Levant crisis - III

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 16:23

turkey is a major chum of hamas which rules the gaza strip.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 21 Jun 2016 16:25

Singha wrote:the mighty 4th armour div of the Egyptian army - this is probably more tanks than entirely in syria in all hands
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClFIArmXEAAQGZC.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClFIArmWgAAWGwB.jpg

Reminds me of the pictures from June 1967, of the Mighty Egyptian Air Force, lined up all ready with bums to finish off Israel. Just before the Che Din started. The nice rows are to make it convenient for a single bombing run on each row.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 16:28

it would surprise you to know Egypt is the 2nd largest receipient of US foreign military aid , after israel. they have been given a massive number of abrams tanks, F-solah and other prestigious kit.

this despite them posing no threat overt or covert to israel.

but they are willing to take and operate them, so US indirectly subsidises its own industry via such willing receipients. their latest escapade is buying not one but both the Mistral LPH ships orphaned after france scrapped the deal with russia. on top of the rafales. and FFGs priced like iphone9+

despite being one of the poorest arab nations on average...how thats for a loyal ally ? always willing to "take one" (or two in this case) for the team.

meantime food riots in venezuela...

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 21 Jun 2016 16:37

Singha wrote:the mighty 4th armour div of the Egyptian army - this is probably more tanks than entirely in syria in all hands
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClFIArmXEAAQGZC.jpg

All M1 Abrams

from Googal

A tank will need approximately 300 gallons every eight hours; this will vary depending on mission, terrain, and weather. A single tank takes 10 minutes to refuel. Refueling and rearming of a tank platoon--four tanks--is approximately 30 minutes under ideal conditions. 0.6 miles per gallon.

About 60 tanks the image. By 6 AM tomorrow morning they will need 90,000 liters of fuel - i.e 1000 standard Desi tankers

Get the tankers..

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 17:40

150 tanks is my call. 3 regiments with 50 each.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 17:44

They have enormous arty, 4 armour divs, 4 indep armour bdges, 8 mech divs, 6 indep mech bdges

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 17:56

Manpower shortage continues to bug the saa. Iraqis have no such issue. See last line.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) continued their counter-offensive in the east Palmyra (Tadmur) countryside on Monday and Tuesday, targeting the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions near the Al-Talilah Crossroad. ISIS was able to capture two checkpoints at the eastern flank of the Al-Talilah Crossroad, leaving a small distance between them and the Syrian Arab Army’s positions in east Palmyra. However, ISIS was not able to advance much further on Monday night, thanks in large part to the Russian Air Force, who carried out a number of airstrikes over the T-3 Military Airport and southeastern countryside of Homs. According to a military source at the T-4 Airport in west Palmyra, the Russian Air Force conducted over 20 airstrikes since Monday night. These airstrikes have proven to be a saving grace for the Syrian Arab Army’s 60th Brigade of the 11th Tank Division, as they are outnumbered almost 2-to-1 in east Palmyra.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ru ... s-advance/ | Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 17:58

I have a feeling they will retreat from Palmyra and tabqah at this rate. Daesh has a endless supply of zombies ....

Only large scale deployment by iran can save syria from the wolves...too many wolves for one dog

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 21 Jun 2016 18:00

And guards heavy bomber regiments from engels and mozdok deploying to syria. A backfire should be able to loiter for hours unleashing heavy munitions like b1 b52 act as flying arty for usa units

habal · Post by **habal** » 21 Jun 2016 18:21

how many are dying yet as many are coming in, and they have so many choices for entry.

USA/NATO operated camps in Jordan border. Israel operated camps in Golan border

From Mosul Iraqi border

from Turkish border all the way from Kobaneh to al bab kurdish lines.

TEHRAN (FNA)- A leading Lebanese daily claimed that Turkey which was once staunchly opposed to the formation of a Kurdish country in Northern Syria has apparently changed its position.

http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950401001345

habal · Post by **habal** » 21 Jun 2016 18:33

my thinking here is that Russia is waiting for brexit vote to get done with before launching the heavies.

already 20 are lined up in Iran ready for duty. 10 more were added to the 10 already available.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Jun 2016 00:02

Singha ji thanks for valuable inputs through out, that pic from Egypt is stunning, why do they need so many tanks? +1001 for all posts!

