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OUTLAW 09
01-20-2016, 05:49 PM
Syrian Media Commission video, showing off a lot of "goodies" a technical pic.twitter.com/xFWV6tqx6L

Syria #IS seized anti aircraft system (seems active -> cable) from #Assad-forces in #DeirEzzor
pic.twitter.com/G59YcX2uBl

OUTLAW 09
01-20-2016, 05:51 PM
CrowBat...have you picked up anything on this to the Southern Front......??

Southern Front got a whole loooad of TOWs, Found in their recent music video.
pic.twitter.com/jrdw7g8c4c

AND a whole bunch of tanks.....(15)

OUTLAW 09
01-20-2016, 05:56 PM
Some radio masts ISIS filmed in DEZ, BRDM-2 and another angle of 1S91

youtube.com/watch?v=6_ph-EsJDzo …
FSA zu-23 technical firing inside a building, what crazy people.

Heavy fighting in Damascus countryside. SAA report. T-72 and some very close fighting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkymnWqUtF8 …

OUTLAW 09
01-20-2016, 09:35 PM
CrowBat...thought you might like this "disjointed statement...????

Минобороны России ✔ @mod_russia

#SYRIA Near Jebel al-Akrad (Latakia province), Russian AF made 4 strikes against disjoined groups of retreating militants

ISIS is hunting scattered groups of #Assad militias west of #DeirEzzor
https://twitter.com/LlamameIshmael/status/689915527792312322 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.379673&lon=40.046368&z=14&m=b&search=syria …

OUTLAW 09
01-20-2016, 09:48 PM
VIDEO: #FSA Division 13 hit another truck with a TOW missile near Khan Tuman #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPyPe1J9_j4 … pic.twitter.com/ih7ZTnamps

Daraa: Southern Front rebels got new TOWs, tanks, weapons, uniforms, helmets, bulletproof vests #syria #FSA
pic.twitter.com/6HWpaEYGNW

EX-PENTAGON CHIEF: These are the 2 main reasons ISIS was born http://read.bi/1V8Ppxs
pic.twitter.com/489F9ZYKKo

There he is!
The local #Donbas miner in #Syria, using a @Refugees tent in his purely civilian base.
pic.twitter.com/hcOZ0VG4e0

It’s Russia’s turn to learn that stealth warplanes are hard to do http://reut.rs/1n98ep2
pic.twitter.com/1Khr9hapYh

Syria talks may not start on Jan. 25, 'pressure, momentum' needed: U.N. envoy http://reut.rs/1Ox5M5e

CrowBat
01-20-2016, 10:28 PM
CrowBat...have you picked up anything on this to the Southern Front......??

Southern Front got a whole loooad of TOWs, Found in their recent music video.
pic.twitter.com/jrdw7g8c4c

AND a whole bunch of tanks.....(15)
...not so much 'new equipment, uniforms etc.' for the 'same old Southern Front'... as much as 'new' (read: re-organized, re-trained, and re-equipped) unit moving to the front.

...and online reporting from NE Lattakia and Dayr az-Zawr by regime-fans is meanwhile just the same pile of rubbish like usual reporting from Moscow.

CrowBat
01-20-2016, 10:43 PM
BTW, look how dumb are Keystone Cops in Moscow (illustration below): they publish a video showing an air strike on 'Daesh oil depot' - and it turns out the place they've bombed is in the middle of regime-held compound in Dayr az-Zawr... :roll:

This is really... I don't know... I simply can't believe they are this stupid - or indeed, that they're so dumb that they must publish evidence of being dumb...

...that's no 'professional military' any more: a gang of teenagers 'equipped' with i-phones would surely do better...

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 06:29 AM
UK defence sec claims "hundreds of civilians" killed by unguided Russian munitions in its Syrian op. Russian general tells me: "No proof"

Appears that this Russian General has missed at least 600 videos of actual impacts of Russian dumb bombs along with the actual identified Russian bombers circling the town and or village.

Nothing like cognitive dissonance on the part of Russian Generals.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 06:31 AM
Appears the US government is on "message" prior to any talks in Geneva meaning a willingness to give Putin what he wants....US MSM drumbeat with this story started yesterday with the WaPo article...the Assad Shia mercenary army has suffered badly in the ground fighting and the sheer loss of Hezbollah, IRGC and Assad Commanders and Senior Commanders does not speak of a "Russian victory"....

Russia airstrikes in #Syria have stabilized #Assad govt., NYTimes cites a top US general saying.
http://tinyurl.com/jl7k7ya

The NYTs article does not accurately reflect actual ground fighting reality.....

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 08:38 AM
Some humor is needed today.......

Russia: Ruble sinks, oil cld go to $16, Putin critics fear for lives. Finally good news: Siberian huskies adopt cat
pic.twitter.com/xEBJWnEYAj

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 09:00 AM
I have repeatedly commented here at SWJ that both Syria and eastern Ukraine are intertwined AND I have repeatedly stated this President, his entire 700 person NSC and Kerry simply do not fully understand they are involved in a full blown non linear war AND this non linear war is designed to achieve three core geo political goals...AND is being not fought in the "Grey Zone" but clearly in the open, up front and in the face of Obama WHY--- Putin truly believes Obama is weak and afraid to make hard decisions, ie the use of hard power to reinforce his soft power messaging....AND Putin is basically correct in his assumptions.

1. damage and discredit NATO
2. damage and discredit the EU
3. totally disconnect the US from Europe and the ME

I am not the only ranting individual that is openly stating that this Obama administration and it's NSC is the worst coupling seen since 70 years....

Really worth the entire reading of this article just alone on the first paragraph or so of the article........

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/09/putin-syria-ukraine-21317...

The Dangerous Link Between Syria and Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has used the fighting in both countries to trap the U.S.

By Eerik-Niiles Kross and Molly K. McKew

9/22/2015


Despite what Vladimir Putin is saying, the United States still staunchly refuses to believe Russia is engaged in a new Cold War—and that the U.S. is losing. But Russia aggressively pushes its own narrative where U.S. leadership is absent. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov seems to be everywhere in recent weeks, speaking several times with his US counterpart and others in the region, selling Russia as a partner for peace and stability when the West is faced with crisis.

Experts from the left and right alike warn that cooperation with Russia on Syria can have potentially disastrous consequences for the U.S., but too many Americans still don’t understand how closely linked these two headline conflicts are, and American policy has yet to confront the reality that Syria and Ukraine are part of the same mission for Russia—the destruction of the post-WWII architecture of the West. To achieve this goal, Russia has pursued a clear policy of disruption, chaos and destabilization—in Ukraine and in the Middle East—in order to force the West to have to partner with Russia to “resolve” the crises it has created.

Now, poised to launch a direct military campaign in Syria, Russia wants the U.S. to join a Russian-led coalition against the Islamic State and complete the rehabilitation of Bashar al Assad, or else end up in direct conflict with Russia in the Middle East. Indeed, many of the anti-aircraft and other Russian weapons systems being moved to Syria are more suited to shooting at American drones and assets than anything the Islamic State has access to.

This suggested coalition is little more than a well-constructed trap for the White House and for Europe. Russia created the conflict in Ukraine. Their military support for Assad fuels a bloody civil war and a refugee crisis from Syria. Russian efforts have also materially aided in the creation of the Islamic State—the wealthiest, best-armed terrorist network in history.

Well worth reading the entire article.......

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 09:11 AM
AND the West did what again......????

UN special envoy, cited by Foreign Policy, says #Syria govt has ignored 80 out of 113 UN requests for access to besieged areas in past year

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 09:25 AM
NOW the UN blame game begins and yet they have not even answered why they waited so long on easing the starvation of besieged Sunni towns....WHEN they have long known about it.....

UN special envoy has accused Saudi Arabia - without mentioning it by name - of obstructing #Syria peace talks. (Source: Foreign Policy)

Interesting comment and it is actually true.....
Check Diyala on Twitter search. #Iraq Army and militia conducted a massacer there. VERY graphic!!!
But not #IS so it doesn’t matter right?

How's that Obama Iran Deal working out on "Iranian moderation".....
As #Hezbollah pushed into #Syria, it concentrated civilians into #Madaya before placing it under siege.
pic.twitter.com/3ODZPH1kl4

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 09:25 AM
The US needs to urgently wake up and fully understand the intertwining of JaN and the anti Assad forces....both are very proSyrian and actually both are anti IS if one takes the time to truly analyze them.

#News
Jabhat al-#Nusra & the #FSA's 1st Coastal Division recaptured Ayn al Hawr in #Latakia from pro-#Assad forces.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 09:30 AM
News #Update
8 civilians were killed in #RussianAirstrikes on 3 towns in northern #Idlib.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbgmW48DxiQ …

Footage
Some heavy stuff from #JaishAlIslam on the move in #EastGhouta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN20irHJaYY …

Another deadly #FSA TOW in the area
Pro-#Assad cart trys to avoid TOW by sharply braking...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKjNB4920Dw …

BreakingNews
New TOWs appear in #Syria, used by the #FSA
#KhanTuman, S-W of #Aleppo city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPyPe1J9_j4 …

News
Also northern #Hama province was hit by multiple #RussianAirstrikes yesterday.

More from the same air strike.
Another small child, being victims of the aggression ... =(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_shLz4pbgc …
.
Footage
Aftermath of just another #RussianAirstrike on civilians in #Hazano, #Idlib prov.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Y9nb4CUJ8 …

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 11:35 AM
Rebels take advantage of the bad weather & push rapidly toward #Salma taking Duweirkah & Blue Valley -

Latakia: Syrian Rebels destroy Assad regime SUV with Fagot missile

Rebels take al-Nimr Mount overlooking #Salma village in Akrad Mount #Latakia countryside.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.706796&lon=36.162701&z=15&m=b …

Syria: people of #Darayya are living under siege and a rain of barrel bombs for over 3 years now

Russian strikes are killing civilians at a rate roughly 10 times faster than the coalition
http://time.com/4129222/russia-airstrikes-syria-civilian-casualties-isis/ …

Aleppo: ISIS recapture Aisha from Assad which is close to Kuweires airbase
http://fb.me/Ph5Qwd2m

Latakia: Syrian Rebels also captured a number of Assad officers including General Fadi Sulayman

Latakia: Syrian Rebels capture Wadi Al Azraq & kill a number of Assad forces who were trying to flee to Salma

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 11:46 AM
SAA using (as you know) #UN covers what should be used for displaced civilians tents.
#Latakia #Syria Jan 20

Huge explosion at #alMazzeh neighborhood
#Damascus #Syria JAN 20

SCD @SyriaCivilDef rescue child under rubble.. this time not alive..
#Russia airstrikes on #Hazano #Syria JAN20

SAA terrorists fired more than 15 mortars on #alMarj, #Hazarma & #alNashabiyah areas,several wounded
#Syria JAN 20

@SyriaCivilDef rescue little girl alive under rubble, #russia airstrikes on #Hazano
#Syria JAN20

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 11:48 AM
Seems TOW is back! :'D #FSA
#SAA_Nightmares.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 11:50 AM
CrowBat...from your side anything on this assassination on JaN........

JN Emir Abu Ateeq & assistant Abu Hazem killed by masked gun men in their house nearby #Ariha
#Idlib #Syria JAN20

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 11:51 AM
SCD @SyriaCivilDef recovering Media Activist Mahmoud Rahel from under rubble..
#Hazano #Syria JAN 20
"VICTORY"

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 02:07 PM
Assad helicopters dropping barrel bombs over #Moadamiyeh
Jan, 21, 2016
pic.twitter.com/bODJe2C0ip

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 02:31 PM
Reference Russian naval "Syrian Express"......

Russia supplies #Syria mission with old cargo ships bought from Turkey http://reut.rs/1J9APzo via Reuters

Apparently #ВМФ is back to old Soviet habit of changing pennant numbers: See the 1st pic vs 2nd pic. 801 is now 861; 808 is 868 & 810 is 870

Our good friend @rekinkum just brought to our attention this important blog entry about Ladnyy Pytlivyy & Smetlivvy:
http://eagle-rost.livejournal.com/599141.html

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 02:37 PM
Appears that the Russians were a tad miffed by the Qatari diplomatic visit especially since Qatar and the KSA are doing their best to take away Russian oil and gas customers further damaging the Russian economy…..

NOTICE at the end of the article the Russian author was "crowing" about Russia "is winning"....with their primary oil and gas state owned company Gazprom totally crashing right now and their profits being way off and their losing customers ie the Ukraine their third largest customer on top of turkey being lost and the North Stream 2 pipeline project totally dead in the water......

http://www.pravdareport.com/world/asia/21-01-2016/133122-qatar-0/#sthash.dJ2ohPCy.dpuf

Qatar's bubble to burst any moment

21.01.2016


The relations between Russia and Qatar have never been perfect. Traditionally, there have been plenty of problems in bilateral relations between Russia and Qatar, even though the two countries are destined to cooperate with each other. Both Russia and Qatar represent two wings of the now emerging global gas market. Emir of Qatar Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani has recently paid a visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high-ranking officials.

Russia-Qatar talks: No breakthrough

Unfortunately, the meetings of the Qatari Emir in Moscow have not led to any breakthrough results. The Emir was going to visit Moscow in the autumn of last year, but the visit was pushed back on account of Russia's military operation in Syria. It is an open secret that Qatar is one of the main sponsors of Syrian terrorists.

It should be noted in fairness that Qatar was attempting to play the role of a mediator since the beginning of the conflict in Syria. Qatar suggested keeping Syrian President Assad in office while restricting his powers to the benefit of the government. Qatar offered to keep Assad the chief of the armed and security forces of Syria to subordinate the police to the prime minister. In essence, Qatar offered Syria to refuse from secular principles and divide the Syrian people on the basis of confessional principle. The Syrian people rejected those proposals.

In Moscow, Russian and Qatari officials discussed most important issues of the regulation of the crisis in the Middle East, particularly in Syria. In addition, Putin and At-Thani touched upon the situation in Yemen, Libya and other countries in the Middle East.

The only thing that the sides agreed upon was their cooperation to increase anti-terrorist activities. As for the crisis in the Arab world, one should not forget about the Palestinian problem and the need to resume direct negotiations between Palestine and Tel Aviv with the aim to create a Palestinian state.

Qatar's financial position leaves much to be desired

Emir al-Thani spoke about investment cooperation, about common interests of our countries in the energy sector, especially in the field of natural gas, where Russia and Qatar are members of the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries. It is very important to understand the process of forming a single global gas market instead of three regional ones. In this market, Qatar plays a very important role. The appearance of a global gas market will open new possibilities and create a fundamentally new structure of the global gas market.

Prices on Russian natural gas are tied to oil prices. This is a historically caused phenomenon, as heat and power plants used to operate on fuel oil. Nowadays, natural gas has completely replaced fuel oil for the purpose of power generation. Prices on the Qatari natural gas in Europe are not pegged to oil prices, even though customers psychologically mind long-term contracts with Gazprom, Statoil and Algerians.

At the same time, the positions of Russia as the leading exporter in the field of pipeline gas and Qatar as a major exporter of liquefied gas, are directly opposite. In fact, it is the appearance of LNG from Qatar and shale gas from the USA on the European markets that created a new situation on the European gas market. European politicians took advantage of the situation to introduce the so-called Third Energy Package that openly discriminates against Russia's Gazprom. The package jeopardizes investment in the pipeline infrastructure and blocks many projects.

Qatar is not going to change, trying to squeeze Russia out from traditional natural gas markets. In return, Russia is trying to squeeze Qatar out from the markets that are traditional for Qatari gas, but we did not start the game.

Obviously, the Emir of Qatar brought economic proposals to Moscow. This is a peculiar feature of Qatar's foreign policy: they usually try to obtain political objectives by offering economic concessions. Most likely, it goes about Syria.

Qatar is considered to be one of the richest countries in the world, but its wealth is built on debt, and today's financial position of Qatar is very difficult. Qatar is forced to borrow more and more to be able to pay its old debts.

No one knows when Qatar's bubble may burst

Export of natural gas from Qatar is unprofitable. The operating cost of the Qatari gas in Europe is lower than the spot price, on which Qatar sells its gas. This does not apply to the total cost, taking into account the debt service, depreciation for Qatari gas projects, infrastructure, gas tankers and so on.

Moreover, Qatar can not stop the loss-making activities of their companies, because one still needs to service the loans that had been raised for their construction. Qatar is thus forced to continue its expansion, raise new loans to expand the natural gas infrastructure and service the old ones. It is a vicious circle that drives Qatar deeper into debt.

In a nutshell, Qatar suffers losses, albeit insignificant ones, with every gas tanker and every cubic meter of gas. Qatar is interested in cartel cooperation more than Russia is.

The problem is that we do not know how serious the financial situation in Qatar is. Qatar's debt structure is completely non-transparent. The country is an absolute monarchy that has no parliament to discuss the budget and debt sustainability of the country and its economic agents. We only know that the financial situation in Qatar is quite complicated, and certain legal entities are close to the moment when they can not service their debts.

No one knows how and when the bubble may burst. It may burst either tomorrow or in 50 years. One needs to understand that beautiful gestures that Qatar has recently made, such as the World Cup or economic assistance to other countries, are in fact, gestures to demonstrate creditworthiness to Western banks.

The Qataris already use austerity measures where it seems possible. Suffice it to recall significant cutbacks to funding Al-Jazeera - the main instrument of Qatari foreign policy. As soon as the network was left without money, Al-Jazeera has completely discredited itself in the world of Arab television.

In this situation, Russia should talk to Qatar from a position of strength. Russia is winning, and Qatar's situation leaves much to be desired. Qatar should make concessions to Russia on both the gas issue and the political settlement in Syria.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 02:46 PM
Syria: PHOTO: Image from last yr of #SAA Soldier ontop of T-90 (2nd T-90 on the right).
pic.twitter.com/6xbv2EzsBz

Loyalists and activists report the death of SAA Brigadier General Asif Sabha at Jabal Akrad in Latakia

Russian decision on guns or butter is a matter of a few days away now........
Putin's spokesman Peskov says what's happening to ruble is not collapse. So I am lost at words.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 02:49 PM
One has to wonder what altered state of reality the Russian FM is often in......

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Zakharova: Those who provoked conflicts in the M. East and N. Africa must be held accountable for humanitarian aid to their victims

Let's see the Assad Shia mercenary army together with the Russian AF has been besieging Syrian Sunni towns...over 420,000 currently being starved to death AND YET Russia talks about "being held accountable for humanitarian aid"...

THIS is the same Russia we are talking about that kicked out all NGOs providing extensive aid to the Donbas especially during this winter.......

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 02:53 PM
This is the same Russia that has been deliberately killing Syrian civilians by their highly accurate dumb iron bombs and has been using starvation against civilians which is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.......THIS is that same Russia.......????

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Zakharova: The international community must fight against terrorism, above all ISIS, based on international law and with the UN’s key role

AND this is the same Russia where 98% of all their so called 12,000 air strike sorties have not been targeted against Islamic State BUT rather the anti Assad FSA.....THIS is the same Russia we are talking about........

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 03:51 PM
WHAT THE HECK does Putin mean by this statement........??

Putin just said that Lenin's ideas destroyed USSR.
Putin: Lenin planted nuke under Russia
pic.twitter.com/vaWgrBIgsi
http://russia.liveuamap.com/en/2016/21-january-vladimir-putin-lenin-set-nuke-under-russia …

AGAIN now we are seeing a former KGB officer saying this......what was he saying in 1989 in Dresden????

Putin criticized Lenin sharply today, claiming his work eventually led to collapse of USSR & historical Russia.
http://www.interfax.ru/russia/490856

So is Putin in fact reputing the entire Communist period and that he is siding with the "White Russians".....???

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 03:56 PM
Syria: PHOTO: Image from last yr of #SAA Soldier ontop of T-90 (2nd T-90 on the right).
pic.twitter.com/6xbv2EzsBz

Loyalists and activists report the death of SAA Brigadier General Asif Sabha at Jabal Akrad in Latakia

Russian decision on guns or butter is a matter of a few days away now........
Putin's spokesman Peskov says what's happening to ruble is not collapse. So I am lost at words.

I hate to agree with Peskov, but this is not a crash in Russia's currency. When Iran releases their oil reserves, then we will see a crash.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 04:00 PM
http://uatoday.tv/politics/turkish-pm-says-no-role-for-terrorist-groups-in-syria-talks-reuters-575803.html

Reuters: Turkish PM says no role for 'terrorist groups' in Syria talks


Russia and Iran, which support Syrian President, have rejected attempts by Saudi Arabia, to organize the Syrian opposition and delegation for the talks

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accused Russia on Thursday (January 21) of jeopardizing peace talks on Syria planned for next week by insisting on the inclusion of "terrorist groups" such as the Kurdish YPG militia on the opposition side.

Turkey is concerned by the growing influence of the YPG, across its borders in Syria, and the support it receives from Washington in combating Islamic State. It fears expansion could further nourish Kurdish rebellion on its own territory.

A Syrian opposition council backed by Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it would not attend internationally-brokered negotiations with the Syrian government, due to start in Geneva on Jan. 25, if a third group took part.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Davutoglu backed that position by the council, saying it alone should decide who represents the Syrian opposition at the Geneva talks.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 04:18 PM
a SyAAF IL-76 (YK-ATA or YK-ATB) flew to Latakia (unnoticed by @flightradar24)
https://youtu.be/K4iCRnPBo18?t=6s …

Footage
#FSA T-55 shells the #Assad front in northern #Daraa city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5DYLTd2xx0 …
pic.twitter.com/2EWBDd7Bgg

Footage
#FSA Fagot vs. #Assad Kornet in #Latakia province (near #Salma).
Fagot wins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyTuDYTnYPs …
pic.twitter.com/MB3MEktjx6

Footage
#FSA TOW vs. pro-#Assad Kornet in #KhanTuman, S-W of #Aleppo.
TOW wins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5VDQbPsGj8 …

Footage
The TOW made it back to #Latakia province.
#Assad tank destroyed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERQjlR2Jd-g …

VIDEO: #FSA 1st Coastal Division claim to hit a tank in #Latakia, #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERQjlR2Jd-g …

14 ATGM launches in first 20 days of Jan 2016:
http://justpaste.it/JanuaryATGM

Huge smoke due #SAA airstrikes on #Daraa, several casualities reported
#Syria JAN 21

SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes on #alNashabiyah and #Hazarma village
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 21

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 04:45 PM
Iraqi Shia militia also fighting in #Latakia. This is Liwa Assad Allah al-Ghalib.

Facebook has just deleted many official facebook pages belong to Assad regime
TVs and official journalists
I'm a journalist with Storyful. Would you mind pointing to a few pages that have been taken down? Thanks

Yes sure
Al doniah TV , Sama TV , Al mayadin TV , Al Ekhbariah TV , and the journalist kinana allouche

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 04:46 PM
Amazing: Secret network warns locals in #Syria before airstrikes. http://news.yahoo.com/secret-syria-network-saves-lives-air-raid-warnings-041045064.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 06:26 PM
Footage
Jet pounding rebel-held part of #SheikhMaskin with high-explosive bombs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUWkONCvg60 …
pic.twitter.com/U7olYFfd6S

@AP BREAKING: US Secretary of State John Kerry says initial Syria peace talks in Geneva will not be face-to-face.
pic.twitter.com/zJB4u8CLb0
In real words the Geneva meeting is going nowhere fast......

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 06:38 PM
Any SWJ commenter want to challenge this comment.......feel free to.....

Someone on the Syrian Civil War subreddit just described Assad's rule as a 'secular western style democracy' . . . words fail me.

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 06:45 PM
Local brigades to step up as IS withdraws from south Damascus.
http://syriadirect.org/news/local-brigades-to-step-up-as-islamic-state-withdraws-from-south-damascus/ …

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Ehras village causing a massacre
#Aleppo #Syria JAN 21
pic.twitter.com/GSG7xag1Fw

Kerry on Iran sanctions relief: 'Some of it will end up in the hands of' terrorists
http://read.bi/1Uers7F
pic.twitter.com/RLvaDnuCGe

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 07:13 PM
More than 62 #SAA barrel bombs on #Darayya and #Moadamiyah_alSham
#damascus #Syria JAN 21

Exchange process of prisoners between #FSA #Thuwar_Sourya (Southern front) and #ASSad mercenaries took place today, the detainee "Najah
Muhammad Zein Sharaf" from #Nawa city in the western suburb was released out of #ASSad prisons after 9 months of detainment. In exchange, #FSA delivered 2 bodies of #ASSad mercenaries who were killed during the latest battles surrouding #Sheikh_Meskin, one of them is the mercenary lieutenant "Ali Mahmoud Halloum" from Tartous province and another one of a soldier. #Daraa #Syria JAN 21

Red_Crescent distributed today food baskets in the besieged neighborhoods of #DeirEzzor; some family got 1 basket contains 1 dish of cooked rice, 1 piece of chicken, 2 tea bags, a water bottle and 4 pieces of biscuits. Activists confirmed that the food baskets distributed were not from the aid dropped recently by the #Russia warplanes as those were seized by #ASSad Regime in the areas but #UN.

SCD rescued several wounded mostly children victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Karam_Beik
#Aleppo #Syria JAN 21

6 martyrs, including 3 children victims of #Russia airstrikes on the road between #Ehras and #Kafr_Naseh villages
#Aleppo #Syria JAN 21

OUTLAW 09
01-21-2016, 07:17 PM
Russia warplane flying over #Houla
#Homs #Syria JAN 21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhV9mhY47Kg …

Russia (?) helicopters flying over #Aleppo
#Syria JAN 21
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t2kS8iEK80 …

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 08:24 AM
Update from #Madaya
Hundreds on the verge of death
#Hezbollah/#Assad did NOT stand to their promise of evacuation.
https://www.alsouria.net/content/%D8%B6%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B6%D9%89 …

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 08:46 AM
.@Refugees from the #Assad/#Putin/#Khamenei offensive in the countryside of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIYZABf__3k …
#Syria pic.twitter.com/mHRMRsBPVr

Terrible pictures from #Madaya where the #Assad siege continues & people die because of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEwTjKyOj0o …

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 08:48 AM
Regardless of the simple fact that the Obama WH that includes both Obama and his DoS keep uttering that "there is no military solution to Syria and eastern Ukraine" ......in the end there will be a military solution as talking is being done right now by the barrel of a weapon not in Geneva and or Minsk......this is non linear warfare and we are in Phase six of that doctrine and that requires fighting.

Right now the serious failure of the Obama WH and especially that of his NSC has been the non recognition of non linear warfare........

Syria's battlefields, not Geneva, are where real negotiations are underway:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/22/world/middleeast/russia-and-us-while-p... …

While both Putin and Assad seemed to have "drank the coolaid about the fantastic Russian air strikes" the anti Assad forces lead by JaN/FSA TOGETHER with IS have largely beaten back a well planned Iranian/Russian ground offensive which has been poorly executed by the SAA Shia mercenary army and have established themselves in the face of over 12,000 air strikes as a force that is not going to go away any time soon.

Obama as a counter to the Russian non linear warfare needs to understand this and fully support it....somehow he is overlooking the simple fact that 70% of the civil society is Sunni and it is Sunni's who are paying the price in a very sectarian war being driven by Russia and Iran.

