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Syria Superthread [merged]

A Russian poke in Obama's/the West's eye, courtesy of the RUS Info-machine ....
Russian FM: US deliberately sparing Islamic State seeking to weaken Assad

Sergey Lavrov compared the US strikes against IS to "a cat that wants to eat a fish but doesn’t want to wet its feet"


The United States and its coalition seem to be sparing the Islamic State organisation so that while it weakens Syrian President Bashar Assad, it can never take power in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the Vesti.doc programme on Rossiya-1 television on Tuesday.

"The problem around the U.S.-led coalition is that despite the fact that they declared its goal in fighting exclusively the Islamic State and other terrorists and pledged not to take any action against the Syrian army (life has proved they never went back from their words), analysis of the strikes delivered by the United States and its coalition at terrorist positions over the past year drives us to a conclusion that these were selective, I would say sparing, strikes and in the majority of cases spared those Islamic State groups that were capable of pressing the Syrian army," he said.

"It looks like a cat that wants to eat a fish but doesn’t want to wet its feet. They want the Islamic State to weaken Assad as soon as possible to force him to step down this or that way but they don’t want to see Islamic State strong enough to take power." ....
 
Article is shared with provisions of the Copyright Act

Putin tells Western leaders: Let's bury our differences and jointly strike at 'barbarian' ISIS
Hazel Torres  Published 15 November 2015
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/putin.tells.western.leaders.lets.bury.our.differences.and.jointly.strike.at.barbarian.isis/70586.htm

Russian President Vladimir Putin appealed to Western leaders to bury their differences with Russia and jointly strike at the "barbarian" Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria, saying Friday's Paris terrorist attack underscored the need for such concerted action.

In a condolences telegram sent to French President Francois Hollande, Putin said, "This tragedy is another proof of the barbarian nature of terrorism, which challenges the human civilisation. Clearly, for effective fighting this evil, the entire international community should unite efforts," Tass news agency reported.

"I would like to confirm the Russian side is ready for most close cooperation with the French counterparts in investigating into the crime in Paris. I hope the initiators and executors will receive deserved punishments," Putin added.

Sergei Sobyanin, a close Putin ally and the mayor of Moscow, said the killings in Paris were "another reason to consolidate in the battle against Islamic State."

Alexey Pushkov, a senior lawmaker and the chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the lower house of parliament, said he hoped the incident would bring the West to its senses. "Russia is fighting in Syria against those who blew up Paris and declared war on Europe," he wrote on his official Twitter account. "It is time for the West to stop criticising Moscow and to form a joint coalition."

In an interview on Friday ahead of the G20 summit and before news of the Paris carnage broke, Putin vented his frustration at the United States for repeatedly rebuffing Russia's overtures to coordinate more closely in carrying out airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria, Reuters reported.

Sources said that for weeks, Moscow had been asking Washington to share intelligence about ISIS targets while at the same time seeking the creation of a broader coalition to confront the ISIS menace in Syria. Washington has rejected all of Russia's proposals, the sources claim.

"We need to urgently end the conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine," said Sergey Markov, a Putin loyalist.

Russia began launching airstrikes in Syria on Sept. 30, saying the move was meant to protect itself from possible future terror attacks by some 7,000 citizens from Russia and the former Soviet Union who are fighting with ISIS.

However, Washington has accused Russia of not primarily targeting ISIS targets, but rather bombing rebels backed by the West or Gulf states instead.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities announced that they are bolstering security measures following the attacks in Paris. The move includes putting security services on high alert, urging vigilance among citizens and tightening transport safety measures, Reuters reported.

Russia's deputy prime minister in charge of the defence industry, Dmitry Rogozin, said Russian defence bodies had introduced additional anti-terror security measures, according to Interfax news agency.

Moscow is particularly wary of an imminent ISIS terrorist attack after the jihadist group released a video threatening attacks in Russia "very soon."