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 22 Jun 2016 03:06

IndraD wrote:Singha ji thanks for valuable inputs through out, that pic from Egypt is stunning, why do they need so many tanks? +1001 for all posts!

They don't, but the US military industrial complex needs Egypt to keep buying them with US foreign aid. From the US taxpayer to Egypt and then right back into the pockets of General Dynamics; corporate welfare at its finest.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 22 Jun 2016 04:35

US Wounded - Classified

The Pentagon posts aggregate data on the number of wounded on its website. But Pentagon officials admit the information may be out of date and incomplete.
For example, as of Tuesday, the site indicates 16 personnel have been wounded in the fight against ISIS, but that does not include four other troops lightly wounded in an attack on June 9. The Pentagon has not disclosed details of that incident, but CNN learned the injuries came when a vehicle near the U.S. military advisers exploded after being hit by an anti-tank round. The statistics also do not include a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg earlier this month.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 22 Jun 2016 05:04

Top general's candor: No strategy against ISIS in Libya

Admiral Stolichnayin may be getting ready to go in. I don't see any alternative to defeat ISIS.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 22 Jun 2016 06:24

The Slow Death of the Syria Cease-Fire Brings a Hybrid War With Russia Closer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair- ... 10126.html

Russia is emerging from an internal debate over whether the U.S. is truly interested in an entente or only in bloodying Russia’s nose. And what do we see? Skepticism. Russia is skeptical that NATO’s new missile shield in Poland and Romania, plus military exercises right up near its border, are purely defensive actions.

Iran, meanwhile, is studying the entrails of the nuclear agreement. As one well-informed commentator put it to me, Iran is “coldly lethal” at the gloating in the U.S. at having “put one over” Iran. Because, while Iran has duly taken actions that preclude it from weaponizing its nuclear program, it will not now gain the financial normalization that it had expected under the agreement.

What do we see? Skepticism.

It’s not a question of slow implementation — I’ve heard directly from banks in Europe that they’ve been visited by U.S. Treasury officials and warned in clear terms that any substantive trade cooperation with Iran is closed off. Iran is not being integrated into the financial system. U.S. sanctions remain in place, the Europeans have been told, and the U.S. will implement fines against those who contravene these sanctions. Financial institutions are fearful, particularly given the size of the fines that have been imposed — almost $9 billion for the French bank BNP a year ago.

In principle, sanctions have been lifted. But in practice, even though its sales of crude are reaching pre-sanctions levels, Iran has found that, financially, it remains substantially hobbled. America apparently achieved a double success: It circumscribed Iran’s nuclear program, and the U.S. Treasury has hollowed out the nuclear agreement’s financial quid pro quo, thus limiting Iran’s potential financial empowerment, which America’s Gulf allies so feared.

Some Iranian leaders say that the U.S. should never have been trusted in the first place.

And Damascus? It never believed that the recent cease-fire would be a genuine cessation of hostilities, and many ordinary Syrians now concur with their government, seeing it as just another American ruse. They are urging their government to get on with it — to liberate Aleppo. “Just do it” is the message for the Syrian government that I’ve heard on the streets. A sense of the West being deceitful is exacerbated by reports of American, German, French and possibly Belgian special forces establishing themselves in northern Syria.

...

The Russians evidently thought they could make an honest deal with [U.S. Secretary of State John] Kerry [and President] Obama. Well, they were wrong. The U.S. supported jihadis associated with [Jabhat al-Nusra, al Qaeda’s Syria wing] ... merely ‘pocketed’ the truce as an opportunity to re-fit, re-supply and re-position forces. The U.S. must have been complicit in this ruse. Perhaps the Russians have learned from this experience.

Lang goes on to note that during the “truce,” “the Turks, presumably with the agreement of the U.S., brought 6,000 men north out of [Syria via the] Turkish border ... They trucked them around, and brought them through Hatay Province in Turkey to be sent back into Aleppo Province and to the city of Aleppo itself.” Reports in Russian media indicate that Nusra jihadists, who have continued to shell Syrian government forces during the “truce,” are being commanded directly by Turkish military advisers. And meanwhile, the U.S. supplied the opposition with about 3,000 tons of weapons during the cease-fire, according to I.H.S. Jane’s, a security research firm.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:10

