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davidbfpo
12-30-2015, 07:30 PM
A new thread for this theme, created by a moderator. The current 2015 thread has had 92k views and has 3.8k posts:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=21961

OUTLAW 09
12-31-2015, 09:10 PM
Will pick up this thread tomorrow 1 Jan 2016.....last comment to the 2015 thread was just posted.

Azor
01-01-2016, 03:14 AM
Happy New Year all, especially to the people of Syria.

CrowBat
01-01-2016, 10:23 AM
Good morning everybody in 2016...

The 'news' collected this morning are those for the last day of 2015, though, and I doubt it's going to be very much different for the rest of this year. Then, sadly, the Russians continued in precisely the same fashion like before (including bombardments of IDP-camps then, Russians never bomb civilians with their super-turbo precise weapons).

Aleppo (city and Azaz corridor)
Russians flew a two-wave bombardment of an IDP-camp north of Azaz, killing four. To the luck of refugees there, nearly a dozen of bombs failed to detonate. Three women were killed and several kids lost their limbs...

Nearby food depot was hit too (guess that bombing this place really helped improve 'combat experience' of involved crews, then 'air defences' must've been 'fierce'):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsfQZrpzO8o

Curiously, YouTube then removed the Qasyoun TV-channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Jyp_NyQ9J4Of0t64qNlNA), deleting thousands of videos from this war too... what is left is a small part of all of these re-loaded on SyrianArchive (https://syrianarchive.org/) - which is prompting the question: why are giants in US social media so supportive for Russian crimes against humanity?

***************

Aleppo (south)
Thuwar ash-Sham TOWing an IRGC MBT (results are 'inconclusive'):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXa0GKHUlUo

***************

Hama/Homs
A series of bombing attacks hit the Ayoudun village and Talbiseh in RTP.

BTW, a regime announcement about success in assault on four villages south-east of Hama has revealed that the RTP is much bigger than usually claimed or shown on any kind of maps: namely, it has (or at least it had) a lengthy 'prong' in direction of Hama city, nearly reaching its outskirts (thanks so much to all the 'neutral', though actually pro-regime, map-drawers around the internet).

Insurgents claimed to have killed 32 Assadist thugs there.

Map attached below is showing the area in question and what the regime claims to have recovered. Mind: this is anything but 'confirmed'.

***************

Dera'a
Despite claims by regime fans that Sheikh Mishkin was 'completely liberated', fierce bombardment from the air and by artillery, and deployment of a mass of at least three brigades of IRGC-QF's Hezbollah/Iraq, and although several of insurgent groups have left the town without letting anybody know, between 30 and 40% of Sheikh Mishkin remain in insurgent hands. Yesterday, their RPG-teams were busy hunting down single T-72s around the southern part of the place. At least one was knocked out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ac52XBFGQ

...and because Sheikh Mishkin was 'captured' by Iranians and Iraqis, this RT propaganda team (https://twitter.com/MuradoRT) didn't manage it into the town: that is, they've reached the outskirts then the local IRGC commanders forced them to leave...

...while regime-fans claim that all the FSyA units have left the town and 'Jihadists are now in control' (how comes if 'SyAA' has re-captured it?), the FSyA released the names of 29 KIA in Sheikh Mishkin, in the last two days.

BTW, how 'well aimed' and 'precise' is the bombing by Russian gheroys can be gauged by videos like this one, showing release of dumb bombs from about 2,000m altitude - downwind ( :roll: ):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5NCvJ0-BRI

...so the bombs can be better dragged away from course by the wind, I guess... Man, if these are 'Russian professionalists at work'... perhaps I should fly some of Su-34s instead of them...

Further west, regime launched a diversionary attack on Samdaniya and al-Gharbiya near Qunaitra. Although each village was captured, both were recovered in insurgent counterattacks launched already late in the morning.

It's snowing in most of central Syria today, so I guess there is not going to be much action.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 10:33 AM
We are off and running in 2016 with the continuing Russian non linear war in both eastern Ukraine and especially in Syria......with a US President that absolutely does not understand political warfare nor UW and is afraid to employ hard power together with soft power.

IE----the UNSC has urgently called for the stopping of bombing that is killing deliberately Syrian civilians--BTW the US was for that resolution----and it took a major social media push on the massive killings that are ongoing and still ongoing being deliberately conducted by both the Assad and the Russian AFs THAT finally got at least the DoS to issue a statement and call the Russian FM.

IT should not have taken social media to push DoS and Obama.

Obama could have first warned via back channels Putin that he has gone to far and if the killing has not stopped THEN he could have moved the debate into the UNSC and presented the massive amount of video footage and HWR/AI reporting to force a stop---if that did not reign in Putin then he could in fact allow US assets to fly circles over the respective cities being badly bombed forcing the RuAF to restrict their bombings.

BUT from Obama absolutely nothing.

We are even seeing his reluctance on further sanctions on the extremely active Iranian ballistic missile tests and further development which are in FULL violation of the UNSC resolutions on their missile development AS well as finally calling out Putin on the clear Russian violations on INF. Obama is even sidestepping a full informing of Congress on the Russian INF violations.

AND the Russian strikes on civilians just keeps on keeping........

Who is using #Russian cluster munitions such as RBK-500 in #Syria? #RuAF or #SyAFF which is under Russian control?
pic.twitter.com/lrAI2gYcsn

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 10:59 AM
Says 24 Assad & Iranian forces were killed in a Russian airstrikes in Jabal Nuba, Latakia last night

To celebrate the end of 2015 in #Syria, Assad heavy artillery is targeting the border town of al-Yamadiya, home to many of #Latakia’s IDPs

Reports 20 Assad forces have defected to the opposition in Sheikh Miskin, #Daraa

Ha, a fire at a Dubai hotel grabs everyone’s attention, come to #Syria & I can show you buildings on fire anywhere you like in the country!

Turret blown off & landed on tank Sheikh Miskeen
https://youtu.be/Bd135PWwIlc

@SyriaCivilDef again recovering children from under the rubble after an Assad rocket hit Zibdin, #Damascus today
http://youtu.be/Accw5HlN--g

These 2 children are brother & sister. The brother didn’t make it. Happy New Year.


FSA Jaish al-Naser using a Fagot ATGM w/ night vision against a regime tank at Zaitan front in S. #Aleppo last night
http://youtu.be/PWU65zmnojo

Most of Sheikh Miskin is under rebel control according to reports however as regime withdrew to the eastern outskirts, again very fluid situ

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 11:02 AM
Mark Galeotti @MarkGaleotti

How long will #Russia op in #Syria last? @kommersant says stuck while #ISIS still in field, so stuck indefinitely
http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2883419

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 11:14 AM
For those grey beards still working the field.......
pic.twitter.com/E8RwSK2Lp1

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 11:37 AM
Our HEROES #WhiteHelmets w/88 members saved more than 42.000 lives in #Syria 2015

Lovely report from @TRTalarabiya on the amazing women of @SyriaCivilDef
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoQ-E5W6DDg …

Assad regime militias dispatched in area of Brigade 82
Убитые боевики воюющие за Асада 18+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mFgCAJsMAo …

Russian killing of civilians STILL continues....
25 martyrs 1 child 1 woman..
8 #Damascus
6 #Aleppo
5 #Daraa
3 #Idlib
2 #Hama
1 #Latakia
Dec 31 2015

The southern suburbs. Local activists confirmed that 15 of Assad's forces were killed after fierce clashes and they were forces to

Aleppo rebels' battalions thwarted this morning an attempt be Assad's forces to advance on #Klareh and #Rashidin_Khamisa in

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 11:38 AM
First martyr of 2016.. Victim of #Russia airstrikes on #Idlib... #Syria JAN 1 .............
http://fb.me/HFZLOmKn

Syria | The first martyr of 2016. His name was Omar Yousef AlFaysal. May you #RestInPower young man.

2nd martyr of 2016
Father of the little boy Omar Youse Al faysal
#Russia airstrikes on #Idlib #Syria JAN1

Russian killing of women and children DOES NOT stop......
She tried to protect her baby...but........
Victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Muzayrib
#Daraa #Syria Dec 31

BOTH KILLED.......

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 11:43 AM
We are off and running in 2016 with the continuing Russian non linear war in both eastern Ukraine and especially in Syria......with a US President that absolutely does not understand political warfare nor UW and is afraid to employ hard power together with soft power.

IE----the UNSC has urgently called for the stopping of bombing that is killing deliberately Syrian civilians--BTW the US was for that resolution----and it took a major social media push on the massive killings that are ongoing and still ongoing being deliberately conducted by both the Assad and the Russian AFs THAT finally got at least the DoS to issue a statement and call the Russian FM.

IT should not have taken social media to push DoS and Obama.

Obama could have first warned via back channels Putin that he has gone to far and if the killing has not stopped THEN he could have moved the debate into the UNSC and presented the massive amount of video footage and HWR/AI reporting to force a stop---if that did not reign in Putin then he could in fact allow US assets to fly circles over the respective cities being badly bombed forcing the RuAF to restrict their bombings.

BUT from Obama absolutely nothing.

