Levant crisis - III

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Dec 2016 19:10

The US army's commander in Europe has accused Russia of using its military campaign in Syria as a "live-fire training opportunity". He said only US has the authority to bomb and live train their troops any where in the world

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38402506

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Dec 2016 19:12

last night alone more than 4000 fighters have left for Idlib/Turkey http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ale ... 3a08f42de0

“Overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, in one of the last stages of the evacuation, more than 4,000 fighters were evacuated in private cars, vans, and pick-ups from eastern Aleppo to western rural Aleppo, as per the agreement reached between the different parties,” ICRC spokeswoman Krista Armstrong said.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Dec 2016 19:14

habal wrote:

Hopefully RT/Al Masadar & others will publish full story about this!

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Dec 2016 19:21

IS conflict: 14 Turkish soldiers dead in worst day's loss yet

Turkey soldiers are fighting along side Turkish backed rebels against IS & Kurds (wait, aren't Kurds against IS as well?) in Al Bab. They suffered major losses from artillery yesterday.

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Dec 2016 19:46

Turkey's foray into al-bab looks like an 'equip ISIS' operation

IS has seized a Turkish Leopard-2 tank:

What a fÚćk-up.

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Dec 2016 19:49

IndraD wrote:IS conflict: 14 Turkish soldiers dead in worst day's loss yet

Turkey soldiers are fighting along side Turkish backed rebels against IS & Kurds (wait, aren't Kurds against IS as well?) in Al Bab. They suffered major losses from artillery yesterday.

Two more Turkish soldiers died in hospital this morning, bringing the total to 16

https://twitter.com/KameraSokak/stat...03751648870400
#SONDAKİKA #FıratKalkanı
El Bab another two soldiers lost their lives, the number rose to 16.

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Dec 2016 19:51

maytham ‏@maytham956

The militants opened fire at the residents of Ain AlFijeh in rural #Damascus who organized a sit-in to call on them to exit from their town.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C0SELFeXEAAxUbn.jpg

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Dec 2016 20:27

Golden division suffering continuous losses in Mosul

A series of Daesh car bombs targeting an Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) staging ground just outside of Mosul has resulted in the deaths of approximately 20 soldiers today, while separate mortar attacks have killed four aid workers and seven other civilians this week.

Daesh’s Amaq news agency said that three vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) targeting Iraqi soldiers in Gogjali, a satellite town just outside of east Mosul, had killed 20 soldiers. The Iraqi government gave no figures for their losses.

Gogjali was recaptured from Daesh approximately two months ago, and had been declared “secure” by the Iraqi authorities who use it as a staging ground, resupply station and they have also located their field hospital there.

The militant group’s ability to launch devastating attacks inside Gogjali suggest that the neighbourhoods claimed to have been “liberated” by the ISF and the US-led Coalition may not be as secure as previously thought.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20161 ... -soldiers/

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Dec 2016 20:34

Golden division has realized at great cost that it's mentor is it's enemies mentor as well. Poor guinea pigs.

Bheeshma · Post by **Bheeshma** » 22 Dec 2016 23:27

So US and NATO have training experts in suicide bombing and IED's? Where did they learn it? From Pakis or Taliban?

Bhurishravas · Post by **Bhurishravas** » 23 Dec 2016 00:47

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinio ... 4b0deabb5e

At the same time Erdogan and his closest associates have ramped up jihadi rhetoric, calling for loyal citizens to buy handguns and arm themselves in preparation for jihad and martyrdom. That is, of course, the stuff of political rhetoric. But it is also playing with fire.
In galvanising his support base to join him in fighting against the PKK and endorsing his quest for far-reaching presidential authority, Erdogan risks unleashing jihadi sentiments he can’t control.
The young policeman who shot dead the ambassador was likely not a supporter of IS but he clearly saw himself as a jihadi martyr. That dynamic stands to benefit IS and undermine Turkish security.

Bhurishravas · Post by **Bhurishravas** » 23 Dec 2016 00:52

http://aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/tu ... an-/712353

Turkey in 'biggest fight since independence': Erdogan
The country is now faced with 'asymmetrical' attacks, Turkish president says

About the difference between the past and present fight, he said: “We are facing asymmetrical attacks now in contrast with the past’s fight. Terror organizations are just the pawns. The main struggle is with the forces behind them. These powers put pressure on our sensitive points wherever they see.”