Y. Kanan wrote:
IndraD wrote:Singha ji thanks for valuable inputs through out, that pic from Egypt is stunning, why do they need so many tanks? +1001 for all posts!
They don't, but the US military industrial complex needs Egypt to keep buying them with US foreign aid. From the US taxpayer to Egypt and then right back into the pockets of General Dynamics; corporate welfare at its finest.

thats also the reason for the perpetual annual arms aid to Israel. even if the israelis wanted the Elta2032 on their Sufa F16I, they were forced to install only the raytheon OEM set only.

another flow is the West buys petrol from arabs , then recovers that money by selling them huge arms deals. whatever money the arabs have surplus is either invested in west via sovereign funds or parked in london/paris/NYC by sheikhs personal trust fund managers or blown up on wine/women/drugs in periodic summer vacations that stretch for months

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:15

bad news. wild retreat from raqqa positions with no real plan.

According to Amaq News, the main Islamic State media outlet, ISIS forces recaptured the village of Abu Allaj around noon today, thus pushing the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) back to the western border of Raqqa province. This follows the loss of Khirbat Zeidan and marks a large-scale SAA retreat along the Raqqa-Ithriya highway. Effectively, ISIS fighters have retaken 35 kilometers of territory in western Raqqa in the matter of just 48 hours. With almost all of the SAA’s gains from the Raqqa offensive reversed, the SAA’s Desert Hawks Brigade and Syrian Marines have set a defensive line at the Zakiyah crossroad in order to contain the Islamic State’s counter-offensive. An overwhelming number of ISIS fighters and armored vehicles were mobilized for the blitz jihadist offensive, thereby forcing SAA commanders to hastily withdraw.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ne ... -province/ | Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:18

daesh has thrashed the saa and rolled them back - utter lack of planning and action at the lower to higher level in open terrain .... no defensive lines were probably dug and perimeters tightened with air support lined up.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:19

SAA seems to be no better than ISIS in the conduct of a complex war with lean resources.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:24

at best this can be called a dieppe style probing raid in strength to assess enemy strength and try out tactics and lot of data points gathered. a fig leaf on abject failure , but one has to look for positives in this mess.

they need to organize a 3 pronged attack from east aleppo, khanassir and zakiyeh next time spread the IS thin and hope that atleast one prong is able to reach the river

a lot of syrian army is imo needlessly tied up down south around damascus fighting fruitless little urban wars against isolated pockets of militants .... perhaps assad keeps them as anti-coup troops. atleast 1 republican guard div is always kept in damascus.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:50

utter breakdown in the chain of command. SAA generals both onsite and in damascus have a lot to answer for this episode . ISIS will surely execute all prisoners in a brutal fashion.

Leith Abou Fadel ‏@leithfadel 2h2 hours ago
23 soldiers are confirmed dead. Dozens MIA. 49 wounded.

Leith Abou Fadel ‏@leithfadel 2h2 hours ago
Desert Hawks and Syrian Marines left the 555th Regiment at Sufiyah and withdrew all the way to Zakiyah, leaving our men trapped.

Leith Abou Fadel ‏@leithfadel 2h2 hours ago
I am literally sick to my stomach after hearing what happened in west Raqqa. Some of these commanders should be court marshaled.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:51

other pro-regime twitters trying to keep as quiet as possible.
maybe ivan sidorenko also posted a outburst, his account is today deleted either by him or someone in twitter

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:53

The Syrian Armed Forces were filled with optimism this past weekend after they seized the Thawrah Oil Fields near the strategic Tabaqa Military Airport in west Raqqa. However, this jubilant feeling would not last long, thanks in large part to the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham’s (ISIS) major counter-offensive along the Sukhanah-Tabaqa Road. Not only did ISIS recapture the Thawrah Oil Fields, but they also fought their way to the Sufiyah Oil Fields that overlook the Rusafeh Crossroad.

While, this initially appeared to be a small setback for the Syrian Armed Forces; it would turn disastrous on Monday after the Desert Hawks and Syrian Marines abruptly withdrew from the village of Albu Allaj and Rusafeh Crossroad.

Unbeknownst to the Syrian Arab Army’s 555th Regiment at the Rusafeh Crossroad, they were about to lose their second and third lines of defense. ISIS ultimately overran the Syrian Arab Army’s positions at Rusafeh, resulting in a disorganized retreat that left behind weapons and several soldiers. According to a military source, 23 soldiers have been confirmed “killed-in-action” (KIA); 49 soldiers were wounded; and dozens of others are currently “missing-in-action” (MIA).

