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Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 20 Jan 2018 20:00
by Parasu
Ever since Erdogan shot down Russian plane and killed its pilot, Putin has been willing to kiss his @ss.
After becoming the junior partner with China, now it is gradually becoming the junior partner of smaller states. The humiliation must be too much for the once mighty bear.
Does anyone know if the S-400 works at all?! Or does it blast off planes and missiles with its hot air alone?

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 20 Jan 2018 20:47
by UlanBatori
Right question. The Kurds are being sold down the river by everyone, but most of all by Unkil Sam. The Kurds were American allies when they were needed to "fight" ISIS in Iraq, and in the march towards Raqqa. Now what will happen to the Kurds? Will USAF F-16s combat Turkish Air Force F-16s to protect the Kurds? Or abandon them? Duh!

The Kurds made their pact with the wrong devil. Should have picked Putin. OTOH, if the "rebels" massacre the Kurds, then the Russians can happily and leisurely massacre the rebels, and not even the US can blame them. Win-win.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 01:47
by Parasu
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-0 ... 911492.htm
Russia withdraws troops from Syria's Afrin under Turkish attack
After chasing away Russian planes and killing Russian pilots, Erdogan is chasing away Russian troops.
Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Moscow is concerned about the Turkish military operation in Afrin and it is closely monitoring the development of the situation.
"We call on the opposing sides to exercise mutual restraint," it said.
Roosis might have become a third rate power, but their sense of humour is still top notch.
:rotfl:

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 03:14
by Kati
In the larger picture, Putin has weaned away Turkey very carefully, and thus making unkil looking nanga.
Turkey's shooting down of RuAF plane had the blessing of unkil, and Putin read it very well. Instead of going into a verbal duel
with Turkey he tightened the screw somewhere else. ....
Overnight Russia cancelled the staying visa of Turkish businessmen (about 80,000 of them), mostly small and medium sized businesses,
who rely heavily on export-import business with Russia via Black sea. Enraged businessmen then marched to Erdogan's residence to demand
a more friendly relation with Russia ....

Kurds are a wretched lot, and they have allowed themselves to be used by many powers, especially Unkil. If they had stayed with Russia then
by now they might have achieved something more concrete.

Anyway, by letting Turks batter Kurds, Russia is watching the game from gallery with popcorns and vodka.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 03:19
by CalvinH
Parasu, your frustration is understandable. This is lose-lose for US.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 04:18
by Singha
Parasu is a brf member who was banned now back for his second round. His main play was daily rant against putin for unknown reasons. Putting him back into ignore list

Kurds got killed in menagh airbase by turkish f16 bombs
Usa did not lift one finger
Ruaf went and bombed tip convoy in jisr al shugour border tract

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 04:26
by Singha
72 fighters bombed more than 100 targets

Next move is entirely upto usa to save their ypg or lose all face and be exposed as using kurds as a tool only to break apart syria

Assad can sit it out and has no vital interest at stake in this fight

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 13:26
by Parasu
If Kurds had all joined the Americans, what were the Russian troops doing in Afrin?!
Putin has played a masterstroke
.
This is a poor joke. Last I checked, Turkey was still in NATO.

It is Erdogan who is the great chessplayer here. Playing Americans against the Russians and doing whatever he wants in Syria or Iraq, which includes arming and supporting ISIS, and attacking whichever country he wants.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 13:43
by Parasu
Singha wrote:Parasu is a brf member who was banned now back for his second round. His main play was daily rant against putin for unknown reasons. Putting him back into ignore list
It was in fact you who had banned me. You were butt-hurt because my main play was to point out the laughable hourly Putin worship here.
Putin is supporting Jihadi Erdogan, who is an ally of all jihadis including the Pakis. That is the `unknown reason`.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 14:02
by Parasu
CalvinH wrote:Parasu, your frustration is understandable. This is lose-lose for US.
How is this a lose lose for US?
US main goal is to control Syria-Iraq border to ensure Iran is unable to arm the Hezbollah against Israel. Turkish Afrin operation doesnt affect that one bit.
US has no influence west of Manbij. Afrin is Russian `protectorate`. The Russians and the Amreekis had gotten together to thwart Erdogan in Manbij. And now, Putin has backstabbed the Kurds.
And yet another potential ally, the kurds, wont trust the Russians ever again.
Erdogan is a slippery rasscall. If Putin thinks he has got an ally in Erdogan, he should get his head examined. It is a lose-lose for Russia and yet another stupidity by Putin.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 14:35
by Philip
Putin backstabbed the Kurds? If anyone has it has been the US from early Iraq days when they allowed Saddam to gas the Kurds.It is now 30 years since the Halabja attacks.The Kurds two decades ago cursed the US for first supporting them then backstabbing them.With the Sultan on another orgy of Kurd killing, with a hapless US whlose idea of using the Kurds as a BSF, just like our own outfit has gone up in smoke quite literally, shows how little the US understand the character of the region and bankruptcy of its ME foreign policy.Putin is laughing at the two NATO bum chums who are on opposite sides regarding the turds...sorry, Kurds..

