Page 12 of 101
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 14:24
by Austin
'We are seeking bigger role for Russia than Americans' - Iraq defense committee chairman
https://www.rt.com/news/317853-iraq-rus ... ikes-isis/
Baghdad, Russia’s ally in its fight against ISIS, wants Russia to have a bigger role in the anti-terrorist campaign in Iraq than the US and may soon officially request to start airstrikes on its soil, the chairman of Iraqi parliament’s defense committee said.
"We might be forced to ask Russia to launch airstrikes in Iraq soon. I think in the upcoming few days or weeks Iraq will be forced to ask Russia to launch airstrikes and that depends on their success in Syria," said Hakim al-Zamili, Reuters reported.
"We are seeking to see Russia having a bigger role in Iraq... Yes, definitely a bigger role than the Americans," Zamili said.
The Iraqi official told RIA Novosti that the decision would depend on how efficient the Russian campaign in Syria proved to be.
Last week US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute voiced concerns about the possible deployment of Russian warplanes to Iraq, claiming it could complicate the situation.
“Whether it is political, airspace, US-Iraqi operations, it is just dramatically more complex when you have the Russian presence there, especially since we don't actually know yet what it is they intend to do,” he told an audience at the Carnegie Council.
“As a military alliance, we look at these complicating factors and we say, you know, things just got a lot messier.”
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 15:27
by UlanBatori
Only jet noise to be heard - must be turbojet or lo-bypass turbofan. Maybe a good use for Kaveri engine would be to build hajaar mijjiles with Kabini Core and deliver them air mail to Salahuddin's madarssa. From Lakshadweep.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 15:32
by UlanBatori
Still nothing visible on Brophet Googullah on the huge destruction of Syrian Army tanks by the heroic Flee See-lie-an Almy in recent days. Kananji?
But there IS news of a second ground offensive by Jaish-e-Assadullah
(Correction: there IS a claim of "18 tanks destroyed" in here, but citing the same videos. The supporting fact is that the Assad forces had to retreat, which suggests that there WERE heavy losses - or a smart retreat to say, 'hain, MIL-24ji, here are some good targets, bliss")
Syrian Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub announced the “large-scale assault” in a nationally televised address from what was said to be the joint Russian-Syrian operations room in Hmeymim air base in Syria’s coastal Latakia province.
"Today the Syrian Arab Army began a wide-scale offensive..,” declared Ayoub, who added that the push targeted (Daesh.. and other “terrorist” formations).
Joint operations of Syrian and Russian air forces pounded opposition positions in northern Aleppo and Latakia provinces, Syrian state media said, reporting that “precise” strikes had killed “hundreds of terrorists” and destroyed armored vehicles and other opposition equipment.
So not very easy to discern between Assadi tanks captured a year ago, vs. ones destroyed yesterday.
The Russian aid has thrust the Syrian army into an offensive position in northern Syria ... Earlier this year, government troops suffered territorial setbacks in the north to opposition forces led by the Army of Conquest, an Al Qaeda-linked rebel alliance. The ground assault, the general said, was preceded by "Russian strikes that lowered the fighting ability of Daesh and other terrorist organizations” ...
..Syrian Observatory for Hyooman Rights Violation, a pro-opposition group, reported heavy clashes in the strategic Ghab Plains area, the fertile spit of land that lies at the foot of Assad's home province of Latakia
Securing the coastal province has emerged as a major objective of the Russian air offensive that began on Sept. 30 in support of government forces. Recent rebel gains had encroached on Latakia, which also houses the heavily defended air base being used by Russian warplanes.
Abdullah Al-Muhaisni, a well-known cleric who is part of the Al Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front, issued an urgent call Thursday for all opposition factions to mount a defense before "the vicious assault" by the "Russians and the Nusayris."
"Nusayri" is the derogatory term used by Sunni Islamist groups to refer to the minority Alawite sect, whose adherents include Assad. Al Qaeda-style extremist factions fighting in Syria have frequently depicted the battle as a holy war pitting Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority against the sect.
The Ghab Plains offensive is the second major ground operation launched by the Syrian army since Russia began conducting airstrikes in Syria last week.
On Wednesday, Syrian army units bolstered by helicopter gunships attempted to advance into areas of northern Hama province long occupied by rebel forces.