The soldiers that considered MIA are believed to be either dead, captured, or trapped behind enemy lines. On Tuesday, the Syrian Armed Forces remained idle at the Zakiyah Crossroad in west Raqqa. Currently, all of the Syrian Armed Forces involved in this offensive have been ordered to remain on standby – no plans to continue this assault have been communicated to Al-Masdar News.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/di ... est-raqqa/ | Al-Masdar News

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 09:54

regular armies relieve generals of their command for far less , its usually posted as "loss of confidence in his ability to lead" in official speak. I fear a lot of low caliber regime loyalists staff the upper echelons of these arab armies and lead to messes like this. fighting generals like zahreddine are exploited and hung out to dry while the jackals and fat foxes wine and dine in damascus and latakia.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 10:07

the 555 regiment is part of the 4th armour div that is HQed in damascus and is the anti-coup formation. this is not going to go down well with the alawite rank and file.

---
The Division is regarded by some as the best trained and best equipped of the Syrian Army.[11] The 4th Armoured Division, the Republican Guard, and Syria's secret police form the heart of the country's security forces. As a result, the Division is drawn mostly from members of the same Alawite group as the Assad family.[12] About 80 percent of the division's soldiers and officers are Alawites and nearly 90 percent of them are career soldiers, in contrast to the conscripts who comprise most of the army's other units

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 10:28

555 is 80% alawites but Desert hawks & Syrian Marines may have been sunni. And I say this because the probing spear would have to have had sunni's to take the border villages into confidence. This means that SAA are stretched too far for their own good. Again how could good drone's and combat surveillance capabilities not have found out about any isis counter attack really beats me.

isis is surely personally directed and supervised by Israeli & US 'advisors' who assess capability better than SAA. And isis is surely not lacking in numbers, they are constantly being resupplied from eastern border. isis also has a good intelligence division, part of Saddam's elite air intelligence & military intelligence sunnis who are capable of engineering rebellion and division in enemy ranks.

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 10:44

here is what Syrian Arab Army's (unofficial) facebook page says on this issue, and posted on Tuesday Morning

Quote
About the sitaution on al-Tabaqah axis. True the Syrian Armed Forces and allies withdrew to the nearest secured point after reaching 8km distance from al-Tabaqah airbase.
al-Tabaqah campaign toward al-Raqqah city has been so far with minimal casualties and the goal to keep it that way; the troops advancing got attacked with large number of suicide trucks, and were to be surrounded with their back not protected in they haven't withdrew.
The bulk of the troops on that axis for the records are Syrian Arab Army, with the presence of Russian experts, and Syrian para-military groups. The Syrian Army troops participating were hand selected, very highly trained and very experiences, most of these soldiers have been fighting for 5 years before they had another training course for this operation. They are highly capable and the field command are fully aware of their actions, and the situation.
These kind of tied are common in any military campaign, and nothing to worry about. The Syrian Arab Army and allies will not stop at al-Tabaqah, so don't worry they will not stop before reaching it.
And always remember this: "Worry does not mean fear, but readiness for the confrontation."
Unquote

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 10:52

Leading Jabhat Al Nusra rodent killed in Aleppo

Alpha rat jihadist and Idlib ‘Imeer’ of Jabhat al-Nusra, Abo Abd Allah Jabal, was fumigated either by a Russian airstrike -- or alternatively by a roadside IED, in northwestern Aleppo.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/le ... rn-aleppo/

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 10:54

Rothschild, Cheney, Summers, Woolsey, Landrieu and Fox News’ Murdoch Begin Drilling For Oil in Syria — A Violation of International Law

https://www.intellihub.com/cheney-roths ... -intl-law/

New Jersey-based Genie Energy, Ltd., Afek’s parent company, claims a dubious cadre of investors cum war profiteers, including Rupert Murdoch, Dick Cheney, Lord Jacob Rothschild, James Woolsey — as well as a number of current and former U.S. politicians.

To understand U.S. involvement in the quagmire in Syria, Afek’s oil exploration is of critical importance.

Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights region violates international law — thus, Israeli permits granting Afek the ostensible right to perform exploratory tests of a possible “large reservoir” of natural gas and light oil is also illegal. But in a world where Big Oil remains powerful enough to drive foreign policy of the U.S. empire, this direct violation of the Geneva Convention might not even be worthy of a footnote — except to the people of Syria.