 
IMO France can easily coordinate efforts against ISIS no matter from whom they were coming.
A concentrated effort is all that is needed.

I think Mr. Kerry has a lot to weigh in on this one.
:nod:
 
Detailed update, in English, from the Russian MoD's Info-machine on their latest work:
Chief of Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov summed up the results of the II and III massive airstrikes on ‪#‎ISIS‬ objects in Syria

In accordance with the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Russian Air Force continue conducting massive airstrikes on the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Yesterday on November 18, in accordance with the Air operation plan, the second massive airstrike was made against 206 terrorist objects.

In the course of the last 24 hours, Russian aviation has carried out 126 combat sorties of Tu-160 and Tu-22M3 aircraft from the territory of the Russian Federation and of tactical aviation from the Hmeymim airbase.

Seven key terrorist objects have been destroyed by 16 air-based long-range cruise missiles in the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.
Long-range bomber aviation destroyed 12 objects belonging to the ISIS illegal armed groups in the provinces of Raqqah and Deir ez-Zor.

Attack aviation from the Hmeymim airbase carried out 100 combat sorties, destroying 190 terrorist facilities, including:
58 command centres;
41 ammunition depots;
17 strong points and defensive positions;
74 militants’ concentration areas.

The objective monitoring data on the Russian airstrikes against terrorist strong points, positions and concentration areas can be seen on the screen.

As a result of massive airstrikes, terrorists have suffered significant manpower losses.

The available data shows that due to significant losses and inability to bury all killed members of illegal armed groups according to the religious rites of Islam, field commanders have decided to throw terrorists’ bodies into sewage pits.

In order to conceal the real numbers of losses, evacuation of dead and wounded terrorists is conducted at night. According to available data, a terrorist with the callsign “Abu Obeida” was tasked to discreetly deliver the corpses from the southern outskirts of Aleppo to the Khan al-Assal inhabited area.

Terrorists have acknowledged the deaths of field commanders Abu Nurlbagasi, Muhammad ibn Hayrat and Al-Okaba (who had been active near Aleppo), which resulted from the bomb and missile strikes of the Russian aviation.

Information has been obtained that on the night of November 18, terrorists of the Sham Taliban illegal armed group organized evacuation of the corpse of their commander “Ahmad Ziyya”, who had been killed in the vicinity of the Jubb al-Ahmar mountain.

Other terrorist groups active in this area urgently requested reinforcements due to significant losses in manpower.

The leaders of the terrorists active in the Idlib province stated that militants had suffered great losses after the strike of a Russian cruise missile on the facility near the Juzef settlement.

On Novemebr 18, in Askhim settlement, “Abu Bakra” field commander was buried after he had been killed by missile and bomb attacks of the Russian aviation.

As a result of the losses, the control over the illegal armed groups, which conducted activities in the Homs province, was completely disrupted. The cases of refusal to perform assigned tasks were registered. Thus, militants of the field commander Abu Massab as-Suri from the Jabhat al-Nusra grouping did not fulfill the order on elimination of units of the Syrian Armed Forces near Deir Hanna inhabited area.

Field commander with a callsign “Abu Husan” broke the order of the leadership and refused to move with his group to the area of the Talbiseh settlement (Homs province).

The effectiveness of strikes performed by the Russian aviation is assessed on the basis of the objective monitoring data received from aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. Engagement of the most important facilities is additionally checked against the results of space reconnaissance. The data on the losses in manpower among terrorists are received from the Syrian party.

Examples of such videos and photos are regularly shown to the public.

Today at 9 o’clock in the morning (MSK), the Russian Air Force made the third massive airstrike against illegal armed groups on the territory of Syria.

From 9:00 till 9:20, Tu-95MS strategic missile-carrying aircraft having arrived from the territory of the Russian Federation launched 12 air-based cruise missiles on the ISIS objects in the Aleppo and Idlib provinces. Among the targets there were: POL depots, a plant producing explosives, a command centre, and an HQ of the ISIS terrorist organization in the Idlib city.