But again silence is the main Obama foreign policy.

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 09:01 AM
"ISIS sells nearly half of its oil to the Assad regime, through Russian businessmen"
http://ow.ly/XmTOZ
pic.twitter.com/KwW07qMrt6

Under the interesting rubric......wonder just how he was bought.....
Haytham Manna throw three decades of human rights advocacy down the toilet playing for the Russian/Assad team. #Pity
pic.twitter.com/QcdVVFfkGL

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 09:21 AM
The two key cornerstones in non linear warfare....1) information warfare and 2) cyber warfare.......

Germany: Hacker attacks on servers in #Saxony by #Syria|n Mukhabarat to spy on refugee families.
https://mopo24.de/#!nachrichten/sachsen-syrien-geheimdienst-zwickau-hacker-computer-attacken-verwaltung-42191 …

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 09:26 AM
Syria: statement by Jaysh Ahrar al-Ashaer (#FSA) in which they declare a military campaign against Harakat Mutanna

Syria: a agreement has reportedly been struck between Jaysh al-Thuwar and the Mare' operation room to stop fighting in northern #Aleppo

Syria: acc to reports the alleged the agreement includes opening of the road between #Efrin-Azaz, exchange of prisoners

and Jaysh al-Thuwar will be allowed to deploy its forces to the Azaz area to fight against #Daesh

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 09:28 AM
So everyone feels the UN is neutral in Syria......think again.....and one wonders why the anti Assad forces distrust the UN.....I would to.....

MUST READ “UN Accused Of Allowing Assad Regime To Censor Syria Aid Plan”
http://www.buzzfeed.com/janebradley/un-accused-of-allowing-assad-regime-to-censor-syria-aid-plan#.vnGJZowQW …

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 12:17 PM
Saudi FM, Gulf states discussing sending special forces to #Syria.

Al Arabiya English ✔ @AlArabiya_Eng
#Breaking: Syrian opposition rejects peace talks before a halt to air strikes, lifting of sieges
http://ara.tv/bwxvh

Actually there is a basis for this rejection...three UNSC resolutions 2 of which are on stopping the bombing of civilians and 1 on aid to civilians.....the UNSC resolutions were passed with Russia support.....

BTW---the anti Assad opposition indicated that the rejection even includes non face to face talks...so much for the Kerry/Putin suggestions....

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 12:54 PM
122 mm howitzer Shells SAA in #Latakia and ignores OPSEC for Show.
https://youtu.be/bUGatNqQYTU

Night #ATGM by Northern Division Targets convoy in Jabal Al Turkman near #Salma Latakia
https://youtu.be/eFlQBzkhpko

Latakia: Syrian Rebels kill Brigadier General Asif Sabha the brother of Brigadier General Mahmoud Sabha if you remember General Mahmoud Sabha was dubbed the so-called protector of Jisr Shugour hospital & was also killed

NOW Assad and Putin at using air strikes deliberately against refugee camps....punishment for not attending the Geneva meeting.....?????

BREAKING
#RUSSIA warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #BAB_alHAWA Camp
#Idlib cs #Syria - #Turkey Border JAN 22

SAA helicopter dropping bombs cylinder on #Moadamiyah_alSham
#damascus #syria JAN22

SAA shelling with STS missiles on #Moadamiyah_alSham
filmed by brother #Damascus #Syria JAN 22

BREAKING
#SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs filled w/ Toxic Gas over Omar Mokhtar School & Zamzam Street of #alBab
#Aleppo #Syria JAN22

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes with Cluster Bombs targeting #Kessen village
#Homs cs #Syria JAN 22

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 12:56 PM
CrowBat.....potential movement of Russian combat troops into new positions...?

ASSad media reporting the arrival of more 50 #Russia "marines" mercenaries deployed to "#Kweires airbase"
#Aleppo #Syria JAN 22

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:06 PM
The Hospitals of #Yabroud, #Deir_Attia and #Nabek are filled with the bodies of #NDF mercenaries militias who were killed during battles in the fronts of #Qiritin and #Mihin towns, eastern suburbs of #Homs
#Syria JAN 22

Rebels gained control of strategic building at #Marj area
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 22

Rebels destroyed #SAA Tank exterminating a number of it's mercearies at fronts of #Marj area
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 22

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs on #Darayya
#Damascus #Syria JAN 22

Rebels re-gain full control of #Qantarah farms of #Harasta
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 22

Heavy clashes between Rebels and #SAA terrorists surrounding #Teir_Maela
#Homs #Syria JAN 22

SAA terrorists shelling Grad Rockets targeting #Bayanoun town
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 22

Heavy clashes between Rebels and #SAA mercenaries at #Bashoura village
#Latakia #Syria JAN 22

SAA Tank shelling targeting outskirts of #Yadoudeh village
#Daraa #Syria JAN 22

Heavy clashes between Rebels and #SAA mercenaries taking place at #Burj_Alqsab area
#Latakia #Syria JAN 22

Russia warplanes carried out several airstrikes targeting #Kurds_Mount and #Turkmen_MOunt
#Latakia #Syria JAN 22

SAA Tank shelling targeting outskirts of #Yadoudeh village
#Daraa #Syria JAN 22

SAA Tank shelling targeting outskirts of #Yadoudeh village
#Daraa #Syria JAN 22

Rebels destroyed #SAA Tank exterminating a number of it's mercenaries surrounding #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 22

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:09 PM
Killed civilians on 21 JAN........
40 martyrs including 4 children.
14 #Damascus
11 #Aleppo
8 #DeirEzzor
3 #Daraa
2 #Hama
2 #Homs
#Syria

Explosion in #Damer town due a planted bomb under car of a #SAA Colonel, he was taken to hospital
JAN21

SAA Col.Mahmoud Sabha&his brother Brigadier Mahmoud Asif from #Qardaha killed by #FSA TOW in #Latakia #Syria JAN21

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:11 PM
Russia РБК-500 АО-2,5РТМ Cluster Bombs found at #alSakhanah town
#Homs cs #Syria JAN 21

Kurdish #Asayish army suspended the activity of the #ASSad #Red_Crescent in #Ras_Ain town, unknown reasons.
#Hasakah #Syria JAN 21

Names of innocents victims from #Madaya & #Zabadani
Starvation:29
#SAA/#Hezbollah Landmines/snipers: 19
#Syria JAN22

Footage
Ahrar al-Sham destroyed an #Assad regime tank in #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e87objZr3cE …

Remnants of #Russia tochka missile found in #alBab
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 21
PH via @ValkryV
pic.twitter.com/SB3CbS82G9

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:26 PM
Late last year Putin sent GRU chief Sergun to Damascus to tell Assad to step aside, western spooks tell @FT
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/735b4746-c01f-11e5-9fdb-87b8d15baec2.html …

Evidently a wasted trip it seems...he is still there and the Russians are still protecting him.....OR just good ole Russian disinformation at work...???

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:33 PM
Russian Su-34 and Su-24 are very active today,bombing all western province of #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_U5WXS5mP4 …

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:35 PM
HERE we go again.......

UNCONFIRMED REPORT
Turkish air defence shoots down Russian plane after violating its airspace during bombing raids on #BabAlHawa.

Russians indicated they bombed the area...no one on the ground confirmed a fuel tanker was hit and the Russians have not said they hit IS fuel trucks......and the heavy black smoke seen in the first video footage could in fact be coming from the downed aircraft.......

Here is the first Arab source of it as far as I see. 16 minutes ago.

قوافل الخير
‏@Abdullah_Almgri الله اكبر

اسقاط طائرة روسية من قبل سلاح الجو التركي

قبل قليل

Black smoke could indicate a fuel truck was hit.....waiting for further info

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:43 PM
HERE we go again.......

UNCONFIRMED REPORT
Turkish air defence shoots down Russian plane after violating its airspace during bombing raids on #BabAlHawa.

Russians indicated they bombed the area...no one on the ground confirmed a fuel tanker was hit and the Russians have not said they hit IS fuel trucks......and the heavy black smoke seen in the first video footage could in fact be coming from the downed aircraft.......

Here is the first Arab source of it as far as I see. 16 minutes ago.

قوافل الخير
‏@Abdullah_Almgri الله اكبر

اسقاط طائرة روسية من قبل سلاح الجو التركي

قبل قليل

Black smoke could indicate a fuel truck was hit.....waiting for further info

And here, Arab source says reports are WRONG, #NO Russian plane downed!



أحمد العقدة
‏@AhmadAlokdeh الأنباء التي تقول بإسقاط طائرة روسيّة من قِبل الأتراك في منطقة باب الهوى هي أخبار غير صحيحة.

#سوريا #تركيا #ادلب #روسيا

So right now a toss up.....

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 01:47 PM
Update from Bab al-Hawa: Heavy air strikes, at least 1 civilian killed, 5 wounded, no plane downed.

Fires in Bab al-Hawa visible from nearby Syrian #refugee camps.

Waiting for more info directly from the town hit.....

OUTLAW 09
01-22-2016, 03:37 PM
Another video of a #RussianAirstrike on Bab al-Hawa today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTsr5HI6vrI …

FSA vs. evil (#Assad & #ISIS):
TOW attack on ISIS bulldozer in #QaraKubri north of #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7uTt6ZqUvE …

Thanks to #Turkey and the international coalition NOT bombing #ISIS in the area.
... And we don't need to talk about #Russia ...

Meaning the village also fell back to #ISIS and #FSA lost most of their recent gains ...

10 martyrs, dozens wounded including children victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Albulel village JAN 22

Russia warplanes carried out several airstrikes targeting #Kansaba & #alRabiyah villages JAN 22

Death toll rises 12 martyrs including child,media activists after #Russia airstrikes on #Bab_alHawa,#alDana & #Sarmada

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs over #Bashkoy village
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 22

Syria wreckage of a 9M79M TBM in kafr Lousin, Idlib.

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 06:12 AM
Former SecDef Robert Gates strikes again on the question of an Obama strategy for anything.......

Gates: Obama Thinks He’s Smartest Guy in Room, Ineffective at Developing and Implementing Strategy
https://shar.es/1h56S1

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 08:56 AM
Syrian children are still drowning in the Med due to what???.......air strikes, barrel bombs, starvation and cluster munitions forcing their families into a refugee status......IT is relatively easy to eliminate the cause and kick out Assad and place those committing genocide in the Hague......BUT it requires a serious rocking of the bat, strong leadership and a willingness to call a spade a spade ie Russia and Iran.

BUT that requires a US President who will lead not follow.........and this President has been following history for over four years........remember he is a Nobel Peace Prize winner and with that goes a shared responsibility for the global community at large.....

The image of a drowned Syrian child is shared worldwide. If it's one blown apart by an airstrike, it's not OK.
Why is that AND where is the complete western political leadership and MSM?
pic.twitter.com/Y2HH2Ait3y

The Obama WH, his NSC and the DoS strategy response is again exactly what??....more "messaging".

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 09:14 AM
CrowBat...can you on your end confirm if Russian troops are actually in the ground fight now??

Syrian Arab Army couldn't do anything with Sal'ma for a long period of time. But Rus. ground forces is gamechanger
pic.twitter.com/YsUALqTfwC

"Green Men in Syria".
BTR-82A Armoured Personnel Carrier in Sal'ma Latakia
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/23-january-btr82a-armoured-personnel-carrier-in-salma-latakia …

SAA or Russians?
Number placed like in Russian army - Military convoy In Simferopol
http://liveuamap.com/en/2014/27-february-military-convoy-in-simferopol- …

17 Oct 2015
Russian SOF soldiers in Syria. Rifle VSS Vintorez, seized many times in Ukraine
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2015/17-october-picture-of-saa-tiger-forces-with-russian-soldiers …

There are some comments indicating that Putin has staked his reputation on taking this town much as he did with Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine so it would not surprise me at all if they were in the fighting.....

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 09:29 AM
Late last year Putin sent GRU chief Sergun to Damascus to tell Assad to step aside, western spooks tell @FT
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/735b4746-c01f-11e5-9fdb-87b8d15baec2.html …

Evidently a wasted trip it seems...he is still there and the Russians are still protecting him.....OR just good ole Russian disinformation at work...???

Meeting between the two did occur.......But. Mission failed. Mistake is death

It is being reported that Assad told Sergun that there was no future for Russia in Syria if he was forced to go.....

What is a problem with the Sergun death was the fact that Moscow reported he had died in Moscow then changed it to Lebanon when social media picked up on it....there is the nagging reports that he had been seriously wounded while observing ongoing heavy fighting where Russian troops ie Spetsnaz was involved in which would make sense as Spetsnaz answers to the GRU.

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 09:41 AM
So this is the Obama WH much vaulted and highly successful Syrian strategy.....hard at work.....??

So let's see...if Russia gives back Crimea, withdraws from eastern Ukraine and stops the deliberate targeting and killing of civilians and stops using starvation as a weapon AND kicks out Assad the US is going to again do what??

Come on...just good ole US Obama WH info warfare statements as a way to prepare for lifting Russian sanctions in exchange for the above...in our combined dreams...it will never happen so I am wondering what dream world the WH is currently in??

Kerry says effort and good faith could lead to lifting of sanctions on Russia: #WEF16

How is it that Obama and Kerry seem to think that "effort and good faith" are actually vocabulary words in the Russian language...both have been virtually non existent under Putin these days but I guess their "hope" is a kind of strategy after all........

Big buildups of Russian missile defenses denying NATO access to air space in parts of Europe very serious-Gen.Gorenc pic.twitter.com/ZoZgxsOqkO

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 10:10 AM
Breaking
#ISIS offensive vs #FSA continues
#SVBIED vs Turkish-backed troops in #Baraghidah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j-CO3WM1BM …
pic.twitter.com/P1BKhtiV6B

Rebels take Bashoura hill outside Nusaybin village. Assad & shia militias assault continue with RuAF CAS.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.757170&lon=36.059618&z=14&m=b&search= …

US_Coalition warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting Children Hospital of #Adnan_alMaliki Street yesterday JAN 22
#Raqqa #Syria

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes with several Cluster Bombs on #Kessen

More 3 explosions reported on the same street #alAhram, #Wadi_Aldahab neighborhood, bombs devices inside trash containers
#Homs #Syria JAN22

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 10:18 AM
VIDEO: FSA 1st Coastal Division hit group of SAA infantry with ATGM.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UbA9H8F5es …

From #Russia with love, ammo seized from #Assad's forces. Fresh off the boat.
Islamic State and the FSA both being basically right now resupplied by the Russian MoD...how ironic is that...wonder what the Russian MoD would say if asked about it...???

#Iraq mercenary fighting for #ASSad captured by #Rebels in #Turkmen_Mount
#Latakia #SYria JAN 22

Turkey and #Syria’s Turkmen Rebels: A cause for all of Turkey
http://buff.ly/23jh0Sq

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 10:27 AM
Remember the DoS Kerry admitted that he realized an amount of the freed up 100B USD going to Iran will be peeled off for Iranian support to terrorists ie Hamas, IRGC, Iranian supported Shia militias inside Syria/Iraq and Hezbollah.

So with that in mind will actually now Obama and Kerry under their highly successful Syrian strategy formerly in the UNSC call out Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism....? Actually never.....as that would rock the Iran Deal and his legacy....

BUT then there is such a thing called reality on the ground in Syria ......

Hezbollah warned the civilians trapped in #Madaya to evacuate their homes
#Madaya #Syria JAN22

#Hezbollah warned the civilians trapped in #Madaya to evacuate their homes since 30 minutes ago (Local time here now 8:28PM) For those who live on the both sides of the main road crossing #Madaya, starting from #Al_Said Gas Station to #Bouqin Water Factory, all of them have received warnings from #Hezbollah & #SAA to leave their homes, civilians in #Madaya believe that #Hezbollah is planning for major demographic change in the region, as they plan to bring more Shias militias from #Lebanon and #Iran to accommodate them in Madaya, local population of #Madaya call to the International Security Council to enforce the implementation of its resolutions, especially those that are related to protect civilians in #Syria, also call to Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Mr. de Mistura for immediate action to stop this dangerous violation by #Hezbollah militia in #Madaya. #Damascus #Syria JAN 22

So right at this moment in time Obama and Kerry are fully complicit in the Russian deliberate targeting and killing of civilians, complicit in the Russian use of cluster munitions, complicit in the use of starvation and NOW complicit in the use of ethnic cleansing.

WHY complicit??....they are fully aware but chose to say nothing......

BUT hey this is the effect of that roaring highly successful Obama/Kerry misunderstood Syrian strategy hard at work.....

Idea that Russia (a waring party aligned w. Asad) should be listened to re. composition of other side's delegation is ludicrous

YET the US says nothing outside of "hey let's do non face to face negotiations".....???

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 10:55 AM
Nusra is considering to divide it's army in small tactical guerrilla units to set the stage for a long war of attrition with Iran & Russia.

Any Syrians left fighting for #Assad???
20k #Hazara mercs?
Iran 'foreign legion' leans on Afghan Shia in Syria war
http://aje.io/rbes

A #Fagot #ATGM hits a group of Assadists, casualties can be seen evacuated.
https://youtu.be/9UbA9H8F5es

CrowBat
01-23-2016, 11:00 AM
CrowBat...can you on your end confirm if Russian troops are actually in the ground fight now??
'In the ground fight' is relative: in Salma, decisive was deployment of fresh troops of the BPM, Hezbollah/Lebanon and Hezbollah/Iraq.

Contrary to Ghanem, from back in early December 2015, there is no evidence that Russians were directly involved in the battle.

That said, Russian troops are certainly protecting rear areas already starting with the 2nd line, thus freeing more of NDF and BPM for deployment on the frontline.

So, it's perfectly possible (even 'logical') if they moved to Salma and Kweres now, to free local troops from de-facto 'guard duty'.

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 11:06 AM
CrowBat...can you on your end confirm if Russian troops are actually in the ground fight now??

Syrian Arab Army couldn't do anything with Sal'ma for a long period of time. But Rus. ground forces is gamechanger
pic.twitter.com/YsUALqTfwC

"Green Men in Syria".
BTR-82A Armoured Personnel Carrier in Sal'ma Latakia
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/23-january-btr82a-armoured-personnel-carrier-in-salma-latakia …

SAA or Russians?
Number placed like in Russian army - Military convoy In Simferopol
http://liveuamap.com/en/2014/27-february-military-convoy-in-simferopol- …

17 Oct 2015
Russian SOF soldiers in Syria. Rifle VSS Vintorez, seized many times in Ukraine
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2015/17-october-picture-of-saa-tiger-forces-with-russian-soldiers …

There are some comments indicating that Putin has staked his reputation on taking this town much as he did with Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine so it would not surprise me at all if they were in the fighting.....

CrowBat...the Russian Today TV video does indicate a larger number of Russian troops were in Salma for the attack there and the BTR-82A seems to be supporting a completely different C2 antennae array than is normal for the standard Russian Army.....

#RuGF troops infront of an BTR-82A in #Salma, #Latakia.
Footage
The Russian army in #Salma, 36 km from their air base in #Latakia province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szFTG5UsBic …

JUST REMEMBER.......

"There are no Russian ground troops in #Syria."
- D. Peskov, 18.11.2015

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 11:16 AM
You can think about Ahrar al-Sham what you want
But different from #Russia & the west,they fight #ISIS N of #Aleppo

Video source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VmU51IDzTI …
Should be north of #Sawran around #Albel.

Outrageous #WarCrimes
Russian war planes keep striking during rescue efforts in #Sarmada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ayD_q2mtNo …

Pro-#Assad/pro-#Russian logic: Because the @SyriaCivilDef rescuers help people,the strikes are justified.

Terrible pictures coming in from #BabAlHawa.
Attacks once again only targeted civilians. Unspeakable war crimes.
Cut in half and totally burnt children bodies.
#Putin says all the evidence is from before the September 2015 ...

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 11:23 AM
Latakia: Syrian Rebels had recaptured Bashoura killing 8 militia men after pro Assad IRAQI's had briefly captured it yesterday

At dawn Russia carried out the most intense airstrikes in Al Akrad & Turkmen mountains. No wonder "talks are being delayed"

Aleppo: Syrian rebels had destroyed ISIS carbomb with no injuries in Baraghiya before ISIS captured area

Another leader in Iranian revolutionary guards killed in Syria
http://fb.me/5a6zseFCk

Aleppo: major clashes took place at dawn in Hajj Hussain between ISIS & YPG led SDF

Deir_Ezzor : Regime arrests 200 men from besieged neighborhoods of the city this morning and took them to the front lines to fight ISIS.

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 11:27 AM
Marwa: #Russia Provides Military & Political Cover for #Assad’s Crimes
http://ow.ly/XpIge

This is definitely not part and parcel of the Obama highly successful Syrian strategy and it definitely needs some messaging work to be done as it totally contradicts Obama's recent statement that Assad can remain in power until March 2017...BTW After he is no longer President......

Saudi FM al-Jubeir: Removing #Assad Key to Defeating #ISIS
http://ow.ly/3yUX27 #Syria

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 12:06 PM
NOW more Obama Syrian strategy failures but wait Kerry stated "with effort and good faith we could end Russian sanctions".......????

Putin dictating to Obama and the Sunni Front States is just another great example of that "effort and good faith" that we have seen from Putin since Crimea......and yet this seems to be totally ignored by Obama in his quest for his legacy......

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
There can be no unilateral considerations regarding composition of the Syrian opposition delegation
http://goo.gl/Zw7Pki

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 12:19 PM
NOW more Obama Syrian strategy failures but wait Kerry stated "with effort and good faith we could end Russian sanctions".......????

Putin dictating to Obama and the Sunni Front States is just another great example of that "effort and good faith" that we have seen from Putin since Crimea......and yet this seems to be totally ignored by Obama in his quest for his legacy......

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
There can be no unilateral considerations regarding composition of the Syrian opposition delegation
http://goo.gl/Zw7Pki

AND this is not dictating in the least.......???

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova answers media question regarding the US State Department’s position on the Syrian opposition delegation

104-22-01-2016


Question: Could you comment on State Department Spokesman Mark Toner’s remarks to the effect that in the ongoing process the Syrian opposition has formed a broadly represented delegation for talks at its own discretion and that this choice should be respected?

Maria Zakharova: We have noted that these remarks came at a State Department briefing yesterday. I believe that the position expressed by my US colleague is a deviation from the position that was agreed upon during meetings of the International Syria Support Group and was unanimously formalised in Security Council Resolution 2254 of December 18, 2015. Let me remind you that this document, which is fundamental for the Syrian settlement, states in no uncertain terms that for the Syrian opposition delegation to be truly representative and inclusive, with a broad circle of opponents to legitimate President Bashar Assad, it should be formed, among other things, by taking into account the opposition meetings that took place in Moscow, Cairo and Riyadh, as well as other initiatives put forward toward this end.

This point was made, in particular, during talks between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US State Secretary John Kerry in Zurich two days ago. It may be recalled that Mr Lavrov stressed: “UN Security Council Resolution 2254 requires the Secretary General, through his special envoy on Syria, to send invitations to parties to the talks, who should represent the broadest possible spectrum of Syrian society – both the government and the opposition, taking into account figures and opposition groups that have delegated their representatives to the opposition meetings that took place in the past year to a year and a half in Moscow and Cairo, and recently in Riyadh. This is a mandate and there can be no unilateral considerations regarding first, second or third parties here. So this is up to Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria Mr de Mistura, not anyone outside the UN, to decide.”

January 22, 2016

NOTICE that Russia did not go into who they have "declared as terrorist groups" to be kept out of the talks...namely the two largest anti Assad groups fighting Assad right now.....AND Russia has largely kept Hezbollah from being declared a terrorist organization inside Syria which it basically is as it is a paid Shia mercenary force fighting inside a largely Sunni populated nation state.

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 12:22 PM
'In the ground fight' is relative: in Salma, decisive was deployment of fresh troops of the BPM, Hezbollah/Lebanon and Hezbollah/Iraq.

Contrary to Ghanem, from back in early December 2015, there is no evidence that Russians were directly involved in the battle.

That said, Russian troops are certainly protecting rear areas already starting with the 2nd line, thus freeing more of NDF and BPM for deployment on the frontline.

So, it's perfectly possible (even 'logical') if they moved to Salma and Kweres now, to free local troops from de-facto 'guard duty'.

CB...also from that RT video......
Russian marines in Salma. 3 Kamaz 5350 (armoured), 1 Ural-4320 and one BTR-82a. The armoured Kamaz transported media pic.twitter.com/4hfMjSUQrp

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 12:25 PM
New TOW video, this time by Sultan Murad against ISIS in N aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7uTt6ZqUvE …

Syrian news report from a Russian war ship off the coast of Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sICZn1X_0Bo …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUGatNqQYTU …
1st Coastal Division setting up D-30 and firing on Nabi Yunis

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 12:45 PM
OK...now we seem to have adults finally in charge of the WH and it's NSC....this should have been stated a long, long, long time ago ie four years ago...NOW we need to same the same adult state a similar statement for eastern Ukraine......

The concept of a Global Shepard can indeed work if there is an infrastructure in place that allows the regional players to fully understand that they need themselves to figure it out and when they cannot the Global Sheriff will assist.

THAT has been totally missing in the Obama WH for over seven years.

The core Obama problem is that he retrenched immediately after taking office and never put a support mechanism into place that the regional players needed.....basically pushing them to figure it out when the US has been doing it for over 50 years....

BREAKING: US Vice President Joe Biden says his country is prepared for a military solution in Syria if a political solution fails.

In the world of global super power competition one can in fact have both soft and hard power ......the Obama problem has been largely he is strictly soft power that he needs for his legacy....he ended two wars AND he started NONE...but at sometime when the global players seem to be abusing "soft power" you have to and or must be fully capable/willing to use "hard power" OR at least your actions must be perceived by the other party that you are seriously contemplating the use of hard power.

Obama has stumbled so many times Putin knows Obama will never resort to "hard power" THUS I am actually surprised by the Biden statement...so in the end is it just "info warfare hype" or is it serious???.......for it to be serious Obama has to let the TOWs flow, and to reign in the Russian deliberate killing via air strikes and the starving of Syrians....largely Sunni's.

If he does not then we all know there is absolutely nothing to the so called successful Syrian strategy......

EXAMPLE...this must end if the Biden statement carries water........
Russia airstrikes targeted Popular Market in #Khasham village,more than 30 civilians killed
#DeirEzzor #Syria JAN23
pic.twitter.com/fkrprkoQz0

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 04:06 PM
Unexploded #Russia Cluster Bombs found in #Saraqeb
#Idlib #Syria JAN 23
pic.twitter.com/KCHUgp36ZT

.@DeirEzzor24 reports that over 100 civilians were killed by Russian warplanes in 24 hours:
http://en.deirezzor24.net/more-than-100-were-killed-in-deir-ezzor-by-russian-airstrikes-on-civilian-areas-over-the-past-24-hours/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 04:15 PM
Russian Syrian Express on the move again.....22 JAN

FLOT's Ropucha Class Large Landing Ship 127 Minsk on Bosphorus

Ropucha class LSTs #ВМФ #ЧФ Azov 151 & Бф BF Minsk 127 transited southbound Bosphorus.

After a long break, Russian navy ropuchas back in business. Azov and Minsk heading south.