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 14:57
by Parasu
Also US supported jihadis in Afghanistan. Nuked women and children in Japan.
US is evil.
So Russia supporting jihadi erdogan against Marxist YPG is right. And allowing turks to bomb kurds in a region they had sent their troops earlier to protect is not backstabbing.
As long as you point to America, every Putin stupidity starts looking like a masterstroke? Cheers
with a hapless US whlose idea of using the Kurds as a BSF, just like our own outfit has gone up in smoke quite literally,
How has this gone up in smoke. The kurds would now be seeing US as the only card they are left with. They ve no choice but to do the US bidding west of Manbij lest US does a Russia on them.
In fact, Russia has just helped US.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 15:20
by Philip
The US is being shafted by Turkey.If they help the Kurds Turkey will embrace Russia.The danger of the second-largest military force of NATO embraching old enemy Russia.well, you work it out yourself.Putin couldn't care what happens to the Kurds He's firmly ensconced in Syria with long leases on his bases at Tartus,etc.Watch the rift between the Sultan and the US widen.Sadly Trump hasn't the foreign policy savvy to square the ME circle.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 15:33
by Parasu
So, Putin will change centuries of history of Russia-Turkey animosity. Armenians will become Turkish buddies. Turkey will join Russia in a brothers embrace. Really!!
Or is it just Erdogan playing Putin? Russia has shafted its own carefully built argument of Syrian sovereignty. Putin has made more U-turns now than hakka noodles in a bowl.
Btw, how exactly has the American BSF plan gone up in smoke?!

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 16:09
by Singha
Doorstep of idlib town


Leith Aboufadel
@leithfadel
·
22h
Just got word: After Abu Dhuhour, the Syrian Army is pushing to Kafraya and Al-Fou'aa

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 16:11
by Singha
Tigers are inside se corner of the base but not yet taken it fully

From aleppo side they are rolling along west and south slowly

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 17:02
by UlanBatori
AFAIK, there has been no Russia-Kurd deal, so there is no question of backstabbing there. The Kurds are were very much a part of the US/NATO Drive 2 Liberate Raqqa, and the kurds were about the only ones in the whole NATO Al-Lie-Antz to actually do any fighting. When the Kurds declined to actually go into "urban" Raqqa and house-to-house fighting (a meat-grinder deal) the USAF came in and carpet-bombed Raqqa to bring total Peace.

Until that stage NATO kept making noises about carving out the Kurd Homeland from Occupied Syria to fan out into Occupied Iraq, with friendly dealings with Turkish Kurdistan.

So now the US has no particular interest left in Syria, since the Flee Syrian Army of Moderate Child-Beheaders is nicely packed into Idlib for their ascent to Houristan. Not much potential sales of ATGMs either. So!! Sell the Kurds down the river.

The Iraqi govt has no interest in Free Kurdistan. The Iranians have no interest in Free Kurdistan. The Syrians have no interest in Free Kurdistan. So maybe Israel is their only hope, but I seriously doubt that anyone gets anywhere by trusting Jerusalem more than by trusting DupliCity or Londonabad.

OTOH, I think Erdogan is setting himself up nicely to be the next Poster Criminal for the usual Oiropean War Crimes noisemakers. So the Kurds may be getting hammered, but Erdogan is nicely wrapping the noose around his own neck.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 18:43
by Philip
But Turkey straddles the Dardenelles , gateway to the Black Sea.No chance of getting EU membership and adding to the flood of jihadis who're taking over Europe.
His goose will be cooked in a coup yet to come.
Just give him time .

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 21:26
by Singha
Breaking: Turkish city of Reyhanli hit by rocket fire from Afrin: 1 killed, 32 wounded aml.ink/D1Fd5 #Syria #Turkey

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 21 Jan 2018 21:43
by Shanmukh
@Singha
Grand! How many Kurds can take refugee status in Europe? Can they accept another 10 million West Asians/Afghans/Pakistanis as refugees? (3 million for France, 3 million for UK, 3 million for Germany & 1 million in the rest)?