We are even seeing his reluctance on further sanctions on the extremely active Iranian ballistic missile tests and further development which are in FULL violation of the UNSC resolutions on their missile development AS well as finally calling out Putin on the clear Russian violations on INF. Obama is even sidestepping a full informing of Congress on the Russian INF violations.

AND the Russian strikes on civilians just keeps on keeping........

Who is using #Russian cluster munitions such as RBK-500 in #Syria? #RuAF or #SyAFF which is under Russian control?
pic.twitter.com/lrAI2gYcsn

Good night world.
"Happy bomb year".
Ma3 salaama
#Syria

Syrian Arab Red Crescent in besieged Damascus suburbs of Douma and Erbeen held a joint children's party for New Year

Yet another show of strength by the Obama White House
Breaking: White House delays imposing new financial sanctions on Iran
http://www.wsj.com

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 11:53 AM
#SAA shelling grad rockets targeting #Darayya
#Damascus CS #Syria JAN 1

Rebels storming #Hmaimyn airbase with grad rockets
#Latakia #Syria JAN 1

"Mass celebration" between Rebels targeting at the same time dozens of #SAA positions at #Qardaha #Salnafah #Shahtah #Suqalabiyah air base

Daraa Rebel heavy artillery shelling #Assad militias- try to break into Shayk Maskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7cEie_z5e8 …

Snowing at northern #Homs frontlines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v908Eb7FquI …

"Happy new Year" in #Syria #Damascus- gunfire in the air from both
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XabIyM8gQI …

Pro-#Assad Shiite militias from #Iraq (Harakat al-Nujaba) beheading
rebel-fighters in southern #Aleppo #Syria
AND Obama is not complicit in the sectarian fighting now ongoing in Syria with massive Russian support...

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:08 PM
Damascus Report of failed #IS-car bombing on Jaish al Islam -HQ in
al-Dumair city https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZicOIxIZHYU&feature=youtu.be …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.638347&lon=36.699314&z=13&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:12 PM
CrowBat--I have been tracking this particular commenter and he has been to a degree correct in the last couple of months...any idea what he might be talking about????

Funny. Russians bombing Sunnis, Shias beheading Sunnis in Syria & not one "peace loving" western leftist is speaking up.

The gloves are off. The opposition cannot be blamed for anything they do anymore against such a genocidal enemy.

Just wait & see what Rebels have in store. I'm not giving any info & I advise all activists to keep silent for a while.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:13 PM
Kremlin says unfamiliar with report on alleged Russian "war crimes" in Syria
http://tass.ru/en/politics/846268 …

Kremlin shld familiarize itself with our report on their airstrikes in #Syria - here it is:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2015/12/syria-russias-shameful-failure-to-acknowledge-civilian-killings/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:23 PM
The Russian FM disagrees with the US proposal to include JaI in the Syrian negotiations.......FM has named JaI and AAS as "terrorist"--WHY because they are fully supported by KSA........

... And we kill with what we disagree.
Happy new diplomatic year, @UN!
Your "peace plan" for #Syria was born dead.

THAT is exactly what Putin had in mind when he "allowed" the US to go to the UNSC.....exact same procedure for the Minsk 2---dead on arrival......

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:26 PM
Jobar...
#Syria JAN 1
pic.twitter.com/oXAG8Yq1hn

One major proSyrian accounts that was deleted by Twitter after Russian and Syrian trolls complained to Twitter under they new policy.....

Iyad El-Baghdadi @iyad_elbaghdadi
Glad to see who was pleased and happy with my brief account suspension: pro-ISIS accounts and pro-Assad accounts. Well done @twitter.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:28 PM
The Russian FM disagrees with the US proposal to include JaI in the Syrian negotiations.......FM has named JaI and AAS as "terrorist"--WHY because they are fully supported by KSA........

... And we kill with what we disagree.
Happy new diplomatic year, @UN!
Your "peace plan" for #Syria was born dead.

THAT is exactly what Putin had in mind when he "allowed" the US to go to the UNSC.....exact same procedure for the Minsk 2---dead on arrival......

MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Syromolotov: We disagree with the US proposal to include Jaysh al-Islam in the negotiations on the political settlement in #Syria


MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Syromolotov: Criminal terrorist organisations Jaysh al-Islam & Ahrar ash-Sham should be eliminated
http://bit.ly/1JNMW5w

WHY because if KSA support and their are the best fighting anti Assad forces........

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:34 PM
Iran is doing on the ground what #Russia does in the air: taking over #Syria's war. Sovereignty, #Assad?https://twitter.com/ivansidorenko1/status/682670210990608384 …

Still can't figure out why #Russia shipped some early T-90s to #Syria. Lack of thermal sights is a major handicap.
pic.twitter.com/rHkiMO1GoN

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:35 PM
Mark Galeotti @MarkGaleotti

On #Russia op in #Syria, interesting + detailed map in @kommersant
pic.twitter.com/iSPsuIlpIY

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 12:40 PM
Russia's human rights preaching on PKK operations nothing but 'dark humor': Ankara
http://www.turkishweekly.net/2015/12/31/news/russia-s-human-rights-preaching-on-pkk-operations-nothing-but-dark-humor-ankara/ …

Turkey: ‘Human rights lesson’ from Russia over Kurdish issue a ‘joke’
http://www.todayszaman.com/diplomacy_turkey-human-rights-lesson-from-russia-over-kurdish-issue-a-joke_408434.html … via @todayszamancom

Putin has bullied, invaded, imprisoned, tortured, and killed Ukrainians to try to stop it, but today real EU-Ukraine free trade starts.

CrowBat
01-01-2016, 01:10 PM
CrowBat--I have been tracking this particular commenter and he has been to a degree correct in the last couple of months...any idea what he might be talking about????

Funny. Russians bombing Sunnis, Shias beheading Sunnis in Syria & not one "peace loving" western leftist is speaking up.

The gloves are off. The opposition cannot be blamed for anything they do anymore against such a genocidal enemy.

Just wait & see what Rebels have in store. I'm not giving any info & I advise all activists to keep silent for a while.
Well... by now, everybody monitoring this thread should know what is motivation of majority of Iranian and Iraqi combatants sent to Syria (namely, 'defence of Sayyida Zaynab Shrine'), i.e. that this is of religious and sectarian nature; those that paid more attention might not forget the video showing that 'commander' of one of Hezbollah/Iraq gangs preaching 'killing Sunnis' during his speech on Friday noon preach, several weeks ago, etc...

...which means they're de-facto Shi'a Jihadists in Syria...

We've seen an increasing number of interviews with Hezbollah/Lebanon combatants disgruntled about what they've been sent to do in Syria...

...and it's not getting better if majority of Western public is intentionally ignorant of the fact that Assad and Russians in Syria are cooperating with at least three, probably four groups considered 'terrorist' by the 'West' (USA, NATO etc.), including the IRGC, Hezbollah, PFLP-GC, and PKK...

Bottom line: anybody still insisting that this is some sort of a war in which there are no moderate forces but 'Jihadists only', and that these would be facing some sort of 'coalition of good-doing, secular and democratic' forces of IRGC, supported by Russians, who are 'finally going to bring an end to this Wahhabist mess', and then 'instal secularity and democracy' in the country... is actually living in an illusion, and might prefer to go considering Hollywood's 'blockbuster' movies on 'super-heroes' for 'authentic documentaries'.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 01:43 PM
I have been criticizing this President for his sheer lack of a strategy which is amazing for a Harvard graduate....HE has actually been implementing a solid a la Wilson retrenchment program AND selling it or better in his own words...."messaging" that retrenchment to the US civil society ALL the while not putting into place a foreign policy foundation that other nation states can fully understand.

He completely failed in recognizing the Russian and Iranian non linear warfare coupled to Putin's political warfare three core geo political goals;
1. damage and discredit EU
2. damage and discredit NATO
3. completely disconnect the US from Europe and the entire ME

It is highly recommended to read this entire article and then sit back and think about it based on the daily reality that is directly opposite of what this President and his NSC is trying to "message".

http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/three-areas-where-us-foreign-policy-wen...


Garden in September. —Associated Press
My fellow Think Tank contributor (and sometime co-author) Brian Katulis says that for “the Obama administration, 2015 brought ups and downs in foreign policy.” This is far too rosy an assessment, though it is sober compared with the State Department’s review of its 2015 accomplishments, which included “Winning Fight Against Violent Extremists” and “Bringing Peace, Security to Syria.” The last year has been one of serious strategic setbacks, falling roughly into three categories:

1. Failure to respond to assertive great-power challengers. In 2015, China intensified its campaign to build and militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea, with the likely goal of strengthening its territorial claim within the “nine-dash line” and limiting other states’ freedom of action in the area. Russia deployed military forces to the Middle East–in direct opposition to U.S.-supported groups–and consolidated its annexation of Crimea while maintaining or deepening support for separatists in Ukraine in defiance of the Minsk cease-fire agreement.