After only 4 days stay in Sevastopol, #ВМФ Бф BF Minsk 127 transits the Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

ВМФ #Бф BF Korolev 130 is back to the Baltic Sea

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 04:19 PM
Commercial aircraft from otherwise closed Russian military airbase in #Latakia this morning - another media event?
pic.twitter.com/qUro3GRm8D

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 04:21 PM
So this is the Obama WH much vaulted and highly successful Syrian strategy.....hard at work.....??

So let's see...if Russia gives back Crimea, withdraws from eastern Ukraine and stops the deliberate targeting and killing of civilians and stops using starvation as a weapon AND kicks out Assad the US is going to again do what??

Come on...just good ole US Obama WH info warfare statements as a way to prepare for lifting Russian sanctions in exchange for the above...in our combined dreams...it will never happen so I am wondering what dream world the WH is currently in??

Kerry says effort and good faith could lead to lifting of sanctions on Russia: #WEF16

How is it that Obama and Kerry seem to think that "effort and good faith" are actually vocabulary words in the Russian language...both have been virtually non existent under Putin these days but I guess their "hope" is a kind of strategy after all........

Big buildups of Russian missile defenses denying NATO access to air space in parts of Europe very serious-Gen.Gorenc pic.twitter.com/ZoZgxsOqkO

Russian heavy arms embedded in Donbass, Kerry talking about removal sanctions w/o any concrete removal invaders?Weak

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 05:56 PM
CrowBat...what do you think.....??

After the fall of Salma a week ago, rebels are losing ground fast in N. Latakia. Maps:
pic.twitter.com/6IKzHp4cbS

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 05:57 PM
Well that did not last to long.....Biden has been reigned in by the Obama WH and it appears confirmed that anything said by this Administration is just fluff and there is no strategy and they simply are truly kicking the can down the road for another 13 months and if I was Europe or the ME...run for cover as this Administration is all words and with the pull back of the Biden statement there is no real global US leadership anywhere but that is what Obama wanted as his retrenchment policy anyway.....Wilson 1920 would be proud.

The White House pool report says Biden's office corrected the "military solution in #Syria" remarks
pic.twitter.com/ad963BYMBN

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 06:12 PM
Homs: dozens of Assad soldiers killed by ISIS in 2 villages

Aleppo: Syrian Rebels regain Baraghida after very intense clashes with ISIS

At least 100 civilians killed in Deir Ezzor from Russian airstrikes. Such cowards & the west is so hypocritical
http://fb.me/2pEIpanKQ

East Ghouta: 13 Assad forces killed trying to advance
http://slnnews.co/?p=38550

Aleppo: all pro Assad foreign fighters killed when their vehicle was targeted by rebel rocket in Bushkoy

Pro Assad Iraqi General of Shia militia Abdul Hamid killed in Bashoura by Syrian Rebels

Latakia: ad put up by Assad regime in mosques to recruit ppl to join the army
http://ow.ly/XqOVA

Assad regime capture Hatabat & Qtr villages in Aleppo from ISIS
http://fb.me/55vctNU25

Aleppo: Syrian rebels kill dozens of ISIS fighters in Barighida

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 06:24 PM
Yassine Abdul Rahman,defected #SAA Col.from #Zabadani, died due starvation inside #Madaya
#Damascus #Syria JAN23

Russia warplanes flying over #alMohassem after it's airstrikes
#DeirEzzor #Syria JAN 23

Iran media reporting; #IRGC mercenary Colonel "Mehdi Haidri" exterminated in #Latakia
#Syria JAN 23

Heavy clashes between #JN & #Isis in the surrounding areas of #Yarmouk_Camp
#Damascus #Syria JAN 23

Russia airstrikes targeting the roundabound nearby the bridge crossing #alKhabour_River at #alBusayrah town
#DeirEzzor #Syria JAN23

Several causalities reported due #Russia airstrikes targeting #alMoahasan town
#DeirEzzor #Syria JAN 23

Iraq mercenary fighting for ASSad, Captain Abdul Hameed from #Najaf, exterminated in #Latakia cs #Syria JAN 23

SAA mercenary 1st Lieutenant Ahmed Allam from #Tartous exterminated in #Turkmen_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 23

30+ #SAA terrorists exterminated in the new Rebels offensive at #Eastern_Ghouta areas: #Marj,#Harasta & #Quneitra
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN23

Destruction caused by airstrikes on the villages of the middle sector in Al-#Quneitra countryside.
https://youtu.be/OHHgCAanaYQ

SAA mercenary terrorist Major Ali Wajih Ibrahim from #Tartous, exterminated in #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 23

Russia warplanes carried out more than 30 airstrikes so far since morning targeting #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 23

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 06:42 PM
Destruction of civilian houses due #Russia airstrikes targeting #Bazaah
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN23

Rebels firing a 6 barrel hell cannon at #Daesh on the #Dudiyan front
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX6O0rtpyBc …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.636606&lon=37.288284&z=13&m=b …

FSA destroyed #SAA Pickup loaded with it's mercenaries terrorists at #Bashkoy fronts
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 23

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 06:44 PM
Remember the DoS Kerry admitted that he realized an amount of the freed up 100B USD going to Iran will be peeled off for Iranian support to terrorists ie Hamas, IRGC, Iranian supported Shia militias inside Syria/Iraq and Hezbollah.

So with that in mind will actually now Obama and Kerry under their highly successful Syrian strategy formerly in the UNSC call out Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism....? Actually never.....as that would rock the Iran Deal and his legacy....

BUT then there is such a thing called reality on the ground in Syria ......

Hezbollah warned the civilians trapped in #Madaya to evacuate their homes
#Madaya #Syria JAN22

#Hezbollah warned the civilians trapped in #Madaya to evacuate their homes since 30 minutes ago (Local time here now 8:28PM) For those who live on the both sides of the main road crossing #Madaya, starting from #Al_Said Gas Station to #Bouqin Water Factory, all of them have received warnings from #Hezbollah & #SAA to leave their homes, civilians in #Madaya believe that #Hezbollah is planning for major demographic change in the region, as they plan to bring more Shias militias from #Lebanon and #Iran to accommodate them in Madaya, local population of #Madaya call to the International Security Council to enforce the implementation of its resolutions, especially those that are related to protect civilians in #Syria, also call to Mr. Ban Ki-moon and Mr. de Mistura for immediate action to stop this dangerous violation by #Hezbollah militia in #Madaya. #Damascus #Syria JAN 22

So right at this moment in time Obama and Kerry are fully complicit in the Russian deliberate targeting and killing of civilians, complicit in the Russian use of cluster munitions, complicit in the use of starvation and NOW complicit in the use of ethnic cleansing.

WHY complicit??....they are fully aware but chose to say nothing......

BUT hey this is the effect of that roaring highly successful Obama/Kerry misunderstood Syrian strategy hard at work.....

Idea that Russia (a waring party aligned w. Asad) should be listened to re. composition of other side's delegation is ludicrous

YET the US says nothing outside of "hey let's do non face to face negotiations".....???

Hezbollah extended it's time request ordering to civilians leave their homes in #Madaya within 48 hours
#Damascus #Syria JAN 23

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 07:16 PM
The story concerning the recent gun shot death in Lebanon of the Russian GRU General just keeps on reappearing.......

Putin sends one of his generals to 'tell Assad to stand down', dies within weeks
http://ind.pn/1PLbUoe
pic.twitter.com/zYvOvWBAC1

@SyriaCivilDef removing remnants of cluster bombs delivered by #Russia|n aviation on #Saraqeb since days ago
pic.twitter.com/ScMIFKsOX1

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 07:36 PM
Essa survived #ASSad Barrel Bombs to suffer starvation
he stills inside #Madaya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDhhWQKojm8 …
JAN23

There's more 4"big fishes" exterminated in #Sheikh_Meskin:
Major Ali Ibrahim
Major Haytham Thaeeb
Captain Wessam alShami
#Daraa #Syria JAN23

SAA mercenary Colonel Samer Hatoum from #alQardaha exterminated in #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 23

BREAKING
12 #SyrianRefugees civilians killed by Jordan Border Guards as they tried to cross into #Jordan from #Daraa..
#Syria JAN 23

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 07:43 PM
BREAKING
Reports of Chemical Attack by #SAA mercenaries targeting #alNashabiyah village
E #Ghouta #Damascus cs #Syri JAN 23

FSA 1st Brigade using 6 & 4 barrel hell cannons to shell #Daesh during retaking of Baraghidah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-NckHWhd0M …

FSA Division 16 TOW hits group of enemy fighters on #Bashkuy front north of #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXDybNxHYJI …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.328576&lon=37.121472&z=15&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-23-2016, 07:55 PM
This is maybe what the Obama WH, his NSC and Kerry need to fully understand and then address Putin in an open and direct fashion......one cannot lead from behind when genocide is ongoing every single day.....

Who Is The Target ?
#Ahrar vid on the real Targets of #Putin & #Assad's air Terror.
https://youtu.be/42kdF6LSBGU

CrowBat
01-23-2016, 10:16 PM
CrowBat...what do you think.....??

After the fall of Salma a week ago, rebels are losing ground fast in N. Latakia. Maps:
pic.twitter.com/6IKzHp4cbS
Some things were to be expected, then Salma was the centrepiece of defence there, and things really became complicated since it was lost.

...and then there's that with the situation actually being such that insurgents there theoretically being numerically superior - except the IRGC rushed another 1-2 additional brigades to Syria, early this month, and deployed all of them there (for which there is no evidence as of now).

That all said, Peto Lucem is meanwhile a flaming regime-fan, and many of his maps rather within realms of what the regime would like to have, than really resembling actual situation. Sufficient to say: I ceased using them.

CrowBat
01-24-2016, 06:20 AM
...and this affair begins to 'clear' on its own, so to say:
US and Russia reportedly set up Syrian airbases within 30 miles of each other (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/us-russia-reportedly-set-syrian-airbases-within-30-miles-each-other-1539716)

But don't worry: the cooperation with Kurds is certainly going to be even intensified after this, then Israel is wholeheartedly (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182202) behind that idea...

That's similar to this nonsense: Will The White House Finally Clear Qatar To Purchase 72 F-15
Strike Eagles? (http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/will-the-white-house-finally-clear-qatar-to-purchase-72-1754719819)

...which should actually be a total 'no-brainer' considering Qatar is directly responsible for ruining democratic developments in Libya and causing the quagmire of civil war there, not to talk about financing the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat an-Nusra in Syria.

But well... Boeing and the US Congress just need to show all the zeros on that contract, and I doubt we'll ever hear a single word about such 'unimportant issues'...

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 08:25 AM
This is maybe what the Obama WH, his NSC and Kerry need to fully understand and then address Putin in an open and direct fashion......one cannot lead from behind when genocide is ongoing every single day.....

Who Is The Target ?
#Ahrar vid on the real Targets of #Putin & #Assad's air Terror.
https://youtu.be/42kdF6LSBGU

Death toll at 47 in airstrikes on east #Syria town believed carried out by #Russia warplanes: monitor
http://reut.rs/1QlXMEJ via Reuters

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:01 AM
Footage
First Metis-M video from #Aleppo since two months.
Moderate #FSA uses it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs3oX1seWYw …

Footage
#FSA 7-tube DIY mortar launcher vs. #ISIS in action near the Turkish border
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-NckHWhd0M …

Footage
Same procedure as every day east of #Damascus.
#Assad Mil Mi-24, dropping bombs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmbfnZV8L9E …

Graphic video
Syrian rebels,in small #Latakia counteroffensive,kill some pro-#Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X78T-oTr6VQ …

Analysis #Map
The #FSA shells the #Assad front in #Garfah with a D-30 artillery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGqwhlvDeLk …

Map #Syria. The military situation in N #Latakia Province.
HD - http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/554f/p4n8gtvkqxe9npvzg.jpg …

Hama: Syrian Rebels storm 2 checkpoints & kill every single Assad soldier in them & capture a tank & ammo in quick surprise attack

Hama: Syrian Rebels quickly capture 2 areas in Ma'an as Assad forces completely collapsed in that area

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:05 AM
Homs: more than 50 airstrikes and Assad regime still couldn't advance against rebels
https://www.jaishalislam.com/subject/396

Aleppo: Syrian Rebels regain control of Sheikh Reeh & Baraghida from ISIS after heavy clashes throughout the day starting from dawn

27 days & counting & Assad regime has failed in Sheikh Maskin
http://www.alaan.tv/news/world-news/147269/day-27-respectively-regime-forces-fail-sheikh-maskeen-heavy-losses …

Deraa: Syrian rebels regain control of Zahra school in Sheikh Maskin

Deraa: Tens of Assad forces killed in Sheikh Maskin
http://bit.ly/1OFuzUI

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:07 AM
CrowBat..any idea just how many officers have been killed on the government side just in this area....??

Deraa: Assad General Samer Alhatom from the village of Qardaha killed in Sheikh Maskin by rebels


Aleppo: Syrian Rebels repelling one of the most strongest pro Assad offenses in Mflesah & Kifrbish

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:18 AM
Pure hypocrisy on the part of Kerry as the US has been either slowing and or halting the resupply to KSA supported anti Assad forces, has utterly failed to halt the bombing/killing of sheer numbers of civilians that even they supported in a UNSC resolution and has uttered not a single word on the use of starvation as a weapon......AND is wavering on the Russian demands as to who can attend the Geneva meetings from the opposition.......and on and on...

BUT I guess in the US.... Obama terms this support as a "solid relationship"..??

With such a solid relationship I would hate to see what a "rocky one" looks like....and the KSA response was what again...just smiles for the camera.

Al Arabiya English ✔ @AlArabiya_Eng
Kerry reassures #SaudiArabia of ‘solid relationship’
http://ara.tv/rtekd pic.twitter.com/vLh2yMmYfy

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:32 AM
Clashes between Rebels & #SAA at the gas station of #Marj_alSultan, as Rebels progress towards strategic area of #Tel_Farzat #Syria JAN24

SAA shelling "new type" of rockets on #Ein_Tarma,strong & different sound made by those rockets & it's explosion, not heard b4
#Syria JAN24
NOTE: possibly the BM 27s maybe and it would not surprise me possible BM 31s which Russia used extensively in the Ukraine fighting/shellings.

Heavy clashes between Rebels and #SAA terrorists in the outskirts of #Jobar neighborhood in this fajr..
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 24

Dozens of #Russia Cluster Bombs found in #Kessen village aftermath it's airstrikes b4 y'day JAN22
#Homs JAN23 #Syria

FSA hit Assad forces at Rustum Ghazaleh's old palace in Qarfa with artillery. #Daraa #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiY1Siy5AJM …

Nothing left of home: 16 Syrian family members from Deir Ezzor, grandparents to children, killed in Raqqa airstrikes

Massacre 100 civilians killed, victims of #US & #Russia airstrikes targeting #DeirEzzor in 2 days (JAN 22 & 23).. No media, no condemnation.

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:38 AM
⛔103 MARTYRS
[12 children 3 women 2tortured]
43 DeirEzzor
18 Aleppo
18 Damascus
15 Daraa
4 Latakia
3 Hama
1 Idlib
1 Homs
#Syria JAN 23

Syrian reality that just keeps on getting no western MSM attention........
Little Sarah Barakat Moatasem(escaped #Palmyra)
killed w/her family by #Russia airstrikes on #Umm_Howsh JAN22

She was from Palmyra, left w/ family to Aleppo, killed yesterday when Russia airstrikes targeted the car of the family at Umm Howsh village.

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 10:50 AM
Harakat Al Muthana is raiding several MOC-FSA sites in Dara, namely Dara Al Balad and anther village

People asking me about the Jaish Al Yarmouk and Muthana movement clashes.
It's a bad situation.
It isn't as easy as Jordan ordering MOC

Some ask me why I believe Muthana Movement doesn't have a secret bayah to IS?
1. They didn't interfere on the sides of Jaish Al Jihad

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 11:00 AM
What is amazing to see with the new highly successful Obama Syrian strategy is his utter lack of understanding in the depth and breadth of the Iranian Shia support to Assad AND the Russian air support to that Shia mercenary army in a nation state that is largely 70% Sunni.

Most of the anti Assad forces are largely Syrian and the outside fighters are streaming in to support either IS or more seldom to JaN.

On the FSA side it is usually all local Syrian fighters.

The massive Iranian increase in Hezbollah Lebanon/Iraq, IRGC, Iraqi Shia militias and Shai mercenaries from 12 countries cannot not be currently matched by the FSA who has been in constant fighting since Russia arrived over 100 days ago.

This came up on the social media side and it is a MAJOR indicator that the Syrian Sunni Shia sectarian fight is going to a global conflict shortly.

Obama and his entire NSC has fully ignored this worst case scenario and has done virtually nothing to stop it.....and from the perception being created now in the ME it appears the US actually does side with Iran......

Faced with a Russian onslaught, Syrian rebels are calling for help from all Muslims:
https://news.vice.com/article/faced-with-a-russian-onslaught-syrian-rebe... …

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 11:07 AM
Pure hypocrisy on the part of Kerry as the US has been either slowing and or halting the resupply to KSA supported anti Assad forces, has utterly failed to halt the bombing/killing of sheer numbers of civilians that even they supported in a UNSC resolution and has uttered not a single word on the use of starvation as a weapon......AND is wavering on the Russian demands as to who can attend the Geneva meetings from the opposition.......and on and on...

BUT I guess in the US.... Obama terms this support as a "solid relationship"..??

With such a solid relationship I would hate to see what a "rocky one" looks like....and the KSA response was what again...just smiles for the camera.

Al Arabiya English ✔ @AlArabiya_Eng
Kerry reassures #SaudiArabia of ‘solid relationship’
http://ara.tv/rtekd pic.twitter.com/vLh2yMmYfy

The one thing worse than being hated & shelled by #Putin is being 'befriended' & defended by #Obama's diplomacy!

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 11:13 AM
CrowBat ...have you seen anything indicating JaN is shifting to guerrilla warfare with smaller more compact fighting units which would be more advantageous right now on the supply lines....meaning going for a war of attrition....?

JN adapting to changing battle field rules in #Syria.

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 12:18 PM
The one thing worse than being hated & shelled by #Putin is being 'befriended' & defended by #Obama's diplomacy!

Looks as if the US did not learn from the Russian negotiation tactics used in Minsk 2 and there is a major fallacy in the article....the US has proposed a timeline......BUT as far as I have seen in any media...Russia ie Putin has not accepted it....AND it appears from the article that Assad can and might be able to take part in the so called new elections.....

The next built in Russian trap will be the demand by Putin that his own proposed opposition group will be the only ones allowed in the voting and they will have a veto over anything to be approved in Geneva...this is the same exact tactic used to grant the so called Ukrainian "separatists" really Russian mercenaries veto rights over the Ukraine and anything to do with Minsk 2.

AND BTW...Russia is still absolutely not in full and complete fulfilment of all 11 Minsk 2 points so how is it possible that Obama and Kerry feel Russia is ready to compromise in Syria WHEN Putin has a formal legal binding SOFA with no specific end date....SO the anti Assad forces are to accept Russia remaining inside Syria after all their killing of civilians?????

Come on Obama and his entire NSC cannot be in that altered state of reality.......

AND pertaining to the so called new elections absolutely no one even the UN has figured out how to hold them in a constant state of war, and will all IDPs and refugee say in Europe also be allowed to participate OR only in the Alewite controlled areas.....meaning only Assad controlled territories will be allowed to vote....in theory even those Syrians living under IS control could vote.


Russia and the U.S. are close to reaching a compromise to unlock the start of Syrian peace talks next week, three Western and United Nations diplomats said, averting the threat of a collapse of efforts to end the five-year civil war.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, is expected to invite two separate opposition delegations to the negotiations in Geneva, said the diplomats, who asked not to be identified because the matter is still confidential. De Mistura is scheduled to provide details of the peace process at a briefing Monday in the Swiss city.

The UN-sponsored talks between the Syrian government and opposition, previously set to begin Monday, have been delayed by disagreement between the U.S. and Russia over which parties to allow to participate.

More than three months of Russian airstrikes in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have turned the tide of the conflict, which has killed 250,000 people and led to Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II. Assad’s forces seized a strategic town on the Turkish border last week and are closing in on an Islamic State stronghold near Turkey.

Russia has objected to the inclusion of a radical Islamist militia -- Army of Islam -- in the Saudi-sponsored opposition delegation endorsed by the U.S. It has demanded that Moscow-friendly figures join the negotiations, including Qadri Jamil, a former Syrian deputy prime minister, as well as Saleh Muslim, co-head of the Syrian Kurdish group PYD, Kommersant newspaper reported on Saturday.

Under a compromise solution, Russia won’t block the inclusion of Army of Islam at the talks in return for a separate delegation being invited with the opposition figures it has proposed, a Western diplomat in Moscow said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said she had no information yet about which opposition delegates will attend the talks in Geneva. A spokeswoman for de Mistura, Jessy Chahine, said a press briefing will be held on Monday to provide more details. A duty press officer at the U.S. State Department declined to immediately comment.

‘Get Going’

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who’s in Saudi Arabia in part to seek a deal on Syria talks, said earlier this week that de Mistura might invite representatives in addition to the main opposition delegation formed in Riyadh in December.

“We are confident that with good initiative in the next day or so, those talks can get going,” Kerry told reporters on Saturday in Riyadh.

The U.S., Russia and other nations have agreed on a timetable to form a transitional government in Syria by mid-2016 and hold elections in 2017. Russia has weakened U.S. opposition to Assad seeking re-election, according to Russian and Western diplomats. While the U.S. still says Assad can’t lead Syria over the long term, the Obama administration has backed off insisting that he go at the start of a transition process.


There are over 400 democratically-elected local councils in opposition-held Syria that media isn't talking about"

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 12:32 PM
According to @LizSly the horrible Bab al-Hawa attack may have been perpetrated with a #Russian Kalibr cruise missile

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 12:38 PM
Exclusive: Saudi-Iranian proxy war over Syria spreads to Davos
http://reut.rs/1Tfg9h7


Senior Saudi and Iranian figures clashed behind closed doors at a private meeting convened by the World Economic Forum in Davos this week to try to promote peace in Syria, participants said.

The barbed exchange between Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif at an invitation-only meeting on Wednesday underlined the hostility between the two Gulf rivals, who are waging proxy wars in Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

Riyadh broke off diplomatic relations and cut off trade and transport ties with Tehran two weeks ago after protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Iran. The protests erupted following the Saudi execution of a leading Shi'ite cleric that outraged predominantly Shi'ite Iranians.

The standoff highlights some of the reasons U.S.-Russian-backed peace talks on Syria may not open as planned in Geneva next week. There is no agreement on who should represent opponents of the Syrian government, and Riyadh-backed rebels are demanding that Russia first stop air strikes in Syria.

An official photographer snapped Faisal and Zarif shaking hands outside the room. The picture was not distributed and any warmth evaporated when they sat around the table with U.N. and other senior officials.

"It was a dialogue of the deaf," said one participant, who asked not to be identified because of the confidentiality of the session.

Zarif denied any secret meeting with Prince Turki, a former head of Saudi intelligence and ambassador to the United States. Asked at a news conference the same day whether he would meet any Saudi officials in Davos, he said: "There won't be any secret meeting."

Prince Turki confirmed to Reuters that he had attended the session with Zarif and others but declined comment on what was said, citing the off-the-record ground rules of the meeting.

U.N. special envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa of Egypt, the foreign ministers of Italy and Austria and officials from Turkey and several other Western nations were also around the table.


SECTARIAN STRIFE

De Mistura opened the meeting by saying the time was ripe for the Geneva peace talks because outside powers all wanted a political solution to the five-year-old civil war in Syria, the participants said.

However, several speakers questioned Russia's motives for intervening in the conflict since September with air strikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad. They cast doubt on whether Moscow and Tehran wanted any deal that would involve Assad's eventual departure.

Zarif said Iran supported a political solution and had set out a four-point peace plan when it was finally invited to join international diplomacy on Syria last year. It had been excluded for years at U.S. and Saudi insistence.

Without naming any country, he took a veiled swipe at Riyadh by condemning those, he said, who fanned and exploited sectarian differences between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims across the region.

At his news conference, Zarif accused Saudi Arabia of having spent millions of dollars to lobby the U.S. Congress against an international deal on Iran's nuclear program. An agreement with Iran led to the lifting of U.N. sanctions on the country this week.

He said Riyadh had panicked after the embassy attack and the Saudis needed to "come to their senses".

Prince Turki hit back in the closed session, blasting Iran's role in the Syria conflict, the participants said. Quoting an Arabic saying, he told Zarif: "I really like what you say but when I look at what you do, I wonder."

Prince Turki, the 70-year-old youngest son of the late King Faisal, accused Iran of having 10,000 fighters on the ground in Syria supporting Assad, participants said. He described the Syrian leader as a "terrorist killing his own people" who was directly kept in power by Tehran, the participants said.

One participant said the prince's remarks were sharper than expected and shocked some of those attending the meeting.

While declining to comment on the exchange, Prince Turki told Reuters the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards had boasted publicly that Iran had 120,000 fighters in Arab countries.

Iran has acknowledged that officers of its Revolutionary Guards have been killed in Syria, but it denies having a large military presence in the country or participating directly in combat operations.

Officials close to Damascus and familiar with military developments have said that hundreds of Iranian fighters have joined the ground war in Syria since Russia began its air strikes last September, many of them deployed near Aleppo.

A Middle East diplomat said the Iranian presence was closer to 2,000 Revolutionary Guards, but they were augmented by several thousand Shi'ite volunteers from countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq who had received military training in Iran.

Zarif did not respond to Prince Turki's attack in the meeting and the rest of the session was inconclusive. U.N. envoy de Mistura lamented that "this is the third year we are talking about Syria and not getting anywhere", one participant said.

He said the Europeans at the table only talked about the humanitarian situation and the refugee crisis and how to stop refugees reaching Europe.

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 01:20 PM
Ukrainian intel: On 23 January Russia used 5 Tu-22M3 bombers from Mozdok to attack Syria
http://syria.liveuamap.com/en/2016/24-january-ukrainian-intel-on-23-january-russia-used-5-tu22m3 …

#Turkish artillery hitting isil targets in AlBol village, near northern #Aleppo countryside. #Syria

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 01:21 PM
Obama and Kerry simply do not get the two non linear wars are connected.....

Russia continues to find ways of sidestepping the Minsk 2 agreements and still maintain control over Ukrainian EU/NATO decisions...just removing two people does not end Russian occupation of the eastern Ukraine does it..NOR does it remove the 8.5K Russian troop and heavy weapons from the Ukraine does it......NOR does it give the control of the Ukrainian borders back to Ukraine???

Leak @DT_ua: Russia ready to remove key separatists Zakharchenko, Plotnitskiy in exchange #Ukraine recognize elections on occup. territories

Russia and Iran very busy at hauling more Shia fighters into Syria AND YET Obama and the West are worried about foreign fighters going to IS.....

