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

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 23 Dec 2015 11:15

Habal ji, Al Masdar was reporting that it is for the push towards Aleppo from the Southern Aleppo (Khan Touman) direction. This is Jabaht Al Musra territory and Jund al Aqsa is not interested in supporting because of ongoing offensive in Northern Homs.

The 'rebels' are getting hammered now from all sides and tweets and reports are letting slip signs of battle fatigue / internal dissent. They will not fold up now, but through the winters and in another month and a half if this offensive continues, large scale retreats may start happening.

More and more they are agreeing to prisoner exchange programmes, UN aid programmes etc. Also, there is a feeling of big let down by the US (Kerry being a special target).

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Dec 2015 11:21

Shreeman wrote:simple MRLS will scorch just fine. Them grads are already flattening the earth even without tochkas, tos1s smerches and the like. However, turki etc are not sitting idle. Nor is US/NATO. There will be no pushovers.

harkat mein aayegi turki, US aur NATO lekar magic net to protect the fragile head of rebel from MLRS and Tos1a. those doing good work never get a break. Salma is mountainous terrain with power lines to boot and thus even paratroopers can't have free run. Scorched earth is only solution. Once all weapons are in place, NATO/US/Turkey will have to sit and watch with gigantic pain in musharrafs.

this gem btw was found in khan touman, aleppo.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Dec 2015 11:23

deejay wrote: The 'rebels' are getting hammered now from all sides and tweets and reports are letting slip signs of battle fatigue / internal dissent. They will not fold up now, but through the winters and in another month and a half if this offensive continues, large scale retreats may start happening.

mountainous terrain will hamper advance from hereon in North West.

ISIS will be chased out of palmyra into Nineveh in Iraq. This is my prediction for january.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 23 Dec 2015 11:26

^^^ Whose the other guy on the Daesh Currency? Given that Daesh call themselves "Daulat -e - Islam" what do they call their currecy - "Do - Laat / Loot -e - Islaam'?

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 23 Dec 2015 11:34

Armenia says ceasefire with Azerbaijan in tatters - Dec 22, 2015

Armenia said on Dec. 22 that the ceasefire with arch-foe Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh virtually no longer exists, describing frequent skirmishes at the frontline as “war."

The Armenian defense ministry’s strongly-worded statement came after talks in Switzerland at the weekend between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan, over the future of the disputed region appeared to have brought no tangible results.

“What we have today is a war,” Armenia’s defense ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan told journalists.

“We must use the word ‘war’ as there is no ceasefire anymore,” he added, accusing Azerbaijan of military provocations along the ex-Soviet neighbors’ shared border and across the Karabakh frontline.

“Azerbaijan is using all existing armaments: tanks, howitzers, and anti-aircraft artillery.”

Azerbaijan responded to the statement with counter-accusations, blaming Armenia for the recent escalation.

“Ceasefire violations are taking place because of the illegal presence of Armenian forces in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told AFP.

“Armenia has to withdraw from the seized lands ... only afterwards the sustainable peace can be guaranteed in the region.”

Ethnic Armenians backed by Yerevan seized control of the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was part of Azerbaijan during the Soviet period, during a war the early 1990s which claimed the lives of some 30,000 people.

A 1994 ceasefire failed to lead to a peace deal, with clashes erupting regularly and the two countries remaining on a war footing.

In recent months there has been an unprecedented escalation of the conflict, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mediators recently warned “the status quo has become unsustainable.”

Energy-rich Azerbaijan, whose military spending exceeds Armenia’s entire state budget, has repeatedly threatened to take back the breakaway region by force if negotiations fail to yield results.

Moscow-backed Armenia says it could crush any offensive.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Dec 2015 11:36

deejay saar, that's herr jolani of Nusra.

here is photo of martyrs of aleppo. Most seem to be hezbollah.
lower row seem very physically fit.
the tip of the spear types.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CW4IPxoWQAEQUrf.jpg

russian tv footage of Salma action.
non-stop 24x7 artillery incl tos1a on rebel positions.
Infantry has already entered the town.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2015 15:43

the rush in latakia before winter becomes more bitter could be that conditions will become more difficult with snow and rain. I think mediterranean has a NE monsoon rains like TN in winter.

once the campaign season closes up north, they can divert more resource into palmrya and then deir azzor.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 23 Dec 2015 15:55

so the ground war is reaching the next point of stability - the kurds are close to being stable in the north. the alawites are soon going to reach their required boundaries on the coast, the sunnis will come to some accommodation with the regime (despite the brutalities on both sides) and the orcs will be driven back to their foul spawning grounds (to the gulf and to the ghetto's of europe) and the multi-coloured wizard in the city of domes will stare into the palantir and seek answers

and so, the next phase will begin

war without end

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 23 Dec 2015 16:44

Energy-rich Azerbaijan, whose military spending exceeds Armenia’s entire state budget, has repeatedly threatened to take back the breakaway region by force if negotiations fail to yield results.

