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

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 15:23

On Nov. 20, for the first time ever, two Tu-160s carried out their mission taking off from a deployment base in Kola Peninsula: they flew around western Europe, through the Mediterranean Sea and, after meeting the Su-30SMs departed from Latakia, launched some ALCMs (Air Launched Cruise Missiles). Then, they entered the Syrian airspace and returned home via the eastern corridor: Iraq-Iran-Caspian Sea. A 13,000km journey.

On the same day, Su-34 Fullbacks launched 16 sorties against ground targets in Syria taking off from Krimsk airbase, in Russia.
http://theaviationist.com/2015/11/21/in ... ers-syria/

^^ this base is near black sea near crimea , so like the backfires, flew a longer route via the caspian to and fro.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 23 Nov 2015 15:23

Singha wrote:from the extent of roman ruins there it could not be just a trading post on a old route. it was a big city and must have had a wetter climate and a lake when the romans were there. there is still remnant of a ancient lake south of the city.

prior to the romans there was a flourishing kingdom there which grew rich on the taxes on the caravans passing through the desert. palmyra and petra were similar and very wealthy. The romans came through on their eastward expansion and set up shop and installed local rulers and governors.

Queen Zenobia led a revolt against Rome and conquered large parts of the lands all the way to Egypt and ruled from Palmyra.

Ofcourse, the Romans didn't take kindly to this and she was overthrown and taken as a slave to Rome, and paraded in golden chains. some say she died soon after (either illness or beheading), others say that she married a roman nobleman and retired to a life of luxury in the italian hills.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Nov 2015 15:28

Russian Air Forces Complete 141 Sorties, Strike 472 Terrorist Facilities

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

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Nov 2015 15:30

Medvedev: US Mideast policy contributed to rise of Islamic State

https://www.rt.com/politics/323075-medv ... st-policy/

Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev has blamed the strengthening of terrorist group Islamic State on “irresponsible” US policies in the Middle East, calling for all nations to stop attempting to destabilize the situation in sovereign countries for their own purposes.

“Instead of concentrating their common efforts on fighting terrorism, the United States and their allies have started to oppose Syria’s legally-elected president, Bashar Assad,” Dmitry Medvedev was quoted as saying by TASS. “A reasonable policy in Mideast countries is supporting legitimate regimes that are capable of securing the territorial integrity of local countries, not in trying to destabilize the situation,” he said.

The Russian PM recalled that some time ago the US contributed to the strengthening of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, leading to the 9/11 attacks. He also noted that the lessons of the past confirm that the terrorist threat can only be fought by a joint effort, without division into competing alliances.

Last week, Russia’s Lower House of Parliament approved a declaration expressing solidarity with all nations that have suffered from terrorist attacks, calling on them to form a major coalition to fight terrorism and put an end to attacks on civilians.

“The Deputies of the State Duma urge lawmakers from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Central Asia, and other regions of the world to do all in their power to create an international anti-terror coalition. The necessity to protect human lives and the moral duty to terror victims make this an obligation for us all,” reads the resolution. “Only the joint efforts of the whole international community would be able to stop the terrorism that is expanding now right before our eyes,” it says.

This document also mentions the United States’ role in destabilizing the Middle East, as well as Russia’s past warnings about a potential crisis in the region.

“Apparently, the irresponsible and faulty policies of Western countries launched under the slogan of ‘exporting democracy’ have already led to an emerging and strengthening of the so-called Islamic State. Attempts to use radical groups as a battering ram for the displacement of disagreeable regimes can cause further negative developments. Now France and other European nations are actually paying for Washington’s shortsighted and selfish policies,” the resolution says.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 23 Nov 2015 15:41

the great neocon new world order grand plan continues to unravel...

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Nov 2015 16:04

It looks like the RuAF took advantage of the op,combining a "practice run",using the long route for its strat. bombers just to remind "also-rans" like Britain what real air power is about. What one can't understand is why the French haven't been more forceful even 10 days after Paris. The CDG seems to be carrying the bulk of French capability. It appears that only Russia and the US have the wherewithal to hit from home bases hard,far,fast and true. The demonstration of Russian reach and capability has been truly stunning. Never in recent times has the need for a strong strat. bombing capability been demonstrated.The IAF need to rethink their entire force structure for the future.