SyAAF IL-76 [YK-ATA] went 2 Tehran today. busy recently hauling foreign fightrs frm Abadan 2 Damascus (1¾h stopover)
pic.twitter.com/dqiNGlECeg

FSA Division 16 hit a car that allegedly has several #Hezbollah officers in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV-3MomW1W8 …
pic.twitter.com/N1FdHhjeok

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 01:32 PM
Well, some guys are IDing Russian soldiers from the journos "field trip" to Salma, balaclavas ain't #### when you post in Instagram

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 03:58 PM
Latakia: after Russian carpet bombing Assad regime move into Rabea & claim "victory"

SAA is advancing inside Al-Shaykh Maskin
Locarion: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=32.834434&lon=36.149558&z=17&m=b …
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzNn-awJ2Ns … pic.twitter.com/e7TgWn1s8M

Russian advisors/trainers/combatants? in #Syria, interesting differences between guys in Gorka and EMR uniforms
pic.twitter.com/CU8pE7tDk4

More Russian artillery in action in #Syria via @InformNapalm pic.twitter.com/My0R7ykiYY

Pilots of 566th Air Dispatch Regiment in Syria.Identification of Frolov
https://informnapalm.org/en/jan22-syria-556th/ … via @en_informnapalm
pic.twitter.com/RqRnkV3sem

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 03:59 PM
So true for US foreign policy currently........

Risk has become paralyzing instead of something to manage or accept while solving problems. US must go beyond empty reaction or inaction

Let's see the current inaction in Syria although the Obama WH says their strategy is working...

Russian AF killing civilians at rates never seen before...they simply do not care what they kill any more.

Russia kills more than 90 civilians in less than 72 hours in Ma'ar Numan in Idlib
pic.twitter.com/TeIZigF4vX

Cluster munitions being deliberately used against civilian targets with the same results as above

Starvation being used against 450K Syrians and the US says it cannot assist via air drops

Three UNSC resolutions supported by both the US and Russia on stopping bombings against civilians the for humanitarian aid to flow.

YET from the US....absolute silence, not a single utterance yet they somehow think Geneva will work.....????

There is the old IR concept that if one country knows exactly what is ongoing in another ie the ongoing genocide in Syria and says and or does nothing then they are as complicit as those that carry out the genocide.

Somehow US foreign policy has forgotten Nuremburg........But hey that is ancient history to the current Obama NSC.....

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 04:10 PM
Same battle from the #ISIS position on the hill.
Rebels captured Al-Bel today!
https://twitter.com/taylieli/status/691010208613715970 …
pic.twitter.com/90c6h7DxZQ

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 04:17 PM
First night footage of Syrian Rebels when they captured 2 Assad regime checkpoints in Hama
http://fb.me/7PWrqMRWo

New rebel tactic. Avoid Russian airstrikes. Overstretch Assad & his allies, ambushes, hit & run & surprise attacks

Homs: 7 Assad soldiers killed in an ambush by rebels in Houla

Remnants of #Russia missiles after it's airstrikes on #Qalamoun
#Damascus #Syria JAN 24
https://youtu.be/oFLsuKbjE9Y

Moment #Russia airstrikes on #Qalamoun mounts
#Damascus #Syria JAN 24
https://youtu.be/LwKdviX9ui8

Russia warplane flying over #Qalamoun after it's airstrikes
#Damascus #Syria JAN 24
https://youtu.be/sOz7JuI0FRo

Russia carried out airstrikes targeting the Garage Corridor of #alBab, several casualties reported
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 24

Russia airstrikes on #Bazaa town nearby #Aazaz
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 24

SCD Extinguishing fire in the School of #Marea aftermath #Russia airstrikes
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 24

SCD @SyriaCivilDef rescue op.aftermath #Russia airstrikes on #Tel_Refaat
#Aleppo #Syria JAN24
Martyrs & Destruction

Following the alleged attack on Nasib, #Daraa, 12 rebel groups including JaY & JaI declare war on Harakat al-Muthana

SCD recovered the body of boy Omar Taleb Sakran, victim of #Russia airstrikes on #Tel_Refaat
#Aleppo #Syria JAN 24

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 04:46 PM
Footage
Interesting rifle used by #FSA trooper in #Qaboun, rural #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTNnQGYRj-I …
#Syria pic.twitter.com/Vh5q2Uo7Uc

Appears to be an FN FAL with a scope

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 06:28 PM
BREAKING: Explosion hit #Assyrian city of #Zalin (#Qamishli) northern #Syria. 3 Assyrian Christians confirmed killed
pic.twitter.com/QYpaj8vYCv

Grass soup? Not only in #Madaya! Also in #EastGhouta, Syrians starve under #Assad's siege.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRa8tjr7fNk …
pic.twitter.com/CcDjpUkJDN

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 06:59 PM
For those SWJ readers who do not believe the Ukraine and Syria are not intertwined one really needs to watch Kerry at work........

In the Ukraine Obama and Kerry basically forced the Ukraine into an unilateral appeasement move without a single Russian reciprocal move...none.... ..meaning they under US pressure Kerry/Nuland demanded the Ukraine pass the from Russian demanded decentralization law against heavy Ukrainian opposition BEFORE any absolutely any of the Minsk 2 military points were fulfilled by Russia and her mercenaries....

This was after a face to face Kerry Russian FM meeting with Putin in Sochi. At this meeting the Russians demanded political changes mentioned in Minsk 2 BEFORE a single one of the military points were carried out by the Russians....ie POW exchanges, withdrawal of heavy weapons and Russian troops and irregulars out of Ukraine, restoration of the border controls to Ukraine.....BUT Russia wanted the decentralization and elections along with a general amnesty......WHICH they are again demanding again after the recent Nuland visit AND the US did not pass on to the Ukraine the gist of that meeting.

AND what about that Kerry "ceasefire" ...attacks are averaging 40-70 attacks per day now while the world looks at Syria...AND Russia is not and nor has been in complete fulfilment of all 11 points of Minsk 2...not a single point and YET you would think from Kerry recent statements that the Russians are truly going to fulfil Minsk 2.......

Now we see the same Kerry actions concerning again Putin and Syria...the UNSC passes three resolutions concerning no bombing of civilians and humanitarian aid to civilians BOTH supported by Russia/US....AND then reinforced again in the latest UNSC resolution driven by and supported by the US AND Russia.

THEN we seen a series of Kerry and Russian FM meetings and NOW we see Kerry demanding unilateral moves on the part of the Sunni Front States and the anti Assad forces without a single reciprocal move by Assad and Putin.

NOW just because the anti Assad forces are basically demanding the US/Russia fulfill that specific recent UNSC resolution Kerry again applies pressure for the anti Assad forces to capitulate and THEN renegotiate for their humanitarian rights.

THIS is the level of that so called highly successful Syrian strategy by the DoS.

John Kerry is apparently putting 'pressure' on Syrian opposition groups to attend peace talks

Reuters

Tom Perry, Reuters


BEIRUT (Reuters) - The lead negotiator in the Syrian opposition said on Sunday it was coming under pressure from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to attend peace talks in Geneva this week in order to negotiate over steps including a halt to air strikes.

The opposition's High Negotiation Committee, which groups political and armed opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, has said it will not attend negotiations until the government halts bombardments, lifts blockades, and releases detainees - steps mentioned in a United Nations Security Council resolution passed last month.

Negotiator Mohamad Alloush said Kerry, who met HNC officials on Saturday, had "come to pressure us to forgo our humanitarian rights ... and to go to negotiate for them".

"There will be a big response to these pressures," he told Reuters, without giving further details. Asked if the peace talks would go ahead this week, he said "we leave this to the coming hours".

The government has meanwhile said it is ready to attend the talks. They had been due to begin in Geneva on Monday, but a Western diplomat said earlier on Sunday that they were unlikely to begin before Wednesday.


Kerry does not appear to fully understand the concept of "perception in the ME"...right now the "perception of the US" is that it basically has sided along with Russia with Iran and their Shia mercenary army inside Syria......

It will take years for the US to recover from this "perception"......

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 07:09 PM
Russia sees Syria opposition filled w/ terrorists as it defends biggest killer of civilians.
http://bit.ly/1PoLCYk
pic.twitter.com/zsf5eo6WQy

News
#Germany's diplomatic oxymoron before the #GenevaTalks on #Syria: Give #Russia stronger role, accept moderate #islamists in talks.

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 07:37 PM
Must read by @ibrahimhamidi about complex sit. of #Syria negotiations in the light of #Putin's plans + #Assad's game http://syrianobserver.com/EN/Commentary/30413/Putin_Syria_Plans_Worry_Both_His_Opponents_His_All ies/ …

Russian industrial zone? Is that a synonym to a naval base at the gate to the Mediterranean? https://twitter.com/yurybarmin/status/691299681855475713 …

Opposition media reports Russian air strikes on #Azaz and #Meng air base and "ballistic missile" strikes on #Marea.

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 07:41 PM
Big explosion aftermath #Russia airstrikes targeting #Salqen village
#Idlib cs #Syria JAN 24

Rebels ambush on #SAA exterminated a number of it's terrorists at #Toros fronts, #Turkmen_mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 24

Ahrar_alSham ambush on #SAA exterminated 18 of it's mercenaries at #Jabourin fronts
#Homs cs #Syria JAN 24

100s of civilians displaced under freezing cold in the mountains of #Rabia after #Russia & #SAA occupy the village
#Latakia #Syria JAN 24

SAA mercenary terrorist Ammar Shaheen (Suhail Hassan pig's man) exterminated in #Kurds_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 24

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 07:42 PM
Russian mercenaries arriving into Syria........????

Reports of big explosion in #Kamshli city, several casualties reported and Russians are in the city
#Hasakah #Syria JAN 24

SYRIA: Reports of at least 3 killed after a bomb placed in a motorbike was detonated in Qamishli, #Syria.

Second explosion reported at Miami Street, downtown #Kamshli city
#Hasakah #Syria JAN 24

Kamshli is a large Christian stronghold city,received 100s of Russians mercenaries in past few days in this area of Hasakah
#Syria JAN24

Reports of 3 killed so far and dozens wounded, aftermath bomb explosion at Star Restaurant in #Kamshli
#Syria Jan24

Aftermath the explosion in restaurant at downtown #Kamshli,reports of"foreigners"believe to be Russians
#Syria JAN24

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 07:47 PM
So Putin is supporting the US efforts to get talks going in Geneva?????...notice the FSA is getting US air strike support in their drive to attack IS positions AND YET the RuAF with their air strikes are attempting to protect IS by attacking the FSA....and Kerry thinks the Russians are a "partner for peace in Syria"...??

Who is bombing who north of #Aleppo.
The situation on January 24.
pic.twitter.com/GBsdK0NJXw

BreakingNews
#Russia & #Assad intensify their bombardment on the #FSA north of #Aleppo as the #US try to strengthen it w/ strikes on #ISIS

At the same time,#Russia is bombing #Azaz and its surrounding villages to weaken the #FSA's anti-#ISIS push in the area ... unbelievable ...

Reports seem to be correct.
Also pro-rebel media now reports Turkish artillery and intl. air strikes on Al-Bel & more ISIS pos.

BreakingReports
International coalition air strikes on #ISIS-held #Doudyan.
#Aleppo #Syria

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 07:53 PM
Hezbollah in talks with Nusra to free 3 of its fighters in exchange for Nusra fighters captured in Qalamoun battles.
http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/199960 …

Russian Msta-B crews working in Syria. 'Are weapon ready? Fire!'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6ZITE2-lIY&feature=youtu.be&t=54s …

OUTLAW 09
01-24-2016, 08:15 PM
Rebel sniper downs 2 #Assad fighters on the front line of the al-Assad suburb #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P2F531mOjQ …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.173218&lon=37.080488&z=14&m=b …

Russia air strike in eastern Syria reportedly kills 33 civilians (including 9 women, 2 kids)
http://bit.ly/1S3ARS9
pic.twitter.com/O1th20Jgm5

Syria this missile just hit Selqeen #Idlib but didn't explode(looks like Tochka missile)
pic.twitter.com/DbcB7MZkk2

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 05:22 AM
Looks as if the US did not learn from the Russian negotiation tactics used in Minsk 2 and there is a major fallacy in the article....the US has proposed a timeline......BUT as far as I have seen in any media...Russia ie Putin has not accepted it....AND it appears from the article that Assad can and might be able to take part in the so called new elections.....

The next built in Russian trap will be the demand by Putin that his own proposed opposition group will be the only ones allowed in the voting and they will have a veto over anything to be approved in Geneva...this is the same exact tactic used to grant the so called Ukrainian "separatists" really Russian mercenaries veto rights over the Ukraine and anything to do with Minsk 2.

AND BTW...Russia is still absolutely not in full and complete fulfilment of all 11 Minsk 2 points so how is it possible that Obama and Kerry feel Russia is ready to compromise in Syria WHEN Putin has a formal legal binding SOFA with no specific end date....SO the anti Assad forces are to accept Russia remaining inside Syria after all their killing of civilians?????

Come on Obama and his entire NSC cannot be in that altered state of reality.......

AND pertaining to the so called new elections absolutely no one even the UN has figured out how to hold them in a constant state of war, and will all IDPs and refugee say in Europe also be allowed to participate OR only in the Alewite controlled areas.....meaning only Assad controlled territories will be allowed to vote....in theory even those Syrians living under IS control could vote.



There are over 400 democratically-elected local councils in opposition-held Syria that media isn't talking about"

Michael Weiss ✔ @michaeldweiss
Initial reports out of the Syria negotiations suggest the US is now acting as a proxy of Russia and Iran, pressuring rebels to give up.

Michael Weiss ✔ @michaeldweiss
The fact that the former US ambassador to Syria thinks Kerry is capable of saying this is almost enough in itself: https://twitter.com/fordrs58/status/691427967755513857 …

If Kerry did say such, then no US Govt credibility after voting 4 UN Secuty Council resolutions 2118, 2139 and 2254
Robert

Kerry told them these were unacceptable “preconditions”!
https://twitter.com/hxhassan/status/691423139184582656 …

"Unacceptable preconditions"
Come on...this cannot be the exact words of Kerry...WHY because if correct then it supports my numerous comments that the Obama WH/Kerry are truly complicit in the mass killing of civilians through deliberate Russian air strikes AND the use of starvation as a weapon......in full violation of international humanitarian law and the Law of Land Warfare.

THIS cannot be truly the current US FP...complicit in war crimes in order to get an agreement with Putin.....

CrowBat
01-25-2016, 08:38 AM
CrowBat ...have you seen anything indicating JaN is shifting to guerrilla warfare with smaller more compact fighting units which would be more advantageous right now on the supply lines....meaning going for a war of attrition....?

JN adapting to changing battle field rules in #Syria.
Nope.

All I've seen lately is JAN screwing up wherever it appeared.

'Best' of all was their 'performance' in Sheikh Mishkin area, the last week or so. JAN's Harakat Muthana blocked the supply road into the town for all FSyA groups. IRGC exploited this opportunity and launched another (fifth in total!) assault into the western part of the town. This was beaten back (with a loss of another T-72 and about two dozens of KIA).

Meanwhile, the FSyA/SF issued an ultimatum upon the JAN to re-open the road; when this expired without response, the FSyA/SF overrun the HQ fo the JAN's Harakat Muthana, and the road is now open.

Nevertheless, because of this nonsese of Jihadists, IRGC and NDF are again in control of nearly 40% of Sheikh Mishkin (i.e. the place was nearly liberated before the JAN screwed up).

They're screwing up in northern Syria too; except it's that Chechen group active in northern Hama and southern Aleppo (Jund al-Aqsa), they're either failing in every single attack (like in Hreitan area, in early January) or losing every part of the frontline they're holding (i.e. meanwhile it seems especially the IRGC is aiming to hit JAN-held sectors of the frontline) - and then so much so, Ahrar ash-Sham nearly went to war with them.

That's why AAS and JAN leaders decided to meet in Salqin, yesterday. The place was then targeted by two SS-21s - apparently fired by Russians.

One missile failed to explode, but the other hit the place of meeting killing 12 AAS and JAN, and injuring another 20, and killing plenty of civilians too.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 09:29 AM
The #Putin-#Assad coalition captured #Rabia
ALL of its inhabitants are refugees or dead now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_ZDjHSAWK0 …

RussianAirstrikes and missile attacks killed 11 civilians in #Salqin and 7 in #Aleppo yesterday.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 09:29 AM
While Kerry is off pressuring the anti Assad forces/Sunni Front States who have been fighting for five years HE already knows the Putin and Assad negotiating position from the very beginning....

Hilal inspects troops & talks tough pre-Geneva: "What we didn't give in the past 5 yrs...we won't give today"
http://www.sana.sy/?p=327614

BUT remember it was Obama who blinked and compromised...."Assad is the problem and must go first....that statement repeated for over four years" AND now..."oh he can stay at least until March 2017"...long after I am gone.

Now that is a great and highly successful Syrian strategy that he claims just needs a little more messaging on to get everyone to understand his strategy.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 09:37 AM
Saleh Muslim of PYD says he still hasn't received an invitation to Geneva III, and no one else has either
http://www.pydrojava.com/?p=8892

Interesting read.....
The People are Revolting: An Anatomy of Authoritarian Counterinsurgency
http://warontherocks.com/2016/01/regimes-and-revolt-authoritarian-ways-of-counterinsurgency/?
interesting by @DavidUcko

Moderator adds: Ucko's article is subject of a separate thread.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 09:38 AM
Disinformation 101: Remember that Russia-FSA meeting in Abu Dhabi?
http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/media-maskirovka-russia-and-the-free-syrian-army …
it was all the rage in Kremlin media—and all fake

Making stuff up is a risk-free strategy for Sputnik/VoR/RT: their own readers don't care & real media continues to reprint without follow-up

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 09:57 AM
Dedicating this comment to the so called US DoS Kerry approach to negotiations based on Russian demands.....

Syrian opposition ex-chief @hadialbahra: the opposition is committed to the Riyadh formula for entering peace talks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEanOaqeA-Q&feature=youtu.be …

The opposition is adamant about two delegations, one represents the govt & one represents the opposition; reject any attempt to change that.

Reliable Ibrahim Hamidi writes that Kerry delivered/backed Russian conditions 2 Syrian HNC team n Riyadh on Saturday http://alhayat.com/Articles/13617136

Humanitarian access & ending sieges aren't part of the talks, all parties agreed to them as per UNSC & the question is re mechanism
NOTICE the former US Ambassador Ford comment fits perfectly...that the US creditability concerning the three previously passed UNSC resolution concerning stopping the bombings and humanitarian aid is badaly damaged by Kerry and Obama.

Okaz also has a report about the US pressure on the Syrian opposition to accept compromises & Russia-driven demands http://www.okaz.com.sa/new/mobile/20160125/Con20160125821176.htm …

He can't really be this naive –– John Kerry says U.S.-Saudi friendship stronger than ever
http://bit.ly/1ZX3u7Q AP

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 10:02 AM
After following the so called US negotiation positions on eastern Ukraine for 18 months, and the Syrian US positions for over 4 years CAN any SWJ reader actually answer with a honest face the following......

1. does the US ie Obama, his NSC and Kerry have a valid sound and sane negotiation strategy at all for eastern Ukraine??.

2. does Obama, his NSC and Kerry even have one for Syria???

3. is in fact with the US support for the Putin demands in eastern Ukraine and in Syria...has the US become complicit in "war crimes" and in the support of "genocide"

4. is in fact the Kerry positions actually those of Putin and just why is the WH hiding that from the general US public behind a wall of ..."people just do not understand us"...thus we need more info warfare messaging to convince them

5. can the drive to have a super squeaky clean legacy as a President who ended wars and got the US out of the US Marshall's business at the cost of thousands of killed civilians...can it survive the time of historical research???

OR is in fact the so called US position in eastern Ukraine and Syria nothing more or less than the demands placed on the US by Putin and the US caving to those demands....in order to give the perception that the US is doing something---anything at all that looks like a foreign policy.

OR has the US administration basically so retrenched itself in Europe and the ME that one could in fact state the US has all but abandoned Europe and the ME to the Russian "sphere of influence" and pulled the US basically back to it's neutral historical "sphere of influence ending at the US coastline touching the Atlantic....."????

It sure seems so.....as the US has all but openly pressured the Ukraine to unilaterally cave to the Putin demands and it is doing the same unilateral caving to Putin's demands with the anti Assad forces and the Sunni Front States.......

Taken from comment above.........

Dedicating this comment to the so called US DoS Kerry approach to negotiations based on Russian demands.....

Syrian opposition ex-chief @hadialbahra: the opposition is committed to the Riyadh formula for entering peace talks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEan...ature=youtu.be …

The opposition is adamant about two delegations, one represents the govt & one represents the opposition; reject any attempt to change that.

Reliable Ibrahim Hamidi writes that Kerry delivered/backed Russian conditions 2 Syrian HNC team n Riyadh on Saturday
http://alhayat.com/Articles/13617136

Humanitarian access & ending sieges aren't part of the talks, all parties agreed to them as per UNSC & the question is re mechanism
NOTICE the former US Ambassador Ford comment fits perfectly...that the US creditability concerning the three previously passed UNSC resolution concerning stopping the bombings and humanitarian aid is badaly damaged by Kerry and Obama.

Okaz also has a report about the US pressure on the Syrian opposition to accept compromises & Russia-driven demands http://www.okaz.com.sa/new/mobile/20...0125821176.htm …

He can't really be this naive –– John Kerry says U.S.-Saudi friendship stronger than ever
http://bit.ly/1ZX3u7Q AP

NOW convince me the touted Obama WH/Kerry successful Syrian strategy...at least they claim it is successful is really just the Putin Assad strategy being repacked and sold as the US position.....

Humanitarian access & ending sieges aren't part of the talks, all parties agreed to them as per UNSC & the question is re mechanism

The report says the opposition rejected these demands & insisted on the Riyadh opposition composition which represents all opposition.

If the opposition doesn't accept, according to the reports, de Mistura will invite them regardless as "consultants and experts".

John Kerry, according to these reports, also told the opposition they have to include PYD's Saleh Muslim & DSC's Haitham Manna to delegation

The report says Kerry told the opposition Assad has the right to run & no timetable for his departure.

Al Hayat says Kerry dictated to the opposition "his understanding with Lavrov" that they have to go & discuss a "national unity government"

Al Hayat also reports on John Kerry's "threats" to the Syrian opposition about the peace talks
http://alhayat.com/Articles/13617136 …
getting out of hand

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 10:26 AM
Russian missiles killed over 20 ppl in Salqin #Idlib. Possibly 9K52 Luna launched frm defence factories south Aleppo

Syria this missile just hit Selqeen #Idlib but didn't explode(looks like Tochka missile)

160 civilians killed in Deir Ezzor by Russians over the weekend! Where's the western outrage?!
http://en.deirezzor24.net/russian-deadly-airstrikes-kill-160-civilians-including-35-children-and-9-women-in-deir-ezzor-within-three-days/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 10:32 AM
http://eaworldview.com/2016/01/syria-daily-did-kerry-give-ultimatum-to-opposition-over-talks-with-regime/

Syria Daily: Did Kerry Give Ultimatum to Opposition Over Talks With Regime?

January 25

10:36 2016


UPDATE 0930 GMT: US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that he hopes for “clarity” within 24 to 48 hours on opposition-regime talks.

The discussions were supposed to have started today in Geneva, but have foundered over conditions set by both the Assad regime and the opposition and over Russia’s objections to the opposition-rebel negotiating team.

During a visit to Laos, Kerry said he agreed with UN envoy Staffan de Mistura that invitations for the talks should not be sent out until “you have pieces lined up”:

They have to be serious. If they are not serious, war will continue. Up to them — you can lead a horse to water; you can’t make it drink.

We have created a framework; the Syrians have the ability to decide the future of Syria.

“We will have to see what decision Staffan makes as to exactly how he is going to begin; but we don’t want to decide and have it crumble on day one. It’s worth taking a day or two, or three, or whatever.

Amid claims that he issued an ultimatum to the opposition-rebel team, Kerry rejected comments from the team’s coordinator, former Prime Minister Riad Hijab, about demands from Washington:

I don’t know where this is coming from. Maybe it’s a pressure thing or an internal political thing, but that is not the situation.

They are the negotiators; so they will decide the future. What I did tell them is that it’s by mutual consent. You have a veto, so does he [President Assad], so you are going to have to decide how to move forward here.

“The position of the United States is and hasn’t changed, that we are still supporting the opposition politically, financially and militarily,” he added.


ORIGINAL ENTRY: A “high-level source in the Syrian opposition” has accused US Secretary of State John Kerry of giving the opposition-rebel bloc an ultimatum: enter negotiations with the Assad regime or face a cut-off of support.

According to the London-based al-Araby, Kerry delivered the message in a meeting with the coordinator of the opposition-rebel team, former Prime Minister Riad Hijab, in Riyadh on Saturday.

The source said the discussion was “catastrophic and very bad”, as “Kerry carried the Russian and Iranian messages” about the international gathering planned for Geneva. He claimed the Secretary of State distanced himself from pressure on the Assad regime, saying, that “his country will not interfere in Syria, but will only fight terrorism and nothing else”.

According to the report, Kerry stepped away from the explicit requirement that President Assad must leave power, replacing the call for a “transitional governing authority” — maintained by the UN and the international community since 2012 — with the objective of a “national unity government”.

The opposition-rebel bloc, named in Saudi Arabia last week, has said that it will not begin talks until there are halts to Russian and regime bombing, release of detainees from regime prisons, and access to humanitarian aid for besieged areas.

The source said Kerry asserted that the conditions did not have to be fulfilled, but should be part of the Geneva discussions.

In addition, Kerry allegedly supported modification of the opposition-rebel delegation by UN envoy Staffan de Mistura.

Russia has objected to the 33-member opposition-rebel team, putting up an alternative list of 15 names including politicians close to Moscow and Kurdish representatives. Three Western diplomats said last week that Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had reached a compromise that invitations should be sent to both groups.

A former President of the Syrian National Coalition and member of the opposition-rebel team advised caution over the report, as he said a final decision on the talks would be made on Tuesday:


Meanwhile, the Assad regime cast further doubt over the talks by indicating that it will make no concessions and repeating its objections to the opposition-rebel team.

“We are not going to give today what we did not give over the past five years,” said senior Baath Party official Hilal al-Hilal late Saturday. “This year will be the year of victory for Syria because of the heroic acts and sacrifices by its army and people.”

Regime newspaper Tishrin said in an editorial on Sunday that the Geneva talks should not include “representatives for the agendas terrorist-supporting countries that seek a seat for terrorism at the dialogue table”.

The reference was to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, all of whom back the opposition-rebel bloc.


SO did he pressure/threaten or not.......??????

To much was leaked immediately after his meetings with the anti Assad front which indicates he in fact threatened the anti Assad front as he urgently needs to get talks going to show the Us has a "highly successful Syrian strategy" that the WH keeps talking about.. "emphasis on talking about..".

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 10:45 AM
One of the main JaI negotiators (Alloush..whose brother was recently assassinated for leading JaI)for Geneva stated after the Kerry threats and his statement was interesting but largely overlooked by US MSM and Kerry as well..."we will see how the next few days develop.....might be a surprise to all".

THEN this four hours ago came across Twitter....

Preparation is underway for a major joint Saudi-Pakistani-Egyptian military exercise, code named Northern thunder, in the north of KSA.

THEN this comment three hours ago....