I'd like to see them try... my prediction is a thorough ass-kicking at the hands of the Armenians followed by Turkish intervention, giving Russia an excuse to pound the sh*t out of Turkey and put a permanent end to Erdogan's aspirations once and for all. If I were Putin I'd be encouraging the Armenians not to back down. There are no doubt oil-rich areas around Nagorno-Karabakh that the Armenians wouldn't mind controlling. People forget there was once a (much larger) Armenian state that included much of Azerbaijan and parts of Turkey.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Dec 2015 17:09

Was just watching Von Paulus getting pounded by "Stalin's Organs".A Sri Lankan General told me personally that it was the MBRLs that saved the Lankan army from the LTTE.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 23 Dec 2015 17:22

and i was just watching a documentary about the YPG and the YPJ and how the ladies of the latter save their tender mercies for their orc captives in a little dismal shed at the back of the farm yard. the orcs believe that they cannot enter jannat if slain by a woman, so in that case they are entering jahannum 1/72nd pieces at a time

divine retribution

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 23 Dec 2015 19:17

I wuz waiting for this......beginning to wonder..whut took 'em so long? these guys have been indiscriminately bombing for several months now...

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-t ... ty-n484866

BEIRUT — A human rights watchdog on Wednesday accused Russia of using cluster munitions and unguided bombs on civilian areas in Syria in attacks that it says have killed hundreds of people in the past few months.

The report by Amnesty International said there has been a surge in reports of cluster munitions dropped in areas targeted by Russian forces since Moscow formally joined the conflict Sept. 30.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Dec 2015 19:39

funding for amnesty international

UK Department for International Development
the European Commission,
the United States State Department,
the Rockefeller Foundation

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

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2015 20:04

syria human rights watch observatory in london features a CEO who apparently hasnt been in syria for years but has minute by minute 'sources' all over

RT.COM

Russia, Armenia unite air defenses, create regional system in the Caucasus
Published time: 23 Dec, 2015 11:26

Russia and Armenia have signed a collective security deal on a united regional air defense system in the Caucasus. Moscow is currently working on a similar system with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The air defense agreement between Russia and Armenia has been signed by the heads of defense of the two countries, Sergey Shoigu and Seyran Ohanyan.

In 2013 Moscow signed a deal on a joint regional air defense system with Kazakhstan. Russian and Belarusian systems have already been unified.

At the same time, Russia has handed over an S-300 air defense system to Kazakhstan. According to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, “this is a great - if not the key - contribution to the unified air defense system that has already been put in place.”

Currently Armenia hosts a Russian military base equipped with S-300 air defense complexes and MiG-29 interceptor fighter jets. Russia’s Erebuni base is part of the unified air defense system of ex-Soviet republics known as the CIS. It was formed in 1995 and is situated some 126 kilometers to the north of the Armenian capital, Yerevan. According to an intergovernmental agreement, Russian military will stay in Armenia till 2044. The number of military personnel at the Erebuni airfield and 102nd Military Base in Gyumri reportedly varies between 4,000 and 5,000.

On December 8 the Erebuni base was reinforced with six advanced Mi-24P (NATO designation – Hind) assault helicopters and an Mi-8MT transport helicopter delivered from the Russian Air Force base in the Krasnodar region.

The creation of a joint missile air defense system with Armenia enables Russia to ensure its position in the South Caucasus, America’s Stratfor geopolitical intelligence firm noted in late November, about a month ahead of the current deal.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 23 Dec 2015 20:08

and apparently Stratfor has sources all over.....

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2015 20:09

armenia is in a vulnerable position, surrounded by the caspian sea (hosting that ugly little kalibr toting flotilla), armenia, iran....only georgia provides a route to help but georgian coast is subject to blocade from the rus navy. the current flagship of the black sea fleet moskva was involved in that as well iirc.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 23 Dec 2015 20:25

Does the Amnesty report have a word on US funded genocide, accidental bombing and killing of doctors and civilians by USAF?