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 23 Nov 2015 16:08

the french could launch Mirage IV's or 2000N's. assuming that the former have not been all retired, the latter may not be set up to carry any conventional bombs

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Nov 2015 16:41

Videos of Kalbir directly attacking the targets , seems direct hit at those targets

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

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 16:45

mirageiv is long gone and the mirage2k is outclassed by the rafale anyway.

there is a huge gap between the big2 and also rans.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Nov 2015 16:54

CaMoron has offered "le cycliste" of the Elysees Palace the use of Cyprus as abase from which to bomb ISIS. Splendid compromise! Hollande bombs from a British base.CaMoron can then claim that Britain is "partaking" in the bombing of Syria.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/n ... is-attacks
Cameron offers France use of RAF base for Isis raids
British prime minister says French aircraft can use Cyprus base, during talks with Hollande after Paris attacks

menon s · Post by **menon s** » 23 Nov 2015 16:56

Such a grim face and uncompromising tone of Putin was only in 1999, when he promised to "kill in the toilet" Chechen rebel leaders. And after all of them - from Basayev to Umarov - were eliminated. Yesterday's missile launches with strategic bombers and submarines - a warning to States and rescuers of terrorist supporters.

The Metrojet crash was planned by qatar, says Pravda!

http://www.pravda.ru/world/asia/middlee ... 2-katar-0/

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 16:57

ypg has setup a line on some hills 35km from raqqa.
the land is flat from there on and crawling with orcs.
efforts are on to mass and arm Sunni tribes of the area because ypg alone is not enough or keen to invade the Sunni Arab plains.

some sort of Sunni uprising will be engineered to hit the isis across a wide belt of villages to make them lose cohesion and fall back on raqqa but interdicted by patrolling air power. one tribe alone had 700 men and boys executed by daesh

the road between raqqa to deir azor will see lot of daesh blood on the tarmac.rus drones must be prowling already

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 23 Nov 2015 17:07

Singha wrote:

What a waste of fuel because of EU obnoxiousness! Those 100,000 gallons of jet fuel could have been dumped on the ISIS along with one lighted matchstick. Lankadahanam.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 23 Nov 2015 17:18

Show off for the purpose of removing adventures from EU neo cons is also needed.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Nov 2015 18:10

A pure Russian operation, Syrian forces only doing logistics.

https://elijahjm.wordpress.com/2015/11/ ... -in-syria/

On job training for Russian troops, in real battle engagement, its equipments and personnel ...

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 18:37

rt:

Britain has once again been forced to call in foreign help after it says it spotted a Russian submarine off the west coast of Scotland. Despite the presence of French and Canadian patrol planes and Royal Navy ships, no trace of the sub has been found.
The alleged Russian vessel is believed to have been seen at least 10 days ago in the area, and the search to find the sub has been taking place ever since.

The only problem is, Britain scrapped its own £4 billion ($6 billion) fleet of Nimrod surveillance aircraft in 2010 as part of a cost cutting exercise. As a result it has been forced to call on France for assistance, which has provided an Atlantique 2 patrol plane for the search.

A Royal Navy frigate and a hunter-killer submarine have also been trying to find the elusive sub. However, it has proved to be so difficult to locate, London has had to plead for another Atlantique aircraft and a plane from Canada to join the search for the Russian vessel, according to the Daily Telegraph.

"We can confirm that allied maritime patrol aircraft based at RAF Lossiemouth for a limited period are conducting activity with the Royal Navy. We do not discuss the detail of maritime operations,” a Ministry of Defense spokesman said.

This is certainly not the first time London has had to beg for help from abroad due to its lack of technical expertise. In January, two American patrol planes were enlisted to search for submarines off the coast of Scotland.