From 16:40 till 17:30, a squadron of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers made a concentrated strike on 6 facilities in the Raqqah and Deir ez-Zor provinces. Their targets were terrorists’ oil production sites controlled by the ISIS, an ammunition depot and a workshop used for manufacturing and repairing of mortars.

The strikes resulted in destruction of the following facilities:
headquarters;
3 POL and ammunition depots; a plant producing explosives; a command centre; a workshop used for manufacturing and repairing of mortars.
3 large oil production sites; an oil transfer facility.

In the course of the day, the attack aviation from the Hemymim airbase has planned to carry out 98 combat sorties to engage 190 objects of terrorist groupings.

By 17:00, 60 combat sorties have been performed, 138 objects have been destroyed.

Russian ‪#‎AirForce‬ continue massive airstrikes against terrorists in accordance with the Air operation plan.
 
Things just got really interesting..... Maybe


http://m.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Russian-ground-troops-arrive-in-Syria-in-unprecedented-military-action-435024#article=6017OENFMjBGNTMxQkNERDJFM0FGRDczM0JFMDU0QkE4RDc=

Report: Russian ground troops arrive in Syria in unprecedented military action
By YOSSI MELMAN
Mon, 23 Nov 2015, 03:49 AM

The Kuwaiti report adds that Russian forces have already taken over multiple strategic positions and have forced numerous rebel battalions to retreat.

In an unprecedented move, Russia has sent ground-troops into the Syrian battlefield in support of Bashar Assad as the dictator struggles to maintain his power in the continuous four-year-long civil war, according to a report by Kuwaiti daily al-Rai.

The report, which has not been substantiated by other sources, claims Russian military forces have been providing cover for T-90 tanks along with military air support which have attacked multiple strategic targets held by rebel forces in Idlib and Latakia.

In September, multiple US officials claimed that Russia had positioned about a half dozen tanks at a Syrian airfield at the center of a military buildup.


One US official said seven Russian T-90 tanks were observed at the airfield near Latakia, a stronghold of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The Kuwaiti report adds that Russian forces have already taken over multiple strategic positions and have forced numerous rebel battalions to retreat. The report did not disclose whether there were Russian army casualties.

Over the last three months, Russia has steadily increased its participation in the Syrian domestic conflict, launching airstrikes from its bases in western Syria as it drops thousands of sorties on enemy targets.

  Along with airstrikes, Russia has also increased its naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea along the Syrian coast while it coordinates with Iranian military forces and Hezbollah.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on several past occasions that his country had no intention of sending boots on the ground to participate in the Syrian civil war.

If the report is correct, it could signify a dramatic shift in Russian policy, or merely be a one-time specific action.
 
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/24/turkish-f-16-shoots-down-russian-fighter-jet-near-syria-border/

Sorry for the poor formatting: I'm on my mobile device.

In short: a Russian SU-24 has been shot down in Syria (that it crashed in Syria is not in dispute)
Whether it was in Turkish or Syrian airspace is being disputed, and whether a Turk F-16 brought it down, or ground fire.

Either way, not good...
 
Technoviking said:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/24/turkish-f-16-shoots-down-russian-fighter-jet-near-syria-border/

Sorry for the poor formatting: I'm on my mobile device.

In short: a Russian SU-24 has been shot down in Syria (that it crashed in Syria is not in dispute)
Whether it was in Turkish or Syrian airspace is being disputed, and whether a Turk F-16 brought it down, or ground fire.

Either way, not good...

Will Russia retaliate now.... Some more Caspian cruise missile strikes  :warstory:
 
OK, OK, perhaps this should have gone in the "On the lighter side," thread, but according to our putative future head of state “We’re seeing a classic case of not dealing with the problem, because, I mean, it sounds awful to say, but some of us were saying 20 something years ago
    that if we didn’t tackle these issues you would see ever greater conflict over scarce resources and ever greater difficulties over drought, and the accumulating effect of climate change, which means that people have to move.