But opposition representatives said that assault stalled. Rebels said they had destroyed at least 18 tanks, some apparently hit with U.S.-supplied TOW antitank missiles.
"We can say the attack on Hama yesterday was a failure," Rami Abdul Rahman, the pseudonym used by the head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said in a telephone interview.
Opposing the government forces, the observatory chief said, were an array of both Al Qaeda-linked factions such as the Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham, and groups operating under the banner of the so-called Free Syrian Army, a loose coalition of rebels, some backed by U.S. aid.
Leith Fadel, head of the pro-government news outlet Al-Masdar News, confirmed that government forces had been forced to retreat Wednesday in Hama province.
Opposition activists, meanwhile, uploaded a video montage depicting rebels deploying TOW missiles against government armor. Others shared pictures showing the blackened husks of burnt-out tanks under the hashtag #Tank_Massacre.
"We ask all scrap metal buyers to head to Hama [province] to buy the destroyed tanks and thank you," said a Twitter message from an opposition activist who goes by the nickname Abu Assad al-Homsi (based in Leesburg, Virginia?)
Bulos is a special correspondent.
Footage claimed to be from Hama, October 8. MIL carrying out pest-e-sha'eed. Quite amazing, the number of strikes from each helicopter. Also, the sheer risk in flying that low for that long - I mean, if the camera caught them even before they went behind the first hill in the distance, the warning time was huge. Would have been fatal w/o some defense against ManPads etc. Is that what those flares are? they don't seem to hit anything or cause explosions, but they are sure heat sources. The strikes (with huge dust clouds generated) are somewhere else, not where the flares fall.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 15:49
by Singha
a few shiploads of TOS MLRS with ample amt of rockets needs to be onsite. these would be quite useful against the mix of houses and rubble that functions as a defensive line in these battles.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 15:53
by Singha
UlanBatori wrote:
Only jet noise to be heard - must be turbojet or lo-bypass turbofan. Maybe a good use for Kaveri engine would be to build hajaar mijjiles with Kabini Core and deliver them air mail to Salahuddin's madarssa. From Lakshadweep.
you guys must have cat ears. I can barely hear anything over the wind noise. in any case turbofans seem to vary widely in noises - the hawk has a pleasant soft warble .. smooth, the LCA has a hard edged screech and the su30 has the dry intense crackle...
just going by range it has to be a fuel efficient turbofan to make it so far on a 6m form factor.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 15:54
by Singha
the rally hit in ankara was a pro-kurd peace rally.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 15:58
by UlanBatori
wind noise
That IS the jet noise, typical of old jet turbojet fighters flying around. I don't hear any engine tones.
The microphone wind noise is what you hear on the video of the helicopters flying in the distance. Surprising that no rotor or engine noise can be heard from those above the "AoAs". Video presumably taken by those happy about the helicopters coming in.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 16:01
by Austin
Singha wrote:a few shiploads of TOS MLRS with ample amt of rockets needs to be onsite. these would be quite useful against the mix of houses and rubble that functions as a defensive line in these battles.
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1514943.html
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 16:02
by Austin
Article is interesting as the author critically analysis the situation from Russian POV
NATIONAL INTEREST: Why Russia Needs an Exit Strategy in Syria
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 16:10
by Austin
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 16:16
by UlanBatori
Earlier report of one helicopter shot down, not clear if Russian or Syrian
Syrian offensive in the West
Syrian troops and allied militia backed by a fresh wave of Russian air strikes and cruise missiles fired from warships attacked rebel forces on Thursday as the government extended an offensive to recapture territory in the west of the country.
The assault focused on western areas where rebel advances earlier this year had threatened the coastal region vital to President Bashar al-Assad's support base.
The Russian Defence Ministry said it fired missiles from ships in the Caspian Sea for a second day and had hit weapons factories, arms dumps, command centers and training camps.
On the ground, forces loyal to the Syrian government targeted insurgents in the Ghab Plain area in the west of the country, with heavy barrages of surface-to-surface missiles as Russian warplanes bombed from above, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a rebel there.
"There is an attempt by the regime to advance but the situation is under our control," said a fighter in the area from the Ajnad al-Sham insurgent group who uses the name Abu al-Baraa al-Hamawi.