In fact, as The Free Thought Project’s Justin Gardner previously reported, the unsavory character heading Genie Oil is none other than Efraim “Effie” Eitam, an Israeli military commander and former Knesset member who once called for the expulsion of the “cancer” of Arabs from Israel.

“Expel most of the Judea and Samaria Arabs from here,” Eitam arrogantly asserted during a soldier’s memorial service in 2006. “We cannot be with all these Arabs and we cannot give up the land, because we have already seen what they do there. Some of them may be able to stay under certain conditions, but most of them will have to go.”

In addition to the eyebrow-raising cabal of Eitam, Murdoch, Cheney, and Rothschild, Genie Oil and Gas appointed new members to its Strategic Advisory Board last September, including:

“Dr. Lawrence Summers, 71st Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton and Director of the National Economic Council under Pres. Obama; former Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, who is credited with helping pass the U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation Bill while she chaired the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; former governor of New Mexico, Bill Richardson, who became an energy insider after serving as the Clinton administration’s Energy Secretary; and former Director of Central Intelligence, R. James Woolsey, who co-founded the U.S. Energy Security Council.”

At stake is a 153 square-mile region in the Golan Heights, demarcated by Israeli authorities as exclusive territory for Afek to perform exploratory testing, which began in 2015, through early April 2017.

However, even beyond the not-at-all-minor issue of legality, Afek’s drilling in the region has stirred another, perhaps more imperative, concern. A large aquifer supplying the entire region’s drinking water is positioned uncomfortably close to the stores of fossil fuel — raising contamination concerns sufficiently serious that an Israeli high court issued a temporary restraining order in 2014, though it was quickly dismissed.

But none of this bothers Murdoch, Cheney, Rothschild, and the others, as the Golan Heights to Big Oil represents little more than an exploitative business opportunity. Syria, in fact, has been systematically torn apart primarily because foreign powers and radical groups seek to protect their varied oil interests.

While the Afek ilk set their sights on Golan Heights oil and natural gas, Turkey, the U.S., Russia, Daesh, and a spate of others have been fighting over Syria’s Geo strategic location for major oil pipelines under the cover of religious and civil strife.

“[W]e may want to look beyond the convenient explanations of religion and ideology and focus on the more complex rationales of history and oil, which mostly point the finger of blame for terrorism back at the champions of militarism, imperialism and petroleum here on our own shores,” Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., intoned in an April editorial for Ecowatch.

As Kennedy astutely noted, U.S. interventionism in the Middle East, and particularly Syria, has little to do with fighting terrorism and far more to do with the region’s rich petroleum reserves — as in the case of Genie’s magnates. And such insistent international meddling at the behest of corporate oil interests so destabilized the entire region, it led to the formation of Daesh (ISIS) and similar radical groups.

Of course, oil exploration certainly benefits the ongoing push by Israel to expand its occupation and settlements, since U.S.-backed Big Oil operates under the premise the manufactured nation’s encroachment on Syrian territory is perfectly legal. Often, as is the case with Afek and Genie, the Golan Heights is dismissively referred to as “Northern Israel.”

Environmental and humanitarian groups vocally criticize Afek’s exploratory drilling, but despite growing international outcry, have not succeeded in halting ongoing tests.

Considering the notoriously powerful, monied warmongers backing Afek’s petroleum plans, outrage and violation of international law wouldn’t factor one iota in matters concerning the Golan Heights.

https://www.intellihub.com/cheney-roths ... -intl-law/

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 11:02

US Seeks Direct Confrontation with Russia in Syria

http://journal-neo.org/2016/06/21/us-se ... -in-syria/

The US has recently accused Russia of bombing what it calls “US-backed rebels” in southern Syria. CBS News in their article, “Russia ignores warnings, bombs U.S.-backed Syrian rebel group,” would claim:

On Friday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter called out Russia for bombing a Syrian rebel group that’s backed by the U.S.

The attack by Russian fighter bombers on American-backed opposition forces appeared to be deliberate and to ignore repeated U.S. warnings.

More alarming is what the US claimed happened next. CBS News would further claim:

Two American F-18 jet fighters were dispatched to provide air cover for the troops on the ground as they tried to evacuate their casualties. By the time the F-18s arrived, the Russian planes were headed away, but were still close enough to see.