Whenever sectarianism enters a country it destroys it. Iran is working hard to spread this disease because it helps its expansionist policy.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 10:49 AM
Interesting.
Assad reportedly has arrest warrants for 1.7m people from 150 nationalities including 5,748 Saudis.

AND issued warrants for those anti Assad negotiators going to Geneva as well. NOTICE Kerry said nothing about that.

To stop Syrian fighting, first press the parties--especially Assad--to stop the atrocities.
http://bit.ly/1ScZ1Ii
THAT includes now Russia as well.....

Not sure what the context of his statement was but should Iran get a bomb Saudi will get a bomb. Plain and simple.

Amazing how little confidence people have in whatever comes from American officials. The image of the USA has severely been damaged.

Iraq PM Abadi unhappy foreigners come to his country to wage Jihad. Iraqis fighting in #Syria dont bother Abadi

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 12:19 PM
http://eaworldview.com/2016/01/syria-daily-did-kerry-give-ultimatum-to-opposition-over-talks-with-regime/

Syria Daily: Did Kerry Give Ultimatum to Opposition Over Talks With Regime?

January 25

10:36 2016



SO did he pressure/threaten or not.......??????

To much was leaked immediately after his meetings with the anti Assad front which indicates he in fact threatened the anti Assad front as he urgently needs to get talks going to show the Us has a "highly successful Syrian strategy" that the WH keeps talking about.. "emphasis on talking about..".

Interesting response today by the anti Assad front HNC....notice the emphasis is on fulfil what you signed off on at the UN in order for us the NHC to judge your full faith in negotiations....notice it is being sold in the West as "obstacles" and "preconditions" and the HNC says..."no we just want you to implement what you have passed in the UNSC so we do not have to re-negotiate for the same things from Assad and Putin" which is what you are basically telling us to do....

Actually makes sense as there is no trust in whatever the US is telling them....as they perceive the US as just a carrier for Putin's demands....


Salim al-Muslat, a spokesman for the Syrian opposition's High Negotiation Committee (HNC), accused Russia and the Syrian government of throwing obstacles in the path of talks that were originally due to begin in Geneva on Monday.

The HNC, formed in Saudi Arabia last month and grouping armed and political opponents of Assad, has repeatedly said talks cannot begin until air strikes are halted, government sieges of rebel held territory are lifted and detainees freed, steps outlined in a Dec. 18 U.N. Security Council resolution.

"We want to realize pure humanitarian matters. They are not preconditions. It is an international resolution at least part of which must be implemented, so we see there is seriousness and good will in this matter," al-Muslat said on Saudi-owned Arabic news channel Arabiya al-Hadath.

"Unfortunately, it is not possible to sit and talk to anyone without the suffering being lifted first."

The lead negotiator appointed by the HNC told Reuters on Sunday said the opposition was coming under pressure from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to attend the talks before these demands were met.

Muslat however said on Monday the talks with Kerry had been "positive" and that the opposition was "sticking by certain principles, not putting up obstacles."

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 12:23 PM
Appears the Russian MoD is caught lying again....yes they have already moved and it has been confirmed troops and engineers to the new air field.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman denies that Russia is building an additional base in Syria (Tass, Interfax)

They have an unrestricted SOFA with Syrian so they can do whatever they want to without even asking Assad.....

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 12:40 PM
Russia's Ground Operation in Syria: ‘Polite People’ in the Slanfah Area https://informnapalm.org/en/jan23-syria-polite/ … via @en_informnapalm pic.twitter.com/hBRLai3wt1

Reference Russian info warfare targeting Ukraine and Syria......
Typical theme in #Russia's propaganda strategies: when the facts are inconvenient, discuss the motivation of those disclosing them, instead.

Russia'n trainers instruct SDV' rifle basic Sniping course for Syria'n soldiers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bna3fIZ7PAw …
pic.twitter.com/VprC2aXwEp

Exact same training process as for the Russian mercenaries in eastern Ukraine which has been heavily relying on sniper attacks the last few weeks...

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:12 PM
Russian Express is on the move again.....

XX-TK Antwerp, X-Alican Deval, currently Dvinitsa 50, 2015 addition to #SyriaExpress is en route to #Tartus #Syria

Russian soldiers and sailors on Dvinitsa-50: Cargo vessel transited southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

ВМФ Naval Auxiliary Fleet cargo ship Dvinitsa 50 carried six 20ft ISO containers above the deck

This is the fourth Syrian deployment for #ВМФ cargo vessel Dvinitsa-50 since it was purchased early October 2015

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:18 PM
Iran calls on Saudi to reduce tension
http://www.unian.info/world/1245616-iran-calls-on-saudi-to-reduce-tension.html …
pic.twitter.com/4r4oDFFYkF

BUT WAIT did not Khamenei declare he was going to pull out IRGC, Hezbollah Lebanon/Iraq, the Iraqi Shia militias and the Shia mercenaries out of Syria...wait that certainly did not happen BUT let's announce to the world....the KSA should lower tensions......??????

Iranian info warfare hard at work........maybe if we make enough KSA info war announcements the world will not notice our massive military engagement inside Syria.......

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:24 PM
Russian guy V Korneev films himself in desert with Rus Msta-Bs and Syrian BM-21s. 'For VDV'
https://www.facebook.com/sy.Harbisyria/videos/461889603998270/?theater …
pic.twitter.com/8tR771e8rD

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:26 PM
And that totally successful Obama Syrian strategy is not the same exact strategy as Putin is pushing....come on now...it really is.....

Kerry rejected that he was pressuring the HNC into a unilateral compromise with no reciprocal Russian movements.......yes he certainly did.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia

Sergey Lavrov & John Kerry called on UN's Special Envoy to announce the start date of intra-Syrian negotiations http://sputniknews.com/world/20160125/1033667074/lavrov-kerry-date-intra... …

Kerry really does seem to believe the Sunni Front States and the HNC "trusts" the US........really......????

WHAT about the fulfilment of the three UNSC resolutions that both the US/Russia supported and have utterly failed to implement????

NOTICE Lavrov mentioned nothing about them did he......?

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:33 PM
NOTICE the drumbeat against the Syrian group JaN which a DC think tank now claims is a far greater threat than IS.....that is what I like about US media and US think tanks....maybe just maybe they need to actually talk to the HNC and or Sham or JaI to get their view of the fellow anti Assad fighting group.

Their views might be a tad different than those of a DC think tank.......

Experts warn that the US is underestimating a greater jihadist threat than ISIS
http://read.bi/1ZYGpBT

Last time I checked JaN has never uttered a single threat against the US nor carried out any attack agains the West besides in some aspects Russia is a far greater existential threat to the US than JaN will ever be.......

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:51 PM
SyAA T-72 driver training variant, all onboard!
pic.twitter.com/e1GBMlyxVe
pic.twitter.com/GTSOmO7I2X

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 01:53 PM
So is Obama/Kerry throwing the Syrians under the bus in order to get a compromise with Putin at all costs for his legacy OR to set a new global "spheres of influence into play or what Putin has basically been wanting since 2008 "a new Yalta"..........????

INDICATOR: the suddenly announced unrestricted Russian SOFA for Syrian signed in August 2015 long before the RuAF arrived in Syria....NOTICE once it was announced not a single comment from Obama and Kerry....

This is coming out of the ME comments....and confirms US pressure on the anti Assad forces in the face of their constant statements that they support them......


Rebel sources in Latakia tell me TOW missile supply has been almost completely cut off in January as a result of US pressure pre-Geneva.

Entirely possible that Russian de-escalation in Ukraine may lead to face-saving compromises for it in Syria

That's basically what the rebels believe.

I suspect a result of a more complicated calculation about the final borders between each side's sphere of influence

How long until an upset CIA agent spills the beans on this?

So has Kerry now been basically publicly lying about his "no pressure"...??

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:06 PM
One of the best short comments on Putin by the former DoD Russian expert who after attempting to be heard by Obama and his NSC simply gave up and left DoD.....

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/next-president-putin-pentagon-policy-213559#ixzz3yGSsbzaq

Actually in some aspects repeats much of what I have been commenting here for a long number of months but I go a step further and view Putin in his current form an existential threat to the US simply because he in believing his own coolaid is willing to use nuclear weapons.


Madam/Mr. President-to-be-elected, you will enter office facing Vladimir Putin’s Russia as a potential geostrategic threat to the United States. You will need a strategy to counter and resist this threat, which is only growing. At the moment, Putin appears to be closer to prevailing in Syria and holding steady in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. His use of force to protect despots and to render governments hostage to Moscow’s will is working to some extent, as Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford tacitly acknowledged last week when he told reporters that because of Russia’s military intervention in Syria, the Assad regime “is in a better place” ahead of scheduled peace talks in Geneva this week. Putin may have helped Assad regain control of enough of Syria to potentially retain power and in Eastern Europe the states with uninvited Russian forces continue to experience limits on their territorial and political sovereignty.

What precisely is the threat from Russia? Putin’s two main objectives—to keep himself in power and to rebuild Russia as a great power—do not in themselves endanger U.S. national interests. The threat lies in the fact that Putin is trying to achieve his goals by rewriting international rules and norms that are critical to U.S. security. Specifically, he seeks to inaugurate a new international order that permits human rights abuses by despotic leaders and invasion, occupation and political subversion of sovereign states. Not to mention assassination: Only last week, a British inquiry led by retired high court judge Robert Owen found that the murder of former FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 was “probably” directed by the Russian president.

To permit this behavior to go unchallenged would mean the end of the post-World War II Westphalian, post- Cold War world order, which simultaneously enshrined territorial state sovereignty and human and minority rights. And we certainly can't let Russia weaken or destroy NATO, our most effective operational alliance, and our solidarity with Europe our biggest trading partner.

If Russia wins its aims outright—Ukraine remains ungovernable and territories in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova remain occupied, and Assad remains in power—Putin’s Kremlin will be emboldened to use military force again and again to achieve its foreign (and domestic) policy objectives. Your administration will need to do more with our allies and partners to prevent a resolution to ongoing or “frozen” conflicts that runs counter to the wishes of the people of those countries. This is not to say that we should not compromise in order to put an end to conflict and human suffering (especially in Syria), but we must structure our compromises so that they contain the path to, or at least, the possibility for future exercise of democratic political and territorial sovereignty.

The United States must counter and resist Russia’s actions though a combination of deterrence, strengthening our allies and partners and communicating the truth about the Kremlin’s actions to the international community. Your administration must strive to convince Russia that neo-Soviet adventurism on its periphery will not advance its interests; Russia cannot be allowed to prevail in Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova, where its military occupations have led to so-called frozen conflicts that serve as a Russian veto on the policies of those countries. Russia can have influence on those countries, but it should be based on mutual sovereign agreement, not coercion.

This is a propitious moment to shift into a more forward-leaning posture. Despite Moscow’s apparent strength on the world stage, it is dealing from economic weakness. The international sanctions have hurt—last April Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said they had cost Russia $26.7 billion in 2014 and he expected that to rise to $80 billion by the end of 2015. But the real leverage the United States and our allies have is owed to the collapse of oil prices. Over half of Russian government revenues are derived from oil and gas. The Russian government budget for 2016 was predicated on an oil price of $50 per barrel, but the price is now hovering at about $30 a barrel and may fall further. The World Bank estimates that Russian GDP will continue shrinking by 0.7 percent in 2016.

Until now, Russian officials have insisted that the military budget takes priority and will not suffer significant cuts. But if Russia keeps up its military operations in Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere, the accumulating costs may provide ammunition to Russian economists and other officials who are wary of, if not opposed to, the new Russian military adventurism. And if the economic situation worsens for the average Russian due to inflation and the falling value of the ruble, resource realities could, over time, rein in Russian military operations and lead Russia to a more accommodating policy. Former Russian Economic Minister Alexei Kudrin recently reminded Russians that the cost of supporting Crimea and the separatists in eastern Ukraine are far greater than military operations in Syria; these costs include infrastructure, and social support and are estimated to run into billions of dollars.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:17 PM
Iran already is fighting in Syria, and shipping & funding Shia fighters in Iraq & Yemen. How much wider can Iran drive the Sunni Shia conflict?.

Right now it controls four Arab capitals.....Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen and Iran wants the KS to "lower tensions".....?

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:22 PM
Deraa: 4 Assad forces killed & 2 captured in an ambush minutes ago

Aleppo: Rebels have to get their act together. 7 Ahrar fighters killed in a carbomb 4 of which were leaders in movement

Aleppo: Carbomb goes of in Sakri during a funeral for Ahrar fighter. Most likely a sleeper cell operating

Damascus: Latest Rebel gains in Al Marj
http://goo.gl/aXaeD6

East Ghouta: Assad regime bulldozer destroyed & 4 of their forces also killed in rebel attack

Qamishli: Kurdish fighters say they have evidence Assads NDF carried out car-bombing against them
http://fb.me/4Fidlbkrc

Hezbollah breaks the agreement in Madaya & now asking residents to abandon their homes, new form of ethnic cleansing
http://baladi-news.com/%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84/%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%B2%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B1%D9%82-%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%86%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%A5%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%84%D9%87%D9%85/3135/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:27 PM
One of the main JaI negotiators (Alloush..whose brother was recently assassinated for leading JaI)for Geneva stated after the Kerry threats and his statement was interesting but largely overlooked by US MSM and Kerry as well..."we will see how the next few days develop.....might be a surprise to all".

THEN this four hours ago came across Twitter....

Preparation is underway for a major joint Saudi-Pakistani-Egyptian military exercise, code named Northern thunder, in the north of KSA.

THEN this comment three hours ago....

Whenever sectarianism enters a country it destroys it. Iran is working hard to spread this disease because it helps its expansionist policy.

Interesting move as this releases the KSA troops that have been stationed their and they are position to move towards the Yemen KSA border regions.

Saudi: Egyptian & Pakistani forces have reached northern Saudi to protect borders with Iraq

So now Iran has to counter move as the Arab Sunni units could in theory "threaten Iraq and Yemen"...do they pull IRGC troops and or Iraqi Shia militias into the border areas...yes or no......???

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:37 PM
SCD @SyriaCivilDef recovered 6martyrs
20+wounded victims of #Russia airstrks on #Tarmanin city
#Aleppo #Syria JAN25

Iraqi Shi'a militia Liwa Assad Allah al-Ghalib video of ops in Latakia: note Suqur al-Sahara' armpatches:

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:42 PM
Russian Express is on the move again.....

XX-TK Antwerp, X-Alican Deval, currently Dvinitsa 50, 2015 addition to #SyriaExpress is en route to #Tartus #Syria

Russian soldiers and sailors on Dvinitsa-50: Cargo vessel transited southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

ВМФ Naval Auxiliary Fleet cargo ship Dvinitsa 50 carried six 20ft ISO containers above the deck

This is the fourth Syrian deployment for #ВМФ cargo vessel Dvinitsa-50 since it was purchased early October 2015

2 More ships, Novocherkassk and Yamal of FLOT crossed the bosphorus southboumd, en route to syria
pic.twitter.com/gofPK0EwZS

ВМФ #ЧФ BSF Ropucha class LST Novocherkassk transits southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria
pic.twitter.com/NP0Xki9MJR

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 02:45 PM
And that totally successful Obama Syrian strategy is not the same exact strategy as Putin is pushing....come on now...it really is.....

Kerry rejected that he was pressuring the HNC into a unilateral compromise with no reciprocal Russian movements.......yes he certainly did.

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia

Sergey Lavrov & John Kerry called on UN's Special Envoy to announce the start date of intra-Syrian negotiations http://sputniknews.com/world/20160125/1033667074/lavrov-kerry-date-intra... …

Kerry really does seem to believe the Sunni Front States and the HNC "trusts" the US........really......????

WHAT about the fulfilment of the three UNSC resolutions that both the US/Russia supported and have utterly failed to implement????

NOTICE Lavrov mentioned nothing about them did he......?

Wow...UN gets faster when threatened but still cannot deliver aid to Sunni besieged towns that are being starved into submission by Hezbollah and Assad/Putin......

UN special envoy de Mistura says Syrian proximity talks to start on Jan 29th. Says talks will last 6 months.

Still though no formal acceptance of the invitations by the HNC........Turkey and or the KSA.....

davidbfpo
01-25-2016, 02:51 PM
Interesting move as this releases the KSA troops that have been stationed their and they are position to move towards the Yemen KSA border regions.

Saudi: Egyptian & Pakistani forces have reached northern Saudi to protect borders with Iraq

So now Iran has to counter move as the Arab Sunni units could in theory "threaten Iraq and Yemen"...do they pull IRGC troops and or Iraqi Shia militias into the border areas...yes or no......???

I think you will find there was a similar exercise one or two years ago, in the same area. Perhaps it is just a repeat? Alas I cannot readily find the post with the news.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 06:35 PM
I think you will find there was a similar exercise one or two years ago, in the same area. Perhaps it is just a repeat? Alas I cannot readily find the post with the news.

David ----there was but take this one in the context of the recent Pakistani statement that they will always come to the assistance of the KSA as a Sunni nation.....then watch closely the recent Pakistani military moves on the Iranian border....there has been some and it is not so subtle that the Iranians have not noticed.....this places Sunni armies on two Iranian border fronts along with the ongoing internal Kurdish unrest that has resulted in an extremely high number of Kurds being executed along with MEQ operations that have resumed.

This might just be the reason the Iranian FM released a statement that the KSA should reduce the tensions....the Iranians are gereat at agitating BUT this time I am sensing they are seriously afraid open war might just break out as they have annnounced the arrests of over 100 for burning the KSA Embassy one of whom is a firebrand Shia mid range cleric ...some say as a scapgoat excuse.......will be interesting as he has a moderate following inside Iran and Iraq....

Regarldess of sanctions being lifted the drain on the Iranian Shia mercenary army inside Syria is costing them a bundle and their so called oil earnings...they have been offerring on crude contracts oil at 20 to 22 USDs.

THAT is the reason Putin is racing to get some kind of solution in place to lower war costs for both him and the IRGC.....

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 06:58 PM
Deraa: Syrian Rebels capture 1 of 8 Haraqat Muthanna Headquarters

There's a lot of ASSadists infiltrating in many liberated neighborhoods and committing crimes against civilians and opposition groups..

SIG : #Russia Bombed 25 Schools since Start of Its Aggression Last September
http://ow.ly/3yVOyl

Bab_alHawa hospital confirmed 6martyrs(3 children) victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Tarmanin
#Idlib #Syria JAN25

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs on Bashkoy village
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 25

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting Hayan & Rytan towns
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 25

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting Kharita and Al-Hawayj towns in western Deir Ezzor countryside Syria JAN 25

No, Kerry is perfecting the art of 'Leading from behind'. It's now 'Leading from behind Iran'. :)
https://twitter.com/abusamy99/status/691481889689997312 …

#Reports
Reinforced #Assad forces take most of Sheikh Miskeen under 33 Russian airstrikes (just today) while undersupplied rebels withdraw.

#Footage
Another day of #RussianAirstrikes by Su-34 in #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcR_RlBU-Rk …
#Daraa #Syria

Activists report decision to let Assad win the war - at least in the south - was not just met in Moscow but also in Washington

Obama desperately trying to impose a facade resolution to Syrian conflict before his term ends for another chapter to write in his biography

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 07:17 PM
Biden calls PKK a terrorist group. Meanwhile, U.S. arms YPG, which is just PKK on the other side of the border
http://news.yahoo.com/biden-says-pkk-terror-group-plain-simple-130758983.html

If #Iraq is suffering in the fight against ISIS due to manpower shortages then whats with sectarian Iraqis in Syria?

Will not post the corresponding video to this..brutal and where is the voice of the US...lost somehow behind Putin's highly successful Syrian strategy......

Sectarian Shia militants abusing & subsequently executing a 13 year old sunni child.
#Iraq
Diayala area is where this video was taken by a Shia militant via Smartphone.....by the way they were carrying US weapons.....

Simply amazing that more Sunnis are not flooding into the arms of IS...

Not exactly sure how much longer the KSA, Turkey and Pakistan will remain quiet over the unending videos coming out ot the ME depiciting Shia militia torturing, killing and otherwsie committing war crimes on the Sunni populations in both Iraq and Syria.......

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 07:37 PM
Syria: local sources report #Russia'n warplanes bombarded Mare' with cluster munition, main rebel defense line against #Daesh

Reports that 400 #FSA militants launched a counter attack on army districts in #SheikhMiskeen #Daraa.

Deir Ezzor: Assad regime commandeer Yasin Mohamed Hamud, killed by ISIS pic.twitter.com/PKw9Xmp5xX

Syria oppo coalition head, Khaled Khoja says: "Kerry..has long been delivering messages similar to those drafted by Iran & Russia". Trouble.

Turkey has previously announced they will not attend the Geneva talks if Salih Muslim attends as they view him a member of the PKK...which is the US supported YPG on the Syrian side..

SYRIA: Unconfirmed reports that Salih Muslim is on his way to Geneva to take part in peace talks.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 08:29 PM
US Envoy 4 #Syria M. Ratney tells @alhayatdaily in Exclusive tom.: Lot of Reports on #Kerry meeting w Opposition Not True+Mischarcterization

This is a strange comment as MOST Syrians can and do speak English well and the US always uses Interpreters.....SO how could Kerry have been so misunderstood ........

US Envoy on #Syria tells Al-Hayat :US Sees No Role for #Assad in #Syria future.Delegation from Riyadh meeting's Representative of Opposition

Sounds like they did fully understand Kerry ..........

Syria oppo coalition head, Khaled Khoja says: "Kerry..has long been delivering messages similar to those drafted by Iran & Russia". Trouble.

OUTLAW 09
01-25-2016, 08:32 PM
EX DEFENSE SECRETARY: Obama hurt US credibility after Syria crossed his ‘red line'
http://read.bi/1TkiZlf
pic.twitter.com/zqhHMnGNqS

BUT WAIT don't we have a highly successful Syrian strategy hard at work...???

davidbfpo
01-25-2016, 10:22 PM
Cited in part:
David ----there was but take this one in the context of the recent Pakistani statement that they will always come to the assistance of the KSA as a Sunni nation...

Pakistan has declined to join the broad alliance announced pre-Xmas by Saudi Arabia and an earlier request for their military support over the conflict, which became a war with the Houthi and allies in the Yemen. I'd hardly call that 'always come to the assistance of the KSA'.

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 12:05 AM
[B]160 civilians killed in Deir Ezzor by Russians over the weekend! Where's the western outrage?!...nowhere: this is now Daesh-held area and thus all the locals are 'terrorists'...

... so much so, it doesn't matter if Russians don't have trace of clue whom are they bombing there.


...There is no public support to go ride to the rescue of Islamist groups in Syria/the handful of secular pro-democracy people.......yup, and that's so precisely because people are so '100% sure' about that illusion that all these are 'Islamist groups' and there is 'only a handful of secular pro-democracy people'...

...and knowing the way Syrians are (piss-poor, stubborn, and surely not ready to go lobbying anybody anywhere), that's going to remain that way, 'forever'.

Therefore: forget all the 'Vienna talks'. It's going to be plenty of empty babbling in complete disregard for people of Syria.

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 08:03 AM
The Kurds hire great lobbyists in DC. They have done a much better job to hide the stink from Western readers, than say the Muslim Brotherhood has.



The Saudis fund people to lop off heads and put civilians in cages, they like to cluster bomb weddings, and couldn't beat a drum. Pakistan, which has never won a war, isn't much better and can't afford to get bogged down away from the LOC, and Turkey has a PKK problem.



JAN, a terrorist group, is AQ's local franchise; if someone from the US tried to join it they would end up in a federal prison. Franchise of the same outfit which murdered three thousand Americans one morning. Hell if an American tried to join much of the anti-Assad coalition they would get snatched off an airplane and put into the pavement so quick their head would spin. It's an insult to the victims of 9/11 that we aren't drone striking them on a daily basis.



Imaginary concept, which would blame Costa Rica and Cambodia for not sending troops. And this isn't a genocide.



This isn't the Holocaust.



Those are preconditions in the real world.



A chapter few of his supporters will care about anyways. There is no public support to go ride to the rescue of Islamist groups in Syria/the handful of secular pro-democracy people. Come to the US and ask around, or lobby your home country to ride in to the rescue.
===
From the analyst who was clearly deluded....


Democracies like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar... errr.... Egypt...



Wait, what? Is this where someone rattles of a list of Western nations doing the same when it suited them.

Must be nice to be in a fantasy world; though if that is his best shot it is a shame he cashed a tax payer funded cheque for so long.

=================================


http://syriadirect.org/news/ahrar-nusra-spat-draws-condemnation-as-regime-advances-in-latakia/

You know I have seen the same similar style of cut and paste approach to comments but it came from Russian trolls on the Ukrainian thread.....now if we accept the commenter is from the US then the following comment is directed to the commenter....it is far easier to do a cut and paste critique BUT really hard to formulate a direct answer using knowledge of the area involved.

Wellington said something similar in fact.......paraphrased........life is all about asking questions about things you do not know using your known knowledge....

Taken straight from this US administration in their own publicly released strategy......

The National Security Strategy accurately outlines the responsibility and interest of the United States to respond to and prevent atrocities.

The mass killing of civilians is an affront to our common humanity and a threat to our common security. It destabilizes countries and regions … [and] creates grievances that extremists exploit. We have a strong interest in leading an international response to genocide and mass atrocities when they arise. … [It is] less costly when we act preventively before situations reach crisis proportions.

BTW.....this social media comment out of Aleppo yesterday kind of sums up the US National Security Strategy....think about what it is saying....??
No this isn't 1945 WWII Nazi Germany, this is #Aleppo Syria January 25, 2016.
You're 9/11 is our 24/7

Obama's answer...hey we have this really great successful Syrian strategy that is working ..."all we need is more messaging".....come on....

NOW go to the recent article carried in SWJ that in fact the Obama administration has this raving roaring highly successful Syrian strategy that is totally working....ONLY we the common people do not get it THUS Obama and the entire government including DoD and DoS MUST simply do more "messaging" THEN we the common people will fully understand it...a literal interpretation of the article naturally.

If we take all of your comments then one would assume that you naturally fully understand UW THEN you might not have excluded Putin's non linear warfare being conducted right now in eastern Ukraine and now Syria NOR would you have excluded the Khomeini now Khamenei "revolutionary Islam" that has sent over 20,000 Shia mercenaries and IRGC troops into Syria basically a Sunni nation state.

Yes the ME is a totally weird place for US citizens I know as I spent 18 long months talking to Sunni radicals from ASA, IAI, 1920 Revolutionary Brigades and QJBR and over to the Shia radical side with Badr, Sadr's groups and KH.

BUT does the US have strategic reasons to be in Syria in the first place...they sure do and yet the Obama administration does not want you to know them as that would require the use of force and Obama is all about the non use of force as he does not want to go down in history as using force.

Let's get back to the US...do we not preach to the entire world that the benefits of rule of law, good governance and transparency is what drives a developing civil society...yes we do so when a civil society stands up and states "we have had enough of 50 years of dictatorship" and simply now want the rule of law and good governance..... should we simply stand by when via genocide they are being wiped out because of these demands??

A old commenter here has often stated the US needs to provide support, help where necessary BUT then stand back and allow that civil society to develop on it's own.