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 23 Dec 2015 20:31

you mean azerbaijan here:

Singha wrote:~~armenia~~ Azerbaijan is in a vulnerable position, surrounded by the caspian sea (hosting that ugly little kalibr toting flotilla), armenia, iran....only georgia provides a route to help but georgian coast is subject to blocade from the rus navy. the current flagship of the black sea fleet moskva was involved in that as well iirc.

Armenia, being landlocked and sandwiched between Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan is vulnerable too.
Overall another situation that will get mixed up in re-drawing of borders if that comes to pass or continuation of prolonged conflict at a more active level.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2015 20:56

i wonder which route russian units to armenia take?

georgia, azerbaijan and turkey are clearly out. must be through iran.

Baku oil infra is very vulnerable to russian attacks though if things head south.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 23 Dec 2015 21:31

Singha wrote:Baku oil infra is very vulnerable to russian attacks though if things head south.

2 weeks ago largest azeri oil platform 'caught' fire killing several..

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2015 21:45

newsweek: exactly what was feared is happening...the local serpents have slithered away and only jihadi cannon fodder is left. the planners, schemers, double-crossers , financiers, tabliqs, shadow people have all left.
and where would they have fled? probably to towns nearby to start all over again.
---

The local Sunni population who aided ISIS’s capture of Ramadi in May, acting as double agents and sleeper cells, have left the city and the remaining few hundred ISIS militants leading the resistance are from the group’s international cohort, says Muhannad Hainour, special advisor and spokesman for Sohaib Alrawi, the governor of Iraq’s largest province.

“The locals who have been involved with Daesh (an Arabic acronym for ISIS) have fled,” he says by email. “Those left fighting inside the city are the foreign fighters.”

He said that with the offensive placing the militant group on the back foot, the remaining foreign fighters have resorted to taking men hostage and are “preventing civilians from fleeing the city.”

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 23 Dec 2015 22:21

The question is what will happen to the sunnis after Iraq backed by shia militia and Iran regain full control? I see another bloody civil war but sunnis paying the price.
Azerbeijan despite being Shia cannot count on Iranian support. Rus and Iran back Armenia on Nagarno-Karobakh and I believe so does India. Turkey is their only supporter in the region and of course pakis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia%E ... _relations
According to wiki armenia is not recognized by pakis. We should not recognize pakistan itself.

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 23 Dec 2015 22:25

All future engagements will be a function of the following....

Bank of Russia: Low oil prices jeopardize balance of Russian budget

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 23 Dec 2015 22:26

If India plays hard ball we can get a good bargain for Akula-2's, smaller more powerful naval reactors and S-400's.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 23 Dec 2015 22:42

deejay wrote:Does the Amnesty report have a word on US funded genocide, accidental bombing and killing of doctors and civilians by USAF?

no need to. you and RT are taking care of that.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 24 Dec 2015 00:37

Amnesty is careful not to take credit off one side and to not give credit to another side, is all one can see. Once the situation in Syria and Iraq stabilizes this credit will come in handy to determine which side did what, like post WW2 negotiations/courts even though it was the Russians who fought Nazis the most.

member_29247 · Post by **member_29247** » 24 Dec 2015 00:44

US news and reports are most censorscissored in the world since GW II war.
Everybody is embedded everywhere

Great thing is Free Syrian army is the most enslaved army

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 24 Dec 2015 02:33

Singha wrote:newsweek: exactly what was feared is happening...the local serpents have slithered away and only jihadi cannon fodder is left. the planners, schemers, double-crossers , financiers, tabliqs, shadow people have all left.

just like the final defence of the reichstag was by SS Nordland and Charlemagne - scandic and french nazis with no home to go to, and with no expectations of mercy from the soviets...

the orcs will pay a heavy price, but the shadow puppeteers will slide away and return later. to avoid the next phase of the shia-sunni war, there has to now be some sort of partition

incidentally, as the flames spread up the caspian - wouldn't georgia (the last bastion of christendom) make up with russia before the green hordes? they always have before...

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 24 Dec 2015 04:32

The horrible thing about Russian intervention is that the clumsy oafs with their outdated weapons, just kill civilians and combatants alike. This has completely changed the nature of the Syrian CIVIL war, which so far has been utterly civil.