The U.S. has not mustered an effective response in either case. After years of hand-wringing, the White House authorized a Freedom of Navigation Operation in the South China Sea that may have inadvertently strengthened the rights China claims in the area. As for Ukraine, although the U.S. and its allies maintain their sanctions regime against Russia, they could not eliminate dependencies on Moscow, which might prove debilitating in future conflicts. Meanwhile in Syria, the U.S. concedes that Moscow is meeting its goals so far while insisting it is doomed to fail.

2. Lapsed focus on outcomes. The Obama administration frequently cites the Iran nuclear deal as a marquee accomplishment. Achieving U.S. objectives through diplomacy would have been laudable, but the nuclear deal was possible precisely because the U.S. laid aside its objectives. Iran made concessions but also largely achieved its strategic aims: retaining its nuclear weapons capability and resisting demands for a broader “strategic shift” in its support for terrorism and regional policies. Iran also received sanctions relief that is broader in practice than on paper, all in exchange for temporary limits on its nuclear fuel-cycle activities.

Secretary of State John Kerry has said that “diplomacy is the art of the possible.” Yet administration officials fail to comprehend how U.S. action, or inaction, can shape what is possible. This was clear in Afghanistan, where President Barack Obama was forced to face the consequences of prematurely announcing a U.S. withdrawal. It is increasingly clear in Syria, where the White House, despite foreseeing the dangers posed by the conflict, is shifting objectives in response to others’ actions rather than taking the initiative.

3. Weakened alliances. President Obama frequently contrasts what his administration calls the 19th-century behavior of some states to the rules-based order he prefers. Yet, as President Obama has noted, rules and norms do not enforce themselves; international order is threatened not only by overt challenges but also by others’ failure to defend it. The challenges described above should have been opportunities to cement alliances in the face of common threats: to deepen ties with Japan and India in the face of Chinese expansionism; to unite with Mideast allies against threats from Iran and Syria; and to unite Europe in defiance of Russian actions in Ukraine.

Instead, these opportunities have largely been missed. U.S. allies in Asia have been alarmed by what they perceive as Washington’s failure to follow through on a promised “pivot” to the region and its failure to back up “red lines” elsewhere. In the Middle East, the Iran deal and U.S. confusion in Syria have strained already weakened ties with Israel and Arab states. A White House effort to assuage the concerns of Gulf Cooperation Council states was both belated and off the mark, focused on expanding U.S. assistance rather than accommodating allies’ concerns over U.S. policy. Weakened alliances mean that U.S. power is diluted and our allies tend to act independently of the United States and of each other in ways that complicate our efforts.

The list could continue; for example, neglect of the domestic component of foreign policy could shift the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement from a success into a failure thanks to opposition from the president’s own party.

The Obama record in 2015 suggests that our post-Cold War struggle to determine how best to shepherd and use U.S. power continues; for the overreach of the Iraq war, diffidence has been substituted. The primary challenge in 2016 and onward will be how to deploy the United States’ still-immense strength judiciously, proactively, and multilaterally to resolve conflicts to our advantage and to prevent new ones from emerging.

Michael Singh is managing director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. From 2005 to 2008, he worked on Middle East issues at the National Security Council. He is on Twitter: @MichaelSinghDC.

Feb 2007 - Australian Prime Minister John Howard warns of the consequences for Iraq & Middle East of an Obama win
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/howard-blasts-obama/2007/02/11/1171128798037.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 02:22 PM
MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Syromolotov: We disagree with the US proposal to include Jaysh al-Islam in the negotiations on the political settlement in #Syria


MFA Russia ✔ @mfa_russia
#Syromolotov: Criminal terrorist organisations Jaysh al-Islam & Ahrar ash-Sham should be eliminated
http://bit.ly/1JNMW5w

WHY because if KSA support and their are the best fighting anti Assad forces........

There's no objective reason to exclude one of the strongest opposition factions in #Syria from negotiations. https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/682893267604750336 …

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 02:24 PM
Detained IS suicide bombers in Turkeys #Istanbul Musa Canz (28) Adnan Yıldırım (40)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/Default.aspx?pageID=238&nID=93300&NewsCatID=509 pic.twitter.com/493EWHz2Jw

The explosives secured by Turkish authorities are sophisticated to maximize damage when detonated....!
pic.twitter.com/AZrPK9QZ5W
pic.twitter.com/493EWHz2Jwremember the three core geo political goals of

Russian non linear warfare at work --Putin is using the PKK and the IS as formal weapon systems against Turkey AND NATO.........remember the three core geo political goals of Putin----one is damaging and discrediting NATO........

CrowBat
01-01-2016, 03:12 PM
I have been criticizing this President...By best will, I cannot 'criticise this president' any more: he's simply a stupid babbler.

Here the best illustration for that: the SDF (YPG + Jaysh at-Thuwar FSyA) are assaulting western side of Azaz Corridor again (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-aleppo-idUSKBN0UF1VU20160101) - and they are brazen enough to call all the other insurgents there - no matter if FSyA, AAS or JAN - for 'Islamists'....


A U.S.-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters advanced against Islamist insurgents in the north of the country on Friday, capturing at least one village in Aleppo province, a spokesman and a monitoring group said.
...

One is left to wonder: if the stated US objective in Syria is to support those that 'fight Daesh', then why isn't this gang deployed to go fighting Daesh?

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 03:46 PM
How’s that Syrian/Iranian/Russian/IS counter UW strategy working for Obama that he needs to “increase messaging” on……..????

https://www.yahoo.com/news/iran-more-missiles-hide-general-140851452.html

Iran has more missiles than it can hide: General

AFP


Tehran (AFP) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards have so many missiles they don't know where to hide them, a senior commander said at Friday prayers, after the United States threatened to impose fresh sanctions.

"We lack enough space in our stockpiles to house our missiles," said General Hossein Salami, the Guards' deputy, as a row with the US over Iran's ballistic missile programme deepened.

"Hundreds of long tunnels are full of missiles ready to fly to protect your integrity, independence and freedom," he told worshippers in Tehran, promising to never "stop developing our defence deterrent".

Iranian state television aired in October unprecedented footage of such an underground missile base.

The general's comments came after reports that the US had planned -- but later shelved -- to unveil a fresh round of sanctions following two recent missile tests by the Islamic republic.

The mooted financial penalties on companies and individuals in Iran, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, for apparent links to Tehran's missile programme, highlighted worsening US-Iran relations.

They also put in jeopardy a landmark deal struck in July between Iran and six world powers including the US, which is due to be formally implemented within weeks.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani denounced the US moves Thursday as "hostile and illegal interventions" that must be met with a response.

He ordered the military to intensify its missile development and take whatever steps necessary to start new programmes if they would better serve Iran's defence.

After Rouhani's comments the White House put the sanctions on hold indefinitely, The Wall Street Journal reported, though officials said the measures remained on the table for use if necessary.

The spectre of new penalties against Iran -- the nuclear deal is due to lift existing sanctions that froze Iran out of the global financial system and crippled its oil exports -- brought worsening relations to a head.

A United Nations panel last month said the two missile tests breached previous resolutions aimed at stopping the Islamic republic from developing projectiles capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Iran has always denied seeking an atomic weapon and argues that its missiles would never be designed to, nor ever carry, such a bomb.

The nuclear deal is due to come into effect on "Implementation Day", expected later this month, or soon after, when UN monitors sign off that Iran has applied major curbs to its atomic programme.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 04:27 PM
I have been criticizing this President for his sheer lack of a strategy which is amazing for a Harvard graduate....HE has actually been implementing a solid a la Wilson retrenchment program AND selling it or better in his own words...."messaging" that retrenchment to the US civil society ALL the while not putting into place a foreign policy foundation that other nation states can fully understand.

He completely failed in recognizing the Russian and Iranian non linear warfare coupled to Putin's political warfare three core geo political goals;
1. damage and discredit EU
2. damage and discredit NATO
3. completely disconnect the US from Europe and the entire ME

It is highly recommended to read this entire article and then sit back and think about it based on the daily reality that is directly opposite of what this President and his NSC is trying to "message".

http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/three-areas-where-us-foreign-policy-wen...


Michael Singh is managing director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. From 2005 to 2008, he worked on Middle East issues at the National Security Council. He is on Twitter: @MichaelSinghDC.

Feb 2007 - Australian Prime Minister John Howard warns of the consequences for Iraq & Middle East of an Obama win
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/howard-blasts-obama/2007/02/11/1171128798037.html …

FURTHER Russian evidence to their current actions against NATO...THAT Obama is so intent on ignoring......

“It is time to correct the mistake by Gorbachev“ #Russia #Baltics #Turkey #Nato
http://news.rambler.ru/head/32327873

Putin labels #NATO a security threat.
http://cnn.it/22ClLWX
pic.twitter.com/AQeHPLvm8H

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 05:17 PM
The Iraqi's and the US just keep on forgetting IS can indeed fight........ask the anti Assad forces.....but no one does......

Setback for Iraqi forces in #Ramadi. #ISIS & ISF sources: "Iraqi forces ambushed & retreated after suffering loses".
pic.twitter.com/5AhCVc14P8

ISIS media units are reporting "violent clashes in downtown #Ramadi near the govt complex" and "heavy shelling" of #Iraq Army positions.

