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

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 27 Dec 2015 21:34

Do normal explosives NOT kill them (apologies if sarcasm was intended).

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 27 Dec 2015 22:14

not if you give the drivers a chance to abandon their trucks the US does.

once that happens we hit with ac-130 gun ships and A-10's.

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 27 Dec 2015 22:16

Ramadi has fallen ....

http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Mili ... adi-438579

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 27 Dec 2015 22:18

with US led sunni forces. I'll be darn. who woulda thunk it?

next up Mosul? will the bad boys of rock and roll continue while dealing with Iraqi shia Iranian stooges?

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 27 Dec 2015 23:17

Looks like a tactical withdrawal by ISIS. They will likely come back to capture this or some other city.

US led Sunni forces.

If US is leading anything this time, its in talking big.
And IMHO, its a very good policy. Serious.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/R ... 193923.ece

RAF's Crucial Role in Battle to Take Ramadi From Isil

Its UK led Sunni forces.

. An Anglo-Saxon trait.

In 2nd world war it was the US/UK led Red Army that defeated Germany. etc etc.

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 27 Dec 2015 23:39

as soon as some victory happens - a thousand fathers appear -- I mean the usual 2 appear

when it fails - its all these stupid third worlders

ldev · Post by **ldev** » 28 Dec 2015 00:00

Bhurishrava wrote:Ramadi has fallen ....

http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Mili ... adi-438579

From the above link:

"By controlling the complex this means that they have been defeated in Ramadi," said Sabah al-Numani, a spokesman for the force leading the fight on the government side.

To the best of my knowledge Al-Numani is a Shia name as is Rasool the other Iraqi military spokesperson who is quoted sometimes. So maybe it was the Shias who led the capture of Ramadi

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 28 Dec 2015 01:07

ya don't think they would let a *sunni* represent the Iraqi government force now do you?

to the media?

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 28 Dec 2015 04:28

US involvement at Ramadi seems minimal to me. There is practically no information on US strikes in the open source media. Whereas every other active force in this conflict has a cache of constantly updating info on tactical operations & movement on a daily basis. But somehow, nobody seems to find anything on US ops.

Occam's Razor. Simplest explanation is the best one.

chanakyaa · Post by **chanakyaa** » 28 Dec 2015 05:08

Is this a grand scheme to create future shee-rian malalas ~~brainwashed~~ taught in the esteemed ooeropean education system? Sure some will return back to form future governments of Shee-riya that will be forever Freund von Deutschland

Germany Hires Over 8,500 Teachers for Refugee Children to Learn German

Mihaylo · Post by **Mihaylo** » 28 Dec 2015 06:00

Lisa wrote:
Singha wrote:saw a short video of ruaf probably a lone plane attacking a oil convoy. an amazing number of trucks were driving in parallel along what looked like a desert road of sorts but not really a road. it looked like NJ turnpike from the air. a few car and pickups were mixed in. the couple of bombs dropped barely burned a few trucks and made no impression on the rest.

a industrial scale force of heavy bombers or a couple 100 frogfoots would be needed to make a dent on things.
On soft skinned vehicles the weapon of choice must always be cluster munition. Larger footprint with fewer sorties.

Why not a couple of FOABs.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 28 Dec 2015 06:34

If fuel prices are so cheap, wonder why there isn't a bigger market for napalm and fuel-air explosives.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 06:58

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 7h7 hours ago
#FuahKafraya - #Zabadani transfers will begin tomorrow

^^ nusra will be bus'ed to Idlib and IS to raqqa. they will leave behind heavy weapons. the pocket is henceforth for the govt to rule.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 07:04

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 07:10

YPG writes on wall for ISIS to get ready for a fight in Jarablus border crossing.

jarablus is 2km west of the euphrates. thats where the IS oil trucks swarm day and night apart from azaz route.

reports that SDF/YPG has crossed the tishreen dam and taken control of the dam township about 2km away west

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 07:13

ottoman sultan had kept the YPG east of euphrates with threats and air strikes.