Like, Erdogan's army of I-sh1ts, and the britsh1ts and the US-backed Moderate Islamic ~~Terror~~Joyists have always fought by the Rules of Warfare. They come up and arrange for the combat to occur in zones well away from any civilians. They fight only fairly, and hold their fire if they see any stray civilians in the fire zone. Watch "The Eagle Has Landed" for an explanation of this.

Once Erdogan's I-sh1ts win in fair battle, they march into town to the tune of

When The ~~Saints~~ Prophets Go Marching In

The local population comes out in droves waving little flags like we see in the John Wayne movies of WW2 Allied Troops rolling into French towns. 12-year old girls just insist on leaping on to the Toyotas and then eventually prefer to live in underground concrete bunkers where they can admire their herrows better.

The COuW Air Forces always use Precision Weapons. Even over hospitals.

So now Amnesty International is right to scream at the Russian War Crimes. Why, they can bring Erdogan and the Saudi sheikhs and (entertainment-force suppliers) to testify. With Obama as Fiend of the Court. And Christianne Amanpour and Tony B. Liar as cheerleaders to supply Dossiehs.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 24 Dec 2015 04:38

My jiografy is 404, but isn't part of Georgia now under Russian control since the ~~debacle~~ Great Victory of that einstein who is now part of the UkBapzi regime? I thought part of that Comrade Vlad did there, was to ensure that there was a protected zone for vodka import-export and a coastal route clear across Georgia?

I thought Azerbaijan and Iran are cousins, so doesn't this now create a wedge between them and the Russians? OTOH, the Armenians above all others, would be delighted to light a few fires under Erdogan's musharraf.

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 24 Dec 2015 04:56

Iranians support Armenia and not Azarbeijan. Northern Iran has azeri population. President Ahmedinejad is ethnic azeri and there are some rifts between the govts. Both are shia otherwise.

member_29247 · Post by **member_29247** » 24 Dec 2015 05:25

The recent easing of restrictions on US for export is another weapon to make Russia lose market share of oil export.

The lowest cost producers will garner the market share and assuming that OPEC countries original ones will not dump and suffer market share loss. There will be competition to sign bilateral agreements for assured long term contracts at mutually acceptable long term prices. This to avoid open market free for all.

The KSA and combo countries must be regretting opening the second front in Yemen.

Now if Azarbhajan Armenia and Georgia also get sucked in with Iran Russia on one side and Turkey KSA combo on the other, there will be even more pressure on oil price. Iran to come. Into international market and Liya eating in the wings

The silent sufferers will be Nigeria Venuvela Brunei North Sea Oil , Canada to name a few.

With Airline consolidation in US and the low prices Airlines Like Delta, South West etc will have a great time by signing up long term contracts if not done already....

Utility companies will have lupward swing in stock prices...

Social unrest will crop up in KSA and othe Middle East countries due to cut in subsidized fuel food and other price rise and inflation , right combo for a small multi colored revolutions .....

No wonder everybody wants to export uranium to India...

this is Spinsters Panchanga Sravanam for 2016 New Year.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 24 Dec 2015 05:54

TSJones wrote:
deejay wrote:Does the Amnesty report have a word on US funded genocide, accidental bombing and killing of doctors and civilians by USAF?
no need to. you and RT are taking care of that.

Let me take care some more:

Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity 2 hours ago
Haidar Sumeri Retweeted Haidar Sumeri
#Iraq's over-dependence on the #US must be diminished, in order for Iraqis to prosper. Haidar Sumeri added,
Embedded image permalink
0:28

Haidar Sumeri @IraqiSecurity
Pre-Mosul, Maliki begged the #US to hit Da'ish camps near #Iraq's border w/ #Syria. They did nothing.
9 retweets 12 likes
Reply Retweet 9
Like 12
More

Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity 3 hours ago
Haidar Sumeri Retweeted Haidar Sumeri
Ridiculous how this story got buried.

Within 72hrs, #US bombed #Iraq's army near Fallujah then civilians in Mosul. Haidar Sumeri added,
Haidar Sumeri @IraqiSecurity
20 killed, incl. at least 12 civilians, in #Iraq's Mosul in 2 #US-led coalition strikes that destroyed houses in the western 17 Tammuz area.
51 retweets 18 likes
Reply Retweet 51
Like 18
More

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 24 Dec 2015 07:32

armenia and georgia should be natural christian allies against the green horde but georgia was seduced by nato membership hopes and got into a useless war against russia and lost.

dont know what is the political wind there now.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Dec 2015 09:08

Recommeded read in full:

Putin’s Progress in Syria Sends Kerry Scampering to the United Nations - By Mike Whitney (on Counterpunch.org) - Dec 23, 2015

“It is remarkable that western leaders only remember the term ceasefire when their rebels on the ground are losing. Why didn’t they see the need for peace in Syria before the Russian operation started?”