Jihadis of all hue have conspiracy theories for everything. Turkey was itself arming the Syrian jihadis. Now Erdogan is seeing terrorists and their supporters everywhere.
Unless of course, PKK is the only entity he considers terrorist and believes US to be arming it.

Baikul · Post by **Baikul** » 23 Dec 2016 01:08

Erdogan's already supposed to have purged the Turkish army of its most experienced generals. With an Islamized populace at home, foreign policy the equivalent of playing with Jihadi fire abroad, and an inexperienced officer cadre, Turkey is indeed in for very interesting times.

Bheeshma · Post by **Bheeshma** » 23 Dec 2016 01:22

Turkey is in for a full fledged civil war unfortunately. Lets see if an independent Kurdistan will finally come to fruition.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 02:11

The Syrian army says it has retaken full control of the besieged city of Aleppo, following the evacuation of the last group of rebel fighters.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 02:13

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38409526

several videos of Bana released : she has been brain washed & prepared very well.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 02:20

@Ramana saar you predicted it right:

Putin sends investigators to Ankara http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -hand.html

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 09:27

WorldOnAlert ‏@worldonalert
#Aleppo: #ISIS announced that they have burned 2 Turkish soldiers alive, who were captured at #Al_Bab

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 09:34

It seems uniformed turkish army units threw away wverything from personal undies and weapons to leopard tanks and ifvs for isis to take as war booty

https://mobile.twitter.com/pepperm4n/st ... 80/video/1

Khauf chaya hua hai ...they wont be back to al bab soon. Saa and ypg played a smart hand letting fsa take the hit

....2 months and no can collar a small town by 2jnd largest army in nato with powerfool 155mm rapid fire howitzers and german tanks

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 23 Dec 2016 10:59

We will look at the Levantine war, at some point not too distant in the future, as the real flashpoint for a global conflagration that involved pretty much everybody and undid pretty much all existing alliances and axes. It is where a country that was very average, by Middle Eastern standards, became savagely undone for no reason that is discernible other than perceived strategic expedience, and sheer bloodymindedness. A heavy price will be paid, sadly, by the peoples of the countries involved and their next generation, though those directly responsible will die off mostly. This includes mainly Europeans and some Sunni Arab states. It was an unnecessary overreach. They should have kept the pot simmering, as Zia ul Haq well understood, rather than deliberately boil it over. That way war would have come much slower, and maybe never at all.

habal · Post by **habal** » 23 Dec 2016 11:22

Ex-UK ambassador to Syria says Brits should end their opposition to Assad.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08558fk

This might be to do with the fact that Putin and Trump may possibly make an agreement over Syria, so traditional US poodle Britain will conform to US policy on Syria.

” 230 US Army instructors and 54 British troops, 8 French and two Dutch artillery specialists were trapped in Aleppo with ISIS jihadists by Syrian and Russian forces ”

http://novorossia.today/154225-2/

LokeshC · Post by **LokeshC** » 23 Dec 2016 12:24

JE Menon wrote:We will look at the Levantine war, at some point not too distant in the future, as the real flashpoint for a global conflagration that involved pretty much everybody and undid pretty much all existing alliances and axes. It is where a country that was very average, by Middle Eastern standards, became savagely undone for no reason that is discernible other than perceived strategic expedience, and sheer bloodymindedness. A heavy price will be paid, sadly, by the peoples of the countries involved and their next generation, though those directly responsible will die off mostly. This includes mainly Europeans and some Sunni Arab states. It was an unnecessary overreach. They should have kept the pot simmering, as Zia ul Haq well understood, rather than deliberately boil it over. That way war would have come much slower, and maybe never at all.

I am truly befuddled with why the hostility towards Assad and co. I mean what do the EU mofos have to lose by letting him be. There is no justification for this aggression , absolutely none.

May they pay the price with interest for all that they have allowed to occur, when all they needed to do was mind their own business. A high school kid would know better than the ding dongs ruling EU.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 23 Dec 2016 12:38

If you see CNN and others, you will know the reason for hate. They created this hate and it is a matter of record that they tried to get rid of this hateful person. If they fail then, their political future will be in jeopardy. If they succeed, then they are next Churchill. In it in short like riding a tiger.