Anyone believing anything Obama and Kerry say about Iran, Putin and or Assad....???

Were you among those who believed John Kerry when he promised to "push back" aggressively against Iran? https://twitter.com/pandagulu/status/682667330669776900 …

Assad-forces now only ~12km south of #IS hold al-Bab city in eastern #Aleppo countryside

Daraa Rebels claim killed 14 #SAA & 2 #Iran'ian officers & dozens #Iraq'i Shiite forces in Shayk Maskin
pic.twitter.com/CnJym0WM1F

Daraa From battle in Shayk Maskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98SXa6-CFWQ …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUF33iAL_go …

Map
Rebels recaptured Samadaniyah al-Gharbi in #Quneitra prov after several hours.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GGf6i0eK-I …

Daraa: Heavy fighting in Sheikh Miskeen. Good ol' Volcano photographed by @MuradoRT who is embedded wi #SAA.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 05:26 PM
Arsal Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon covered with snow need urgent fuel & food supplies.
https://youtu.be/LCSZb4Fj_I0

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 05:30 PM
To those in the #SouthernFront:
#MOC denies you offensives to cut Daraa corridor, denies you #ATGM since half a year.
Why obey to them???

Note: Daraa & #SouthernFront keep getting banned from recieving substantial #TOW- 1 #ATGM. Same since 6 months.

53 ATGM launches in December 2015:
http://justpaste.it/DecemberATGM

1250 total ATGM launches in Syria so far by anti-gov groups
~790 TOW
450+ other ATGM

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 05:38 PM
Note that #YPG use their sunni mercenary unit #JaTh to hide their landgrab Intentions.

Shekh Miskin: a strangely behaving allegedly assadist target is hit.
https://youtu.be/QSq_Bd4-6wo

ISW ‏@TheStudyofWar · 31 Dec 2015
How the battle against the Islamic State is redrawing the map of the Middle East. @LizSly
http://wpo.st/GnA01

Leader of (Kurdish) PYD-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces admits coordinating with the Assad regime.
http://bit.ly/1OzjPu2 #Syria

It is amazing that the US has for years not paid much attention to videos being released by the various Salafist groups---

Strangely neglected, this video released on January 23 2007 is the family photo of the newborn Islamic State of Iraq

You can see the brigades celebrating the establishment of the Islamic State – here a commander in Baghdad (Jan 2007)

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 06:13 PM
Syria-n Coalition Calls for Urgent International Action to Save ##Mouadamiya
http://ow.ly/Ww43B

Calls to #UNSC to protect civilians in #Mouadamiya according to resolutions 2139, 2165 &2254
http://ow.ly/Ww4vF

Davutoglu: #Russia’s bombing of the moderate armed opposition in #Aleppo and #Idlib boosts #Daesh (#ISIS)
http://ow.ly/Wv3EM

Maktabi: #Assad backed by #Russia & #Iran uses siege as #weapon to subdue, starve & displace #Syria-ns
http://ow.ly/Wv19a

Syria-n Coalition Condemns #Qamishli Bombings Blames #Russia for Continuation of #Terrorism
http://ow.ly/Wv34Z

Maktabi Criticizes #UN Role in Agreements Leading to Displacement of #Syria-ns
http://ow.ly/WuV9s

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 06:28 PM
After Ghouta regime apologists insisted Volcano rockets were purely a rebel weapon. Now RT f***ing poses with them https://twitter.com/ArtWendeley/status/682971055972040704 …

Same "unconventional artillery" used in the August 21st 2013 Sarin attack, thanks @MuradoRT

Michael Weiss ✔ @michaeldweiss
RT becoming an accidental Bellingcat.

not all volcanoes have the ring tail section...
pic.twitter.com/0Qt1JC8Xfy

RBK-500 cluster bombs on a Su-34 in Syria (@mod_russia denies they have it) and on a Su-17 in Afghanistan.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 06:31 PM
Assad regime tortured 1546 people to death in 2015. #Syria
http://sn4hr.org/wp-content/pdf/english/1592_people_were_killed_due_to_torture_in_2015_en. pdf …

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 06:32 PM
YPG seized 2 villages from the rebels west of Azaz within their campaign to occupy the border town

The "#SDF" is openly fighting the #FSA/Ahrar and other groups with US backing. The media is loving it.
http://reut.rs/1PBfiV8


A U.S.-backed alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters advanced against Islamist insurgents in the north of the country on Friday, capturing at least one village in Aleppo province, a spokesman and a monitoring group said.

Fighters from the Democratic Forces of Syria seized the village of Tanab near the town of Azaz after heavy clashes with the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and the powerful Ahrar al Sham, spokesman Talal Selo told Reuters.

"We liberated Tanab," he said.

Britain-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Democratic Forces of Syria had also captured the village of Tat Mrash. Selo said he could not yet confirm its capture.

It came just days after the alliance seized a dam from Islamic State further east, cutting one of its main supply routes across the Euphrates.

Since the U.S.-backed alliance was formed last October, its fighters have opened several major offensives against Islamic State with the ultimate goal of capturing Raqqa.

The alliance has separately been fighting in recent weeks against Nusra Front, Ahrar al Sham and other insurgents in northern Aleppo province.

The Democratic Forces of Syria includes the Kurdish YPG militia, which has been the most effective partner on the ground for U.S.-led air strikes.

Kurdish gains around Azaz, which is near the Turkish border, are also likely to increase concern in Turkey about growing Kurdish sway near the frontier. Ankara is fighting an insurgency against Kurdish PKK fighters in its southeast.

Washington's strategy in Syria shifted in 2015 from trying to train thousands of fighters outside the country to supplying groups headed by U.S.-vetted commanders.

The U.S. military estimates the Democratic Forces of Syria has captured around 1,000 square kilometers of terrain in the past six weeks or so, bolstered by coalition air strikes.

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 07:12 PM
Another geolocation from today looks much worse for rebels.
Tank shell hits S #SheikhMaskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pzsweUL0Q … pic.twitter.com/4T5B4BxNOh

Tannab, Keshtar & now Tat Marash it seems near Azaz in N. #Aleppo have been captured by YPG & JT following clashes w/ Mare’a Ops Rm rebels

Nearer to #Damascus rebels repeled another attack by regime forces on the Tal Firzat front in the Marj area in E. Ghouta

Analysis #Map
Pro-#Assad troops took the #Brigade82 hill base in W #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jfFnWmEDq0 …
pic.twitter.com/wcxNLdZae4

#Aleppo #FSA Major Rahim announced resignation from Mare` operation room after latest gains of #SDF/#YPG
pic.twitter.com/WyU9290Pl9

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 07:23 PM
Another geolocation from today looks much worse for rebels.
Tank shell hits S #SheikhMaskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_pzsweUL0Q … pic.twitter.com/4T5B4BxNOh

Tannab, Keshtar & now Tat Marash it seems near Azaz in N. #Aleppo have been captured by YPG & JT following clashes w/ Mare’a Ops Rm rebels

Nearer to #Damascus rebels repeled another attack by regime forces on the Tal Firzat front in the Marj area in E. Ghouta

Analysis #Map
Pro-#Assad troops took the #Brigade82 hill base in W #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jfFnWmEDq0 …
pic.twitter.com/wcxNLdZae4

#Aleppo #FSA Major Rahim announced resignation from Mare` operation room after latest gains of #SDF/#YPG
pic.twitter.com/WyU9290Pl9

From what I see, there was a new pro-#Assad push fr East of #SheikhMaskin today.
Situation could be much worse now!
pic.twitter.com/7GWTiqbm0h

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 09:08 PM
Kh-101 cruise missile, as shown on a Russian MoD video in November.
pic.twitter.com/TEYJJunHkS

Ahrar leader to oversee political wing & restructure of political council directly & Moh’d al-Shami moves to #Aleppo

Interesting denial by Shuhada' al-Yarmouk of link w/ IS: even calls IS "jama'at"(group: rejecting statehood claim)

OUTLAW 09
01-01-2016, 09:09 PM
Thanks to @Ruptly for this clear example of Russian jets in Syria carrying cluster bombs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcjJjxFtAC0 …

BUT WAIT the Russian MoD claims they do not use cluster bombs........

Thanks to Russian Today reporting crew......
Frontline verification in #SheikhMaskin on Dec 31.
#Assad forces did NOT take "most of the city".

Pure propaganda maps / "news" of #SheikhMaskin still being posted by pro-#Assad dumbasses ...
pic.twitter.com/LCGqLQH1LA

CrowBat
01-02-2016, 12:30 AM
Insurgents are flooding Sheikh Mishkin with reinforcements, and have recovered quite some ground today. In essence, IRGC and Hezbollah/Iraq are back in the eastern and norther suburbs.

So much about regime's 'capture' of this town...

BTW, Southern Front also recovered the Technological Institute in south-western Dera'a town today (this was captured by the regime about a week ago).

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 06:00 AM
Insurgents are flooding Sheikh Mishkin with reinforcements, and have recovered quite some ground today. In essence, IRGC and Hezbollah/Iraq are back in the eastern and norther suburbs.