Speaking by Internet link, he told Reuters Russian jets had been bombing since dawn, their most ferocious attack on the area so far. He said rebels had managed to destroy a number of Syrian tanks in a counter attack on Wednesday.
"God willing we will repeat the massacre of the north Hama countryside as happened yesterday," he said, referring to that counter attack. "We have faced more violent attacks than this in the past."
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 16:34
by Singha
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 16:53
by asgkhan
Saudi Barbarians have shipped 500 TOW missiles to ISIS to stop the Syrian Army advance. I think Iran should give some heavy hardware to the Houthi rebels asap.
Those camel jockeys were keen on transferring manpads but unkil had to kick their puny b@lls as it would definitely get a blowback on some civilian aircraft.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 17:57
by habal
Chandragupta wrote:Has China joined Russia's campaign against ISIS?
Fleet 162 or 142 of PLAN is parked outside Syrian coast in the meditteranean and it will be there for 3 more months. They are lurking over there to ensure NATO doesn't misbehave with Russia. Not that Russians are incapable of handling NATO but just in case. Supposedly the Liaoning A/C is also supposed to come for a visit.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 18:05
by UlanBatori
Wonder if the Bear can't find the unloading area for the TOWs...
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 18:09
by NRao
Looks like the cold war is warming up.
Humans never learn.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 18:40
by Singha
saudia and jordan are on the same team wrt supplying the rebels. jordan is hosting cia camps for the same. Anbar province of Iraq bordering saudi is a desert and its towns like ramadi are under ISIS control. the southern syria east of damascus is either no mans land or controlled by ISIS like palmyra (with one enclave dier el azzor still in govt hands)
so there is a vast open frontier to drive across a division of tanks into syria if need be. 500 TOW missiles , their tripods and optics would be only some 10 large trucks.

Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 18:43
by Singha
^^ above map is slightly outdated - the area north of baghdad DIYALA and SALEHEDDIN provinces were cleared of ISIS in the offensive of last summer. Kirkuk is in kurdish hands and Mosul firmly with ISIS.
in the desert the spaces and wide and he who controls the oasis towns, river crossings, passes and isolated lines of communication has the control. just occupation of territory means little as vast armies can be swallowed up. when the early arab armies made a move through jordania to fight the greek emperor heraclius's armies, the bedouin ability to bypass the usual lines of communication by moving fast with camels across the sands, live on less food and water, fight at night, cut off roman logistics and strike deep in the rear amazed the more conventionally trained opponents.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:00
by UlanBatori
500 TOW missiles , their tripods and optics would be only some 10 large trucks.
Dang! They need to hire Somali pirates. Aidid's (pbuh) 57 brats must be old enough now to run pirate/terrorist gangs, hain? Not 2 mention Osama's 250 nephews?
Surely they are Deserving Poor who need TOWs to Regain Their Honor and Dignity and Sovirginity?
1993 SomaliaEdit
On June 5, 24 Pakistani soldiers were slaughtered by members of Mohamed Farrah Aidid's Habr Gdir militia; some were skinned. Subsequently, the United Nations called for the arrest of those responsible. Weeks later they would formally place the blame on Aidid, leader of the Habr Gidr clan. Ever since, U.N. troops had been hunting Aidid. There had been worsening incidents, with fighting back and forth. On 12 July, three months prior to the Battle of Mogadishu, the United Nations and United States attempted to defeat Aidid's organization by attacking a strategy meeting of his native Habr Gidr clan under Operation Michigan. The Washington Post described the event as a "slaughter" in which a "half-dozen" AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters fired 16 TOW missiles and 2,000 rounds from their 20 mm cannons into the meeting of the elders, intellectuals, poets, religious leaders, and senior combat commanders. The first TOW missile destroyed the stairs, preventing escape. In the aftermath, it was revealed that Aidid was not in the meeting. The Red Cross claimed that 54 people had been killed, as against Admiral Jonathan T. Howe who report that 20 had died, and Aidid’s SNA, which produced a list of 73 people whom they claimed had been killed.[18] The reference originates from a New Left Review source, associated with the World Peace Foundation [19]
2003 Iraq WarEdit
10 Humvee-mounted TOW missiles were used by U.S. forces in Iraq, in the 22 July 2003 assault that killed Uday and Qusay Hussein.[20] Although TOW missiles are generally used against armored vehicles, these missiles were used on the house the two men were in.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:02
by Singha
KSA has been recruiting in sudan and somalia for yemen lashkars as mentioned earlier. these boys are used to lean rations and operating untethered for long periods.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:02
by NRao
I think:
* This is a massive failure on the part of the US to game events. Too many things going wrong - for no reason
* Kudos to Iran. They gamed this very well and executed it too - especially getting the Russians involved. I give Iran more brownie points than Russia
* And, Russia for orchestrating a complex move. This had to take a few months to get done
So, Russia with Iran + Iraq + Syria is backing Shia?