Further, there is a deep globalist agenda which needed to be followed up and mess created by Billary can not be forgotten. If Assad wins, then the next tin pot dictator who is attacked by West will have him as a role model like Assad becoming 21st Century Castro.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Dec 2016 13:45

A resounding defeat for US foreign and mil policy,the worst since Vietnam and yet another catastrophe after the failed Iraq regime change goals in GW 1 and 2. The true facts about the so-called "rebels",will now come out.Veteran ME scribe Fisk,once wrote that they were a fiction and one could count the numbers of genuine rebels on the fingers of his hands. One has to now see how the regime and friendly forces can wrest and most importanbtly "hold" what they've fought for in the most gruelling and costly campaign lasting 4 years.

Final evacuees leave eastern Aleppo as Assad regime takes control
Last few thousand fighters and civilians transported from city held by rebels for more than four years in Syrian civil war
A man waves a Syrian national flag to a convoy carrying the last rebel fighters out of Aleppo.

Kareem Shaheen in Istanbul and Patrick Wintour in London
Thursday 22 December 2016 19.00 GMT Last modified on Friday 23 December 2016 00.00 GMT
The evacuation of east Aleppo has been completed, bringing to a close a key chapter in the Syrian rebellion against the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad.

About 4,000 rebel fighters and civilians left the city on Thursday, the last group remaining in the shrunken patch of territory still nominally held by the opposition in the city.
Destruction of Aleppo: then and now – in pictures

The Syrian army said it had retaken Aleppo entirely and brought “security and safety” back to the city.

The last evacuations bring the total number of people who have left east Aleppo in the last week to a little over 40,000. Their departure came about under a deal brokered by Turkey and Russia that teetered on the edge of collapse several times.

Tens of thousands of civilians had been facing the prospect of death in a final stand against Assad’s offensive, spearheaded by Iranian-backed militias, or of surrendering and facing imprisonment or forced “disappearances”. The militias have been accused of killing people as they rampaged through east Aleppo.

The residents had lived in great deprivation without functioning hospitals and with little electricity and water in freezing winter conditions.

After meeting a senior Iranian delegation, Assad said his battlefield successes were a “basic step on the road to ending terrorism in the whole of Syria and creating the right circumstances for a solution to end the war”.

But a senior United Nations official warned that the thousands of evacuees could endure the same situation in their new place of refuge outside the city. Many have gone to the province of Idlib, which is under the control of Islamist rebels and is expected to be the next target of Assad’s campaign.

The UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said an end to hostilities across Syria was vital if another battle like that for Aleppo was to be avoided.

“Many of them have gone to Idlib, which could be in theory the next Aleppo,” De Mistura said in Geneva.

Concern for safety of evacuees as UN warns Idlib could be the next Aleppo
The Assad regime now controls the whole of Aleppo more than four years after it was divided in a rebel offensive.

The loss of the former industrial capital is a major blow to the rebellion, which no longer has a strong presence in any of Syria’s major cities, relegating it to a rural insurgency dominated by the Islamist rebels still standing in Idlib.

Much of the eastern and northern parts of the country remain outside government control, and recent defeats in places such as Palmyra raise questions about the ability of Assad’s exhausted military and its militia allies to hold on to territory outside key cities.

But buoyed by its momentum, largely the result of unflinching support from its allies in Moscow and Tehran, the Assad regime will aim to push forward and capitalise on the opposition’s disarray.

The Aleppo campaign was marked with great brutality, particularly in the last few months when pro-government forces placed the eastern rebel-held districts under siege and pursued a relentless policy of aerial bombardment that deployed weapons such as bunker-buster bombs and phosphorus.

Prior to the evacuations, the last ceasefire broke down in October over the bombing of a humanitarian convoy, an act believed to have been carried out by the Russian or Syrian government.

On Thursday, the British foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, claimed the UN panel of inquiry into that attack had concluded it was carried out either by the Syrian or Russian air force, describing the incident as indefensible and one of the most appalling of the conflict.

The inquiry, often hampered by the Syrian government, found that the attack was conducted from the air, and said there had been no suggestion the attack was conducted by coalition aircraft, implying it was done by the Russians or Syrians.