But when the F-18s broke away to refuel, the Russians returned for a second bombing run. Another call went out to the Russian command center in Syria, demanding that the planes wave off.

The crew of an airborne command post tried to contact the Russian pilots directly but got no response. The Su-34s conducted another bombing run, leaving a small number of opposition fighters dead on the ground.

Neither CBS News nor the US Department of Defense ever explained why the US believes it is entitled to send armed militants over the borders and into a sovereign nation, or why it believes a sovereign nation and its allies are not entitled to confront and neutralize them or why US aircraft are entitled to fly over Syrian airspace without the authorization of the Syrian government.

In other words, the US is vocally complaining about its serial violations of international law and norms finally (allegedly) being confronted and put to an end by Russian military forces.

But Did Russia Even Attack America’s Armed Invaders?

Russia however, has denied US accusations. CNN’s article, “Russia denies bombing U.S.-backed Syrian rebels near Jordan border,” states:

Russia’s Defense Ministry denied bombing U.S.-backed Syrian opposition forces in a recent military operation near the Jordania border, according to a statement released on Sunday.

The Kremlin response comes after U.S. and Russian military officials held a video conference to discuss Thursday’s strikes.

As is characteristic of all US claims regarding its multiple, ongoing foreign acts of military aggression, the most recent row in Syria is heavy on rhetoric and light on evidence. Had Russia attacked armed militants invading Syrian territory, it would have been well within its rights to do so, however it has claimed it hasn’t. The burden of proof is on the US.

Why Would the US Lie About This?

But when one considers a recent US State Department “internal memo” calling for more direct US military action to oust the Syrian government from power, it is clear such a call cannot be answered without an accompanying justification or provocation. It appears that the US-Russian row in southern Syria conveniently constitutes just such a provocation.

CNN’s article, “State Department officials call for U.S. military action against Assad regime,” claims:

51 out of 13,000 State Department officials signed an internal memo protesting U.S. policy in Syria, calling for targeted U.S. military strikes against the regime of Bashar al-Assad and urging regime change as the only way to defeat ISIS.

Claiming that US military strikes against the Syrian government, or that “regime change” is the only way to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) is indeed far fetched and is in and of itself a fabricated justification for an otherwise entirely self-serving geopolitical objective the US has set for itself in Syria.

It was US-led “regime change” in Libya in 2011 that has led to the country becoming a bastion for, not against IS and other notorious terrorist groups. Libya, it should be mentioned, has existed in a perpetual state of failure since the 2011 US military intervention, triggering one half of a massive refugee crisis facing the European continent, with no signs of abating any time in the foreseeable future.

In other words, the US desire for “regime change” in Syria will create another Libya, but on a scale larger than that in North Africa, all while compounding the chaos in North Africa further.

Therefore, justifying greater military aggression by the US in Syria appears to be a “hard sell” for American policymakers, media and politicians. Militants in southern Syria were likely designated for this ploy specifically because they have the greatest chance of being separated and distinguished from US-backed militants in northern Syria.

US-backed militants in Syria’s north are described even by the US itself as “intermingled” with extremists including Al Qaeda and even IS and have become increasingly difficult to defend diplomatically and politically as Syrian and Russian forces work on rolling them back.

Undoubtedly US-backed militants in Syria’s south are likewise”intermingled” with overt terrorist groups, but because the conflict in the south has been neglected by not only US and European news agencies, but also Russian and other Eastern news services, there lingers an unwarranted “benefit of the doubt.”

Can Anything Stop US Military Escalation?

Many in America’s foreign policy circles are nostalgic for the days of NATO’s intervention in Yugoslavia where inferior Russian forces were unable to deter NATO aggression and were eventually relegated to a subordinate role in “peacekeeping operations.” At one point, NATO even contemplated striking Russian forces as a means of neutralizing any obstacle to NATO ambitions during the conflict.

It is therefore possible that these same US policymakers envision using what CNN’s article called “stand-off and air weapons” to induce a similar stand-down from Russia before proceeding with and accomplishing their much desired “regime change” in Syria.

However, the Russian military of the 1990’s is not the Russian military of today. The fact that Russia is present and operating in Syria, far beyond the confines of Eastern Europe and its traditional sphere of influence is proof enough of that.