SA + some other camel jocks backing Sunni?
US + NATO backing who exactly?
and ISIS being the pure Muslims are opposed to all other - the infidels - who are not ISIS?
So, is the migration discussion over? Yet? All settled?
A lot of noise, expenses, talk ....................... and everything remains the same?
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:06
by habal
ATTENCION:
French poodles 'poop' on ISIS!
Two Rafale jets dropped bombs on an IS training camp, with Mr Le Drian saying the "objectives were accomplished" and vowing more attacks will follow. As with a first wave of strikes on September 27, the attacks focused on the IS stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria
French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has criticised Russia's recent involvement in the conflict, saying that "80 to 90 per cent" of its air strikes were in support of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's regime, Moscow's long-term ally. "The Russian military action in Syria over the past 10 days does not target Daesh, their main aim is [to ensure] the security of Bashar al-Assad," Mr Le Drian said. “We do not consider Assad a part of the solution."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-09/m ... ce/6843156
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:17
by UlanBatori
and ISIS being the pure Muslims are opposed to all other - the infidels - who are not ISIS?
The ISIS are today's Babary Pirates: Murder, terror, rape, slave-trade, oil trade, arms trade, and global presence and freedom of movement of members, their mijjiles, their oil and their money. All the King's horses' asses and all the President's Men have been unable to dent them.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:19
by UlanBatori
So phrogistan is trying to salvage what it can of its prestige and power in north Africa. Who next? Italian Mafia Air Fauj drops 2 bums on "ISIS" hitting nothing but desert? Can the Belgian and Dutch Air Faujs be far behind?
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:33
by Austin
NRao wrote:I think:
* This is a massive failure on the part of the US to game events. Too many things going wrong - for no reason
* Kudos to Iran. They gamed this very well and executed it too - especially getting the Russians involved. I give Iran more brownie points than Russia
* And, Russia for orchestrating a complex move. This had to take a few months to get done
So, Russia with Iran + Iraq + Syria is backing Shia?
SA + some other camel jocks backing Sunni?
US + NATO backing who exactly?
and ISIS being the pure Muslims are opposed to all other - the infidels - who are not ISIS?
So, is the migration discussion over? Yet? All settled?
A lot of noise, expenses, talk ....................... and everything remains the same?
ISIS is a pure Sunni funded organisation funded by GCC and designed to create controlled chaos in Shia dominated states or its supporters , so its main target is Iraq , Syria and iran .
Ever wondered why Isis is not attacking any GCC state but jst Syria and Iraq
US along with GCC is arming Isis and over looking its funding , that's why its chief source of funding like sale of oil is not targeted by coilation.
Even Iraq knows US is not serious about fighting Isis and hence asking Russia to play greater role check the news above.
ISIS is part of Sunni/US led strategy to create controlled chaos in Shia states which has significant sunni population hence Iraq n Syria are targeted first.
The dog seems out of control n controlled chaos has turned to an uncontrolled one

Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 19:47
by Satya_anveshi
Sunni Block:
Saudi Arabia: ~29M
Qatar:~2M
UAE:~9M
Jordon:~8M
Turkey:~78M
Libya:6M
Total :132M
Sunni Allies:
US
Western Europe
Israel
Three veto carrying UN Security Council members
NATO military Alliance
Sunni Backup
Egypt:~90M
Pakistan:~180M
Shia Block:
Syria:~23M
Iran:~78M
Lebanon:~6M
Yemen:~25M
TOTAL:132
Shia Allies:
Russia
China
TBD
Two veto carrying UN Security Council members
This should tell you why Pukistan is not formally in the Sunni block and is waiting in the wings.