The suspected presence of a Russian submarine was believed to be linked to the departure of a British nuclear submarine from the Faslane naval base at Gare Loch on the Firth of Clyde.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Nov 2015 19:04

In the link below click on the picture for the Satellite used by MOD over Syria and you get the details of the type in operation over Syria

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/spacecraft_military.html

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 19:31

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ecjtXwKH4

view from the kurdish frontline 20 miles away from Raqqa.

the line is thin, undermanned and does not look to have any potency going by this video. a industrial scale buildup of artillery, ammo and manpower atleast some 15,000 will be needed in a multi prong attack from north and east to push the ISIS out, along with shomali plain style bombings.

for now the orcs have no challenger there.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 23 Nov 2015 19:45

Singha wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ecjtXwKH4

view from the kurdish frontline 20 miles away from Raqqa.

the line is thin, undermanned and does not look to have any potency going by this video. a industrial scale buildup of artillery, ammo and manpower atleast some 15,000 will be needed in a multi prong attack from north and east to push the ISIS out, along with shomali plain style bombings.

for now the orcs have no challenger there.

Interesting Singha Ji. The Americans want Sunni Arab militias to be used and to capture Raqqa and not Kurds who will be in supporting role.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Nov 2015 20:12

americans would like anyone except SAA to capture Raqqa, so that they can keep reminding the world of the Assad bogeyman.

AoA

Russia ground forces in north Syria battle: report
Al-Rai said that a Russian infantry battalion seized a mountain peak north of Latakia from rebel fighters.

BEIRUT – Russian ground forces have engaged rebel fighters north of Latakia, according to a Kuwaiti daily with close access to Moscow’s military intervention in Syria.

“For the first time Russian infantry forces, supported by tanks and planes, have taken part in an assault on Syrian takfiri opposition forces between Latakia countryside and Idlib countryside,” Al-Rai reported on Monday morning.

“A strategic elevation was taken without any injuries in the ranks of the attacking forces,” a “Syrian leadership source” told the newspaper’s chief international correspondent, Elijah J. Magnier.

“The live military maneuver carried out by the Russian army, which is present on Syrian territory, required the involvement of an infantry battalion.”

The source said that this battalion’s involvement was preceded by “shelling with advanced 130 millimeter artillery and [strikes by] Sukhoi SU-25M planes on the target position, after which the Russian infantry [units] advanced and carried out a precise operation to seize the sensitive elevation.”

“The battle lasted for several hours, during which the strategic peak was cleansed and a number of deaths were inflicted upon the militants of various nationalities,” the report claimed, without elaborating further on where exactly the alleged clashes took place.

No rebel group has yet to issue any statements that it engaged Russian forces in the ongoing battles in the mountains north of Latakia.

According to the source, the Russian operation was carried out “without losses to the attacking forces.”

The report added that the Russian army was using Syria as a “training ground” to test its combat forces and military equipment “which have not [been used] in a real battle for many years.”

“This shows that the Russian army is [bringing] its forces to a level of high competence through clashes with the enemy as a first step to involving combat units in the near future.”

According to the source, Russia had asked permission “to test the readiness of its Infantry forces present in Syria.”

Al-Rai’s Magnier has written a number of articles in recent weeks on Russia’s bombardment campaign in Syria, claiming access to sources in both the Baghdad and Damascus operation rooms for the “4+1” military coalition of Russia, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Hezbollah.

Moscow has insisted that it will not conduct ground operations in Syria, however recent reports indicate the Russia has been deploying troops to prepare for combat operations.

On November 8, a group of Russian investigative journalists released a report showing pictures posted to social media by current and former Russian military personnel in the Hama and Aleppo provinces.

“Although we still don't have indisputable evidence of Russian servicemen taking a direct part in the fighting on the ground in Syria, we believe the situation observed contradicts the claims of Russian officials that Russian troops are not taking part and are not planning to take part in ground operations,” the Conflict Intelligence Team said in its report.

Two weeks later, footage on Russian state television of a defense ministry briefing showed a map that listed a Russian army artillery unit as being deployed outside the Homs province town of Mahin, which was seized by ISIS in early November.