So much about regime's 'capture' of this town...

BTW, Southern Front also recovered the Technological Institute in south-western Dera'a town today (this was captured by the regime about a week ago).


CrowBat-----there were some recent comments concerning the lack of action by the Southern Front which was supposedly ordered by the MOC and their low TOW firings for December and that they had not been receiving any TOW resupply.

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 06:39 AM
Obama's Syrian strategy MUST address the role of Iran as well as Russia AND it does not WHILE Obama is clinging to his Iran Deal as key to his so called "legacy"...he hopes and hope has never been a strategy hopes that Iran will moderate within the next 20 years.

BUT......
Khamanie dying from cancer, condition worsening & arguments about his succession
pic.twitter.com/qrebn78CCz

I had posted here at SWJ a short comment that the coming replacement for Khamanie is rumored to be a VERSION 3 of Khomenie.....WHICH does not bode well for Syria and or Iranian ballistic missiles OR moderation.

Obama never seems to learn either from reality and or history.....so much for the vaulted Harvard experience...maybe he should have studied at the University of Texas or Rice University where they have great ME departments..........

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 06:42 AM
New documentary on Putin's rise from Leningrad thief to bringing KGB & criminal underworld to rule/rob Russia.
http://www.rferl.mobi/a/27458242.html

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 06:54 AM
Analysis #Map
(90% certain) RT guy location / pro-#Assad-held area in #SheikhMaskin during the last days.
pic.twitter.com/AUcWmGIn5D

Wow! Just read through some of the pro-Russian / pro-Assad hatred vs. me.
They go 100% nuts.
Now, I'm a nazi jihadi islamist fascist ...

Kh-55SM vs. Kh-555. (I think the shark mouth on Kh-55SM is optional, and doesn't improve efficiency.)
pic.twitter.com/XRVJZK8T2o

CrowBat
01-02-2016, 08:47 AM
CrowBat-----there were some recent comments concerning the lack of action by the Southern Front which was supposedly ordered by the MOC and their low TOW firings for December and that they had not been receiving any TOW resupply.
Yup. My impression is that - because Jordan is relatively poor and heavily dependent on US support for survival - USA have it easier to exercise pressure upon local government and security agencies in relation to 'aid' these are providing to the insurgents.

Thus, a long-prepared 'big offensive' on Dera'a didn't happen, the last two months. On the contrary, this frontline was actually 'exceptionally quiet'.

On the contrary, USA obviously - and despite some fierce pressure - didn't manage to force Turkey to cease its support. That's why supplies continue to flow into northern Syria. On the contrary, Ankara even issued open threats related to SDF (read: YPG) presence west of Euphrates...

I wouldn't be surprised if that was one of topics during recent meeting between Erdo and Sadm.... erm... Salman.

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 02:07 PM
Latakia Heavy clashes about control of Burj al-Qasab overlooking highway
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.713416&lon=36.058073&z=15&m=b …
pic.twitter.com/RGEX9iyGEN

Rebels take control of the mountain

Regime forces & militias are now trying to advance under heavy artillery shelling into the town of al-Ramliya in rural #Hama

MORE Russian air strikes kill more civilians...........
Russian airstrikes also targeted a market in Maarat al-Artiq, #Aleppo, a women & a @SyriaCivilDef member were killed
pic.twitter.com/97fFUTbFdu

Over 40 barrel bombs were dropped by Assad helicopters on the #Damascus suburb of #Daraya today.
http://youtu.be/RPRt8zOBDPI

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 02:16 PM
Reports #SDF forces have captured Bier Khami, Tal Baroud & Bier Khadam from #ISIS SE of Tishrin Dam in rural #Aleppo

Multiple Russian airstrikes also targeted the liberated town of #Hraytan in #Aleppo a little while ago

Reports Russian airstrikes targeted rebel positions in Deir Jamal, al-Malkiya, Shawargha & around Menagh airbase in N. #Aleppo, #Syria

This of course is in support of the Kurdish offensive against rebel positions in liberated areas in northern #Aleppo

Syria: locals in the town of Azaz (#Aleppo)have set up Jaysh al-Shamal in response to the threat of #SDF occupation

Can’t say I’m surprised, head of Mare’a Ops Room Major Yaser AbdulRahim resigns to join FSA in south rural #Aleppo

An ISIS operative caught while trying to blow up a Jaysh al-Islam HQs in Aldumair town in Damascus countryside. His name is Muhamad Abdulkarim Jumaa and he belongs to the ISIS-linked group "Jaysh Tahrir Alsham". He was paid 3000 dollars for the mission.

War in Syria: Up to 40,000 civilians are starving in besieged Madaya, say campaigners
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/war-in-syria-up-to-40000-civilians-are-starving-in-besieged-madaya-say-campaigners-a6793386.html …

Russia bombing northern #Aleppo suburbs with several airstrikes #Syria

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 02:34 PM
Daraa Rebel-reinforcements heading to Shayk Maskin to defend town https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtkhGWH9K_E …

Daraa Rebels show map of regime controlled northern part of Shayk Maskin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWQ7mqCIl28 …

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 03:59 PM
Footage
Russian jets target Mount Prophet Ayoub in #Idlib province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51a5NBUnM6M …
pic.twitter.com/BwZRYpKLJ4

News
"Russian jets" resume air strikes on civilians in besieged #Rastan city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQd86AW0SnU …
pic.twitter.com/7LL5SD7D1V

US social media companies still bow to the demands of Russian info warrior trolls without any fact checking before banning...the have become virtually pa and parcel of the Russian info warfare OR maybe it is the Russian oligarch investments into their companies that speaks volumes for their somewhat non democratic actions they take.........

#Russian twitter trolls managed to suspended @reggaemortis1. Meanwhile he's online on @Mortis_Banned. Beat-up @support until he's released.


Mortis (Banned) @Mortis_Banned

I've been a good citizen reporting all abuse cases. No reply so far from @Support which was quick to ban my account.
pic.twitter.com/m1g4qi9Ni4

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 04:50 PM
Russia airstrikes on #Zakat village
#Hama cs #Syria JAN 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO7Vjh0ALlI …

Rebels storming #Hmaymin airbase with STS missiles
#Latakia #Syria JAN 2
pic.twitter.com/nHpeCCh6XG

Iranian TV reports from #SheikhMaskin with Shiite sectarian flags being hoisted.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d0e_1451729175#dMG8qrL0QMWD9QKE.99 … pic.twitter.com/74pFUtgPdF

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 05:06 PM
Situation in #Aleppo province
Regime fights mainly #rebels
ISIS fights SDF & #rebels
SDF fights ISIS
= rebels lose
pic.twitter.com/K2s47sfEeX

Latest situation in #Aleppo by @HalabNewsN. Rebels in green trapped between ISIS, Assad & SDF w/ Russia from the air

When #Russian state news & all major newspapers report on the "SAA capture of #SheikhMaskin", you know, who ordered the attack.

Iranian TV reports from #SheikhMaskin with Shiite sectarian flags being hoisted.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?=d0e_1451729175#dMG8qrL0QMWD9QKE.99 …

Snow storm is over in #Syria.
#Putin's and #Assad's storm resumes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2SSpRI9SXc …

Another regime attempt to advance into the Marj area ends badly, JaI says more than 25 regime forces killed. #Damascus #Ghouta

Levant Front: stop calling us Nusra, the groups fighting SDF at Tanab are us, Ahrar, FSA 1st Reg, Div 13, Div 16
http://eldorar.com/node/93199 Ar.

For a bit of background to the Efrin-Aazaz fighting between SDF & Arab rebels & why USA doesn't like it one bit, see http://carnegieendowment.org/syriaincrisis/?fa=62207 …

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 05:14 PM
Russia airstrikes on #Hayyan
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 2

Russia airstrikes on #Bayanoun village,2 martyrs (woman & child)
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 2

SCD rescue operation aftermath #SAA shelling mortars targeting #al_Shifouniyah village
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 2

ASSad main target; civilians and popular markets.
#Douma #Damascs cs #Syria JAN 2

Airstrikes on #Hamouriyah
#Damascus cs #SYria JAN 2

SCD - 3 martyrs and dozens wounded aftermath airstrikes on #Hazat village
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 2

Aftermath #SAA shelling using #Russia Cluster Bombs targeting a popular market in #Douma
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 2

More #Russia airstrikes on #Lahaya
#Hama cs #Syria JAN 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVzD0LYzF0s …

Russia airstrikes on #Lahaya
#Hama cs #SYria JAN 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUAuAhmvU6s …

RUssia airstrikes on #Morek
#Hama #SYria JAN 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ47M-7KsvY …

SAA barrel bombs on #Darayya
#Damascus cs #SYria JAN 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPRt8zOBDPI …

32 barrel bombs so far ONLY in #Darayya since morning..
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 2

3 martyrs including #SCD HERO Hassan AlHadj,victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Maarat_al_Alortiq

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 05:22 PM
Clashes ongoing between rebels & regime forces/militias after rebels regained control today of Burj al-Qasab in Jabal al-Turkman, #Latakia

Official Repression of Salafis in North Caucasus Seen Radicalizing Other Muslims There
http://www.interpretermag.com/official-repression-of-salafis-in-north-caucasus-seen-radicalizing-other-muslims-there/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 05:30 PM
And the famous Wehrmacht Anti-Tank Lehrfilm
"Men vs. tanks" from 1943 .
https://youtu.be/k6rdydaJ1Xs

Close Combat vs. Tanks 1942
WW2 German Wehrmacht Training film
https://youtu.be/FcsXLXTDLGY

A Wehrmacht Lehrfilm
German Snipers - Der deutsche Scharfschütze 1944
https://youtu.be/78-lF7nlB4c

This roundup from battle tactics of the Vietnam war cld still offer some ideas for the rebels despite differences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NLF_and_PAVN_battle_tactics …

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 05:34 PM
CrowBat---what do you think of these numbers from this commenter.....