Sunni block is fighting to wrest full control of major energy source of the world (middle east). Sunni allies are in it to preserve the western hegemony including dollar hegemony. Shia block is fighting to gain its share of control of global energy supplies. Shia allies are in it to challenge the current global hegemony of US/West by creating alternative block. It then becomes clear as to who/where the TBD should be. Without TBD, Shia block along with allies don't have great chance to attain their objective (IMO). Question is whether interests of TBD lie in staying out and perpetuate current or worser global order or restore a semblance of multi-polarity, which is its stated objective, to it.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 20:24
by NRao
SA<
Nice!! (And a big thanks too. Data points are critical to being a believer.)
Sunni backup: original as it gets. May never arrive, but that is a different matter. Where does ISIS fit in your model Sir? And what about the Great Migration? Is that a Sunni game plan (with SA offering to build 200 mosques) or a Shia or an ISIS one?
Rest: Nice colorful theories. Illogical as they are, but par for BR.
I think this is a testing ground for everyone: US - F-22, Russians - Naval missiles, etc. China takes the cake. IF they actually have shipped an empty carrier (through the IOR?) then they do need a big pat on their back. I suspect they too will test a few systems out there in the guise of hitting some terrorist group (that never existed). Internet is never a bad tool to make believers out of infidels, better than the alternatives used by ISIS for conversion.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 20:37
by Singha
Nice analysis Satya. I do agree eventual end goal is who controls how much of energy resources in Arabia and Caspian basin and where those resources flow and desired pricing models.
Isis was spawned as a useful kutta but went feral just like mujahideen did. The gcc probably went beyond their brief and pumped it up into a monster out of shia hatred to try and target Iran with a tsp type entity on its western border.
The fly in ointment was the shias in Iraq holding themselves together and forging links with Iran and Assad refusing to capitulate despite the severe beating he has taken over four brutal years...a worthy son of his survivalist father.
The revolutions is Tunisia, Libya etc were probably small test cases before the big show in Syria.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 20:55
by Satya_anveshi
That was the making sense of the broadest counters of what data and reality on ground suggests.
ISIS is not a recognized entity; they are terrorists who have no place in defining global order and reference to veto carrying members is just for that purpose. In the eventual end game, borders will not be allowed to be changed by terrorists actions.
NRao wrote:Rest: Nice colorful theories. Illogical as they are, but par for BR.
If you didn't get that much being on BR for so long, take
chullu bhar paaani and
drown swim

in it.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 21:10
by Satya_anveshi
Singha wrote:The fly in ointment was the shias in Iraq holding themselves together and forging links with Iran and Assad refusing to capitulate despite the severe beating he has taken over four brutal years...a worthy son of his survivalist father.
The revolutions is Tunisia, Libya etc were probably small test cases before the big show in Syria.
This whole thing starts off with Iraq venture itself but Russia has/had been too passive and marred in its own problems.
If Ukraine didn't come to the full galore as it did, Russia may have yet taken Syria tad too lightly. Obama miss-timed (rather than overplayed) Ukraine during or prior to Syria end game and thereby provoking Russian actions and taking its role in stewardship of global order

.
Obama and Kerry dropped the ball for US. That is the summary of all this from US perspective.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 21:19
by Satya_anveshi
In Chess, a good player doesn't just grab pawns and even minor pieces just because they can be. Minor actions that don't support your overall end game just provokes activism in opponent's play and opponent starts to make stronger moves. This analogy perfectly fits what we are seeing in US's moves in Syria and Ukraine vis-a-vis Russia.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 21:30
by Satya_anveshi
Deliberately left out as nothing can be said about its intentions,capabilities, actions, as US may have made a total mince meat of all of them over the last decade or so. What will it bring to the table when it is in that state? Shia majority, Sunni power holders, shattered infrastructure, confused population - at best it may contribute to both, may be marginally in favor of Shia thru men or nothing. I could be wrong (and 'illogical') on this.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 21:56
by Satya_anveshi
NRao wrote:I think this is a testing ground for everyone: US - F-22, Russians - Naval missiles, etc. China takes the cake. IF they actually have shipped an empty carrier (through the IOR?) then they do need a big pat on their back. I suspect they too will test a few systems out there in the guise of hitting some terrorist group (that never existed).