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 07:08
by Singha
They should back up their yapping on human rights and religious tolerance with deeds
I propose dutch take 2 mil, norway 2 mil and denmark 1 mil

New york times excerpt

ISTANBUL — Turkish troops crossed the Syrian border into the Kurdish enclave of Afrin on Sunday morning, beginning a ground assault against American-allied militias there, as the first accounts of casualties emerged amid rising international criticism of Turkey’s military action.

Turkish fighter jets were again in the skies Sunday bombing Kurdish militia targets in the border region. Ten people were reported killed in the bombing raids, according to Kurdish militants, and three people died on the Turkish side of the border in retaliatory shelling, local people said.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim of Turkey confirmed to local journalists that his country’s troops had crossed the border into Syria on Sunday morning.

Mr. Yildirim said the forces intended to create a security zone about 18 miles deep inside Syria. The area would encompass urban centers, including the town of Afrin, with a predominantly Kurdish population, and the much larger city of Manbij, further east, as well as dozens of outlying villages.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 08:36
by Singha
Unless usa helps them with heavy weapons the ypg cannot fight for long

Al masdar news

BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:50 P.M.) – One of the largest US-backed rebel factions has announced its official defection from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to the Turkish-backed Euphrates Shield.

Jaysh Al-Thuwar was considered one of the largest factions in the Syrian Democratic Forces before they announced their intention to break away from the group in favor of an alliance with the Turkish groups.

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With the loss of Jaysh Al-Thuwar, the Syrian Democratic Forces no longer have a large Arab rebel group in the northern countryside of Aleppo to aid them in their battle against the Turkish forces.

On Sunday, the Turkish-backed rebels seized their first town in the Afrin Canton, following their official entrance into this region in northwestern Aleppo.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 08:38
by Singha
All they have are atgm which can take out turkish tanks but not swarms of jihadi infantry

Another deep friend of usa sold down thd river

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 10:57
by Y. Kanan
Singha wrote:Unless usa helps them with heavy weapons the ypg cannot fight for long
US won't do sh*t. This is what happens when you ally with the United States. Just ask all those Afghans that supported the US, those people are all screwed now. When the Pakibans take over with American blessing (again) every Afghan that worked with the US\ISAF forces will be executed as a collaborator. The Iraqi Shias thought the US was their partner, too, until the US decided that pleasing Israel and the Gulf kingdoms was more important. The US helped ISIS take much of Iraq (or at least turned a blind eye while Saudi, Qatar and Turkey did so). Iraq post-Saddam was supposedly this new important ally, and the US happily threw them under the bus. The post-Saddam Iraqi govt thought "surely the USA won't turn on us; after all they put us in power!' Wrong.

As always, there are lessons for India in all this, though I'm confident our legion of US apologists will soon explain why India won't get screwed like the Iraqis, Afghans, Kurds, S. Vietnamese and everyone else that ever trusted the Americans.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 12:00
by Deans
As Kati suggests in his previous post, Russia is the biggest gainer from the Syrian conflict. Their military has not invaluable battle experience . They have rotated their officers, aircraft squadrons and even nurses and medics in military hospitals. They have tested a lot of weapon systems - with designers from their factories visiting the Syrian front and fine tuned their small unit / special forces doctrine.

Politically, they have split the Turkey-US alliance that existed before Russian intervention. They have not intervened in the current Turkey-Kurd
conflict, as it will be the US who gets blamed for selling out the kurds - and if the US does anything conciliatory for the Kurds, it will exacerbate the Turkey-US divide. A Turkish-Kurd conflict will weaken 2 parties that are both opposed to Assad, while Russia can claim mission accomplished (as they have done) and start sending the bulk of their forces home.

The Iran-Syria-Hezbollah-Russia partnership has become a credible military force, which has won the war in Syria. Iraq has been drawn into the alliance seeing the group as a better bet to ensure stability in Iran. It has compelled Saudi to talk to Russia, not just on oil prices, but on the future of Syria. If Saudi opposes Russia, Qatar - looking for allies in its standoff with Saudi, will drift closer to Russia. Israel has also started realising that the path to any deal with, or action against, Iran or Hezbollah, will have to pass through Russia.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 13:37
by Singha
This jaish all thuwar was the maun group of the manbij military council iirc

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 13:44
by Singha
Turkey had been working to disband the sdf and leave the ypg alone for some time. Remember talal silo the bald headed spokesman of sdf who led s tirkoman militia ans was defected or abducted mobths ago