BTW...this was written in an article from October 2015 and here we are five months later and the Obama administration has basically caved on anything they have demanded concerning Assad for the last four years....it is telling when one looks at the actions taken by Obama and his NSC.......we simply do not know what to do.

Thus far, the U.S. approach to the Syrian war has lacked both strategic coherence and effective resources. The conflict has deepened, and it now threatens vital interests of the United States. It is time to discard the objective of Assad’s removal, and bring American power to bear on a more immediate goal: to protect innocent people from the ever-increasing violence.

Justice is an appealing concept, and Assad’s continuation in power seems unjust. Yet the undeviating pursuit of what the United States and its allies deem just outcomes may prolong the Syrian conflict and simply create more time and space for greater injustice, and the propagation of the toxic conditions that empowered the Islamic State. Sun Tzu wrote, “When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.” This is sometimes called the “golden bridge” principle, and U.S. policy has ignored it to its own detriment.

Building on the three principles of protecting human rights by “freezing” the violence between the regime and non-Islamic State elements, continuing to weaken the Islamic State, and setting the conditions for a political process, the administration should develop strategic concepts and apply resources to achieve the new objective and adaptive follow-on objectives based on evolving threats and opportunities. The United States has the power to arbitrate between conflicting sides, using the shrewd application of diplomatic and military power to effectively bring a pause to the existing violence. This is not a comprehensive strategy, but it is a more effective framework upon which the United States can build a new strategy going forward.

This president loves talking but will never use force remember two statements from him......."I have a red line" and "we will judge Putin by his actions NOT his words"...and what happened after those words.....nothing really.

Also I would suggest learning Arabic and fully understanding both the motivation and drivers of the various anti Assad forces inside Syria...it would be an eye opener...for many Americans.

BTW...if I were you I would spend far more time fully understanding the Iranian UW support of Shia militias and militant groupings who have a definite ax to grind with the US in the ME....

Do you not find it interesting that the geo political goals of Iran and Russia when it concerns the US "suddenly met in Syria".

Seriously go back and research the Khomeini "Green Crescent" theories and his views on "revolutionary Islam" and then tell me you are more concerned about the politics of the Sunni Front States.....?

BTW...will post a video if you want to see it filmed by the Iraqi Shia militia KH that has a large number of killed US troops blood on their hands......this smart phone video was them physically abusing a 13 year old Sunni child ...basically a civilian who had been hiding from the Sunni ethnic cleansing KH is conducting in Diyala a place I know only to well....well they hauled him out a hiding place, abused him as he was tied up and then openly shot him multiple times....that my friend is the reality of the ME....

Focus on Iran and their Shia militias...in the ME they are far more a direct threat to the US than JaN will ever be..........

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 08:17 AM
Russia warplanes flying over northern #Homs cs towards south #Hama cs #Syria JAN 26

Ahrar al-Sham rebels are clashing w/ #Daesh militants outside of Albel this morning
https://youtu.be/GuWjPkmxnKU

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Tel_Jabin village
#Aleppo cs Syria JAN 26

SAA media: 11 people killed including 4 SAA aftermath car bomb explosion in the checkpoint of 60th Street, #Zahara
Homs Syria JAN26 pt

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Abtaa town
#Daraa #Syria JAN 26

Russia warplanes carried out more 4 airstrikes on #Sheikh_Meskin moments ago
Daraa Syria JAN 26

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Hatal town earlier today, no civilians casualties reported Al7amdulillah
DeirEzzor Syria JAN 26

SAA sniper shot a little boy in #Moadamiyah_alSham, earlier today, he is in serious condition in #alGhouta Hospital
#Damascus #Syria JAN 26

Rebels ambush on #SAA exterminated 20 of it's mercenaries at #Khan_Touman fronts
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 26

#Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Sheikh_Meskin as #SAA mercenaries shelling STS missiles
#Daraa #Syria JAN 26

Reports of chemical attack aftermath "unknown" airstrikes targeting downtown Raqqa, victims gasping for air due strong smell
Syria JAN 26

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 08:33 AM
Citing Qatar state TV, to get info out of the horses mouth, is no more an endorsement of that vile terrorist supporting regime, than citing Sputnik or RT is of harboring a man-crush towards bare-chested Russian manlets. Single handledly doubled their clicks based on the fall of AJA.Man... that's just one link about something that was reported a number of times. Here another example (http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/14/syria-local-councils-assad-isis?CMP=twt_gu) (cited here at least three times so far).

You do realize that no accusations in style of 'Qatar state TV' are going to deny these elections?


If an American tried to join the IF they would also end up a federal prisoner.If an American tried to join the IF - he (or she) wouldn't be accepted, because the IF does not accept any foreigners (and that since at least two years).


Well my friend that is the reality of it. There is minimal public support (and no public campaign) to help these guys, despite years of an aggressive media campaign and the MSM carrying water for them, including the use of the term "moderate." Really a remarkable story as to between horrible beliefs, massacres, beheadings, civilians in cages, suicide bombers, and AQ, these guys (and their GCC/Turkish supporters) basically discredited themselves.Yeah, 'they discredited themselves' - by MSM reporting nonsense about them... somehow, your own statements are contradicting themselves. :rolleyes:

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 08:40 AM
BUT what does the US do to appease unilaterally Putin...it restricts the TOW from the anti Assad fighters the only real equalizer right now in the face of massive combined Assad and Putin air strikes when MANPADs will bit be delivered....WHY the restriction of the weapons flows...Obama wants to pressure the anti Assad force into compromising with a genocidal dictator.Exactly like that.

BTW, it's not only restriction on TOW-supplies: it seems that the combined effect of that JAN's blockade of Sheikh Mishkin, plus US-induced Jordanian blockade, have forced insurgents to withdraw from that town without much more but some rearguard action...

As so often: congratulations Oblabla...

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:06 AM
FSA 1st Coastal Division take out a group of Assad forces with a Fagot ATGM in Marj Khokha, #Latakia, #Syria
http://youtu.be/axWxzOLmBZI

Just in from the Russian FMs yearly speech....
Lavrov insists that Kurds need to be included in Syrian peace talks, but concedes that it is up to UN to decide who is invited

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:08 AM
Embarrassing for the so called highly successful Obama Syrian strategy...??

Lavrov on Syria: "Kerry's always having problems with US partners in the region, like Turkey. He always calls on us to find a way out..."

AND even more Russian FM disinformation.......confirmed he died in a Lebanese hospital from gunshot wounds.....GUESS he was surfing and shot at a shark and missed him...

Lavrov denies that former head of Russian military intelligence Igor Sergun, who died recently, had been on a mission to ask Assad to resign

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:23 AM
Lavrov: Russia doesn't supply arms to the Kurds directly ...
Day of revelations ...
https://twitter.com/rianru/status/691897235626409988 …

Typical Russian deflection.....notice the answer emphasized the word "directly".......social media has already posted videos and eye witness statements from the Kurds themselves.......

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:30 AM
More Russian FM disinformation and this is the person Kerry "trusts" to comply with Minsk 2 and anything agreed to in Syria...????

BTW...a Russian FM should know what is exactly stated in the Budapest Memorandum that Russia signed BUT it seems he does not or ignores some of the exact wording that states definitely something else than what he is alluding to...

"Russia didn't break Budapest memorandum, because it only promised not to nuke Ukraine in it" - #Lavrov

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:41 AM
Confirmed via Russian social media now that Russian troops, and or contractors and or Russian mercenaries are fighting al along the Syrian front lines......

Said Amirov, another #Russian (merc or soldier) from the Caucasus region,now fighting for #Assad in central #Syria.
pic.twitter.com/fzcUKdth9k

Alexey Tyurin, another #Russian soldier, claiming to be deployed to central #Syria'a #Hama city now.

Maximka Lukyanov, just another #Russian soldier, claiming to fight in #Syria's central #Hama province now.

Irbis Balushkin, a #Russian soldier, who claims he is deployed to the Ghab plain in #Syria's #Hama province now!

'Little green men" appear all along the front in western #Syria...

No boots on the ground, hu?! ...
Try again.
It's #Russia's war now!

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:46 AM
Now we all can fully understand what Russia means by "non linear warfare"???

Lavrov warns of a "world of anarchy and chaos", calls on countries to follow "common rules of the game"

"Non linear warfare" equals "common rules of the game".....naturally as defined by Russia.......

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 09:55 AM
Confirmed via Russian social media now that Russian troops, and or contractors and or Russian mercenaries are fighting al along the Syrian front lines......

Said Amirov, another #Russian (merc or soldier) from the Caucasus region,now fighting for #Assad in central #Syria.
pic.twitter.com/fzcUKdth9k

Alexey Tyurin, another #Russian soldier, claiming to be deployed to central #Syria'a #Hama city now.

Maximka Lukyanov, just another #Russian soldier, claiming to fight in #Syria's central #Hama province now.

Irbis Balushkin, a #Russian soldier, who claims he is deployed to the Ghab plain in #Syria's #Hama province now!

'Little green men" appear all along the front in western #Syria...

No boots on the ground, hu?! ...
Try again.
It's #Russia's war now!

Amidst unconfirmed reports that Russian spec ops are participating in Latakia offensive #Syria https://twitter.com/bm21_grad/status/691751121820450816 …

There are dozens of others, tagging themselves in Latakia or Tartus.
But I won't post them as this doesn't contradict #Putin's claim.

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 11:35 AM
That this war would be hard to decide on the battlefield is clear since about two years.

But really, I could never imagine that Oblabla would fall so low, become so desperate as to now attempt imposing some facade solution through forcing insurgents into compromise with this conglomerate of IRGC-Hezbollah-Assadist terror, supported by Russians, and even Kurds.

...and what is his motivation? That later on he'll brag with 'making peace in Syria' in his memoirs?

If so, this is below any acceptable levels - especially for what should be the president of the 'craddle of democracy'.

Whatever... even so, I've got a strong feeling that his calculation is one without the waiter - i.e. in this case, without Syrians.

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 03:28 PM
Russian war planes bomb towns and rebel positions in at least seven western provinces across #Syria today.

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 03:58 PM
...and many of Russian aircraft in question are Tu-22M3 bombers, which can't do anything else but literaly carpet-bomb.

In that sense Keystone Cops in Moscow just released this video (https://twitter.com/mod_russia/status/691664857381253120).

One of Tu-22M3s in question has got 17 'mission markings'. Makes me wonder: for 17 or for 170 missions over Syria...?

If the latter, the scope of carpet bombing in Dayr az-Zawr province must be terrible, and nobody should wonder how comes there are such heavy civilian casualties there.

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 05:10 PM
Russian war planes bomb towns and rebel positions in at least seven western provinces across #Syria today.

Russian BTR-80,R-166-0.5, November 2015.
pic.twitter.com/FJOJTEl9jn

Interesting selfie, Hmeimim (December 2015).
pic.twitter.com/9uyrbvpj0h

Assad troops killed by rebels north #Hama.
https://youtu.be/qRbklGTNi3s

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 05:13 PM
BREAKING: Turkish FM Cavusoglu says Ankara will boycott upcoming Geneva talks on #Syria if PYD is invited -

GenevaTalks - a dead birth.

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 05:15 PM
The Kurds hire great lobbyists in DC. They have done a much better job to hide the stink from Western readers, than say the Muslim Brotherhood has.



The Saudis fund people to lop off heads and put civilians in cages, they like to cluster bomb weddings, and couldn't beat a drum. Pakistan, which has never won a war, isn't much better and can't afford to get bogged down away from the LOC, and Turkey has a PKK problem.



JAN, a terrorist group, is AQ's local franchise; if someone from the US tried to join it they would end up in a federal prison. Franchise of the same outfit which murdered three thousand Americans one morning. Hell if an American tried to join much of the anti-Assad coalition they would get snatched off an airplane and put into the pavement so quick their head would spin. It's an insult to the victims of 9/11 that we aren't drone striking them on a daily basis.



Imaginary concept, which would blame Costa Rica and Cambodia for not sending troops. And this isn't a genocide.



This isn't the Holocaust.



Those are preconditions in the real world.



A chapter few of his supporters will care about anyways. There is no public support to go ride to the rescue of Islamist groups in Syria/the handful of secular pro-democracy people. Come to the US and ask around, or lobby your home country to ride in to the rescue.
===
From the analyst who was clearly deluded....


Democracies like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar... errr.... Egypt...



Wait, what? Is this where someone rattles of a list of Western nations doing the same when it suited them.

Must be nice to be in a fantasy world; though if that is his best shot it is a shame he cashed a tax payer funded cheque for so long.

=================================


http://syriadirect.org/news/ahrar-nusra-spat-draws-condemnation-as-regime-advances-in-latakia/

SheikhMaskin:
24.057 inhabitants in 2004.
0 after the "liberation" by #Putin and #Assad in 2016.
#EthnicCleansing
pic.twitter.com/Oy6iNdHO5L

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 05:49 PM
Footage
Rebels destroy #Assad forces pickup in #Latakia w/ the TOW.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IvLHpo6URU …
pic.twitter.com/STpVYP9hSQ

FSA destroy #Assad militia 23 mm AA gun with ATGM north #Hama.
https://youtu.be/Dzgcijjk1n0 pic.twitter.com/pXrXeROene

FSA TOW missile blow #Assad militia technical in Akrad Mount #Latakia countryside.
https://youtu.be/1IvLHpo6URU
pic.twitter.com/KFZNk9pH40

Jaish al-Nasr claims two ATGM hits today, including one on a "Russian" vehicle at Tel Ateera Latakia

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 06:14 PM
Russians transferring AK 74s now to Syrian SAA.....

Beard guy seems to be facilitating Russian weapon transfers. He is the same one in the pics of unboxing Ak-74s.
pic.twitter.com/QRGlQg9NMw

OUTLAW 09
01-26-2016, 06:19 PM
Who said the life of a social media blogger who takes on the Russian info war machine is easy these days.......

Sorry for offline the past days & weeks - some semi profs hacked my hw & mobilies of my family
-greets 2 russian IPs-

davidbfpo
01-26-2016, 08:40 PM
From Jane IHS:http://www.janes.com/article/57402/syrian-government-territory-grows-by-1-3-with-russian-military-support? (http://www.janes.com/article/57402/syrian-government-territory-grows-by-1-3-with-russian-military-support?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=*Situation%20Report)

http://www.janes.com/images/assets/402/57402/1569160_-_main.jpg

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 10:23 PM
Takes a surprising amount of personal courage not to deploy US military power to put a new Taliban into power....and exactly how do you want to know there are 'new Taliban' in Syria...?


BS - Seeing as the FSA fights alongside JAN/IF, who are also terrorists.What would you suggest them to do - especially since your president (and not only him, of course: all the Western governments) is so hapily ignoring the fact that the JAN is supported by such 'most important non-NATO allies' like Qatar and Turkey (the same ones, BTW, that already turned Libya into a mess)?


...we are not fighting to put Islamists into power...How do you want to know there would be 'Islamists' in power in Syria?

And what's wrong with so many other 'strategic partners' of the USA, that are rulled by Islamists?


They do bomb ISIS, quite regularly...How often?

And especially: how often measured on the total of sorties they say they're flying?


Or we can sit back and watch Russia/Iran/Hezbollah/Syria do the dirty work for us, basically for free.OK. What happens once they've finished their dirty work for you?


Great news that we stopped giving TOWs to these clowns. Putin changed the nature of the conflict by showing up and thankfully we have cut back our TOW-FSGs for JAN/IF.You 100% sure?


But he is not genocidal.Nope. He's not genocidal - if you prefer to ignore the number of his victims. Instead, he's such a lovely character that I would recommend people like you to try living under his rule - for a week or so, at least.


Nowhere near the threat of AQ and all of the toads fighting alongside AQ in this conflict.Ah so. Now I see.

So, Iranian nukes are not important any more; and that lovely clique in Tehran - that, just BTW, is teaching the entire neighbourhood how to oppress and terrorise own population first and foremost - are now best friends, right?

CrowBat
01-26-2016, 10:24 PM
===

https://www.rt.com/news/330085-syria...a-deir-ez-zor/
..........
Supported by Russian war planes, Syrian government troops have been successful in defeating Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants in Latakia province....That's the news you're using for your orientation?

Everything's clear.

If so: mind explaining what 'Islamic State' (aka IS formerly ISIS/ISIL) was ever there in Latakia?

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 04:39 AM
I'm suggesting we let Russia/Assad/Hezbollah/Iran/PKK flatten JAN/IF/FSA/ISIS - and bleed themselves and the backers of those groups out in the process.This is the US policy already now. It resulted in turning more than half the Syrian population into homeless refugees.

So, what's different between what you suggest and what Oblabla is doing ?


And we (America) should drone strike ISIS/IF/JAN in the process.How do you want to know who is Daesh, who is IF, and who is JAN - if you have no HUMINT sources in field?

...or do you intend to do the same like elsewhere, and UCAV hospitals, weddings etc. in Syria too?

...and if so: can you explain in what fashion was such 'tactics' proven as 'successful' by now?


http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=41672By side that this information is completely obsolete, that plenty of up-to-date information has been posted in this thread meanwhile - indicating Russians have murdered nearly 2000 Syrian civilians, and SOHR cannot explain how they came to the conclusion that Russians have killed as many Daesh.... how do you want to know it was Russians that have killed as many Daesh - especially if your information comes from what you consider a 'pro-terrorist' source?


End of last year from a pro-terrorist/insurgent source.'Pro-terrorist'?

In what fashion is FSyA a 'terrorist organization'? In what fashion is IF a 'terrorist organization' - especially for you, an American (if you are really one)? What kind of terrorist operations against the USA have they undertaken?


Flattening JAN/FSA/IF is perfectly fine. Would have been pretty dumb to ignore them.You mean: you want to 'flatten' people who are fighting for their freedom (see FSyA and IF)? But you are against 'flattening' the oppressive dictatorship that provoked them to start an armed uprising, that has incarcerated dozens of thousands of them and murdered hundreds of thousands of them - and that on the top of that is also cooperating with (at least) three major terrorist organizations, all of which are staunchly anti-USA, all anti-Israel, all anti-democracy, all anti-pluralist, and one activelly working on development of WMDs?


He is not genocidal even with those numbers.In dumbest possible fashion, definition of genocide (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide) is 'intent to systematically eliminate a racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic, cultural or national group'.

So, if Assad - upon instruction from the IRGC (a terrorist organization by definition of your own government), with help of Hezbollah (a terrorist organization by definition of your own government) and PFLP-GC (a terrorist organization by definition of your own government), and with support of Russia (at best described as a 'hybrid autocracy') - is systematically destroying Sunni Arab population of Syria, how do you define what is he and his allies doing?


Wouldn't want to live under the IF/JAN either.What do you know about the IF so to be able to say you don't want to live under them?


Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia... Axis of Saints there....all provided you're really a citizen of the USA... then why is your government selling them arms worth dozens of billions - and that every single year? Why is your government - and your military - supporting their military operations in Yemen? What is making such actions 'right'?

=========

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/25/politics/al-qaeda-al-nusra-isis-threat-experts/index.htmlAnd? What does that report says to you so you can gauge how dangerous is JAN for you?


http://syriadirect.org/news/rebel-infighting-instrumental-in-loss-of-sheikh-miskeen/And? Have you heard what happened to Harakat Muthanna (the JAN group named in that report) ever since?

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 06:42 AM
They are aligned with AQ, share the same beliefs, same goal (just right now on a national scale), also massacre civilians...I'm really sorry, but I haven't read such a load of utter nonsense (mildly expressed) in single sentence in quite some time.

But thanks for revealing yourself as a clueless troll - and therefore a waste of time: herewith you earned yourself first addition to my 'ignore' list on this forum.

************

Southern Front FSyA (http://us11.campaign-archive1.com/?u=eb57859a6dcac269f00d92354&id=3e9bbd8017&e=5170bc9361) issued the following.... hm... 'explanation'? 'statement' regarding what happened in Sheikh Mishkin?... which is then citing at least one new gang of Iraqi Shi'a Jihadists run by the IRGC-QF as present in Syria:

The operation in Sheikh Misteen, Daraa province, is not a success story for the regime but a demonstration of how much it relies on Russia as its airforce, and foreign militia as its ground troops in order to recontrol areas of the country.
From the beginning of the operation on 16th October, the regime was unable to make any progress. Russian airstrikes began on 28th November.
Since 28th November Russia has carried out around 800 airstrikes on the area, up to 50 airstrikes every day. This is in addition to over 100 regime barrel bombs dropped during this time.
It is a clear testament to the Southern Front's strength in the area that our forces have held up for so long under this intensive and incessant brutal bombardment.
It must be noted that there is no Daesh in this area, Daesh is over 100km from Sheikh Miskeen. Russia was targeting our moderate forces in this area, not Daesh.
The regime has paid a heavy price for this battle with over 200 casualties since the start of the operation.
Two thirds of those forces fighting for the regime were non-Syrian from the following militia organisations: Liwa Al Fatamiyoon (Iranian and Afghani), Liwa al Jafaryoon (Iranian), Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Lebanese Hezbollah, Jabhat Shaabia leTahrir al Philistineen (Palestinian).


...and a rather pathetic explanation into why Israel does not get involved against the Daesh, as provided by the WP (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/in-the-middle-east-a-serious-game-of-war/2016/01/26/30c3cfac-c466-11e5-a4aa-f25866ba0dc6_story.html?tid=ss_tw):

...A visit to Israeli military headquarters here confirmed that the war game was an accurate reflection of how Israeli military leaders see the conflict. Rather than attacking Islamic State forces along its northern and eastern borders, Israel pursues a policy of deterrence, containment and even quiet liaison, said a senior Israeli military official. He noted that if Israel wanted to mount an all-out ground attack on Islamic State forces in southern Syria and the Sinai Peninsula, it could wipe them out in three or four hours. “But what would happen the day after?” asked this Israeli military official. “Right now, we think it will be worse. So we try to deter them.”

The Israelis don’t want to disturb a hornet’s nest in taking on the Islamic State. Is a similarly measured option available to the United States? Most Israeli officials say no. They argue that the United States is a superpower, and that if it wants to maintain leadership in the region, it must lead the fight to roll back the Islamic State.
Namely: this is smudging of marmelade into one's eyes - and that for a number of reasons, two most important 'groups' of which are:

- 1.) There's no doubt that the Daesh is actually no threat for Israel - especially not a military threat (nor even a political or ideological one).

- 2.) The Syrian Civil War is actually of immense benefit for Israel. Syria is completely ruined and removed as any kind of a rival for decades in advance.

Moreover: it's likely to end partitioned into weak states (including a friendly 'Kurdistan', most likely to find itself in control of much of Iraqi and Syrian oil too), still foremost preoccupied with fighting each other - than confronting Israel (whether in diplomatic or any other fashion). This results in a situation where nobody is asking Israel to return the Golan Heights, and nobody is going to do so for a number of years longer (while Israel is likely to secure a major oil source). Instead, Hezbollah and IRGC have their hands full there, and are going to remain preoccupied with killing (or at least starving) Syrians into submission for a number of years longer.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 07:08 AM
If rumours of Russian generals sizing up YPG vs NDF in Qamishli & Hasakah for support are true, YPG will probably win.

Of the tiny fragment of Russian strikes that hit ISIS held terrain, most were concentrated on #Palmyra #Syria.
pic.twitter.com/5dPc54cVfJ

Why a Russian-Saudi Deal on Cutting Oil Output Remains Elusive: Russia can't cut, Saudi won't.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-26/why-a-russian-saudi-deal-on-cutting-oil-output-remains-elusive …

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 07:48 AM
Re. Russians in Qamishli, Outlaw...few minutes ago, I run into a video report by ANNA from Qamishli.

Can't find it any more, sorry... (and forgot to save the URL).

But the point is this: if ANNA is in Qamishli, then Russian troops are there too.

EDIT: ah, here it is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZe6_7DObdQ

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 09:39 AM
Re. Russians in Qamishli, Outlaw...few minutes ago, I run into a video report by ANNA from Qamishli.

Can't find it any more, sorry... (and forgot to save the URL).

But the point is this: if ANNA is in Qamishli, then Russian troops are there too.

EDIT: ah, here it is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZe6_7DObdQ

CB..thanks for the video....social media has gotten firmer with their comments on this latest Russian move which is really to build out the AF regardless what their FM and TASS has stated yesterday ....Russia wants an AF up close and tight to the NATO and Turkish border.....as they have done in eastern/central Europe.

One just needs to go back and reread the Putin and his FM statements made continuously during the Ukraine war fighting and it is still ongoing with over 66 attacks yesterday..an average of 50 attacks is actually full scale warfare.

They stated as much in them that they would challenge NATO on all their moves in the Baltics and in Ukraine/Poland/Romania.

Now we are seeing the challenge in the form of an AF.

BTW when the AF is complete watch the S400s come in thus building an air space deniability bubble that extends even into NATO airspace ...a direct threat to NATO/Turkish air operations any time Russian wants to threaten them. If one looks at this development and then factors in the NATO AF Commander's statements concerning the currently existing four Russian AD bubbles then it is a serious concern to NATO...YET the US remains basically silent....

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 09:44 AM
This is just one example of the Obama Kerry Syrian unilateral appeasement policy towards Putin that many in the US simply do not to truly address....

News
A #Russian jet attacked a fruit market in #Arihah today, slaughtering 9 civilians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHy-si6xDx8 …

I have raised a serious and provocative question here in SWJ a number of times with some urgency.....if the leader of a western nation state who claims is the cradle of democracy, the rule of law and good governance knowingly and willfully allows genocide to continue when evidence of that genocide is on the net hourly is this actually then being "complicit" in "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity".

OR better yet WHEN does the US FP kick in when there is blatant indiscriminate and deliberate air strikes against civilians that is resulting in hundreds being killed including a large number of children, when air strikes are contributing to an ever increasing number of refugees and WHEN starvation is being used as a weapon against a civil society.

When does the extensive use of barrel bombs and chemical weapons against civilian targets RATE a FP response.

Is it not ludicrous that a country ie the US claims the a civil society should strive for the rule of law, good governance and transparency WHEN THEN that same US ignores war crimes and crimes against humanity when that civil society strives for exactly those three same goals that Obama just keeps talking about??

Does the Obama FP make sense to anyone outside of DC??? It sure does not when one is sitting in Europe or the ME.

Appears than even Obama and Kerry do not read their own propaganda they publish...........why the term "propaganda for internal consumption"...it has to be when there is nothing behind the words and there is nothing behind these words.

The National Security Strategy accurately outlines the responsibility and interest of the United States to respond to and prevent atrocities.

The mass killing of civilians is an affront to our common humanity and a threat to our common security. It destabilizes countries and regions … [and] creates grievances that extremists exploit. We have a strong interest in leading an international response to genocide and mass atrocities when they arise. … [It is] less costly when we act preventively before situations reach crisis proportions.

"mass killing of civilians is an affront to our common humanity and a threat to our common security" or better yet....."creates grievances extremists exploit".......

