Levant crisis - III

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 29 Aug 2016 15:57

despite all the money, unkil only trained the saudis to wear uniforms and march a bit, not actually do any fighting...
nice gig if you can get it...

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 29 Aug 2016 16:12

I think Saudi rulers do not want anyone to develop any skill in leadership etc. If someone gets such skills, they will be a threat to the ruling family.

habal · Post by **habal** » 29 Aug 2016 16:18

China's role in Syrian War

Russia and China are tag-teaming against the US, Russia does the hardcore military stuff in west Asia, north Atlantic etc, China does the major financial stuff.

China's role is not that visible and not prominent militarily, but it is indispensible.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 17:50

They would surely interested in civil projects to rebuild the ruins. Entire towns look like stalingrad

habal · Post by **habal** » 29 Aug 2016 18:52

Not just civil projects, a whole lot is going on in financial world to undercut US$. EU banks have invested in this 'blockchain' technology which will basically take away US$ leverage over EU banks settlement in US$. You can safely expect $ to shed value all of a sudden with mid-east in same position. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-2 ... r-alliance

Poland first EU country to issue RMB debt in China
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/cn_e ... 600288.htm

China Yuan included in SDR in October
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2016- ... 591255.htm

http://www.resourceinvestor.com/2016/08 ... asset-sdrs

So many of these steps taken together will bring down dollar a peg or two from it's present pedestal, it is all about removing one brick at a time war of attrition.

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 29 Aug 2016 20:18

Saudi Royal family does not want efficient military or prosperous middle class, as it can be a threat to them. Arabia was used to incubate a militant religion by Bazantian Empire against Persia and USA continues to use Saudi Arabia for the Same purpose.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 20:46

Sdf is preparing to defend manbij with full force

The showdown is coming as the turks press on south

shashankk · Post by **shashankk** » 29 Aug 2016 20:55

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/ ... n-3002597/

Clashes between Turkish forces and units affiliated with a US-backed Kurdish-led alliance in Syria are “unacceptable”, the Pentagon said on Monday, calling on all sides to “stand down”. In a statement sent to AFP, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook condemned the fighting south of the Syrian town of Jarabulus.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 21:05

Turkish af is attacking ypg spots near manbij while faithful all lies usaf lets them come and go....after helping ypg take manbij in two months

Even by stds of usa betrayals this one is astonishing

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 22:16

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 4h4 hours ago
No more SDF presence north of Sajur river as FSA capture Yaqubiyah, al-Muhsinly, Tokhar Kabir, Tokhar Saghir, Um Rasoom & Arab Hassan Saghir

Hassan Ridha ‏@sayed_ridha 6h6 hours ago
Kurdish official tells al-Mayadeen: Kurdish forces refused request by US to go towards Raqqa

--

looks like uncle tom refused to work anymore on the plantation without emancipation

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 22:19

new NATO trained allies in north syria

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cq8DSeZXYAAvZ25.jpg

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 22:20

someone needs to bombard them bars of soap, shaving kit and RIN powder to wash clothes.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Aug 2016 22:44

good sampler of what the houthis are doing in the fight ... trampling all over saudi units

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0d3_1472225026

has epic footage of some dozen saudis piling onto back of a unsteady pickup truck to abandon their post and run for it. the houthis take their time, steal anything useful and burn the rest.

habal · Post by **habal** » 29 Aug 2016 23:00

there is trouble in houthi arabia, prince salman has gone visiting TSP again. Looks like houthis are gaining ground in najran, jizan. Open spaces around city centres are what houthis are wary of due to patrol by saudi helicopter gunships perhaps manned by pakis. With a few manpads gifted by russia, china or iran they could make saudi air superiority mincemeat.

kit · Post by **kit** » 29 Aug 2016 23:30

maybe salman looking for some tactical nukes for use in yemen !! .. if pakistan army lands in yemen which also a possibility , Iranians wont like it one bit .. lets see

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 30 Aug 2016 00:09

Singha wrote:good sampler of what the houthis are doing in the fight ... trampling all over saudi units

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0d3_1472225026

has epic footage of some dozen saudis piling onto back of a unsteady pickup truck to abandon their post and run for it. the houthis take their time, steal anything useful and burn the rest.

Houthi infantry fighting barefoot in rocky terrain and still kicking a**. Gotta love those Houthis. Tough and clever folk.

Bheeshma · Post by **Bheeshma** » 30 Aug 2016 00:25

Pakis won't send any troops. You can expect all three of their borders to become hot if they are really that stupid.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 07:45

KSA army looks like village chowkidars given the best of american arms and asked to fight a skillfull motivated gurerilla army.

most of them could not hit an elephant from 10m off.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 08:09

Ru shipping more armour to the crimea

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrCQNFzXgAINa74.jpg

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 08:11

turkey has now completely evicted the YPG from north of the sayr river

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 08:20

meantime the hamfisted syrian efforts to recover artillery college continue....no smoke screens to cover advances, minimal number of tanks and people attacking repeatedly around known axes, no means to jam jihadi drones doing the fire spotting, no means to id and target ATGM positions ....

but a convoy of russian advisers was seen driving down castello road yesterday...hopefully they can induct the much lacking professionalism into the proceedings and direct more accurate and timely CAS

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 08:22

they need to bring in uragan, TOS1 rockets and air delivered FAE and knock down as many buildings as possible....advance at night under smoke screen....have timely helicopter gunship support....ISIS style armoured dozers

habal · Post by **habal** » 30 Aug 2016 10:05

Prince Salman went to buy some weapons from China, he left TSP at 2:30 a.m.
So what is he discussing with pakis, speculation is he was asking them if Chinese weapons really work or if they splutter and cough and do not start at all.