Russia’s performance in Syria alongside Syrian forces is the primary factor in what is now clearly IS’ decline and retreat. Russian air defenses have been deployed across the country and capabilities to confront US and US-allied aggression are clear and present. Since IS had no air forces of any kind, it is clear that Russian air defenses placed in Syria were one part of deterring the sort of US aggression characterized in the recent alleged US State Department memo.

The US would have to rely entirely on the assumption that Russia would rather concede Syria in the face of US military aggression than escalate toward a direct war with the United States.

Creating the conditions both diplomatically and on the ground in Syria to deter US military commanders from following any order to essentially attempt to trigger a war with nuclear-armed Russia is now essential. Raising the stakes for any sort of escalation of US aggression in Syria is also essential.

While the UN seems content with ignoring the serial international crimes of the US as it flaunts sovereign Syrian airspace, violates its borders by sending armed militants over them intent on destabilizing, destroying and overthrowing the Syrian state and presiding over the dismemberment of not only Syria, but the region itself, other international organizations could fill this expanding void.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for example, could conceivably put together “peacekeeping” forces of its own, placed along Syria’s borders deterring the transit of armed militants and forcing the hands of both Jordan and Turkey to be exposed in the backing of some of the most toxic militant organizations engaged in Syria’s conflict.

The presence of Chinese, Russian, and even Iranian troops in this capacity could make it clear that no matter what act of aggression the US commits to, Syria’s fate would remain in the hands of its government, its people, and its allies. Tying these efforts into the distribution of aid would hamstring US attempts to hide its war-making behind “humanitarianism.”

Such a move, however, by the SCO would be unprecedented, costly and difficult to coordinate. And because of its unprecedented nature, unforeseen challenges may even make this option a complication rather than an asset toward fending off US aggression and the resolution of the costly ongoing Syrian conflict.

Regardless, it is clear that as IS and other terrorist organizations who have constituted the bulk of what the US regularly refers to as “opposition” beings to collapse, US desperation to conclude the Syrian conflict in its favor (not in favor of Syria or its people) is becoming increasingly palpable.

Another point opponents of US aggression must focus on is the ongoing chaos in Libya, a burning example of where US’s suggested “regime change” in Syria will inevitably lead. US success in Syria will essentially be an extension of Libya’s chaos, bolstering, not serving to “defeat” IS.

http://journal-neo.org/2016/06/21/us-se ... -in-syria/

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 11:10

Apparently this force called Desert Hawks are a private militia funded by an Oil Magnate, who also happens to be an ex-jarnail of SAA. Its possible he became overconfident and wanted to recapture his oil fields and infrastructure as soon as possible, to resume production and get the money flowing again.

May be they got over ambitious instead of sticking to a plan.

Jordan: Car bomb kills Jordanian troops on Syrian border

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ4Oftg8xhs
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Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 22 Jun 2016 11:16

egypt seems to be recreating the old mameluke state - strong military and martial state
serves unkil's purpose as flank guardian of the oil - like turkey and munna#1 were supposed to be
and also a sword hanging over libya
there must be a very strong agreement with the yahoods and unkil on who does what