— Iyad Khuder, Damascus-based political analyst

Imagine if the American people elected a president who was much worse than George W. Bush or Barack Obama. A real tyrant. Would that be sufficient justification for someone like Vladimir Putin to arm and train Mexican and Canadian mercenaries to invade America, kill US civilians, destroy cities and critical infrastructure, seize vital oil refineries and pipeline corridors, behead government officials and prisoners they’d captured, declare their own independent state, and do everything in their power to overthrow the elected-government in Washington?

Of course not. The question is ridiculous. It wouldn’t matter if the US president was a tyrant or not, that doesn’t justify an invasion by armed proxies from another country. And yet, this is precisely the policy that US Secretary of State John Kerry defended at the United Nations on Friday. Behind all the political blabber about a “roadmap to peace”, Kerry was tacitly defending a policy which has led to the deaths of 250,000 Syrians and the destruction of the country.

And, keep in mind, Kerry didn’t drag his case before the UN Security Council because he’s serious about a negotiated settlement or peace. That’s baloney. What Kerry wants is a resolution that will protect the groups of US-backed jihadis on the ground from the Russian-led offensive. That’s what’s really going on. The Obama administration sees the handwriting on the wall. They know that Russia is going to win the war, so they’ve settled on a plan for protecting their agents in the field. That’s why the emphasis is on a ceasefire; it’s because Kerry wants a “Timeout” so his Sunni militants can either regroup or retreat. Just take a look at this short excerpt from the UN’s summary of last Friday’s confab and you’ll see Kerry’s really up-to:

“In its first resolution to focus on the politics of ending Syria’s five-year-long war, the Security Council today gave the United Nations an enhanced role in shepherding the opposing sides to talks for a political transition, with a timetable for a ceasefire, a new constitution and elections, all under UN auspices….

(The Security Council) acknowledged the close linkage between a ceasefire and a parallel political process, with the former to come into effect as soon as the sides have begun initial steps towards a political transition under UN auspices….

The resolution asked Mr. Ban through the offices of his Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura to determine the modalities of a ceasefire and plan to support its implementation, while urging Member States, in particular members of the ISSG, to accelerate all efforts to achieve a ceasefire, including through pressing all relevant parties to adhere to one.

Emphasizing the need for a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, the Council asked Mr. Ban to report back to it on options with a month, and called on Member States to provide “expertise and in-kind contributions” to support such a mechanism…”

(“In first political resolution on war-torn Syria, Security Council gives UN major role in seeking peace”, UN News Centre)

See what I mean: Ceasefire, ceasefire, ceasefire. It’s all about a ceasefire. Kerry wants a ceasefire. Obama wants a ceasefire. A big part of the ruling US establishment want a ceasefire. No, not the neocons, not the liberal interventionists, and not the diehard hawks like Ash Carter at the Pentagon, but a good portion of the ruling elites who’ve been following events on the ground and who know how this thing is going to end. The smart money has already moved on to Plan B, which is why they’re now focused on cutting their losses and saving as many of “their guys” as possible. Naturally, the people who funded, armed, trained and deployed these various Sunni fighters feel responsible for their safety, so they’re going to do whatever they can to get them out. That’s where Kerry comes in. Kerry’s job was to fly to Moscow, tell Putin that Obama had changed his mind about regime change, and get the Kremlin to back Kerry’s UN resolution. The primary objective of this farce is to garner international support for designating terrorist groups as “moderates” and to move in the direction of UN-mandated ceasefire that will stop the Russian-led offensive in its tracks.

But isn’t that what everyone wants, an end to the hostilities?

Not exactly. A war against terrorists is different than a war between nation-states or a civil war. A group like Jabhat al-Nusra, for example, can’t be treated the same way as armed members of the political opposition. These are religious fanatics determined to use any means possible to achieve their goal of a fascist Islamic Caliphate. Reasoned discourse doesn’t work with people like this, they have to be killed or captured. And this is exactly what the Russian-led coalition is doing, they’re progressively mopping up the terrorist threat in Syria at great risk to themselves and their fellow-collation members Iran, Hezbollah, and the Syrian Arab Army. Kerry’s job is to throw a wrench in the anti-terror campaign to impede the coalition’s progress. And he’s willing to lie to do it. Case in point: Here’s a quote from Kerry in Moscow just last Tuesday:

“As I emphasized today, the United States and our partners are not seeking so-called “regime change,” as it is known in Syria.