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 15:26
by Singha
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/01/sy ... side-.html

Using turkey as cats paw the syrian group is looking to dismantle and discredit the permanent usa occupation of north east syria
Turkey willing go after ypg and its ownership of bosporus and incirlik means usa has to handle erdogan with kid gloves

In exchange for afrin turkey willing to let syrians take down hts and recover idlib. Its turkoman bandits and orcs have already fled north to attack afrin from two sides . Abu duhur fell without much drama

Seems kurds rejected a syrus deal to protect afrin border in exchange for al omar gas fields in dez

The usa ability to manage this kind of situation is faling off steeply

Saudia and uae have now come out in support of turkey

Without overt involvement the usa will have to ensure erdogan gets a bloody nose in afrin and give some carrots to assad like al omar field so he lets supplies flow through aleppo for the kurds

So assad might get carrots, most of idlib and wardogan ji gets his fervent wish to thrash the ypg pkk

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 15:38
by Singha
Persians have their goal as relief of fuah kafraya and have no issue with a turk ypg war

And yeevil putinji with his trademark giggle from the shadows

https://goo.gl/images/zkPKDs

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 18:34
by Parasu
Erdogan is nibbling away at Syrian territory. Neither Syria, not its allies can do anything about it.
Which Syrian or Iraqi territory has Erdogan withdrawn from since sending his troops there?!
Erdogan mends his relations with Russia when he needs to, gets billions of dollars from Europe after turning democracy into a sham, even mends ties with Israel when he needs to. Smart guy.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 18:44
by Parasu
President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey had an agreement with Russia regarding its military operation against a U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in Syria's Afrin region and that Ankara would not take a step back from the operation.

In a speech in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey would take control of Afrin, as it had done in the Syrian towns of Jarablus, al-Rai and al-Bab, and that Syrians would be able to return home.
Making deals is Russian speciality. From Ribbentrop-Molotov to Putin-Erdogan. Long live Putin the great chess player .

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 20:07
by Singha
Hassan Ridha
@sayed_ridha
21h21 hours ago
More
YPG restore full control of Adama (Eda Manle) village north-west of Afrin after several hours of clashes with Turkish forces and mercenaries

^^ on predicted lines as older FSA vs ISIS . they "fought" for months in a ping pong on the north,FSA units competing in who could retreat faster and leave behind more weapons. these turkoman gangs seem to be the usual cannon fodder backed safely from the rear by turkish tanks and howitzers.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 20:09
by Singha
Rojava
@AzadiRojava
6h6 hours ago
More
After 100s of airstrikes, attempts to invade beautiful Efrîn from all sides w "250000 troups" their Nato weapons & mercenaries, Turkey & Co advanced 0%
Instead YPG/J, SDF is now advancing near occupied Azaz.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 20:12
by Singha
watch with sound....wolves working themselves into a froth ... AoA takbirs in the darkness

https://twitter.com/agirecudi/status/954885579371679746

More
Turkish troops and Al Qaeda affiliate groups shout islamist slogans and takbeers at the border of Afrin, preparing for ground assault on Kurdish forces.
They see the Kurds as infidels, and the war against the Kurds as a holly war.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 20:15
by Singha
yeah its never Massa's/saudia/qatar/EU fault for aiding in the creation of these "FSA" gangs who are turkeys cats paws now...turkey would not dare to commit without these cannon fodder available

Hagen
@HagenSon_71
Jan 20
More
Official sources: #Turkey received greenlight from #Russia and was incited by #Iran to attack #Afrin :roll:
Info to @AzadiRojava

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 20:18
by Singha
turkey has named its new venture in syria as "Olive Branch" ... talk about misnomers...

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 20:36
by Philip
The Kurds are considered "turds" by the Yanquis who see them as pawns and conveniently available cannon fodder, to save valuable American lives! They however have been fated to be duped time and time again.With 3 nations against a Kurdish state created, fat chance of it happening.

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 22 Jan 2018 21:45
by Singha
I tead the kurds were willing helpers in the armenian death marches. Some of the desert arab tribes tried to help the hapless evicted armenians.

The turkish army is not in good shape. Much of their top generals are jail for alleged gulenist plot. Same for tuaf incl the commander of incirlik elite f solah squadrons

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 07:57
by Singha
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ku ... ttlefield/

turkoman bandit gangs + turk artilery make little progress in afrin so far

Re: Levant crisis - III

Posted: 23 Jan 2018 07:58
by Singha
SAA captures the first city in Idlib - abu duhur town
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/br ... ay-battle/