Nawaz Sharif was waken up from his sleep and made to get dressed and meet Saudi prince.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 10:10

well the saudis are never lacking in arms, they lack in well trained and motivated people and neither TSP or Cheen can resolve that problem for him.

the american crew who were co-ordinating refueling support from USAF for the murderous air campaign in Yemen and doing intel/target spotting seems to have been pulled back from riyadh. could be optics only as they do not need to be physically in riyadh to do their work. they could as well sit in florida and do the same.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 11:39

on other forums even americans are dumbfounded and have no explanation.

Haidar Sumeri ‏@IraqiSecurity Aug 28
CIA-backed "moderate rebels" (Arabs) are fighting Pentagon-backed "moderate rebels" (Kurds) in northern #Syria.

habal · Post by **habal** » 30 Aug 2016 13:21

Russian Olympians Visit Hmeymim Airbase in Syria

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 16:42

Rojava Defense Units ‏@DefenseUnits Aug 27
#BREAKING: #Daesh’s offensive on S. #Shadadi repelled after 4 days of fierce fighting – 108 terrorists from #Syria / #Iraq eliminated. STMT

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 16:43

^^ these beaten zombies will now drag themselves to deir azzor and camp around the ramparts again for the N=N+1th round.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 30 Aug 2016 16:44

A new unit of 120 russian advisors in their usual mix of BTR wheeled vehicles and trucks has arrived in aleppo city.

targeting of airstrikes should significantly improve soon.

hope they brought along jammers to knock out the radio channels of the jihadi COTS drones which have proved very useful as fwd artillery controllers

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 09:39

new jihadi offensive in hama sector..some aleppo forces have moved south to help the NDF repel this incursion.

the bloodbath in southern aleppo continues... the focus is shifting from artillery college to outlying emptier areas that are easier to capture and hence bottle up the jihadis in a wider circle...

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 09:43

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 09:44

such is the lack of manpower this 5km wide area is proving a huge problem. a properly staffed armour brigade with air support & 155mm guns would run roughshod over these jihadis in a few days.

pralay · Post by **pralay** » 31 Aug 2016 10:15

The way SAA north-Hama flank is folding , it looks like all the SAA battle-worthy units are horn-locked in latakia, deir-azzor, Aleppo and rest of the troops mannning other areas seem to be kind of new recruits who abandon the posts at slighest sign of enemy.
Tiger forces lead by Col Suhail Hassan seems to be only silver bullet available to SAA right now.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 11:58

tiger forces are small and they cannot be everywhere. they lost a important commander yesterday.

the weak forces you mention are the NDF - who are given some 3 months basic training and sent to dormant fronts to man checkpoints and trench lines as a security screen . they have no training or equipment for a serious fight hence its not fair to blame them.

a good part of the syrian republican guard seems tied up around damascus both to protect the govt from any sudden putsch and going after small rebel pockets like daraya and east ghouta...how these matter at all in the overall picture I have no idea....but republican guard fights in these places....it would seem far cheaper to let NDF encircle and manage these places and free up every republican guard unit for the real fights in the north and east......

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 12:02

the iranians also seem incapable and unwilling to send over proper first line units to help out. their army is a shambles...so not sure even sending them would help.

the iraqi army is better but is tied up in their own battles.

the iraqi, afghani volunteers are about same level as the NDF. not suited for heavy fighting at all and who can blame them.

habal · Post by **habal** » 31 Aug 2016 12:41

Asad can request some 50K-100K troops from North Korea. And the North Korean could oblige so that it would increase his international standing.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 13:21

out of the box idea. however what could be offer in exchange other than olives and other fruits?

noko has a pretty tough army, albeit trained and equipped to fight in the cold not in the desert. and they have tremendous amounts of artillery which saa sorely lacks.

due to small number of competent and well equipped saa forces, the rebels are able to survive and keep things off balance by starting a new front once in a while...

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 31 Aug 2016 15:21

UN report on Syria chemical attacks lacks proof to pin blame or introduce sanctions – Moscow

https://www.rt.com/news/357712-syria-ch ... -evidence/

pralay · Post by **pralay** » 31 Aug 2016 15:49

Requesting troops from NOKO is good idea, but that may put Assad and his allies in bad light.

One more thing I dont quiet understand is, why SAA is letting off the trapped rats. 1000 trapped, starving, un-supplied enemies are always more managable than 1000 well-connected, well-supplied troops. Letting off the rats to idlib will allow them open more fronts. just like in North Hama where SAA lost more area than that of Darayya.

SAA should at least
1. force a 3-6 months(or more if possible) cease fire before allowing the rats out.
2. May provide food on daily basis(short shelf-life food items only) and cut it for 2-4 days for every breach of the cease fire.
3. the 3-6 month period will reset with each breach of cease-fire
4. let the seige be handled by second line troops like NDF, (at least some work for the disbanded units from Hasakah?)
5. Cost of the food should be paid by the terrorists themselves(or their idlib counter-parts), lets see if they really want them alive. If that does not work, SAA can offer food-for-ammo program.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 31 Aug 2016 16:08

problem is large numbers of civilians held hostage in these enclaves. food, fuel, phone, electricity etc has to be allowed in to sustain these civilians and the rebels have no fear of attack.

perhaps the calculation is this frees up vital army units to head north instead of being camped around managing the situation these "islands" in damascus province. many of these rebels are not day1 ISIS/AQ but declared their allegiance later to get international support from the backers of these formations.

their status in Idlib will not be very good, they will have to work hard or move on to EU.