but they have become emboldened to creep across now, knowing the RuAF is itching to slap the turks if they come across

what seemed a smart tactical play may be unwise strategically.

p.s. no wonder TSP idolizes the turks ...they play the same way

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 07:15

this is the pocket which the rodents are evacuating to live another day. frees up govt resources to fight elsewhere

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 28 Dec 2015 08:24

devesh wrote:US involvement at Ramadi seems minimal to me. There is practically no information on US strikes in the open source media. Whereas every other active force in this conflict has a cache of constantly updating info on tactical operations & movement on a daily basis. But somehow, nobody seems to find anything on US ops.

Occam's Razor. Simplest explanation is the best one.

the US has been striking in and around ramadi for weeks now. just because you don't know about it doesn't mean it is not happening.

http://www.defense.gov/News-Article-Vie ... syria-iraq

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 28 Dec 2015 10:36

Wasn't it also the US which claimed to have killed 20,000 ISIS Jihadis 6 months ago?

While the actual composition of the Iraqi forces which retook Ramadi still remains a mistery, the effect of the US strikes in facilitating this offensive is yet to be determined.

The targets mostly seem to be static and from the rapidity of the victory, it seems as if the jihadi rats chose the path of retreat than to stay and fight. I'm not surprised by that. It seems to me that bombing a few rigged buildings and "staging areas" is not the most effective form of halting a combat force that is in retreat. If anything, this seems to be a case of doing just enough to facilitate the entry of the Iraqi forces while not directly inhibiting the Jihadi retreat.

Based on the type of targets that are being bombed by the US coalition, this is a campaign of limited engagement almost like a PR exercise for global audience. They don't really want to liquidate the Jihadis. Merely keeping them contained and dependent on "other" forces seems to be the end goal.

devesh · Post by **devesh** » 28 Dec 2015 10:40

As an aside, the Iraqi insurgency during US occupation was a bloody and prolonged affair in the urban areas. Of the Jihadis could mount a long persisting campaign of that sort right under US nose, it is surprising to me that Ramadi fell so quickly.

As an aside, I do hope the Iraqis have permanently retake this city. Good luck to them whoever they are.

But the actual human cost to ISIS seems to have been negligible....which leads one to believe that this was a planned retreat and not a panicked collapse of the defensive lines.

habal · Post by **habal** » 28 Dec 2015 11:54

according to chatter on net. US sent many of it's retired army vets especially infantry to work as TOW gunners in Syria, Iraq & Saudi Arabia. many ISIS wear masks all the time they are filmed in the open, or they tie up long rags of cloth in such a way very little of their skin or facial features is visible. Some TOW gunners for ISIL/FSA are also seen wearing Jordanian Army camouflage.

Many are now coming back to US to take up jobs with 'local law enforcement agency'. Syria's gain is USA's loss.

habal · Post by **habal** » 28 Dec 2015 11:58

In other news

U.S. Helicopters Rescue ISIS Leadership From Rooftops in Ramadai as CIty Falls

A further proof cited by the GRU in their report to the FC is against the United States, who yesterday “stopped/interfered” with the Iraqi Army’s liberation offensive for the city of Ramadi and flew in US Army helicopters to evacuate top Islamic State leaders—and as described by Imam Khamenei Battalion Commander Haidar al-Hosseini al-Ardavi who stated: “The delay in operations to liberate the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah in Anbar province has been the result of US interference. It seems that the US intends to evacuate the ISIL terrorist group's infamous ringleaders secretly (with helicopters) from Ramadi to unknown places.”