    And, in fact, there’s very good evidence indeed that one of the major reasons for this horror in Syria, funnily enough, was a drought that lasted for about five or six years, which meant that huge numbers of people in the end had to leave the land.”

    Asked if there was a direct link between climate change, conflict and terrorism, he said it had a “huge impact on what is happening.”


I agree with Tom Sykes, the Daily Beast journalist who wrote the piece that:

    "The argument that the civil war in Syria may at root be a resource war—and one to which global warming has contributed—is in itself not without merit.

    The concept that wars are increasingly an outcome of climate change is a fascinating thesis, and one that university professors the world over should be discussing for years to come.

    However, it’s hard to think of something less appropriate for the Prince of Wales, the heir to the British throne, to say in a television interview."


I have said, elsewhere on Army.ca that we need a different, Canadian "head of state," while retaining our status as both a Westminster style parliamentary democracy with a "figurehead" head of state (like e.g. Germany and India, for example) and a member of the British Commonwealth.
 
The twitterverse is reporting that both Russian pilots are dead.  Video of one of the pilots lying dead on the ground surrounded by rebels is circulating the web.

 
Humphrey Bogart said:
The twitterverse is reporting that both Russian pilots are dead.  Video of one of the pilots lying dead on the ground surrounded by rebels is circulating the web.
Being dead is probably preferable to being captured.
 
I have said, elsewhere on Army.ca that we need a different, Canadian "head of state," while retaining our status as both a Westminster style parliamentary democracy with a "figurehead" head of state (like e.g. Germany and India, for example) and a member of the British Commonwealth.
Because of a statement made to the media which you personally dislike? Ridiculous. I'd rather hear him say more than less, even if I might disagree, but he can't win. Either the monarch is invisible and accused of being irrelevant, or outspoken and accused of not being irrelevant enough.

And now the thread gets derailed.
 
The condemnations begin:

Sky News

Putin: Downing Of Jet A 'Stab In The Back'
Sky News – 41 minutes ago

The shooting down of a Russian jet by Turkey is a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists", Vladimir Putin has said.

The Sukhoi Su-24 was warned 10 times before being downed near the Syrian border by two Turkish F16 jets for violating the country's airspace, according to the Turkish military.


A Turkish official said two Russian planes approached the Turkish border and were warned before one of them was shot down, adding their information shows Turkish airspace was repeatedly violated.

(...SNIPPED)
 
Putin has halted military to military communication with Turkish forces.The Turks will be forced to lay out their case in a press conference.If they are right then it shouldnt take long to produce evidence.What is odd is that the Russian aircraft when confronted by 2 F-16's not only didnt communicate their intentions but possibly ignored the Turkish pilots.It was a very lopsided engagement.The entire Turkish F-16 fleet had recently been upgraded so out dated Russian aircraft will have little chance against the F-16.
 
tomahawk6 said:
.It was a very lopsided engagement.The entire Turkish F-16 fleet had recently been upgraded so out dated Russian aircraft will have little chance against the F-16.
Would that include communicating with them possibly?
 
I seem to recall Turko-Russian wars were not an uncommon occurrence in the 19th century.  Perhaps everything old is truly new again  (one of them involved the Crimea, if I'm to believe Harry Flashman's memoirs) [:D
 
After seeing the footage of the barbarians shooting at the aircrew as they were helpless makes me hope and pray the Russians bomb these savages into the stone age and oblivion.
 
jollyjacktar said:
After seeing the footage of the barbarians shooting at the aircrew as they were helpless makes me hope and pray the Russians bomb these savages into the stone age and oblivion.

They already were. Turkey probably wasn't impressed with the Russians coming down to bomb ethnic Turkmen instead of ISIS. I'd be hard pressed to not shoot at a pilot that had just been dropping bombs on me
 
You'd still not do it nevertheless.  That's what separates us from the savages.
 
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