Later in the day, Kerry underscored the administration’s dramatic about-face saying: “We are not trying to do a regime change. We are not engaged in a color revolution. We’re not engaged in trying to interfere in another country … We’re trying to make peace.”

Okay, so the US has given up on regime change?

Not at all. Kerry was just lying through his teeth as usual. Here’s what he said less than 24 hours later:

“Russia can’t stop the war with Assad there because Assad attracts the foreign fighters. Assad is a magnet for terrorists, because they’re coming to fight Assad. So if you want to stop the war in Syria, and we do, if you want to fight Daesh and stop the growth of terrorism, you have to deal with the problem of Assad. Now, that doesn’t mean we want to change every aspect of the government; we don’t.”

(‘US not after regime change in Syria, but Assad must go’ – Kerry to Russian TV”, RT)
Got that? So the US doesn’t support regime change, but Assad’s still got to go.

How’s that for hypocrisy? The truth is the Obama administration is just as committed to toppling Assad as ever. Kerry was just misleading Putin to get his approval for his ridiculous resolution at the UN. As a result, Assad’s name was never mentioned in the resolution which, Kerry seems to think, is a big victory for the US. But it’s not a victory, in fact, all of Russia’s demands were met in full through the passing of UN Resolution 2254 (three resolutions were passed on Friday) which reiterates all Putin’s demands dating back to the Geneva Communique’ of 2012. Assad was never mentioned in 2254 either, because naming the president wasn’t necessary to establish the conditions for 1–a transitional government, 2–outlining the terms for a new constitution and a non-Islamist Syrian state, and 3—free and fair elections to ensure the Syrian people control their own future. In 2012, the US rejected these three provisions saying that the would not agree unless Assad was excluded from participating in the transitional government. Now the US has reversed its position on Assad which means that 100 percent of Moscow’s demands have been met. UN Resolution 2254 is complete capitulation on the part of the US. It is a humiliating diplomatic defeat which no one in the media is even willing to acknowledge.

So what did Kerry gain by all his globe-trekking and backroom maneuvering?

Nothing. In fact, he gave away the farm by making a number of concessions to gain Russia’s support.

What “concessions” are we talking about?

Here’s a short list: Kerry met with Putin in Moscow on December 15. On December 16, the IMF ruled in favor of Russia in its $3 billion claim against Ukraine. Here’s the story:

“The executive board of the International Monetary Fund has recognized Ukraine’s $3 billion debt to Russia as official and sovereign – a status Kiev has been attempting to contest.

“In the case of the Eurobond, the Russian authorities have represented that this claim is official. The information available regarding the history of the claim supports this representation,” the IMF said in a statement.” (“IMF recognizes Ukraine’s contested $3bn debt to Russia as sovereign “, RT)
How many strings do you think Washington had to pull to seal that deal?

Also on December 16, the US announced that it would remove its F-15 fighters stationed in Turkey immediately. Here’s the story:
Twelve U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters sent to Incirlik airbase only last month to guard Turkish airspace and hit ISIS targets in Syria were suddenly flown back Wednesday to their home base in Britain, U.S. European Command announced….

The redeployment of the fighters came amid a flurry of diplomatic and military-to-military activity in the region and with Russia …

A day before the planes left, Secretary of State John Kerry was in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of United Nations Security Council meetings in New York Friday on Syria and U.S. efforts to ease out President Bashar al-Assad.

(“US Air Force Begins Withdrawing F-15 Fighter Jets From Turkey“, Military.com)
Another coincidence?

Not likely.

Then there’s this: On December 17, Obama allowed a Russian-backed resolution to pass the UNSC unanimously that that will help uncover secret financing for ISIS and “strengthen legal measures against those doing business with terrorist groups.” According to RT:
“The resolution is the result of a joint effort by Russia and the US, which are both leading anti-IS campaigns in Syria….The key objective of the new resolution is the “enforcement of a framework to reveal and disrupt illegal financing of IS and groups related to it by means of trade in oil, artifacts, and other illegal sources.”…

The document, which is based on UN Charter Article VII and takes effect immediately, calls for members to “move vigorously and decisively to cut the flow of funds” to IS.”