For Obama and Kerry...evidently not. Why is that my assumption...right now the US/Russia is on official record for stopping the bombing of civilains and to provide humanitarian aid into Syria with no controls....three separate UNSC resolutions and YET Obama and Kerry refuses to call a spade a spade in the UNSC as it would rock Iran and Putin....just how bad has FP under this President gotten....valid question.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 09:48 AM
This is just one example of the Obama Kerry Syrian unilateral appeasement policy towards Putin that many in the US simply do not to truly address....

News
A #Russian jet attacked a fruit market in #Arihah today, slaughtering 9 civilians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHy-si6xDx8 …

I have raised a serious and provocative question here in SWJ a number of times with some urgency.....if the leader of a western nation state who claims is the cradle of democracy, the rule of law and good governance knowingly and willfully allows genocide to continue when evidence of that genocide is on the net hourly is this actually then being "complicit" in "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity".

OR better yet WHEN does the US FP kick in when there is blatant indiscriminate and deliberate air strikes against civilians that is resulting in hundreds being killed including a large number of children, when air strikes are contributing to an ever increasing number of refugees and WHEN starvation is being used as a weapon against a civil society.

When does the extensive use of barrel bombs and chemical weapons against civilian targets RATE a FP response.

Is it not ludicrous that a country ie the US claims the a civil society should strive for the rule of law, good governance and transparency WHEN THEN that same US ignores war crimes and crimes against humanity when that civil society strives for exactly those three same goals that Obama just keeps talking about??

Does the Obama FP make sense to anyone outside of DC??? It sure does not when one is sitting in Europe or the ME.

Appears than even Obama and Kerry do not read their own propaganda they publish...........why the term "propaganda for internal consumption"...it has to be when there is nothing behind the words and there is nothing behind these words.

The National Security Strategy accurately outlines the responsibility and interest of the United States to respond to and prevent atrocities.

The mass killing of civilians is an affront to our common humanity and a threat to our common security. It destabilizes countries and regions … [and] creates grievances that extremists exploit. We have a strong interest in leading an international response to genocide and mass atrocities when they arise. … [It is] less costly when we act preventively before situations reach crisis proportions.

"mass killing of civilians is an affront to our common humanity and a threat to our common security" or better yet....."creates grievances extremists exploit".......

For Obama and Kerry...evidently not. Why is that my assumption...right now the US/Russia is on official record for stopping the bombing of civilains and to provide humanitarian aid into Syria with no controls....three separate UNSC resolutions and YET Obama and Kerry refuses to call a spade a spade in the UNSC as it would rock Iran and Putin....just how bad has FP under this President gotten....valid question.

Russian "RT" celebrates the "liberation" of #SheikhMaskin.
Rather complete destruction ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZJJ9w8FXtQ …

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 09:59 AM
Wow...that was quick...thought Obama told the US public and Congress that the Iranians with the Iran Deal would become "moderates"......OR at least more moderate.....

BUT WAIT......

#Breaking Iran stages large naval drill near #StraitofHormuz, orders foreign forces to leave
http://toi.sr/1PAmE8k
pic.twitter.com/BipIsFiNjf

Minor declaration of war by the IRGC is it.....? NO in fact they are exercising their newly recovered and thanks to Obama 100B USD....by holding a "naval party" just to celebrate it's return......it is just we the US Navy with full transit rights as are the other naval forces there WERE not invited to the party.

Wonder what Obama will and or will not do......??

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 10:36 AM
CB..thanks for the video....social media has gotten firmer with their comments on this latest Russian move which is really to build out the AF regardless what their FM and TASS has stated yesterday ....Russia wants an AF up close and tight to the NATO and Turkish border.....as they have done in eastern/central Europe.

One just needs to go back and reread the Putin and his FM statements made continuously during the Ukraine war fighting and it is still ongoing with over 66 attacks yesterday..an average of 50 attacks is actually full scale warfare.

They stated as much in them that they would challenge NATO on all their moves in the Baltics and in Ukraine/Poland/Romania.

Now we are seeing the challenge in the form of an AF.

BTW when the AF is complete watch the S400s come in thus building an air space deniability bubble that extends even into NATO airspace ...a direct threat to NATO/Turkish air operations any time Russian wants to threaten them. If one looks at this development and then factors in the NATO AF Commander's statements concerning the currently existing four Russian AD bubbles then it is a serious concern to NATO...YET the US remains basically silent....

Former Dutch CHOD Dick Berlijn has said that Dutch F-16s would be defenseless against the latest Syrian SAM's. This also implies that the
these would in case of war not be able to operate in Russian-covered airspace in Europe (SEAD excluded). That comprises a nuclear task.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 11:22 AM
Under the rubric of why do I need an friend when I have now it appears two enemies.....

Russia threatens Ukraine w/#Daesh terror attacks @lifenews_ru: 'RF special services warned SBU, that ISIL prepares attacks in Ukraine'

FSA blow regime army tank in Handarat #Aleppo with TOW.
https://twitter.com/Omar_Madaniah/status/692288656426557441 …

Shamiya Front & Thuwar as-Sham rebel groups operating mainly in #Aleppo announce complete merge.
pic.twitter.com/hWsehZKYq6

Syria : TBG-7V' RPG' warhead delivery
"From Russia with Love"
pic.twitter.com/DhgBmUxbZ0

Footage
Desperate & angry rebels after the loss of #SheikhMaskin due to no foreign support
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhW8C5NtqQ8 …

Footage
Rebels use TOW vs. defensive #Assad position in #Zahraa/#Nubl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNxyJSakY2M …
#Aleppo #Syria

If Assad & Russ managed to link Handarat with Nubl/Zahra they can easily threat on Bab al-Hawa & Bab al-Salama border crossings with #Turkey

After many failed attempts to conquer, #Assad impose siege & complete separation bwt Moadamiya & Daraya NW #Damascus

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 11:34 AM
*Big implications*
Footage of Jabhat al-Nusra's 120 + vehicle convoy in North #Aleppo
Jan. 26

Russia carried out airstrikes on #Kafr_Takharim resulting 5 wounded(3 woman &1 child)
#Idlib cs #Syria JAN 26

Assad's jihadist international: forces that took Sheikh Miskin were 2/3 Iraqi, Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian militiamen. Along with the RuAF and GRU Spetsnaz troops....

SAA helicopter dropped explosive cylinders on Bashkoy city
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 27

5 martyrs, several wounded victims of Russia airstrikes targeting alBab city
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 27

SAA helicopter dropped explosive cylinders on Darayya
Damascus Syria JAN 27

SAA helicopter dropped explosive cylinders on Ratiyan village
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 27

SAA helicopter dropped explosive cylinders on Tel_Mesben town
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 27

US_Coalition warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting Hesba Building at Mayadiyn city, causing a massacre
DeirEzzor Syria JAN 27

Russia Cluster Bombs on Douma, resulting several casualties
Damascus cs Syria JAN 27

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting alQabr_Englizi village
Aleppo cs Syria JAN 27

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting alGhandol village
Aleppo Syria JAN 27

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting alDawa, alQariyatan
Homs Syria JAN 27

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 11:36 AM
A HUGE Nusra convoy to the fronts in Aleppo. Don't know how it was missed by USAF, RuAF.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAu1gbEmZIk …

Saw #RuAF attack an empty town 6 times in 2 days.. theyre totally overrated.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 11:37 AM
CrowBat...what do you think....?

Efrin plain is the footstep Russians can use to assault the borders with Turkey & besiege rebels.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 11:43 AM
I'm suggesting we let Russia/Assad/Hezbollah/Iran/PKK flatten JAN/IF/FSA/ISIS - and bleed themselves and the backers of those groups out in the process. And we (America) should drone strike ISIS/IF/JAN in the process.


CrowBat...either a Russian troll and or an Assad troll as he focuses just on the Sunni side, attempts to shift the narrative in a particular direction and TOTALLY forgets there is a Shia mercenary aspect that actually many Putin and Assad supporters WANT to totally forget.

Not worth the effort to respond....as he is so fixated on the Sunni Islamists he missed the Shia jihadi's and did not answer my challenge to look at the Khomeini Revolutionary Islam still be supported by Khamenei and the IRGC...go back and look at the side stepping....typical for a troll.

Remember Russian propaganda has 6Ds to watch for in a discussion or article ......."deflect, dismay, distort, distract all designed to create doubt and distrust". Right now he is working on the distraction, deflection, distortion levels and throws in a measure of some kind of background articles to support the narrative he is pushing.

He does not even know this basic simple truth of the Syrian events....

Assad's jihadist international: forces that took Sheikh Miskin were 2/3 Iraqi, Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian militiamen. Along with the RuAF and GRU Spetsnaz troops....

IF in fact an American then he really needs an urgent course in ME events for both the Sunni and Shia sides and a long course in Syrian history.

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 12:07 PM
Shamiya Front & Thuwar as-Sham rebel groups operating mainly in #Aleppo announce complete merge.
pic.twitter.com/hWsehZKYq6...if I'm not entirely wrong, this is quite an interesting development.

Sure, for most of people, this means absolutely nothing. For those with serious interest in monitoring this war, it is a very interesting, probably also a very important development.

Jabhat ash-Shamyia (Levantine Front) is - ideology-wise - quite a 'wild bunch', including 'hardline Salafists' (like it's leader Abu Amr, from Ahrar ash-Sham), but also 'apolitical FSyA-groups' (like Harakat Noureddin az-Zenghi), or US-vetted groups (like Asala wa' al-Tanmiya, aka Authenticity and Development Front). It's also quite a powerful group with nearly 15,000 combatants (alone Harakat Noureddin az-Zenghi should have 5,000). The JAS is in charge of the Fatah Halab OR. Originating foremost from areas north of Aleppo, lately it re-deployed many of its fighters to north-eastern Lattakia, in attempt to reinforce the FSyA there.

Overall, the JAS can be described as 'a really good representative of Syrian Sunnis': ideology- and politics-wise, there's really a 'little bit of everything' there - just 100% sure no 'terrorists' and even less so any 'Jihadists'. On the contrary, I would say that presence of such figures like Abu Amr are making all the moderates/mainstream elements very safe from any kind of attacks by the JAN.

Kataib Thuwar ash-Sham (Revolutionaries of ash-Sham Brigades) is an independent, even if FSyA-affiliated movement of about 4,000, equipped with TOWs. Originating from Aleppo (foremost from the city), lately it was operating in southern Aleppo.

So, if they merged, and despite probable losses they've taken recently (especially Zenghis, who lost lots of heavy equipment to Russian cruise-missile attacks, and then lost nearly 100 combatants to Daesh attacks), they've created a well-armed and -supplied, combat-proven, division-sized formation with very 'universal' affiliations, alliances and contacts there. At least as important is that this force is (or would be) - and contrary to Southern Front FSyA, just for example - only minimally dependent upon any kind of Oblabla's influence.

A formation of this kind is not only important for its composition and capabilities, but especially in the light of growing number of rumours about 'regime' (read: IRGC) preparing a new 'biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig offensive' in Aleppo area (supposedly in direction of Nubol and Zahra, two Shi'a enclaves north-west of Aleppo City).

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 12:20 PM
CrowBat...what do you think....?

Efrin plain is the footstep Russians can use to assault the borders with Turkey & besiege rebels.
As mentioned above, there are plenty of rumours about 'regime' preparing a major offensive aimed to lift the siege of Nubol and Zahra - two big Shi'a villages besieged by the AAS and the JAN about 20km NW of Aleppo.

...there are reports 'bout a concentration of up to '4,000 troops' of the 4th Division (reinforced by NDF) and 4-5 IRGC-QF units - I would say: total is likely to be about 8,000 - well-supported by T-90s, T-72s and artillery - north of Aleppo City...

...the 'Little Green Men' (see: 'Russian troops that were never deployed to Syria', including SPETSNAZ) are meanwhile reported from all over the place, especially from Aleppo...

...and there are reports they've flown quite a number of helicopter sorties into YPG-held Afrin enclave (Kurdish-held NW-corner of Syria, from which the YPG/SDF was lately launching assaults on the western side of FSyA/AAS-held Azaz Corridor connecting Aleppo with Turkish border)...

Bottom line: 'something's in the cooking'.


Assad's jihadist international: forces that took Sheikh Miskin were 2/3 Iraqi, Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian militiamen. Along with the RuAF and GRU Spetsnaz troops....Yup. That's why regime-fans have to use 'SAA' so often: it stands for 'Soleimani's Afghan Army'. :D

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 12:39 PM
...here also the most precise (and independent) map of Azaz corridor to be found online: Nubol-Zahra enclave can be seen on the left centre side of it; major concentration of 'regime' forces is reported from north-eastern suburbs of Aleppo (the 'finger' pointing in direction of Nubol-Zahra enclave).

BTW, visible on this map is also the FSyA (that is: Sultan Murad Brigade) and AAS advance against the Daesh along the Turkish border (reportedly supported by Turkish Army's artillery)...

...and exposed position of Mare'a, which is under Daesh assault from three sides, while heavily bombed by Little Green Men...

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 12:50 PM
Hama: Syrian Rebels capture 2 Assad regime checkpoints Madajin & Bashakir

Refused asylum in Germany & returned to Syria only to die.
http://all4syria.info/Archive/288590

Sheikh Miskin
Regime paid heavy price for this battle with 200+ casualties since the start of the operat'n
Statement
http://bit.ly/1QA5uNo

Russia carried out approx800 strikes on Sheikh Miskeen
There is no daesh in the area
#Daesh is 100km away
Statement
http://bit.ly/1QA5uNo

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 01:10 PM
Notice the highly touted Obama Syrian strategy appears to have forgotten the Iraqi Shia militias, IRGC troops, Hezbollah (Lebanon and Iraq), and Shia mercenaries from over 12 countries....wonder why that is as the Syrian Arab Army is neither Syrian NOR Arab.

http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/iran-wont-surrender-militias-t...
Taken from 27 Jan 2016 first published 10 Jan 2016

Iran won’t surrender militias that conduct Assad’s war

Hassan Hassan

January 10, 2016


Not long before the Riyadh-Tehran diplomatic row that followed the execution of Saudi Shia cleric Nimr Al Nimr, a showdown between the two countries unfolded in New York. While it is difficult to draw a direct correlation between the two events, the incident can help us understand the depth of the continuing crisis.

On December 18, heated debate ensued between representatives of the two countries at a meeting in New York over the listing of armed groups operating in Syria for possible determination as terrorist organisations. The list, which Jordan was asked to develop, would name extremist groups that must be defeated as part of the UN-sponsored political process for Syria.

A month earlier in Vienna, Saudi Arabia had insisted on including in the list foreign Shia militias fighting on the side of president Bashar Al Assad. Riyadh argued that all foreign fighters must leave Syria, regardless of which side they supported. In New York, Iran, joined by Russia, strongly objected to the demand and the standoff caused a deeper rift between the two countries.

For now, the designation of terror groups in Syria has been referred to a committee comprising several European and regional countries. They first determined indicators and criteria of what constitutes a terrorist organisation, then named armed groups currently fighting in Syria. There is a preliminary list of more than 160 Sunni and Shia organisations.

Iran categorically rejects including any Shia groups in the list. For Tehran, the fate of the Assad regime it supports is critically tied to the presence of those Shia militias. It is a fact that adds to the many issues that compound the conflict in Syria – issues that the international community would seemingly rather sweep under the carpet instead of deal with head on.

The Syrian regime controls about 30 per cent of the country, though it probably controls over 50 per cent of the population. According to the defence think tank IHS Jane’s, the regime lost 16 per cent of its territory over the past year. These figures are particularly damning if one considers that foreign Shia militias were on the front line of key battles against the rebels – in the Qalamoun region, Aleppo and central and western Syria – over this period.

The growing role of these militias last year came as the Syrian army showed signs of internal weakening, something that Mr Al Assad has admitted. During his most recent speech, almost exactly a month before the Russian intervention in September, the president said that the army lacked “manpower”. Also last year, paramilitary fighters with the National Defence Forces (NDF) began to focus on their local areas rather than deploy in the front lines elsewhere – a task that foreign fighters took on.

Youssef Sadaki, a Syrian researcher who closely focuses on Shia militias, says those foreign fighters acted as the main strikers in battles outside the regime’s heartlands, while the NDF fighters defended their areas or secured and held newly-captured areas.

According to Mr Sadaki, foreign militias lead the regime’s battles in southern Aleppo, and the front lines between Idlib, Aleppo, Latakia, Homs and Hama. Hizbollah has spearheaded key battles in southern Syria near the Lebanese borders, while other militias guard the front lines in Damascus and fought in Deraa.

Phillip Smyth, a close observer of Shia militancy, says that most of the regime’s offensives over the past two years were led by foreign forces, including in areas where the regime’s elite units operate, such as in Damascus.

“When we look at Aleppo, the entire offensive there was spearheaded and planned by the Iranians, it was their Shia militia proxy forces which showcased the entire campaign,” said Mr Smyth, from the University of Maryland. “It’s quite clear that they are a – if not the main – fighting force in many areas.”

Continued……..

Really worth to read the entire article.......as it reflects on the fact that in the recent fighting in Sheikh Miskin 2/3rds of the fighters were Shia mercenaries, Iraqi Shia militias and Hezbollah WHICH are definitely not Syrian the last time I checked WITH BIG help from over 800 RuAF air strikes and GRU Spetsnaz.

BUT not a single out of the WH, Kerry or the NSC comment on this Shia aspect of the Syrian fighting as they are only interested it seems in IS and JaN....shortsighted if one asks me......maybe rocking the Iranian boat is now virtually impossible under the new Obama Iranian FP.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 01:43 PM
WHEN Brits start making comments about your FP then you are in serious trouble.....

Tough words frm UK #Syria Envoy @garethbayley pre-#Geneva.
Accuses #Russia of “hypocrisy” & "massive destruction"

BUT WAIT is not Kerry attempting to force the anti Assad forces and the Sunni Front States to accept the Putin Geneva demands......??

So is in fact the Kerry/Obama FP "hypocrisy" as well....??

Was the Iran Deal really worth the destruction of any kind of US FP in the ME..or for that matter in Europe as well??

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 01:46 PM
Russian non linear warfare hard at work on two war fronts it appears......

SSU: Russian Media Produce Fakes About Threat Of ISIS Terroristic Attacks In Ukraine
http://ukraineunderattack.org/en/54140-ssu-russian-media-produce-fakes-about-threat-of-isis-terroristic-attacks-in-ukraine.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 01:55 PM
Appears right now that the Obama WH can not respond to virtually anything Russia says and or does these days.......or maybe they simply do not care and the 13 months are just over the horizon......

Social media push back on a statement yesterday by the Russian FM that Russia did not violate the Budapest Memorandum……notice not a single comment by US MSM nore the DoS nor the WH…why is that?

As this is a blatant Russian disinformation attempt .

WHERE is the BIG US government agency that is to handle information warfare..nowhere to be seen nor heard……

Russian Embassy, UK ✔ @RussianEmbassy
Lavrov: Russia never violated Budapest memorandum. It contained only 1 obligation, not to attack Ukraine with nukes pic.twitter.com/yR25Y6SaGP

Hey @RussianEmbassy I followed the link on top of your screenshot and found all 6 obligations, care to explain?

SO if Russia lies about Budapest what will they lie about with Assad, Iran and Geneva....????

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 02:27 PM
VIDEO: #FSA Division 16 destroy a bulldozer in Bashkoy village, #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnNNQsXtnnE … pic.twitter.com/QkCuiFlF3f

Under the rubric what goes around comes around it seems....
Kommersant: Militant returnng frm Syria says there're preparations 4 terrorist attacks inside Russia
https://meduza.io/en/news/2016/01/26/militant-returning-from-syria-says-there-are-preparations-for-terrorist-attacks-inside-russia … via @meduza_en

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 02:30 PM
...here also the most precise (and independent) map of Azaz corridor to be found online: Nubol-Zahra enclave can be seen on the left centre side of it; major concentration of 'regime' forces is reported from north-eastern suburbs of Aleppo (the 'finger' pointing in direction of Nubol-Zahra enclave).

BTW, visible on this map is also the FSyA (that is: Sultan Murad Brigade) and AAS advance against the Daesh along the Turkish border (reportedly supported by Turkish Army's artillery)...

...and exposed position of Mare'a, which is under Daesh assault from three sides, while heavily bombed by Little Green Men...

Latest JN video from Aleppo shows them heading toward Nubbol-Zahraa pocket if I am correct.....

CrowBat any idea of the size of the JaN group heading there.....was amazed by the number of vehicles driving with headlights and not a single RuAf or USAF strike.....

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 02:40 PM
As mentioned above, there are plenty of rumours about 'regime' preparing a major offensive aimed to lift the siege of Nubol and Zahra - two big Shi'a villages besieged by the AAS and the JAN about 20km NW of Aleppo.

...there are reports 'bout a concentration of up to '4,000 troops' of the 4th Division (reinforced by NDF) and 4-5 IRGC-QF units - I would say: total is likely to be about 8,000 - well-supported by T-90s, T-72s and artillery - north of Aleppo City...

...the 'Little Green Men' (see: 'Russian troops that were never deployed to Syria', including SPETSNAZ) are meanwhile reported from all over the place, especially from Aleppo...

...and there are reports they've flown quite a number of helicopter sorties into YPG-held Afrin enclave (Kurdish-held NW-corner of Syria, from which the YPG/SDF was lately launching assaults on the western side of FSyA/AAS-held Azaz Corridor connecting Aleppo with Turkish border)...

Bottom line: 'something's in the cooking'.

Yup. That's why regime-fans have to use 'SAA' so often: it stands for 'Soleimani's Afghan Army'. :D

CrowBat.....BTW where is our favorite IRGC General these days....??

Soleimani........nothing absolutely nothing is coming out of Iran...not even a fake press interview.....dead and long buried or on life support????

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 02:58 PM
Latest JN video from Aleppo shows them heading toward Nubbol-Zahraa pocket if I am correct.....

CrowBat any idea of the size of the JaN group heading there.....was amazed by the number of vehicles driving with headlights and not a single RuAf or USAF strike.....No idea really. No related contacts at all... (mind: most of what I'm reporting is actually based on what my contacts in situ say; I'm only 'underlining' their reports by what can be found online or in MSM.)

I can only gauge that JAN would like to recover some of its reputation: this was recently tarnished by a series of defeats. So, it seems they might want to launch a major attack on Nubol and Zahra enclave.

That said, please make no mistake: despite all complaints from regime-fans, these are actually not 'besieged by insurgents' - i.e. JAN and AAS. They are surrounded by them from three sides, but their fourth side is leaning on Kurdish-held Afrin enclave, via which they're getting all the supplies they can need.

Re. Soleimani: there were some 'new reports' and photos of him, about a week ago, released by Iranian media. Supposedly, he visited funeral of another of his IRGC pals sent back home by FSyA's TOWs... not sure what to think of these (and can't find reports in question any more).

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 03:29 PM
CrowBat...anything on the potential of Russian weapons coming in via helio....?

Still unknown: the attitude of Kurds from Efrin: will they attack Rebels simultaneously? They received many weapons (by helico) recently...

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 03:33 PM
The same Russian law also applies to kitchens in #Syria ...
#Rastan, #Homs province, today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeKJa6hVpbs …
pic.twitter.com/QHJFylh0z6

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 03:34 PM
Wow...Kerry even asked and the emphasis is on the word "asked" could he not find a tougher diplomatic word than "ask".......or was he just going through the motions....why not haul the entire charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity straight into a specific UNSC meeting focusing on Russian and Assad bombing actions...that might get the attention of Lavrov..but "to ask" never will.....

Kerry asked Lavrov to stop bombing civilians. Lavrov declined, according to Lavrov
http://www.mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/... …

A CIA and or Obama move OR KSA pressure....actually confirmed by the unusual spike in TOW hits the last three days...TOWs gone wild in Syria should be the title of the battle videos coming out of Syria.....

Levantine Front now receiving TOWs. Program expands as Geneva approaches - reaction to RuAF/IRGC escalations?
https://twitter.com/lummideast/status/692300875696594944 …

Looks like various groups in #Syria are getting more weapons than in any previous time, paid by KSA vs Iran standoff or West vs ISIS?

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 04:27 PM
CrowBat...anything on the potential of Russian weapons coming in via helio....?

Still unknown: the attitude of Kurds from Efrin: will they attack Rebels simultaneously? They received many weapons (by helico) recently...

Have seen a number of similar reports recently but not clear who is supplying whom with exactly what???

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 05:24 PM
Breakingnews || 1 martyr and many injuries by hard bombing by cluster bombs on #Douma_city with many mortar bombs.
pic.twitter.com/nhppLOtSw6

A dark nexus of Putin's beetles & Assad's NDF loyalists. Showcasing @UN @Refugees aid stolen from those they starve.
pic.twitter.com/7Ugmg7n78J

Hello @UN @Refugees tents covering #Assad's tanks. More welfare to the regime that starves children of said aid.
pic.twitter.com/XccTKf7QSY

Pictures
Several #RussianAirstrikes hit rebel-held towns and positions in northern #Hama province today.
pic.twitter.com/lKEGG1v64p

Russian unexploded cluster rocket on top of building in #Idlib’s Salkeen
http://ow.ly/XA147
pic.twitter.com/eU7s85VuLf

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 05:35 PM
CrowBat...this geo tag kind of destroys the Russian MoD statement that there are no Russian troops in Qamilishi AP.

Have posted a previous photo of this Russian soldier taken from his social media page....

More pictures from Korneev with geotag in Qamilishi international airport
pic.twitter.com/SKtV07sF2w

AGAIN another photo from his Russian social media page.....
V Korneev pictured a BMP-1 being transported in a plane cargo hold, Syria. Looks like Il-76. Captioned 'take off'
pic.twitter.com/zIYNBX6ScM

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 05:49 PM
Footage
#FSA TOW destroys #Assad tank north of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKH3l_MMWnM …

EastGhouta today.
#Assad's air force continues its extinction campaign.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr--vztVKLY …

They fight as one now.
Thus every #Assad / militia crime is also a Russian army crime in #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vYy3RxicfI …

All filmed aircraft I see over #Homs today are from #Assad, not #Russia.

More children as victims of the (#Assad or #Russia - locals say so) air force-caused massacre in #KafrLaha (near #Houla) today.

Another victim of the Russian attacks on #Houla.
Is he blonde enough to make a difference?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S97ANZ5O_0g …

Footage
Graphic aftermath of a #RussianAirstrike on civilians in #Homs province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HiIqglFR24 …

SCD found #Russia Cluster Bombs after it's airstrikes on #Kafr_Laha(#Houla),4 martyrs&45 wounded
#Homs #Syria JAN27

Children victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Kafr_Laha(#Houla),4 martyrs&45 wounded
#Homs #Syria JAN27

ISIS/#IS militants captured 2 mountains in N.#Damascus prov. near the 128.brigade. I geolocated the position #Syria

Rebels removing landmines planted by #ISIL north #Aleppo.
https://youtu.be/uOjeQzEJxPE

Assad militia tank targets the cameraman in Qaboun district #Damascus.
https://youtu.be/lmNvWqc5lZ8

SAA terrorists bombing the besieged #Moadamiyah_alSham
#Damascus #Syria JAN 27

RIP Marwan and Ahmed Daaboul, two brothers volunteers in @SyriaCivilDef, Aleppo has been killed by a barrel bomb from regime helicopter

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 05:50 PM
CrowBat...hear anything on your end on this counterattack....?