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 11:32

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/sy ... ert-hawks/

The Desert Hawks were originally started by a retired Syrian Army officer, General Mohammad Jaber, in early 2013. Following his retirement from the Syrian Armed Forces, General Jaber used his contacts in the government to secure lucrative business deals that included the purchase of oil and natural gas refineries. General Jaber would quickly become the J.D. Rockefeller of Syrian businessmen, accumulating a large fortune that afforded him the ability to travel around the world and purchase lucrative villas in several Mediterranean countries. When the Syrian conflict turned violent, General Jaber found his economic interests facing a grave threat from armed groups. Formation of the Desert Hawks: Syria is not known for its prevalence of defense contracting companies; so when General Jaber went searching for mercenaries to protect his oil assets in the Syrian Desert, he quickly realized he was alone in this matter. With his hundreds of millions of dollars, General Jaber decided to recruit former soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army’s Special Forces. General Jaber offered generous wages to these men in return for their allegiance and protection. Unlike the Syrian Arab Army, General Jaber purchased most of the equipment for his mercenaries from western arms dealers. From desert camouflage battle fatigues to U.S. manufactured pick-up trucks; these soldiers-for-hire were well-equipped for their future assignments. War in the desert: Not long after their formation, the Desert Hawks faced an incredible threat from local rebel groups; however, nothing could prepare them for the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) in the Summer of 2014. ISIS swept through much of Syria’s eastern countryside, capturing all of the rebel-held territory in the provinces of Al-Hasakah, Deir Ezzor, Al-Raqqa, and east Homs. As a result of their expansion, ISIS was position to attack the government controlled “Al-Sha’ar Gas Fields” in northeast Homs. Before ISIS’ presence in northeast Homs, the Desert Hawks rarely participated in battles against the anti-government forces. When the predominately Armenian city of Kessab was captured by the jihadist rebels in 2014, several Desert Hawks from rural Latakia received permission from General Jaber to help drive back Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham and reclaim the Turkish border-crossing. Following the Kessab battle, the Desert Hawks returned to their posts, until they were asked by the Syrian government to help liberate the Al-Sha’ar Gas Fields in late 2014. The Desert Hawks honored this request from the government and helped liberate the Al-Sha’ar Gas Fields. Russia enters the war: Russia’s entry into the Syrian Conflict brought about many changes; particularly, the designation of troops at the battle fronts. The lack of experienced militiamen created a serious problem for the Russian military advisers that were attempting to recruit citizen soldiers to handle their new equipment. Known for his theatrical appearances and large presence, General Jaber reached out to the Russians and offered his force in exchange for weapons and armor. The war was losing General Jaber money; this was an opportunity for him to reclaim his wealth, while also displaying his patriotism. The Desert Hawks would prove to be a very effective fighting force, capturing over 200 km of territory in northern Latakia, while also liberating the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur). Rivalry with the Tiger Forces: The Syrian Arab Army’s “Tiger Forces” are considered the most popular unit among the pro-government crowd. The emergence of the Desert Hawks in late 2015 created an instant rivalry with the Tiger Forces, who are led by the prominent field commander, Colonel Suheil Al-Hassan. Unlike the Desert Hawks, the Tiger Forces are considered Syria’s premier special forces unit; they did not exist prior to this war. Prior the founding of the Tiger Forces in 2013, the Syrian paratroopers were considered some of Syria’s most elite soldiers. Many of the Desert Hawks are former paratroopers that served alongside Colonel Hassan, until he was promoted to the intelligence branch of the Syrian Arab Army in the 1990s. Whether it is fueled by resentment or egotism, both pro-government units make sure to avoid one another at all costs.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/sy ... ert-hawks/ | Al-Masdar News

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » 22 Jun 2016 12:23

shiv wrote:
Singha wrote:the mighty 4th armour div of the Egyptian army - this is probably more tanks than entirely in syria in all hands
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClFIArmXEAAQGZC.jpg
All M1 Abrams

from Googal
A tank will need approximately 300 gallons every eight hours; this will vary depending on mission, terrain, and weather. A single tank takes 10 minutes to refuel. Refueling and rearming of a tank platoon--four tanks--is approximately 30 minutes under ideal conditions. 0.6 miles per gallon.
About 60 tanks the image. By 6 AM tomorrow morning they will need 90,000 liters of fuel - i.e 1000 standard Desi tankers

Get the tankers..

Shivji,

1000 liters are roughly 1 metric ton.

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 12:48

1 tata truck tanker is 17,000 litres, so roughly 5 trucks can do the needful.

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 22 Jun 2016 14:53

several reports of IS recapturing large parts of Rakka and repelling govt forces http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/i ... 40936.html

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 22 Jun 2016 15:55

habal wrote:1 tata truck tanker is 17,000 litres, so roughly 5 trucks can do the needful.

oops yes.Imagine. I typed 1000 instead of 10 x 9000 liter tankers! Talk about madarsa math

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 22 Jun 2016 17:08

If i am.not mistaken mohd jaber was the founder of the Syrian parachute units and trained with airborne div in russia during Assad senior rule. When Assad junior took over he was jailed for a while. Not sure if same man, must be middle aged if so.

habal · Post by **habal** » 22 Jun 2016 17:36

It is a private militia started by a retired general. Actually even I was not aware of this.

it seems this force overreached, but other reports seem to be alarmist, the SAA is still hanging around at tabqa crossroads. There are Russians and well trained personnel along with them, not to be overcome so easily. Due to russian presence, there will also be CAS. The spear may have consisted of desert hawks who were hunting for oil field glories and may have come under surprise counter.