As to why the Obama regime rescued these Islamic State terrorist “ringleaders” from Ramadi, FSB intelligence analysts in this report explain, is due to their belonging to the powerful Iraqi Sunni Muslim leader Ali Hatem al-Suleiman, who during the US-Iraq war was supported by the Americans who showered him with hundreds-of-millions during what is now called “The 2007 Surge” which bought off US enemies instead of them having to be fought against.

habal · Post by **habal** » 28 Dec 2015 12:20

All of ISIS financial routes pass through Turkey

Russian Anti-drug Agency: Turkish Labs turn Afghan Opium into Heroin for Shipping to Europe and Russia

Afghan opium is being processed into high-grade heroin in clandestine Turkish drug labs for distribution in Europe and Russia, Russia’s anti-drug chief has revealed. The trafficking route was exposed after a joint Russian-Afghan anti-drug operation

http://southfront.org/turkish-labs-turn ... ug-agency/

Turkey, where the opium was processed in well-equipped laboratories…into high quality heroin, and then was to be sent to Europe and Russia,” Ivanov said during an anti-narcotics committee meeting.

The head of Russia’s federal anti-drug agency (FKSN) Viktor Ivanov reported that 600 kilograms of opium was seized in a joint operation carried out by Russian and Afghan special anti-drug units in the city of Doshi in Afghanistan’s Baglan Province.

The operation was conducted in mid-December by Afghanistan’s Kabul Gates anti-drug unit with intelligence support from the FKSN, Ivanov said. The drug shipment was found in an Afghani truck traveling to Turkey via Iran.

The FSKN head stressed that drug trafficking has enabled Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) to boost its numbers four-fold since 2014, Ivanov said.

“The spike in IS fighters corresponds with the annual increase of drug smuggling in the Middle East, which is confirmed by the growing number of heroin seizures in the region,” Ivanov said.

Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) is “actively engaged with drug trafficking,” Ivanov said, adding that according to the FSKN estimates, the group’s income from illegal drug trade “makes up to $200-500 million annually.”

Kashi · Post by **Kashi** » 28 Dec 2015 12:29

habal wrote:U.S. Helicopters Rescue ISIS Leadership From Rooftops in Ramadai as CIty Falls

Reminds me of the Kunduz airlift..

habal · Post by **habal** » 28 Dec 2015 12:40

SANA article: Cuba ready to supply Syria's medical needs.
http://sana.sy/en/?p=65000

More on the story: http://sana.sy/en/?p=64406

Cuba, India and Pakistan ambassadors present their credentials to President Assad:

http://sana.sy/en/?p=64099

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 28 Dec 2015 13:13

devesh wrote:Wasn't it also the US which claimed to have killed 20,000 ISIS Jihadis 6 months ago?

While the actual composition of the Iraqi forces which retook Ramadi still remains a mistery, the effect of the US strikes in facilitating this offensive is yet to be determined.

The targets mostly seem to be static and from the rapidity of the victory, it seems as if the jihadi rats chose the path of retreat than to stay and fight. I'm not surprised by that. It seems to me that bombing a few rigged buildings and "staging areas" is not the most effective form of halting a combat force that is in retreat. If anything, this seems to be a case of doing just enough to facilitate the entry of the Iraqi forces while not directly inhibiting the Jihadi retreat.

Based on the type of targets that are being bombed by the US coalition, this is a campaign of limited engagement almost like a PR exercise for global audience. They don't really want to liquidate the Jihadis. Merely keeping them contained and dependent on "other" forces seems to be the end goal.

that's in your "arm chair General" opinion unless you got credentials. if so please state them. we already had friendly fire deaths in ramadi, at least nine of them. and that is with out reportedly Russian style carpet bombing of civilian targets.

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 28 Dec 2015 13:24

udaym wrote:Is this a grand scheme to create future shee-rian malalas ~~brainwashed~~ taught in the esteemed ooeropean education system? Sure some will return back to form future governments of Shee-riya that will be forever Freund von Deutschland

Germany Hires Over 8,500 Teachers for Refugee Children to Learn German

Wont matter. It is interesting to see European countries pour so much resources to integrate the refugees, though the results wont matter. In both recent French terrorist attacks, the terrorists spoke perfectly fluent French. The inability of some to call a spade a spade is highly amusing. Europe will do nothing other than speak politically correct language, accept refugees/more Muslims and then squirm and get attacked. This cycle will repeat and thats about it.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 13:35

yeah if a modern edu in STEM was all it needed to lance and drain the islamist poison, none of the 20 in 9/11 would apply

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 13:37

sometimes you do not have enough field forces to encircle and crush a pocket, or desire to get the pocket at lower casualties, a escape route is deliberately left open for the defenders to withdraw from the pressure...