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/NewsReports ... tle-report

RoyG · Post by **RoyG** » 23 Nov 2015 20:15

When Raqqa falls, Iranians will begin nibbling more in Iraq. These gulf royals are under a lot of pressure. No doubt about it.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Nov 2015 20:16

best ever footage of foot pursuit of fat ISIS rat ..

happy hunting guys.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=09f_1448132716

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 20:22

- that rus infantry report is not confirmed at all. its root note is a report by a kuwaiti news agency named Al-Rai.
- against a common enemy, the kurds and sunni tribes are atleast tolerating each other. if not for ISIS, the sunnis would already be up in arms against YPG moving down from their hills in the north. and every village and town in middle east is heavily armed...ak47 seems like rice and dal there, everyone has one.
- kurds themselves are not so keen to get embroiled in the plains away from the core areas of local support...people resent them and claim they are throwing their weight around.
- iran seems positioning itself in iraq to keep the peshmerga from expanding into iran by floating a new outfit of turkomans, arabs and shia kurds in the north...there have been a clash with peshmerga this week.

its like a house of cards - a complex dependency chain and competing interests...but for the moment everyone wants IS dead - except their GCC backers.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 20:30

habal wrote:best ever footage of foot pursuit of fat ISIS rat ..

happy hunting guys.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=09f_1448132716

um , not exactly the kind of dress, deportment and tactics they teach at Sandhurst , west point or Frunze but "one has to work with the resources one has under ones command"

the IS in those north syria videos look like they not had a bath or haircut in about a year, nor enough water to wash their backsides properly, they look crazed and on some drugs. pure demonish.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 20:34

Al-Qaeda Thanks the U.S. Backed Moderate Rebels for Supplying Anti-Tank Missiles
image: http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/u/u/ll2/attention.gif
Part of channel(s): Syria (current event)
The Sunni Takfiri Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” has posted a new video via their social media accounts in order to issue a “thank you” to their allies from the U.S. backed “Free Syrian Army” (FSA) for supplying their Jihadist fighters with the U.S. manufactured anti-tank TOW missiles.

In the video, a Jabhat Al-Nusra field commander is thanking one of his comrades from the U.S. backed Free Syrian Army for providing these anti-tank TOW missiles that succored the Al-Qaeda affiliated group against the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) large tank battalions in northern Syria.

For several months, the Free Syrian Army and Jabhat Al-Nusra have colluded together at almost every single battle in the Aleppo, Latakia, Hama, and Idlib Governorates of Syria; this Islamist pact eventually turned into a conglomerate of rebel forces that was known “Jaysh Al-Fateh” (Army of Conquest).

Through Jaysh Al-Fateh, groups like Jabhat Al-Nusra and Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham have been given access to the Free Syrian Army’s heavy weaponry that was manufactured in the U.S. and provided by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Jabhat Al-Nusra and the Free Syrian Army are very close with one another, as they coordinate on the battlefield and share the same trenches – they even share control over the villages they capture together.

Source: almasdarnews

Read more at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8c0_1448 ... gbmoMJ5.99

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 20:38

another rodent outflanked and caught alive
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b14_1448222205

video has moqtada al sadr i think urging his troops to greater glories.....he had become less prominent for a while after his legendary days of being a thorn in flesh of US backed chalabi govt from his 'sadr city' den.

and the man is only 42 now.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Companies

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Nov 2015 20:42

take a look at this unwashed lot of crazies...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c75_1448208741

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 23 Nov 2015 21:05

The report added that the Russian army was using Syria as a “training ground” to test its combat forces and military equipment “which have not [been used] in a real battle for many years.”

That is so Berkeley-Stanford. What do they think happened in Georgia and in Donetsk? But the rest may be accurate - Russians may be showing the Syrians how to take hills without losses.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 23 Nov 2015 21:08

RoyG wrote:When Raqqa falls, Iranians will begin nibbling more in Iraq. These gulf royals are under a lot of pressure. No doubt about it.

In jhujar ji's speak, when Raqqa gets Faqqa then victory for Syrians is Paqqa!!

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 23 Nov 2015 21:36

Satya_anveshi wrote:
RoyG wrote:When Raqqa falls, Iranians will begin nibbling more in Iraq. These gulf royals are under a lot of pressure. No doubt about it.
In jhujar ji's speak, when Raqqa gets Faqqa then victory for Syrians is Paqqa!!

and the gelf royals?? Shocqqa??