The five-strong panel, which visited Syria, said it had no conclusive evidence as to whether the attack was an error or that those responsible knew the target was a joint UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent convoy. Ten people died in the incident and 22 people were injured.
At various points Russia or Syria had claimed the attack was conducted by ground forces, thus leaving open the possibility that rebel forces were responsible. But the inquiry found the attack was mounted from the air using multiple types of munitions deployed from more than one aircraft and aircraft type.

Johnson said: “I welcome the board of inquiry’s report, which found that the aid convoy was attacked from the air, making it clear that the strike was carried out by forces of either the Assad regime or Russia.

“This was one of the most appalling incidents of the conflict so far. Whether deliberate or accidental, this was an indefensible attack, with at least 10 people killed and vital aid to vulnerable people destroyed.

“Over half a million Syrians are still in areas besieged by the regime – many have received no aid since June.”

Bhurishravas · Post by **Bhurishravas** » 23 Dec 2016 14:32

The war in Syria is a struggle between the old and the new for the west.
The old enemy is/was Russia. And therefore regime change in Syria was needed.
The new enemy is jihadi Islam. This is just sinking in.

The election between Hillary and Trump was just an indication of this. Most fellas in CIA, deep state, Clinton household have been fed an overdose of anti-Russianism over decades. An outsider(Trump) and numerous attacks in western cities are waking the neocons to the new reality.

Unfortunately Jihadi Islam is too happy to find other allies in China and to some extent Russia.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 14:34

what a gasbag of article ! No where writer explains why Aleppo win is turning point for Assad http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/22/world ... .html?_r=0

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 14:38

There is strong bitterness in US think tank regarding
1. Obama did not do enough to prevent Russia- Assad win
2. Why was no fly zone not early imposed in course of war
3. why other covert means not undertaken to help 'rebels'

Let Obama retire and West press will tear him apart for ME failure.

At the beginning of the civil war, the popular uprising was ascendant. What kept a rough equilibrium was regime control of the skies. At that point, the United States, at little risk and cost, could have declared Syria a no-fly zone, much as it did Iraqi Kurdistan for a dozen years after the Gulf War of 1991.

The U.S. could easily have destroyed the regime’s planes and helicopters on the ground and so cratered its airfields as to make them unusable. That would have altered the strategic equation for the rest of the war.

And would have deterred the Russians from injecting their own air force — they would have had to challenge ours for air superiority. Facing no U.S. deterrent, Russia stepped in and decisively altered the balance, pounding the rebels in Aleppo to oblivion. The Russians were particularly adept at hitting hospitals and other civilian targets, leaving the rebels with the choice between annihilation and surrender.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... 5e044636ea

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 16:11

Singha wrote:WorldOnAlert ‏@worldonalert
#Aleppo: #ISIS announced that they have burned 2 Turkish soldiers alive, who were captured at #Al_Bab

Turkey restricts internet after release of IS video

Bhurishravas · Post by **Bhurishravas** » 23 Dec 2016 16:39

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/origina ... state.html

US has refused to bomb Al Bab and help Turkey according to this piece.

Coalition and Turkish officials who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject confirmed that Turkey had asked the United States to carry out airstrikes in support of their moves against al-Bab. They declined to comment further.

The formal US stance, however, has been that it will not help the Turkish-backed Operation Euphrates Shield coalition or the Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), led by the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), capture al-Bab. It has refused to do so because it does not want to be dragged into Turkey’s ongoing battle to prevent the Syrian Kurds from linking territories under their control.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 23 Dec 2016 16:46

Why Turk can't bomb on their own, what happened to their fleet of F16? ^
Their assault on al bab ended in fiasco with over 20 soldiers dying, and leaving hardware behind.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 17:52

Elijah J. Magnier ‏@EjmAlrai 6h6 hours ago
The honey-moon of Jarablus & Dabiq between #Turkey & #ISIS is over: 34 Turkish soldiers killed in #AlBab . #ISIS recover all lost position

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 17:53

Joshua Landis ‏@joshua_landis 20h20 hours ago
Russian Gen Calls Meeting of 24 Syrian Kurdish Groups to ask them to compromise w Assad #Syria http://sobsrvr.com/DzXS5Uyr via @observesyria