I would imagine whoever ISIS moved out of ramadi might have moved east to fallujah the nearest stronghold and on the road to baghdad.

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 28 Dec 2015 14:00

ISIS is acting smart IMHO. It does not fight when the enemy is prepared for a battle.
It takes initiative and strikes at a weak unprepared spot/city. Good strategy.

The "US led Sunni forces" might be in for a surprise in some days again.

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 28 Dec 2015 14:35

http://www.todayszaman.com/national_3-s ... 08074.html

In Turkey -

As heavy fighting continues in several towns in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast between security forces and terrorists, three soldiers were killed in a bomb attack in Cizre on Sunday.

Also

Syrian activist and journalist Naji al-Jarf, who recently shot a documentary covering atrocities committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), was killed in the southern Turkish province of Gaziantep on Sunday.

http://www.todayszaman.com/national_ant ... 08089.html

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 28 Dec 2015 14:57

Singha wrote:sometimes you do not have enough field forces to encircle and crush a pocket, or desire to get the pocket at lower casualties, a escape route is deliberately left open for the defenders to withdraw from the pressure...

I would imagine whoever ISIS moved out of ramadi might have moved east to fallujah the nearest stronghold and on the road to baghdad.

the fallujans seem to be a little gun shy for some reason or another. they're sqwaking about their human rights and abuse from iraqi central government. the usual wagga wagga,

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 15:11

iirc it was a toss up between ramadi and falluja what to attack. US advisers apparently suggested falluja - smaller, easier to encircle, nearer to baghdad, but the iraqi army and militias wanted ramadi. they have it now. the next move is up to them - make for the syria border and another string of smaller towns or clean up falluja first.

the cat will really be among the pigeons if the shia militias of iraq decide to cross the syria border from the south and make for deir azzor to help their bros fighting with the SAA.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 28 Dec 2015 15:37

This is what the Viet Cong used to do: when the Forces came storming in after B-52s and A-10s and artillery, there was maybe an old man and a dog sitting in the village. And then they would reappear in force somewhere else, like in Tet offensive.

Next ISIS vijit in Green Zone, Bag-dad? Wonder how good their defences really are, say if 5 VBIEDs were to visit simultaneously. Hope they have a good helipad on the Embassy.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 28 Dec 2015 16:30

2015 – The year Russia exposed Western barbarism

Code: Select all

Finian Cunningham (born 1963) has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, he is a Master’s graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. For over 20 years he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organizations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. Now a freelance journalist based in East Africa, his columns appear on RT, Sputnik, Strategic Culture Foundation and Press TV.

The bitter irony of the EU immigration crisis and its pressure on the foundations of the bloc is that most of the would-be immigrants have come from war-torn Syria. As astute observers – published by RT and other alternative media, but censored out of the Western media – have noted, the conflict in Syria precipitating the refugee crisis has come about from unlawful interference in the Arab country by the EU. Britain and France have given military support to an insurgency against the elected government of President Bashar al-Assad, along with support from the US and its regional allies, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Heresy of truth: Terrorist blowback
Most of the insurgent groups in Syria are in fact comprised of foreign mercenaries espousing radical Islamist ideologies, associated with internationally designated terrorist groups, such as Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). The latter claimed the massacre in Paris on November 13, when some 130 people were killed in gun and bomb attacks. But to say “blowback” in the Western media is tantamount to outrageous thought-crime. It is verboten.