Any guesses on the number of #Assad's imported foreign shia fighters allowing these multiple offensives?
25-30k?

My guesstimate for #Assad's mercenaries:
5-7k #Hezbollah, 5k Iran, 10k Iraqi Shia, 5k various shia (afghan Hazara & others)? @VivaRevolt

OUTLAW 09
01-02-2016, 05:35 PM
A #Nusra combat vid from the failed #Handarat OP
https://youtu.be/UhxxYpGKpBo

Guess you know this. Even JN's Wolf unit might still learn something here, not to speak of the avg. FSA marksman. ;)

davidbfpo
01-02-2016, 07:10 PM
The latest ISW map via the BBC:http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/10729/production/_86896376_syria_control_map_624_v6.png

Link:http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-35166971

CrowBat
01-02-2016, 07:56 PM
CrowBat---what do you think of these numbers from this commenter.....

Any guesses on the number of #Assad's imported foreign shia fighters allowing these multiple offensives?
25-30k?

My guesstimate for #Assad's mercenaries:
5-7k #Hezbollah, 5k Iran, 10k Iraqi Shia, 5k various shia (afghan Hazara & others)? @VivaRevolt
IRGC-QF (incl. Afghan Hazaras, Pakistanis, Mars People etc.) + Hezbollah/Iraq = 30,000
Hezbollah = 3,000 (they're rotating their units in and out a lot).

BTW, my calculations for NDF (incl. whatever was left of the SyAA) is 'down to 70,000' and I simply can't understand how can nearly everybody babble about 'SAA' around, when all the photos are showing either NDF, SSNP, BPM, PFLP-GC or IRGC (and Hezbollah)...

...it's the same like all of these maps circling the internet: majority are entirely useless, because drawn by pro-regime idiots, who are constantly understating insurgent-controlled areas... (@David; please send my warmest regards to the BBC and ISW, and ask them to close their shop; at least until they discover there's a battlefield in eastern Idlib province too - and then the one with biggest concentration of Shi'a Jihadists in Syria... BBC was always awful in regards of 'precise' reporting about the Middle East, but meanwhile they're just BS-itting).

In that sense, look at this: seems that this offensive in south-eastern Hama became possible only thanks to deployment of that recently-established 'Ba'ath Brigade' (the first photo is from their graduation and establishment ceremony, back in mid-December)... gauged by the look of their combatants, this is nearly 'Hitler's last 15 from Volkssturm'...

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:23 AM
Interesting from one of the ex colonial powers that has basically caused this mess in Syrian YET refuses to accept their responsibility in that mess.........

French ambassador to USA @GerardAraud defends burning of Saudi embassy, says "Iran was obliged to react." https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/683416245438418944 …

Iran reacts with fury after Saudis execute Shi'ite cleric
http://reut.rs/1NYrbUC
pic.twitter.com/3yzJTb3XKq

If one reads the sermons by the executed Shia cleric then in fact if a Sunni had said the same thing it would have happened to them as well.

One might go as far back as Jesus and say the same thing...meaning if one decides to speak truth to power one might end up dead if the power bear does not like what is being said ie the Romans...

The West would do well in fully understanding this in the ME---the Syrian civil society did just this and are still paying the genocidal price for it....BUT at least they made a choice......

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:38 AM
When Obama is pushed for a decision on anything--all we hear is we need more time..........hoping to outlast the problem and the chatter will disappear thus not needing a decision.....

White House: more time needed for new Iran missile sanctions

http://reut.rs/1NYig5q
pic.twitter.com/HiTuIUHw0z

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:59 AM
Go figure, #ISIS is now in #Daraa. What absolute nonsense. Pure comedy from @RT_com & @MuradoRT as usual

Reports of 11 martyrs frozen to death do far in #Arsal refugee camp
#Lebanon #Syria JAN 3

Madaya under siege
#Assad regime & his #Shiite thugs impose a deadly siege on Madaya city #Damascus countryside, people there die of famine
Assad uses starvation as a battlefield tactic to cleanse Sunni areas...AND Putin continues this tactic which he also used in Chechnya....

Ahmed Abdul Karim died due hunger, more 1/100s starves to death by #ASSad & his occupiers #Hebollah siege in #Madaya
#Syria JAN3

#FSA repealed #SAA attempt to infiltrate #Darayya backed by #Russia airstrikes & barrel bombs, dozens SAA killed& weapons seized
#Syria JAN3

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 12:15 PM
Kurdish sources confirm the capture of Kashti‘ār, claiming it was "in defence" and only vs. #JaN and #ahraralsham.
http://jinhahaber.link/en/ALL-NEWS/content/view/41064 …

BreakingNews
#YPG forces took two villages this morning with indirect #Russian air cover on rebel-held town nearby

Kishtar was recaptured this morning, Tenab recaptured 2 days ago. No airstrikes on any of the villages.

MyTwoCents
Looking forward to see the west's disbelieving eyes when #SDF (90% #YPG) ,#Assad and #Russia shake hands in some months.

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 12:25 PM
Civilians speak after another night of #RussianAirstrikes on their homes in #Tall_Rifat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7KToovKXqM …

Footage
Devastation after a "#RussianAirstrike" on a town in #EastGhouta.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9-ztUEnxYg …

Footage
Rockets hit the #Saudi embassy in #Baghdad this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXI8Z9BwGdw …

Footage
#Russia's terrorism vs. the Syrian population continued in #Tall_Rifat last night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VN1dc3lnzk …

ANOTHER Russian info war mistake.....
RT took a tweet from @NorthernStork,in which he accidentally mixed up Daraa and Quneitra provinces.
44km fr. Sh.M.

Rebels this morning foiled a regime attempt to break into the NW side of Daraya, 10s of regime forces reportedly killed. #Damascus

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 12:31 PM
Unbelievable regime bombing of Daraya & Moadamiya last night, massive explosions kept many awake in #Damascus

Hama Rebels seized barrier near #Maan

Eliot Higgins ‏@EliotHiggins
Just stumbled across this, Kata'ib Hezbollah showing off their various IRAM launchers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUkopUHDpf0 …

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 12:47 PM
Zaman Wasl continues to dump purported data leaks from #Syria's security apparatus. Here, 96k names of wanted people https://zamanalwsl.net/news/67004.html

With Jund al-Aqsa & Feilaq al-Sham out, Jaish al-Fath is:
- Ahrar al-Sham
- Nusra Front (AQ)
- Jaish al-Sunna
- Liwa al-Haqq
- Ajnad al-Sham

Syria's MB proxy Feilaq al-Sham splits from Jaish al-Fath, after the latter began to veer into hard jihadi rhetoric

Former pacifist Haitham Mannaa goes full warlord in a letter to UN, written in his new role as DSA president
https://zamanalwsl.net/news/67526.html

Things that weren't immediately evident about Mannaa in 2010: that five years later he'd lead a Kurdish army battling a psychotic caliphate

Seems to be the new thing: No point in talking to Assad, says NC, since he "barely controls 18% of Syrian territory"
http://en.etilaf.org/all-news/news/hijab-assad-regime-ineligible-to-negotiate-with.html …

Bold words for a group that controls 0% of Syria. And by that metric, the only group invited to Geneva would be IS. Possibly a bad idea.

But percentages aside, he has a point: "How can there be ceasefire talks in the absence of our armed forces, who control 16% of #Syria?"

.@laurapitel reports on Madayya, the mountain town whose starving residents are eating weeds and cats to survive: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/war-in-syria-up-to-40000-civilians-are-starving-in-besieged-madaya-say-campaigners-a6793386.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 12:54 PM
Syria's 2015 broke all sorts of records, incl. being the best-ever year for hashish sales
http://alwatan.sy/archives/34663 by Mohammed Manar Hamijou

QUESTION is--WHO made the money and WHO moved it?????

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 12:59 PM
SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #al_Qariyatain village
#Homs #Syria JAN 3

Nimr hanged in #Saudi and #Aleppo pay the price..
#hezbollah terrorists mercenaries occupiers "revenge"
#Syria JAN2

Hezbollah fires rockets at Syrian towns in revenge for Nimr execution
BUT WAIT Nimr was verbally against Assad....????