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 17:54

agitpapa ‏@agitpapa 7h7 hours ago
+ is in fact that of the TR military, of which he is a mouthpiece. Let's see if Tayyip shuts him down.

agitpapa ‏@agitpapa 7h7 hours ago
+ soldiers missing. TR soldiers on PKK & ISIS fronts have been in action nonstop 4 months, lacking basic necessities. Takan's whining +

agitpapa ‏@agitpapa 7h7 hours ago
Takan says 90% of hired jihadis fled battle at Al Bab while TR troops suffered from poor logistics. Turkish losses underreported & many +

agitpapa ‏@agitpapa 7h7 hours ago
Nationalist TR columnist w military ties says NATO's 2nd army severely overstretched fighting both PKK & ISIS

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 17:55

Donald J. TrumpVerified account
‏@realDonaldTrump
Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet!

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 23 Dec 2016 18:02

Brarji???

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 23 Dec 2016 18:08

Bhurishravas wrote:http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/origina ... state.html

US has refused to bomb Al Bab and help Turkey according to this piece.
Coalition and Turkish officials who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject confirmed that Turkey had asked the United States to carry out airstrikes in support of their moves against al-Bab. They declined to comment further.

The formal US stance, however, has been that it will not help the Turkish-backed Operation Euphrates Shield coalition or the Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), led by the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), capture al-Bab. It has refused to do so because it does not want to be dragged into Turkey’s ongoing battle to prevent the Syrian Kurds from linking territories under their control.

the US doesn't owe Turkey anything especially after trying to blame the US for an attempted military coup and then attacking Iraqi kurds when we were starting the Mosul campaign.

on top of that, Turkey was double dealing with ISIS. and still trying to weasel out of the killing of the russian ambassador by blaming Gullen.

they need to fight their own battles after bragging how they got the strongest military in the ME.

root hog............or die.

TSJones · Post by **TSJones** » 23 Dec 2016 18:16

Singha wrote:Donald J. TrumpVerified account
‏@realDonaldTrump
Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet!

the corps was promised the f-35b and they need it. it will transform the gator navy.

I think congress is firmly behind the corps in its mission and goals. they like the gator navy too.

the donald can tweet all he wants but he needs the Marines and the gator navy.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 23 Dec 2016 19:18

Al-Masdar News ‏@TheArabSource
Turkish warplanes kill 72 civilians in #Aleppo's Al-Bab: report https://aml.ink/48oPw #ISIS #Syria #Turkey

In addition some 26 Kia in shelling

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 23 Dec 2016 19:19

B4 it is too late 4 all of us (and US) I hope someone writes a book on how ISIS is able to beat up conventional armies despite lack of air superiority or any serious air combat capability. This has completely overturned the notions of air force dominance that ruled the Gulf War and Afghanistan GOAT Phase 1. Note that now even the Pakiban is able to win in Afghanistan, and probably rules all of Helmand, Kandahar etc despite NATO pretences. What has changed? What happened to the famed pin-point accuracy of air-launched weapons? What are the chances that the Ummah actually obtains a conventional air force next time they sweep through a continent. Maybe Central Africa? Southern Europe?

Baikul · Post by **Baikul** » 23 Dec 2016 21:41

UlanBatori wrote:B4 it is too late 4 all of us (and US) I hope someone writes a book on how ISIS is able to beat up conventional armies despite lack of air superiority or any serious air combat capability. This has completely overturned the notions of air force dominance that ruled the Gulf War and Afghanistan GOAT Phase 1. Note that now even the Pakiban is able to win in Afghanistan, and probably rules all of Helmand, Kandahar etc despite NATO pretences. What has changed? What happened to the famed pin-point accuracy of air-launched weapons? What are the chances that the Ummah actually obtains a conventional air force next time they sweep through a continent. Maybe Central Africa? Southern Europe?

Interesting projections. One datapoint I'd want information on though- what has been the response when ISIS hit a town or area that was not Sunni? My point is that while they are a very formidable fighting force, we'll see how they do as an army if/ when they move into a totally unfamiliar cultural terrain. So I'm not expecting sweeping hordes rushing down the plains any time soon.