques on the black market is also a significant money maker — so much so that as Russia has begun a military effort to combat ISIS in Syria, the U.S. is looking for ways to dismantle the money trail leading from the oil fields to the black market to the terrorist group’s bank.

Here’s a look at how the black gold is fueling one of the world’s biggest security and humanitarian threats, by the numbers.

383,000 barrels = The pre-war daily output of oil from Syria, during which time, oil exports brought in about $3 billion a year on sales mostly to Europe. But after 2011, the U.S. and EU banned Syrian oil exports.

20,000 barrels = The post-war daily output of oil in Syria as of June 2015. After losing control of its oil fields to ISIS, the Syrian government is now importing crude from Iran to make up for the massive loss in oil production.

75,000 barrels = The estimated daily output capacity of oil from Syria’s largest oil field – Omar. Syria has never been one of the world’s biggest producers of oil, but it does have the most significant oil reserves of the Eastern Mediterranean region including Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine.

11 = The number of oil fields in Syria and Iraq that had been seized by ISIS as of last year. A few weeks ago, activists in Syria reported that ISIS captured the last oil field under the control of President Bashar Assad’s government.

$1.2 billion = The total estimated earnings by ISIS in 2014. Its biggest income comes from taxing the roughly 8 million people under its control, but it also generates money from internet cafes, exporting fruits and vegetables, selling electricity and gas to the Syrian government through ISIS-controlled dams and gas fields, along with selling drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and ancient artifacts on the black market. Even with its diversified revenue stream, with thousands fleeing Syria for Europe, some predict ISIS could soon be facing a money problem.

$100 million = The estimated earnings ISIS got from illegally selling oil in 2014. Most of the oil sales are to local traders who cover domestic needs, but many believe the country’s crude is also smuggled to Turkey.

$500 million = The annual income one analyst says ISIS is now getting from selling illicit oil. Meanwhile, the State Department, estimates that ISIS has reaped about $8-10 million a month in oil and gas smuggling. While estimates about this point vary, most tend to favor the State Department’s lower numbers.

$360 million = The annual cost of funding ISIS fighters.

$20 = The estimated cost of a barrel of ISIS oil around the end of 2014.

$5 million = The reward the U.S. government is now offering anyone who can give information that will help disrupt ISIS’ illegal sales of oil and antiques.

$48.55 = The per-barrel price of Brent crude as of Wednesday. The price jumped 32 cents after Russia announced a bombing campaign in Syria.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Oct 2015 21:08

Actually its gets interesting. From this financial times report: Isis Inc: how oil fuels the jihadi terrorists - Oct 14 2015

Estimates by local traders and engineers put crude production in Isis-held territory at about 34,000-40,000 bpd. The oil is sold at the wellhead for between $20 and $45 a barrel, earning the militants an average of $1.5m a day.
“It’s a situation that makes you laugh and cry,” said one Syrian rebel commander in Aleppo, who buys diesel from Isis areas even as his forces fight the group on the front lines. “But we have no other choice, and we are a poor man’s revolution. Is anyone else offering to give us fuel?”

So, bad terrorists are selling to good terrorists but we know, ultimately, both serve goals of US and deprive legitimate govt of Syria its tax as well as oil revenues.

from the same report:

“At any moment, the diesel can be cut. No diesel — Isis knows our life is completely dead,” says one oil trader who comes from rebel-held Aleppo each week to buy fuel and spoke to the Financial Times by telephone.

Oversight of the oil wells is carefully controlled by the Amniyat, Isis’ secret police, who ensure revenues go where they should — and mete out brutal punishments when they do not. Guards patrol the perimeter of pumping stations, while far-flung individual wells are surrounded by protective sand berms and each trader is carefully checked as he drives in to fill up.
At the al-Jibssa field in Hassakeh province, north-eastern Syria, which produces 2,500-3,000 bpd, “about 30-40 big trucks a day, each with 75 barrels of capacity, would fill up”, according to one Hassakeh oil trader.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 21:12

Video of Iran Advisor

Personnel fighting south of Aleppo, in the capture of the village Balas. In the video, it seems that men filmed the Lebanese "Hezbollah" and it is possible to hear Iran's IRGC advisor episode SUVs "Safir" with 106-mm recoilless rifles and 107 mm RPU.

Link has picture of ex Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday October 23 visited the family of the deceased in Syria, his former bodyguard Abdullah Bagheri Niyareki (Photo Tasnim) The victim was killed in a battle with the militants in the district of Aleppo on Thursday.

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1541593.html

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 21:14

Iran lost some senior Military officer in past 1-2 weeks also a period of heavy fighting for Aleppo and something they offically acknowledged , May be Sniper kill ?

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 24 Oct 2015 21:15

SA ji, of course, it has to be that way. ISIS has all the oil wells and no one is bombing them. Others need fuel. ISIS sells cheapest. They buy from ISIS.

The world blames the locals for funding ISIS. Nice circular logic.

Syrian govt has been declared a pariah state by the US. Where do they buy oil from? Infact, oil has become so difficult to come by in the cities of Syria that wood as fuel is being retailed. I saw a video recently, showing haggling over firewood prices.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 24 Oct 2015 21:37

Syrian Army Kills Jabhat al-Nusra Leader

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151 ... illed.html

The Syrian army killed the leader of Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) terrorist group, Egypt-born Abu Suleiman al-Masri in Aleppo, a source confirmed to Sputnik Saturday.

According to the source, the terrorist was killed during a fight near the Tal-al-Karsani village outside Aleppo. The Nusra Front is an Islamist armed group fighting the Syrian government. Damascus also combats the Islamic State militants and a number of opposition forces.

member_29089 · Post by **member_29089** » 24 Oct 2015 21:58

UlanBatori wrote:
Guys, please do not buy into USA supporting ISIS whatever
Gunther, I too do not (a) believe everything or even 80% of what I read on RT.com, and certainly disbelieve most of the 'battlefield videos' from all sides. I applaud your desire to "first refute the notion that the US is supporting ISIS..".

<chop>

Let us please hear why the USAF/USA have been so pathetically ineffective (sorry to use the words, but rebut if you can) at eliminating the ISIS during their massed attacks on Iraqi cities.

<julienne>

Next, please answer why US ally Turkey has been blatantly supporting, facilitating, arming, entertaining and transporting ISIS terrorists. Turkish rail has been transporting their heavy guns and armor across Turkey to Syria. Turkish fighter planes have been bombing Kurds who have been desperately fighting to save themselves from ISIS genocidal attack.

Why has the US/NATO been unable ... <puree>
Why has the US/NATO been unable ... <liquidate>
Why has the US/NATO been unable ... <smash>

I am holding my breath...

Next, please answer why US ally Turkey has been blatantly supporting, facilitating, arming, entertaining and transporting ISIS terrorists........ <dice>

Answering: for the sole purpose of weakening and ultimately destroying Syria as a country.
Turkey may have their own reasons to make ISIS and Kurds fight it out (kill two stones with one bird

)