READ MORE: A ‘warning shot’- The crazy logic of UK’s Hammond and what lies behind it

The EU has previously sanctioned the Syrian government, saying it is responsible for the violence in the country. In 2014, Brussels aided the insurgency by lifting an embargo on oil exports from Syrian areas under the control of anti-government militants, whose dominant faction is the IS terror group. Thus, in a very real way, the EU has fueled the conflict in Syria by aiding and abetting illegally armed militants, which has boomeranged into the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War – a crisis that is straining the very existence of the EU.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 28 Dec 2015 16:30

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.693989

Russian Envoy Secretly Visits Israel for Talks on Syria
Alexander Lavrentiev and large Russian delegation meet senior Israeli officials, discussing potential UN-backed diplomatic talks to end Syrian civil war.
Barak Ravid |
Dec 27, 2015

http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news ... m-1.693988
Analysis // By Assassinating Prominent Rebel, Russia Seeks to Dictate Who Will Run Syria
Moscow's message is twofold: It won't allow Islamist militias to assume key roles in the future Syrian government, and it won't let Saudi Arabia or Turkey influence the peace talks.

Zvi Bar'el |
Dec 26, 2015

VKumar · Post by **VKumar** » 28 Dec 2015 16:36

KONDUZ airlift again

habal wrote:In other news

U.S. Helicopters Rescue ISIS Leadership From Rooftops in Ramadai as CIty Falls

A further proof cited by the GRU in their report to the FC is against the United States, who yesterday “stopped/interfered” with the Iraqi Army’s liberation offensive for the city of Ramadi and flew in US Army helicopters to evacuate top Islamic State leaders—and as described by Imam Khamenei Battalion Commander Haidar al-Hosseini al-Ardavi who stated: “The delay in operations to liberate the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah in Anbar province has been the result of US interference. It seems that the US intends to evacuate the ISIL terrorist group's infamous ringleaders secretly (with helicopters) from Ramadi to unknown places.”

As to why the Obama regime rescued these Islamic State terrorist “ringleaders” from Ramadi, FSB intelligence analysts in this report explain, is due to their belonging to the powerful Iraqi Sunni Muslim leader Ali Hatem al-Suleiman, who during the US-Iraq war was supported by the Americans who showered him with hundreds-of-millions during what is now called “The 2007 Surge” which bought off US enemies instead of them having to be fought against.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 17:02

remember Balrog, who dragged down Gandalf into the abyss with the tip of his flaming whip...old man gandalf had to wage a serious fight to subdue and kill the beast down there....IS/JN/JaI wont go down easy.

H e b a
‏@HK2307
Horrible news; At least 30+ killed in Triple (2 SVBIED) suicide attacks targeting the Zahraa neighbourhood in #Homs #Syria

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 17:04

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 28 Dec 2015 17:10

CNN

(CNN)Dubai, long champion of all things biggest, longest and most expensive, will soon have some competition from neighboring Saudi Arabia.

It is expected that construction of the tower will require 5.7 million square feet of concrete and 80,000 tons of steel.

Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, could be stripped of its Guinness title if Saudi Arabia succeeds in its plans to construct the even larger Jeddah Tower -- a prospect looking more likely as funds for the $1.23 billion project have been secured.

A Saudi government press release on Sunday said Jeddah Economic Company and Saudi Arabia's Alinma Investment had signed a financing deal for 8.4 billion Saudi riyals (or $2.2 billion) to build Jeddah City, including the sky-piercing tower.

Chinese skyscraper built in 19 working days

Chinese skyscraper built in 19 working days 01:23
The project is currently built up to the 26th floor, it added. The 3,280-feet (1 kilometer) skyscraper is scheduled for completion in 2020. The Burj Khalifa, by comparison, stands at a meeker 2,716 feet, or 827 meters.

"With this deal, we will reach new, as yet unheard of highs in real estate development, and will fulfill the company's objective of creating a world-class urban center that offers an advanced lifestyle, so that Jeddah may have a new iconic landmark that attracts people from all walks of society with comprehensive services and a multitude of uses," said Mounib Hammoud, Chief Executive Officer of Jeddah Economic Company.