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 23 Nov 2015 21:36

In New Video, A Grateful Al-Qaeda Thanks US For Supplying Anti-Tank Missiles

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-2 ... k-missiles

Lilo · Post by **Lilo** » 23 Nov 2015 21:49

Singha wrote:take a look at this unwashed lot of crazies...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c75_1448208741

That guy with the shoulder long hair @1:10 in the video was stork dancing (literally) while spraying his AK
while other munnas/abduls were crouching and observing - says something about the kind of people Isis is targeting for its next batch of recruits.

deejay · Post by **deejay** » 23 Nov 2015 22:22

Map of N-W of Aleppo,Syria on 22nd Nov 15 (Gains & Losses since 15 Oct 15)

http://www.agathocledesyracuse.com/wp-c ... v-2015.jpg

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Nov 2015 22:23

Austin wrote:In New Video, A Grateful Al-Qaeda Thanks US For Supplying Anti-Tank Missiles

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-2 ... k-missiles

Russian T-90A with Shtora active protection system allegedly in Aleppo front... https://twitter.com/green_lemonnn/statu ... 5962830848

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 24 Nov 2015 04:54

Le Tub de Bains full of vin strikes Syrian oil to protect Saudi monopoly

By John Irish and Vladimir Soldatkin
Related Stories

PARIS/MOSCOW (Reuters) - France dismissed Russian suggestions on Friday its air strikes against oil installations in Syria were illegal, saying they were "an appropriate and necessary riposte" to attacks by Islamic State.

President Francois Hollande will travel to Moscow on Nov. 26 as part of an effort to create a grand coalition to fight Islamic State, despite differences over the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose key backers are Russia and Iran.

Paris launched air strikes against the Islamist group's Syrian stronghold in Raqqa this week following attacks that killed 130 people in Paris on Nov. 13.

It has previously targeted oil installations under the control of Islamic State and said it aimed to cut the group's main revenue stream.

Russian Foreign Ministry official Ilya Rogachev earlier on Friday criticized France's justification for the attacks, that they were self-defense according to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. He said that was misplaced because Paris had not sought approval from the Syrian government.

"We cannot support such actions because they are being carried out without an agreement of the Syrian government," he told Kommersant daily.

"The bombing of oil infrastructure is based on ... quite different reasons and they are not justified by self-defense," he added.

"As Bashar al-Assad and Islamic State are equal priority enemies for them, they inflict damage to both of them by such hits. Please note, the French do not bomb the same targets in Iraq."

France has called for Assad to step down after a political transition, and its Western allies have criticized Moscow for mostly focusing its raids in Syria against Western-backed rebel groups.

"The French strikes against oil sites controlled by Daesh (Islamic State) are part of legitimate self-defense," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal told reporters on Friday.

"They are a necessary and proportionate response to the attacks carried out by Daesh," he said.

Russia this week launched massive strikes on Raqqa in response to confirmation that the group had blown up a plane full of Russian tourists over Sinai in Egypt.

On Wednesday Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said if the West wanted an international coalition against Islamic State, it must drop its demands for Assad's ouster.

(Reporting by John Irish; editing by Andrew Roche)

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 24 Nov 2015 06:36

Singha wrote:take a look at this unwashed lot of crazies...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c75_1448208741

I heard a lot of "jeeharDi" (understandable) and "himmat" (wAla)

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 24 Nov 2015 06:41

looks like jisr al shugur and idlib along the highways are main targets. rest of countryside will suffer supply issue if rebels lose the highways.

habal · Post by **habal** » 24 Nov 2015 06:51

russian T-90A in Aleppo, first russian ground operations begin.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 24 Nov 2015 06:58

they could be operated by syrian crews with russian advisers to help.
---

the U.S. military said it had destroyed 283 tanker trucks used by IS militants to transport oil from producing fields in eastern Syria to smuggling points, an acceleration of attacks aimed at crippling the group's oil revenues. The attack by four A-10 attack planes and two AC-130 gunships was carried out Saturday at a site near Deir el-Zour and al-Hasakah but not made public until Monday.