UN Security Council unanimously adopts resolution targeting ISIS finances
Is that what Obama really wants, to expose the revenue streams for these extremist organizations that are clearly getting support from Washington’s main allies in the Gulf?

Probably not, but Kerry caved-in anyway hoping that his support would help him to nab the elusive ceasefire.

Finally, on December 18, Obama told Turkish President Erdogan that he wanted him to remove his troops and tanks from Iraq. Here’s the story:

“US President Barack Obama has called on his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to withdraw his country’s troops out of Iraq and respect its integrity. In a telephone call on Friday, Obama “urged President Erdogan to take additional steps to deescalate tensions with Iraq, including by continuing to withdraw Turkish military forces.”

He also “reinforced the need for Turkey to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq,” the White House said.

A 300-strong contingent of Turkish forces backed by 20 to 25 tanks was stationed on the outskirts of the city of Mosul, the capital of Iraq’s Nineveh Province, on December 4.” (“Obama to Erdogan: Withdraw Turkish troops from Iraq“, Press TV)
(Turkey has since promised to remove more troops following Obama’s call.)

In other words, the Turkish occupation began on December 4, but Obama never responded until two days after Kerry talked with Putin in Moscow. Another coincidence?

Maybe or maybe not. In any event the US had to do some serious horse-trading to persuade Putin to take Kerry’s issue to the Security Council. (By the way, Obama knew beforehand that Turkey planned to invade Iraq, in fact, “an important Turkish official confirmed this claim by saying “all relevant countries” were informed about the deployment of the troops. See here for details.

Like we said earlier: Kerry gave away the farm to slam a deal that isn’t going to have the slightest impact on the outcome of the war. And that’s what’s so tragic about all this diplomatic tap-dancing, is that it doesn’t really change anything. Syria’s future is going to be decided on the battlefield not at the United Nations and not at the bargaining table. Washington decided that long ago when it elected to use force of arms to try to achieve its geopolitical ambitions. Now an organized opposition has emerged that is openly challenging US-backed proxies leaving Washington with just two options, fight or retreat.

It had to come to this, didn’t it? After all, if you push people hard enough, eventually they push back.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 24 Dec 2015 09:25

UN Resolution 2254 which reiterates all Putin’s demands dating back to the Geneva Communique’ of 2012.

How is that for folks doubting about 'debates in Russia prior to its intervention on Syria' as if Russian move is not well thought of or reflecting kind of on-the-go thinking.

There is great consistency in what Russia has said and did in Syria...it is another matter that, as publicly admitted by McCain, US had assumed that Russia will not resist. It is really, really, THAT simple.

Once that bluff has been called, entire house of cards fell apart and exposed.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 24 Dec 2015 09:46

TSJones wrote:I wuz waiting for this......beginning to wonder..whut took 'em so long? these guys have been indiscriminately bombing for several months now...

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-t ... ty-n484866

BEIRUT — A human rights watchdog on Wednesday accused Russia of using cluster munitions and unguided bombs on civilian areas in Syria in attacks that it says have killed hundreds of people in the past few months.

The report by Amnesty International said there has been a surge in reports of cluster munitions dropped in areas targeted by Russian forces since Moscow formally joined the conflict Sept. 30.

Where's the Amnesty report on Saudi Arabia's far larger and more destructive bombing of Yemen?

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 24 Dec 2015 09:56

Y. Kanan wrote:
Where's the Amnesty report on Saudi Arabia's far larger and more destructive bombing of Yemen?

Bombing of schools by Saudi Arabia-led coalition a flagrant attack on future of Yemen’s children

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/ ... -in-yemen/

habal · Post by **habal** » 24 Dec 2015 10:08

Amnesty international has acknowledged that they have 'researched remotely'.

It says it “researched remotely” more than 25 Russian attacks in five areas between 30 September and 29 November.

The first two sentences of the article reveal the entire piece as throw-away propaganda. Amnesty International’s “remote research” of claims made by the very terrorist organizations operating in Syria and “activists” supported by the very Western nations driving the proxy war do not in any way constitute evidence, or even plausible accounts.

habal · Post by **habal** » 24 Dec 2015 10:11

meanwhile russians keep doing good work by destroying human right of NATO rats in Syria. This time they attack a sleeping camp at night.