BREAKING
The 2nd death of today in #Madaya; woman died due hunger results of #ASSad & #Hezbollah occupiers siege
#Damascus CS #Syria JAN 3

Madaya
17 deaths in the last two months as a result of hunger as a result of the siege of the #Assad regime

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 01:19 PM
Syria 30+ #Russia'n airstrikes hit Sheik Miskin in southern #Daraa province today- to pave #Iraq'i Shiite militias the way into the city

Serious if only Kurds just keep on tanking Arab towns and villages that have nothing to do with Kurdistan.......AND the US says nothing....

YPG and #PKK keep advancing in the northern countryside of Aleppo today the occupied keshtaar village near from menagh airbase

Shia militias crimes everyday killing innocent Iraqis Sunni civilians without guilt This militias backed by Iran
pic.twitter.com/UdobPgXR0b

Pictures
Today's victims of #Assad's and #Putin's war against the Syrian population (in #Douma) incl. 0 yo #Firas.
pic.twitter.com/vAUjRDl99J

SOHR #Sham_Legion announces his withdrawal from #Jaish_Fateh, they're heading to #Aleppo
http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=41981 pic.twitter.com/TyeP9fEJkM

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 03:44 PM
Syria: #NDF members in #Hama wearing helmets of the NVA (Army of GDR, Eastern Germany). pic.twitter.com/9XpzPucJ7l
NOTE:: not your typical 1990 NVA helmet.

Source claims (yet again) that testing of 400-km missile 40N6E for S-400 SAM system is nearing completion.
http://bit.ly/22FoKOi .

The Varyag, like the Moskva (already deployed off Syrian coast), has off shore S-300 capability. Russia continues to beef up air defenses.

Russian rocket cruiser Varyag heading to the Mediterranean. Flagship of Pacific Fleet.
https://twitter.com/mod_russia/status/683658163623702529 …

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
We now have images from @ruptly, @RT_com, @SputnikInt, and @mod_russia showing cluster bombs on Russian jets in Syria. That's a full house.

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
If you're going to deny Russia uses cluster bombs please explain why Russian jets in Syria are loaded with them https://twitter.com/EliotHiggins/status/683029579125108736 …

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
Ironic that Russia's own propaganda channels have provided the strongest evidence they're lying about not using cluster bombs in Syria

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 04:00 PM
#Iran's idea of dismantling #SAA in favor of militias will help them keep influence in #Syria after #Assad by breaking up the Syrian state.

Is exactly the same tactic inside Iraq......

Another obvious regime problem. Fighters, despite being called #SAA are mostly militias like #NDF or #Baath.
pic.twitter.com/2RR8vDKhMj

Assad and Russian use of starvation as a weapon system..........
Activists: 40k Syrian civilians slowly starving to death in town of Madaya, encirlced by landmines, Hezbollah forces http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/war-in-syria-up-to-40000-civilians-are-starving-in-besieged-madaya-say-campaigners-a6793386.html …

Cost of 1kg of basic items in Assad besieged Madaya today:
Semolina Wheat $238
Oil $208
Bulgur $208
Sugar $178

Let's not forget the Iranian & Russian roles in this starvation. That's why US approach to both in Syria is perverse

Nasrallah's tears for #Nimr - calling him peaceful activist - are pure sectarian hypocrisy.
https://twitter.com/sayed_ridha/status/683645542040141824 …

Russia's MOD already issued a #medal for the #military operation in #Syria, despite limited successes:
pic.twitter.com/LM6L1LgqSn

Syria Falaq-2 based IRAM used by KH in southern Aleppo. AFAIK, first time used in this location.
pic.twitter.com/1KGvVqeyrD

FSA Nur al-Din Zanki Movement using a hell cannon on the western outskirts of #Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oreOL_cehs …

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 04:03 PM
Iranian executions----and yet they critique the KSA for executing a Shia cleric....

2011: 360
2012: 314
2013: 624
2014: 743
2015: 753

Yeah, these guys have the moral high-ground to lecture on executions.

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 04:07 PM
Deraa: Dozens of Assad forces sniped in Manshiya

30+ #Russia'n airstrikes hit Sheik Miskin in southern #Daraa province today- to pave #Iraq'i Shiite militias the way into the city

Not even the local council & a stationary shop were spared Russian bombing in #Douma, #Damacus, #Syria
http://youtu.be/pR45f4JxVnY

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 04:12 PM
Russian AF flying sir strike missions and ground support missions for US supported YPG which is just another name for the so called SDF which the US tries to claim includes the FSA........BUT it is just another Kurdish invasion army taking over Arab towns and villages......AND the Obama Syrian strategy is really working...??????

After dozens of Russian airstrikes in support of YPG/JT offensive on liberated areas in N. #Aleppo, YPG/JT have recaptured Kashta’ar again

YPG/JT v. happy. Russian airstrikes again targeted liberated areas of Mar’anaz, Kafrantoun, Tal Ajar, al-Ziayara & Deir Jamal in N. #Aleppo

CrowBat
01-03-2016, 04:19 PM
For a bit of background to the Efrin-Aazaz fighting between SDF & Arab rebels & why USA doesn't like it one bit, see http://carnegieendowment.org/syriaincrisis/?fa=62207 …...'one group of fighters moved'.... 'one column drove'... is Carnegie now down to BBC's style of ignoring IRGC's Shi'a Jihadists in Syria...?

I mean: any sane person monitoring this war is already bamboozled enough by all the BS reported by even most 'authoritative' sources, but this is really getting too much to bear...

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 04:36 PM
Turkish hackers attacked a Russian minister's social network account http://read.bi/1YZhuxu
pic.twitter.com/pUiTvfznEA

Chechen Center @ChechenCenter
Russian crimes in occupied Chechenia continue, kidnapped teacher of Groznyi University was found dead (Rus)
https://tvrain.ru/news/chechya-401233/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 05:26 PM
After Nimr, Iran proxy militia + U.S.-designated FTO Kataib Hizballah on the Saudi border in Iraq with missiles.
https://youtu.be/B57fEpPJoeI

#Iraq: Rocket fire at Saudi embassy in Baghdad.
pic.twitter.com/9mTA9AdM65

The death of 1793 individuals in Dec 2015 by the influential parties in Syria. - SNHR
1. Assad
2. Russia
3. IS/Daesh
pic.twitter.com/FZwRsVUbFI

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 05:30 PM
...'one group of fighters moved'.... 'one column drove'... is Carnegie now down to BBC's style of ignoring IRGC's Shi'a Jihadists in Syria...?

I mean: any sane person monitoring this war is already bamboozled enough by all the BS reported by even most 'authoritative' sources, but this is really getting too much to bear...

CrowBat--BTW---Carnegie Moscow flipped fully to support in their articles 300% of the Putin line in eastern Ukraine.........

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 05:49 PM
Kafranbel: might the world at least save the children from being starved to death by Assad in #Madaya?
pic.twitter.com/TvdIfO1li5

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 05:50 PM
CrowBat---more from our Carnegie friends.......


Russia has a 'plan B' for #Syria that would allow it to 'redefine the international order'
http://read.bi/1OESGWw
pic.twitter.com/qSc5DCMwS5


Russia's pattern of airstrikes in Syria indicate that it is preparing a "plan B" should the regime fail to restore a central Syrian state and be forced to retreat to a fragment of government-held territory along the Mediterranean.

"A second option [for Russia] is to fall back to the defensible parts of useful Syria after guaranteeing the safety of the Alawi canton," Joseph Bahout, a visiting scholar in the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote of Russia in Carnegie's "Syria in Crisis" blog.

"This is perhaps already a consideration, as the majority of Russian airstrikes concentrate on the contours of this area."

Since intervening on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late September, Russia has used airstrikes to create a buffer zone between rebel-held territory in the southern Idlib province and the traditional homeland of the Assads' Alawite sect in the Latakia governorate.

The airstrikes have also targeted rebel-controlled territory just north of Homs that borders this so-called Alawi canton.

"Based on the majority of Russian air strikes and SAA [Syrian Arab Army] fighting, the regime and Moscow are securing an Assadland or Alawistan," Boris Zilberman, a Russia expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Business Insider on Thursday, referring to a term used by the foundation's Tony Badran to describe the Alawi enclave in Latakia.

"The regime is taking land they think they can hold with the assistance of Russian air power. So first and foremost they are securing the regime."

A 'new international order'

To be sure, Assad's forces, with Russian air cover, are still battling to retain control over the two most symbolically and strategically important cities in Syria. Those are Damascus, the capital — which has been long viewed by rebel forces as the key to winning the war — and Aleppo, Syria's second-largest city and main urban center in the north.

But even if the regime were to drive the rebels out of Aleppo and Damascus, holding the cities would require a significant commitment of funding and manpower.

The SAA was fatigued, overstretched, and nearing the point of collapse before Russian air cover helped the army regain territory. It would likely either need to be completely revamped, — or Russia would have to devote ground troops to fortifying the cities against counter-attacks that would likely continue as long as Assad is in power.