BREAKING
Confirmed; Rebels launched counter attack to retake #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 27

ALSO appears to be a strong reorg underway among the various groups uniting in stronger groups and units......are they reorging into a major army group with specific brigades and divisions for better command and control...instead the loose hundreds of small groups.....

Sham_Rebels Battalion & #Shamia_Fronts now united "politically & militarily" as "Shamia Front"
#Aleppo #Syria JAN27

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 05:52 PM
CrowBat...anything on the potential of Russian weapons coming in via helio....?

Still unknown: the attitude of Kurds from Efrin: will they attack Rebels simultaneously? They received many weapons (by helico) recently...
Well, they attacked once in early December, in cooperation with Jaysh at-Thuwar (JAT) - and were badly beaten back, while a significant part of the JAT defected upon finding out they're not fighting the JAN (as Americans and Kurds told them), but FSyA...

(At that time, JAN was holding only Menngh AB, which was 10-15km behind the frontlines.)

The YPG regroupped and attacked again in early January, and nearly punched through all the way to Azaz - apparently because they hit a section of the frontline newly occuppied by the JAN (seems Jihadists are particularly keen to combat Kurds). Then they accepted a cease-fire. Ever since, it's quiet.

But, I've got no doubts that Obama is still beasty about that defeat in December, and Putler is surely extremely curious to get the Azaz corridor cut off - no matter by whom (though preferrably by Daesh). Otherwise, the VKS wouldn't bomb FSyA positions in Mare'a area.

EDIT: and sorry, nope, haven't followed Syria today. Too busy with this (https://twitter.com/bm21_grad/status/692392972072173569) and this (http://www.amazon.com/Libyan-Air-Wars-Part-1985-1989/dp/1910294543/ref=pd_sim_14_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51-xQ4iZpyL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR113%2C160_&refRID=03VAEYVRWSSQ2H2V3CSC).

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 06:14 PM
Suqur al Sahra use a drone in the mountains ANNA
Saw my favourite guy in the flight suit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3ladPU_rcA …

Zvezda - Syria Suqur al Sahra avenged pilot of Su-24 by liberating settlements from Turkmen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCT1zLJBbFU …

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 06:15 PM
CrowBat...this geo tag kind of destroys the Russian MoD statement that there are no Russian troops in Qamilishi AP.

Have posted a previous photo of this Russian soldier taken from his social media page....

More pictures from Korneev with geotag in Qamilishi international airport
pic.twitter.com/SKtV07sF2w

AGAIN another photo from his Russian social media page.....
V Korneev pictured a BMP-1 being transported in a plane cargo hold, Syria. Looks like Il-76. Captioned 'take off'
pic.twitter.com/zIYNBX6ScM

Rus Airbase in Qamilishi denied. VIDEO FROM THE AIRPORT TODAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS-GEfinh3Q …

Looks like Syria recently pulled several 9K31 Strela-1 mobile SAMs out of storage and based them at Qamishli.

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 06:18 PM
As people ask again "why are the Syrian rebels destroying bulldozers, I thought I'd repost my writeup on that topic.
http://www.type63.com/2015/10/but-why-bulldozers-impact-of-destroying.html?view=magazine&m=1 …

OUTLAW 09
01-27-2016, 07:04 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/iran-training-volunteer-advisers-serve-syria-133023385.html

Iran training volunteer 'advisers' to serve in Syria

Associated Press
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI



TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday that it is training volunteer "advisers" to serve alongside President Bashar Assad's forces in Syria.

General Mohsen Kazemeini said Iran feels an "obligation" to send "military advisers" to Syria to protect Shiite shrines at the request of the Assad government. His comments were posted Wednesday on a website for the Basij, a paramilitary division of the Guard.

"The Basij division of Tehran carries out registration of volunteers for advisory activities in Syria," Kazemeini said. "Only a few of those trained are dispatched to Syria."

Tehran has acknowledged that Guard officers are on the ground in Syria in an advisory role, but denies it has sent combat troops. A number of Iranian soldiers have been killed in Syria, including high-ranking officers. Wednesday's statement was the first time Iran has publicly acknowledged training volunteers to fight in Syria.

Iran is a key ally of Assad and has provided military and financial support throughout the five-year civil war.

The portraits and names of volunteers killed in Syria have begun to appear on billboards across Tehran in recent weeks, signaling a rise in Iranian deaths.

Iran has long been a close ally of Syria, viewing it as a forward line of defense against Israel. Iran is also concerned about the rise of the Islamic State group and other Sunni insurgents fighting in Syria.

Last summer, Rahim Nowei-Aghdam, a senior Guard commander, called on Iranians to volunteer to fight in Syria. "If we don't fight Daesh in Syria and Iraq, then we will have to fight them in Tehran," he said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.


The Iranian drumbeat now is....you the US need only us in the ME to help you work things out.....they seemed to forget they are fighting in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and have Hezbollah in Lebanon.....

CrowBat
01-27-2016, 09:48 PM
Zvezda - Syria Suqur al Sahra avenged pilot of Su-24 by liberating settlements from Turkmen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCT1zLJBbFU …...yup, they're 'liberating' Turkomen villages by ethnically cleansing Turkomen...

BTW, isn't 'avenging pilot' actually 'collective punishment'? Word is that collective punishment is a war crime...


Rus Airbase in Qamilishi denied. VIDEO FROM THE AIRPORT TODAY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KS-GEfinh3Q …Note crates with ammo lined down the runway in final sequence... guess, it's the same that's hauled by Mi-8s to Afrin enclave.

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 06:58 AM
Main Russian info war media outlet 100% owned by Russian government still spitting out disinformation on a global basis.......

No improvement here. @SputnikInt still not getting things right. No #IS in #Aleppo city.
http://sptnkne.ws/a6sR
pic.twitter.com/oClQc6P04m

Think all the videos and reports of civilians being killed by the RuAF/MoD claimed highly precise munitions which really are dumb iron bombs is getting to Putin and his FM.

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 08:44 AM
First publicly stated proposal to cantonize Syria ie the Swiss model where ethnic/language and culture make the shifts......

Appears the ethnic cleansing that is ongoing in Syria is being recognized...interesting if the same concept is being proposed for Iraq and there the sectarian cleansing is well progressed and it is brutal on the part of the Shia militias toward just common Iraqi Sunni's.

http://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/01/27/a-u-s-blueprint-for-syria/

New Middle East?

A U.S. Blueprint for Syria
Henri J. Barkey


Why does Russia always seem to be a step ahead of the U.S. in Syria? The answer is simple: Moscow knows exactly what it wants, and the U.S. doesn’t.

A friend who works in the Obama Administration recently lamented that the Russians are always a step ahead of us when it comes to Syria and the Middle East. If we are wondering why this is the case, the answer is simple: Moscow knows exactly what it wants in Syria and we do not. The time has come for the U.S. government, with selected allies, to publicly offer what it thinks a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis should look like. As suggested below, even if the proposition put forth here does not end up as the ultimate outcome, it is important for the U.S. government to assert a leadership role to start the process going.

The Russians, along with the Iranians, want Assad to remain in power. He offers Russia a strategic window with the base in Tartus and elsewhere. Syria’s mafia-like regime structure has deep links with its counterparts in Moscow whereby a small elite benefits economically. For the Russians, Syria is where they can make a stand against their dreaded nemesis: Western-inspired soft regime change.

By contrast, the U.S. position is all over the place. It first wanted Assad to leave and supported rebels, perhaps not enthusiastically. With the emergence of the Islamic State, it has shifted priorities to fight it.

Washington has been contemplating an arrangement with Moscow whereby Assad would remain in power for a “transitional” period so that everyone can focus on ISIS. Russia is unlikely to deliver in the long run. Its air force is helping Assad consolidate power along the heart of Syria, the Damascus-Aleppo axis. This will be completed when Aleppo is taken from the opposition. For the Russians and Assad, the rest of Syria does not really matter.

This could produce a stable equilibrium even if the opposition refuses to accept it and continues fighting. But this opposition, squeezed between regime and ISIS forces, is weaker and therefore incapable of changing the facts on the ground. All it can do is inflict casualties on the government side, but then this is does not appear to be much of a burden.

The U.S. government has no convincing alternative vocabulary to offer. The Sunni majority does not trust Washington, especially since the failure to live up to its chemical weapons ultimatum. By not employing force after a clear and justified reason for doing so, it has forfeited all credibility. In other ways, too, the Obama Administration has been more of a spectator than an activist. Regime supporters have little reason to look to the United States since Washington has ignored their concerns by focusing solely on Assad and conflating the regime with the bulk of beleaguered Alawi and Christian population. The Syrian Kurds are the only ones cooperating, but they too are cognizant of the unreliable U.S. policy record on the Kurds and are wary of Turkey’s natural influence on its long-standing American ally.

On the eve of a possible Syria meeting in Geneva, a forward-looking U.S. proposal could be as straightforward as the following: The U.S. government commits itself to the creation of a confederal democratic Syria that is divided along confessional and ethnic lines. In its most elementary form, the new Syria would be divided along three main areas, Alawi/Christian, Sunni, and Kurdish, with Damascus remaining as the capital although temporarily run by a UN administration. Each of these regions would send representatives to a governing council where they would exercise veto rights over certain types of legislation, such as defense, foreign policy, and natural resources, but certainly not on all. This would encourage cooperation across regions. Other, smaller groups such as the Druze and the Turkmen, provided their numbers add up, could get subsidiary regions.

The underlying principle behind this proposal is that after five years of war and its accompanying atrocities the lack of trust that permeates Syrian society will not abate anytime soon. Therefore, citizens will feel safer and more willing to reconstruct their societies if they are governed by their own kind.

Such an American announcement may elicit strong reactions from Turkey, which abhors the idea of any Kurdish autonomy and would rather see Sunni Arabs rule Syria, or from Russia and Iran who may rightly see that the areas that would be under the control of Alawis would be much less than what they now control. The main objection would be that this could be the beginning of the redrawing of boundaries in the region. Maybe so. But the people in the region should decide these boundaries, though not through war.

Whatever the merit of the idea, it will serve three purposes. First, it will consolidate American thinking along a concrete end-state and bring coherence to the policymaking enterprise. Second, and most importantly, it is a way to signal to Syrians everywhere that there is a definite plan out there to end the fighting. For the Sunnis, the knowledge that they will obtain the majority of Syria might also galvanize them ultimately to take on ISIS. Third, it has the added advantage of overturning the negotiating table where, to date, Washington has been discussing the issue almost entirely on the basis of Russian terms.

To be sure, trying to implement a confederal solution would be messy, and, as always, the devil is in the details. All actors would be tempted to game the proposal. Some population movements are likely to occur as a result, but it is better that this happen by design and not though ethnic cleansing, which is what is going on now in selected parts of the country.

Still, this is possibly the only constructive option out there: Not everyone will get what they want and drawing the lines separating communities will require tough give and take. But at least one can visualize an end to the fighting and, with the U.S. government taking the initiative, begin to think about how to organize the day after.

BUT this article is tempered by this.......simply but highly important fact......

Read Syrian history in the 1925-40, Syrians will't accept such solutions

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 08:54 AM
OK so Assad said no....under international humanitarian law which applies to everyone JUST why did not the UN themselves call the UNSC back into session and remind them they passed three Syrian UNSC resolutions 2 to stop bombing and 1 on delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians regardless of ethnicity AND it is their responsibility to insure compliance.

Seems to be the UN is just passing the buck to Assad and throwing up their hands as saying that's all we can do...really is that all....??

U.N. says Syria ignored most of its requests to deliver aid
http://reut.rs/1Qtm7bB

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 09:07 AM
Since early 2014, its been Syrians vs: Assad, NDF, Hezbollah, IRGC, ISIS, Iraqis, Afghani's, Pakistani's, mercs, Russians and US weakness

One of the heaviest loss days for civilians killed by Assad and Putin air strikes.
147 MARTYRS..
[29 Fighters, 11 women, 10 children]
52 DeirEzzor
43 Aleppo
8 Damascus
6 Homs
4 Hama
3 Daraa
2 Idlib
#Syria JAN 27

SAA terrorists shelling grad rockets targeting #alHarak town
#Daraa #Syria JAN 28

4 warplanes flying together carried out airstrikes targeting downtown Raqqa moments ago Syria JAN 28

Russia is now back to bombing Syrian hospitals...this is a deliberate move by Russia...kill one doctor and 10K cannot be treated......

Dr. Abdul Rahman Obeid burned to death by #Russia TERRORIST airstrikes in #Anadan Hospital
#Aleppo cs #syria JAN 27

SCD @SyriaCivilDef extinguish fire aftermath #Russia airstrikes with Cluster Bombs on #Anadan Hospital #Syria JAN27

6wounded from #Anadan Hospital were transferred to 2nearby hospitals; #Al_Houda Hosp & #Bab_alHawa Hosp
#Syria JAN27

Destruction aftermath #Russia airstrikes targeting Syria Charity Hospital of #Anadan
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 27

Little boy was inside the #SyriaCharity Hospital of #Anadan wounded by previous #Russia airstrikes..
#Syria JAN27

Russian AF still bombing Syrian mosques.......

Destruction of Masjid Abu Bakr alSadiq aftermath #Russia bombardment in #AlBab city
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 27

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 09:46 AM
Qalamoun: Assad regime Governor Hussein Makhlouf originally from Qardaha and several of his bodyguards killed in rebel ambush

Latakia: Pro Assad fighters repelled in Dawiyrka with many casualties reported

Aleppo: Assad regime weapons depot in Adnan explodes. Casualties reported

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 09:47 AM
CrowBat....social media is catching up with you......

Footage
Russian Tu-22M fly thousands of km to drop dumb free fall bombs over #DeirEzzor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55ni9KbpSv4 …

Why #Russia used Tu-22M3s over #DeirEzzor
http://www.janes.com/article/57488/russia-carries-out-more-long-range-bombing-sorties-over-syria …

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 09:55 AM
Russian military OPSEC was extremely poor in eastern Ukraine and even after a MoD warning about using social media it still is poor....EVEN their Spetsnaz cannot be controlled.

Even worse in Syria it appears as social media open source analysis is just running the accounts and finding daily this......

Maxim just arrived in #Tartus it seems.
First things he posts is geotagged picture and Arab sentence.
Amazing! ...

From #Oman to #Syria ...
Amazing how you can follow Russian soldiers around the world, judging from their selfies!

Selfies from the Assadists as well....

New Pic of a different BTR-82A (not #470 but #561) with same antennas. Pictured with a Syrian Navy Seal.

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 10:04 AM
FSA southern front was supplied w/ a brand-new Chinese Howo 6X4 mounted 122mm MRLS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgMp-komrAo …

Germany intelligence says flow of fighters to #Syria and #Iraq is INCREASING
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/germany-foreign-fighters-isis-muslim-extremist-syria-iraq/ …

Russia'n airstrikes wipped out castle Qalʿat ar-Rahba in Mayadin/#DeirEzzor in east #Syria
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.004770&lon=40.423261&z=17&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 10:06 AM
CrowBat......are the numbers close or off......??

IDF chief of Staff Eisenkot: 1500+ #Hezbollah fighters killed in #Syria & 10.000+ injured during battles to protect #Assad regime

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 10:23 AM
Maybe when it comes to Syria Kerry should be replaced with the former Ambassador to Syria...at least he calls a spade a spade.......


Robert Ford, a former ambassador to Syria, said the United States has relatively little leverage in the talks, in part because of the Obama administration's unwillingness to play a larger military role in Syria — even if that means just sending more support to moderate armed groups fighting Assad.

Assad, on the other hand, is playing such hardball that he won't even allow the United Nations to send in humanitarian aid to some areas, Ford said.

"The Americans have to realize they have a credibility problem," said Ford, now a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute. "Words don’t mean much. What are the Americans doing on the ground to help put pressure on both sides to help make concessions? That’s what matters. It is just hot air from Washington to talk about the need for a political deal without actions taken to make it happen."

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/obama-syria-opposition-leaders-218...

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 10:33 AM
MORE Iranian recruited Shia mercenaries are arriving in Syria......

Lots of news in #Syria state media now about new militias. Here, Baath chief visits new units in central region http://tishreen.news.sy/tishreen/public/read/354892 … Ar.

Lengthy paper by @Charles_Lister on the rivalry between Islamic State & al-Qa'ida
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Papers/2016/01/27-the-islamic-state-challenges-alqaida-lister/en-jihadi-rivalry.pdf?la=en …

My latest: account of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Islamic State leadership succession lines
http://www.aymennjawad.org/2016/01/an-account-of-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-islamic-state …

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 11:44 AM
Syria’s “New” Iranian Drone via @bellingcat
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2016/01/28/syria-new-iranian-drone/ …

Syria: little girl screams in panic after a indiscriminate Russian bombardment on al-Ghanto
https://youtu.be/CVhQAd6xRkE
pic.twitter.com/luWGDzYwH6

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 11:57 AM
And the UN is suppose to be neutral in their humanitarian support ......???

How the U.N. Let Assad Edit the Truth of Syria’s War
http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/01/27/syria-madaya-starvation-united-nations-humanitarian-response-plan-assad-edited/ …

Have posted previously a number of comments on this and finally MSM picks it up.....

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 12:16 PM
Appears now that those so called "pre conditions" that Kerry accused the rebel HNC of wanting and he rejected outright...seem to be part and parcel in the last UNSC resolution signed off on by the US and Russia.

Now the HNC demands that they be implemented as a sign of good faith by the US and Russia who signed the resolution....NOW it appears that in fact both Russia and the US signed off on the stopping of the bombing of civilians.

So why did Kerry "ask Lavrov nicely".........???

Appears that the Kerry so called pre conditions were in fact NOT pre conditions but rather what both the US and Russia had to implement as part of the Geneva way forward......??????


Syria's opposition is waiting for a response from U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over its demands including an end to bombardments and blockades after Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told them implementation was beyond his powers, a source said.

The Syrian opposition has said it wants such steps implemented before the start of negotiations, which the United Nations aims to convene on Friday in Geneva in an indirect format. The opposition has yet to say whether it will attend.

The source, familiar with an opposition meeting in Riyadh, said de Mistura had answered the opposition saying implementation of the resolution was "beyond his authority" and that they were now awaiting a response from Ban.

The source declined to be identified because he is not a spokesman for the High Negotiations Committee.

The demands are also points set out in a U.N. Security Council resolution passed last month.

De Mistura's office was not immediately available to comment on the source's remarks. A U.N. spokeswoman earlier declined to comment on the status of invitations and who would participate in the Geneva talks.

The source said the opposition had received de Mistura's response late on Wednesday and that it was "somewhat positive". De Mistura said implementation of the resolution was not up to him but to the states that signed it, the source added.


Appears that the rebel HNC does in fact make a valid point..."we simply do not trust either the Us or Russia"....and after over 100 days of air strikes and over 2000 killed would you......??

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 12:21 PM
Appears now that those so called "pre conditions" that Kerry accused the rebel HNC of wanting and he rejected outright...seem to be part and parcel in the last UNSC resolution signed off on by the US and Russia.

Now the HNC demands that they be implemented as a sign of good faith by the US and Russia who signed the resolution....NOW it appears that in fact both Russia and the US signed off on the stopping of the bombing of civilians.

So why did Kerry "ask Lavrov nicely".........???

Appears that the Kerry so called pre conditions were in fact NOT pre conditions but rather what both the US and Russia had to implement as part of the Geneva way forward......??????

Appears that the rebel HNC does in fact make a valid point..."we simply do not trust either the Us or Russia"....and after over 100 days of air strikes and over 2000 killed would you......??

An interesting game is afoot it appears...so now if the US announces they are ceasing air strikes against all except IS/and maybe JaN and the Russians do not follow suit and continue to bomb FSA a party in the talks...IS in fact then Russia responsible for the failure of any further talks..at least until they stop bombing everyone except IS??

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 12:55 PM
Aleppo #SAA & #Hezbollah now in Wadi'ah - try to advance on SYSACCO & Thermal Power plants & open highway http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.175643&lon=37.477026&z=14&m=b …

SAA / Republican Guard, January 2016.
pic.twitter.com/1TjK3xRLJt

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 12:59 PM
CrowBat.....more for you....

Video purportedly shows Russian soldier training pro-regime Gozarto Protection Force (GPF) in Qamishli #Syria
pic.twitter.com/ZIbZic4mi7

Identification of the Russian Ground Forces in Salma, Syria:
https://informnapalm.org/en/jan27-ground-syria/ …
pic.twitter.com/DSymO96kxa

Looks like the Russian GRU 45th Spetsnaz Brigade.......interesting is how many are in Syria as their Bde Commander was identified in the photo could be only one or two BNs much as they were doing in Ukraine and there they swapped them out every 4-5 months.....

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 01:29 PM
Russia'n airstrikes on kurdish Ashrafieh neighborhood in #Aleppo city

BUT WAIT I thought Russia wanted the Kurds in Geneva so why bomb them...?

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 01:47 PM
Maybe this can help the Obama WH and Kerry fully understand the effects of Russian air strikes and just why the rebel HNC Geneva team demands they stop...this town had roughly 24K before the Russian groups attacked with Spetsnaz and Shia militia, Iraqi Shia militia, IRGC and Hezbollah....and over 800 Russian air strikes and that included carpet bombings with the Tu-122.

Worth watching over and over and over.........so the next time do not simply "ask".....

See #Syria's future through the eyes of a #Russian drone.
"Liberation" of #SheikhMaskin...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tCScw4g52Y …
pic.twitter.com/yqXsrhrrui

And for the SWJ commenters who can now tell me with a straight face this grand Syrian strategy of the WH is working......it is an utter failure as simple as that.......

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 01:49 PM
Maybe this can help the Obama WH and Kerry fully understand the effects of Russian air strikes and just why the rebel HNC Geneva team demands they stop...this town had roughly 24K before the Russian groups attacked with Spetsnaz and Shia militia, Iraqi Shia militia, IRGC and Hezbollah....and over 800 Russian air strikes and that included carpet bombings with the Tu-122.

Worth watching over and over and over.........so the next time do not simply "ask".....

See #Syria's future through the eyes of a #Russian drone.
"Liberation" of #SheikhMaskin...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tCScw4g52Y …
pic.twitter.com/yqXsrhrrui

And for the SWJ commenters who can now tell me with a straight face this grand Syrian strategy of the WH is working......it is an utter failure as simple as that.......

This video is a bitter commentary on the failure of the Obama ME foreign policy in general and specifically Syria....

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 01:56 PM
Maybe this can help the Obama WH and Kerry fully understand the effects of Russian air strikes and just why the rebel HNC Geneva team demands they stop...this town had roughly 24K before the Russian groups attacked with Spetsnaz and Shia militia, Iraqi Shia militia, IRGC and Hezbollah....and over 800 Russian air strikes and that included carpet bombings with the Tu-122.

Worth watching over and over and over.........so the next time do not simply "ask".....

See #Syria's future through the eyes of a #Russian drone.
"Liberation" of #SheikhMaskin...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tCScw4g52Y …
pic.twitter.com/yqXsrhrrui

And for the SWJ commenters who can now tell me with a straight face this grand Syrian strategy of the WH is working......it is an utter failure as simple as that.......

CrowBat...check the video and you will notice on the open armored troop carrier a Russian solider look up at the drone as he knows it is there....might be wrong but it looks like the same individual (at about 0.38) who I posted his photo here before and you had linked to on one of your comments. The rest of the group did not look up as they evidently did not see the drone.

Probable member of the 45th GRU Spetsnaz Bde......

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 02:19 PM
Footage
Iranian Mohajer-4 drone (imo) and Russian Su-34 operating over #Latakia province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QX4_KXxI1Q …
pic.twitter.com/F7CLXEGvjo

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 02:20 PM
NOW after that surreal drone footage this is the utter reality of a deliberate Russian air strike on civilians which might require Kerry to do more than simply "ask".....and Kerry wonders why the HNC makes "pre conditions" that he himself via the UNSC has already agreed to BUT cannot fulfill......come on it is not rocket science...just humanity...

The footage is extremely #graphic as you might be able to imagine, before clicking on it ...GRAPHIC

News
10 civilians, mostly women and children, killed in Rus/Assad air strike on Al-Ghantu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj-Bo4yRIqk&feature=youtu.be&oref=https%... …

Another day of merciless terror vs. the civilians population by two air forces over #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhQAd6xRkE …

A core question that is sitting in the room and the WH needs to pay attention....at what point will the defenders of the Sunni global community ie KSA and Turkey feel that they have been humiliated enough by Putin in his killing of Sunni's that they become far more active in the actual defense of Sunni's in Syria....more of these videos and we are slowly getting to that point of no return OR they release the MANPADs and argue the need to defend defenseless civilians from Assad and Russian AFs.....we are almost at that point.

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 02:26 PM
NOW after that surreal drone footage this is the utter reality of a deliberate Russian air strike on civilians which might require Kerry to do more than simply "ask".....and Kerry wonders why the HNC makes "pre conditions" that he himself via the UNSC has already agreed to BUT cannot fulfill......come on it is not rocket science...just humanity...

The footage is extremely #graphic as you might be able to imagine, before clicking on it ...GRAPHIC

News
10 civilians, mostly women and children, killed in Rus/Assad air strike on Al-Ghantu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj-Bo4yRIqk&feature=youtu.be&oref=https%... …

Another day of merciless terror vs. the civilians population by two air forces over #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhQAd6xRkE …

A core question that is sitting in the room and the WH needs to pay attention....at what point will the defenders of the Sunni global community ie KSA and Turkey feel that they have been humiliated enough by Putin in his killing of Sunni's that they become far more active in the actual defense of Sunni's in Syria....more of these videos and we are slowly getting to that point of no return OR they release the MANPADs and argue the need to defend defenseless civilians from Assad and Russian AFs.....we are almost at that point.


Russian airstrikes on Kafr Takharim #Idlib killed 15 people & injured dozens
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.113471&lon=36.512461&z=14&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 02:44 PM
Our AirbusDS imagery shows how the Rumaylan/Rmelan airstrip in NE Syria has been expanded
http://www.janes.com/article/57509/kurdish-forces-expand-airstrip-in-northeast-syria …
pic.twitter.com/EQH7nSJdnb

EU answer to Russian info warfare...comes out weekly worth reading through it...
EU Mythbusters ✔ @EUvsDisinfo
New countries & languages every week. Have you seen the latest #DisinfoReview? Read & share:
http://eepurl.com/bObLLT
pic.twitter.com/qupSiGQg0U

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 02:48 PM
CrowBat....did the Zinki's TOW teams stay and work with JaN....??

Nusra sends 700+ fighters to the Lattakia front & takes over Nureddin Zinki's positions in N-Aleppo.

This was possible because of a huge inflow of new recruits to Nusra from various factions in 5 months of Russian intervention.

OUTLAW 09
01-28-2016, 03:06 PM
Reference Assad cyber attacks.....currently a high number of ongoing Syrian cyber attacks originating in Damascus and targeting the KSA....has been occurring in waves all day. Have seen the same tactic being used out of Iraq focusing on the KSA and that has been steady all day.

Attacks do not involved backdoors or Trojans...just straight old fashioned hack attempts via semi professional types.