So, Russia and China need testing ground to test their weapons and that's why they are in Syria?

I phorgot, these countries are so tiny and every time they need to test their weapons, they have to find some place in other countries to allow them to test. Syria must have created some mock buildings and mannequins in the fields to allow them to test as there are obviously no terrorists.
But I thought you admitted to the existence of ISIS and how it figures in my analysis. If, according to you, ISIS is real and there are no terrorists in Syria, I wonder if your idea of ISIS is something like Nurses or Red Cross Volunteers helping themselves?

Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 21:59
by habal
Chuckle:
Russian airstrike destroys the HQ of the 13th Division (FSA) responsible for launching multiple anti-tank (TOW) missile attacks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXUS8wDnSKY
Russian Air Force and SAA annihilate ISIL-FSA Position in Hama Province
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x21fA3U8uWI
https://twitter.com/XiuXes/status/652848221627248641
#RuAF drops #Spetsnaz troops behind enemy lines near #Salma, reef #Latakia. #Salma currently being shelled and under attack by MI-24s.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 22:35
by ramana
Austin, For that 900 miles range of Kaliber, engine is turbo fan only due to specific fuel consumption being low.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 22:39
by member_24580
Satya_anveshi wrote:
Sunni Block:
Saudi Arabia: ~29M
Qatar:~2M
UAE:~9M
Jordon:~8M
Turkey:~78M
Libya:6M
Total :132M
Sunni Allies:
US
Western Europe
Israel
Three veto carrying UN Security Council members
NATO military Alliance
Sunni Backup
Egypt:~90M
Pakistan:~180M
Shia Block:
Syria:~23M
Iran:~78M
Lebanon:~6M
Yemen:~25M
TOTAL:132
Shia Allies:
Russia
China
TBD
Two veto carrying UN Security Council members
This should tell you why Pukistan is not formally in the Sunni block and is waiting in the wings.
Sunni block is fighting to wrest full control of major energy source of the world (middle east). Sunni allies are in it to preserve the western hegemony including dollar hegemony. Shia block is fighting to gain its share of control of global energy supplies. Shia allies are in it to challenge the current global hegemony of US/West by creating alternative block. It then becomes clear as to who/where the TBD should be. Without TBD, Shia block along with allies don't have great chance to attain their objective (IMO). Question is whether interests of TBD lie in staying out and perpetuate current or worser global order or restore a semblance of multi-polarity, which is its stated objective, to it.
Very interesting analysis - Pakistan in the sunni camp while Russia in Shia. Wonder if thats the reason for the new found love between Russia and Pakistan. Guess they want Pakistan to stay away from this fight in return for helicopters / fighters jets. Its going to be tricky for Pakistan as the way things are progressing, sooner or later sunni brethren are going to be asking for rental army's involvement again. I think I have full faith that this time Pakis are going to do Taqqiya. Them being namakharams of the highest order.
Added later: And Amir Khan offering the carrot of new-clear deal.
Tough choices eh!!
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 22:48
by NRao
are going to asking for rental army's involvement.
They declined to participate in Yemen. Took the money though.
So, Russia and China need testing ground to test their weapons and that's why they are in Syria?

Couple of data points:
1. Russia had offered Assad's head a couple of years back. So, it is not that they love this guy in particular
2. Iran has offered to buy $21 billion worth of stuff from Russia and Iranian convinced Russia to join this fun. Does not look like a pure Russian decision
So, yes, testing is one of the goals. There us plenty to test.
Time will reveal more details.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 23:19
by UlanBatori
Added later: And Amir Khan offering the carrot of new-clear deal.
The Ummah's very first NSG-approved, ISIS-owned, terrorist-run plutonium plan! Courtesy of the brilliance of Hussein BO, who opposed the deal with democratic India.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 23:25
by Satya_anveshi
NRao wrote:Couple of data points:
unsubstantiated bull peddled as data points. While at it, keep swimming.
Re: The Levant crisis.(Israel,SYRIA,Lebanon,etc)
Posted: 10 Oct 2015 23:28
by UlanBatori
Oh, cool! Two BRF rebel groups exchanging TOWs.