Solidifying a Russian "protectorate" in western Syria that is already held by the regime and dominated by a sect of Shia Islam loyal to the Assads, however, would give "a tangible reality to Moscow’s concept of a new international order."

That's according to Marc Pierini, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a former EU ambassador, who wrote in Turkey's English-language newspaper Hurriyet in September.

"To its snap annexation of Crimea and dominance of eastern Ukraine, Russia is now adding 'Assadland,'" Pierini wrote. "In doing so, it is showing the rest of the world that it has the capacity to redefine the international order, or at least the guts to act as spoiler in chief."

'An acceptable lesser of many evils'

Mark Galeotti, a Russia expert and professor of Global Affairs at New York University, agreed that while an "Assadland" or "Alawistan" would not be the Kremlin's first choice, it is "an acceptable lesser of many evils" for Russia.

"It is not that Moscow would be happy with an Alawite statelet, but it is obviously and inevitably thinking of fallback options should it not gets its ideal, which is an outright victory for Damascus," Galeotti told Business Insider on Friday. "Given that the Russians are not so naive as to consider that a done deal, or even a likelihood, they will also have alternatives under consideration."

He added: "A defensible, economically-viable and politically more homogenous 'Alawistan' would both ensure they retain a client-ally in the region and yet also be a much more manageable unit to have to support and project."

It would also be appealing to Assad. A statelet in the west would ensure that the regime retain access to its key partner, Hezbollah, as well as to potential offshore energy in the eastern Mediterranean.

Significantly, this "solution" would likely be unacceptable to the predominantly Sunni interior and periphery of Syria that has been fighting to see Assad completely out of power — or dead — for nearly five years. Moreover, as Zilberman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said, an Assad stronghold along the coast would "continue to be a great recruiting tool for jihadis."

With negotiations over Syria's future due to begin in late January with Assad at the table, however, the partition of Syria in a way that would protect him and his family — and ensure Russia's continued relevance in the region — could very well form part of a negotiated long-term "solution" to the conflict.

"If you are part of, or back, the Syrian regime, it makes sense right?" Zilberman said. "If you can make it through this and retain some sort of state that the Assads can control in the future, then you've won."

CrowBat
01-03-2016, 06:08 PM
CrowBat---more from our Carnegie friends.......


Russia has a 'plan B' for #Syria that would allow it to 'redefine the international order'
http://read.bi/1OESGWw
pic.twitter.com/qSc5DCMwS5
Considering amounts of absurdities launched by Russians, Assadists, IRGC and 'friends', I do not even understand why anybody bothers to 'find out' what are Russians about to do in Syria?

Putler is obviously curious at using this 'crisis' to distract from the mess he's created at home. It's as simple as that.

In such situations, there's no 'plan B': like Nikolay II in 1914-1917, or Galtieri in 1982, he'll 'ride the wave' as long as it goes - and then the entire house of cards is going to collapse in a big bang...

BTW, for those 'confused' by all the reports citing 'SAA' did this', 'in cooperation with NDF' and all other sorts of similar hogwash... or prone to 'disbelieve' my reports on the number of IRGC-run gangs of Hezbollah and Shi'a Jihadist gangs in Syria, and low numbers of 'Syrian' units still fighting for Assad (or, better said: on his side, not really for him)... well, see the illustration below.

Add the insignia of the NDF, SSNP, BPM and other militias to that illustration, and then compare what you get to see on so many of photos supposedly showing 'SyAA/SAA' or whatever else, that are launched by regime-fans on Twitter, FB, etc.

Namely, it's the presence of all of these groups - and not some illusion about that famed super-turbo-wunderwaffen Russian air farce - that has enabled 'the regime' to went on offensive after (once again) reaching the brink of collapse. Without them, the regime had - at best - approx the same number of combatants like the FSyA alone (means: less if one adds all of the IF, AAS, and JAN, and not to talk about the Daesh)...

(Note: I purposedly named this file 'SyAA Units'; as a declared and dedicated sarcast, couldn't but do so because - with one exception - not one of units in question is from Syria...)

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 06:12 PM
French Ambassador Rationalizes Iranian Belligerency | writes @LeeSmithTWS in The Weekly Standard
http://www.weeklystandard.com/french-ambassador-rationalizes-iranian-belligerency/article/2000401 …

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:04 PM
Some of the destruction caused by Russian/regime airstrikes in Sheikh Miskin, #Daraa today
http://youtu.be/pQMNyHq35GE

The moment Russian jets struck the liberated town of Deir Jamal in north rural #Aleppo earlier today
http://youtu.be/XUXah_ZXwbc

If Assad uses starvation as a weapon or barrel bombs the rest of the population to oblivion, #Damascus doesn’t care

Is the UNSC, and Obama complicit now in the ongoing genocide in Syria since the information is readily available for fact checking......

Aleppo airport: #Iran's version of the "Syrian Army" arriving in #Syria for Jihad against Syrian Jihadists.
Aleppo New photo uploaded 6 Minutes ago from a #Iraqi #Iraq #Shia #Shiite Soldier

Shaykh Maskin: Targeting #SAA position, Southern front.
Location and direction of firing:
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=32.833477&lon=36.156615&z=19&m=b&gz=0;361568132;328331216;53;0;53;0;670;5318;0;4710 ;670;5307;1153;4597 …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skG4g_0AwvI …

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:12 PM
Daraa #Sheikh_Miskeen Video of 3? #Palestinian #SyrianArmy Groups in #Sheikh_Miskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k28ly9gvqCE&feature=youtu.be …

Syria Alikhbaria Footage of #SAA #SyrianArabArmy #SyrianArmy inside #Sheikh_Miskin #Sheikh_Miskeen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWfkyLWqxe4&feature=youtu.be …

Aleppo #EasternAleppo Militant Reports say #SAA Heavy Artillery & "Cluster Bombs" targeting outskirts #Tedef

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:14 PM
Jaish al Thuwar are a bunch of frauds they're not Rebels, most of them were part of "Syrian Revolutionary Front" led by conman Jamal Maarouf

These guys were around in Idlib & were eventually kicked out because they kept stabbing Rebels in the back every time they tried to progress

If they were still around in Idlib. Then Idlib would never have been captured by rebel factions. Now they're back in Aleppo to help Assad

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:32 PM
Nasrallah: Saudis want a sectarian war between Sunni-Shia in the whole region

Nasrallah: The Shia should be careful not to make it Sunni-Shia, this will help the Saudis who killed Al-Nimr & want sect war

Nasrallah: Saudis are source of takfiri ideology which create the problems all over the world. ISIS = Saudis

Nasrallah: There is a region called Arabian Peninsula which through tyranny was named Saudi; there are oppressed people there

Nasrallah: Why are you going to the details but missing the obvious? Saudis are the mother,father,inventor of takfiri groups

Nasrallah: This support and actions by the Saudis must be stopped

Nasrallah: The greatest jihad today is standing against Āl Saud

So is Nasrallah in the name of Iran calling for a true war against KSA???

REMEMBER Putin's UNGA press conference where he stated that he did not want to get involved in a "religious" war?????

Well he now has one...........

OUTLAW 09
01-03-2016, 08:43 PM
Nasrallah: Saudis want a sectarian war between Sunni-Shia in the whole region

Nasrallah: The Shia should be careful not to make it Sunni-Shia, this will help the Saudis who killed Al-Nimr & want sect war

Nasrallah: Saudis are source of takfiri ideology which create the problems all over the world. ISIS = Saudis

Nasrallah: There is a region called Arabian Peninsula which through tyranny was named Saudi; there are oppressed people there

Nasrallah: Why are you going to the details but missing the obvious? Saudis are the mother,father,inventor of takfiri groups

Nasrallah: This support and actions by the Saudis must be stopped

Nasrallah: The greatest jihad today is standing against Āl Saud

So is Nasrallah in the name of Iran calling for a true war against KSA???

REMEMBER Putin's UNGA press conference where he stated that he did not want to get involved in a "religious" war?????

Well he now has one...........

Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir says all Iranian diplomats must leave Saudi Arabia within 48 hours
http://u.afp.com/Zdaa

NOW it will be interesting to see what the Sunni Front States together with Turkey decide to do?????

Obama is now just a spectator and has no further control and or influence in the ME..........

CrowBat
01-03-2016, 10:51 PM
CrowBat--BTW---Carnegie Moscow flipped fully to support in their articles 300% of the Putin line in eastern Ukraine.........
...and not only Carnegie: I still have hard times to believe what do I get to hear from certain established authors/researchers there (UK), lately...

It's like nearly everybody is on one or the other page of Putler's paylist...

CrowBat
01-03-2016, 11:00 PM
Jaish al Thuwar are a bunch of frauds they're not Rebels, most of them were part of "Syrian Revolutionary Front" led by conman Jamal Maarouf

These guys were around in Idlib & were eventually kicked out because they kept stabbing Rebels in the back every time they tried to progress

If they were still around in Idlib. Then Idlib would never have been captured by rebel factions. Now they're back in Aleppo to help Assad
The situation of the JAT is anything but that simple: it must be observed from several sides.

Firstly, the JAT is no 'reincarnation' of Jamaal Ma'arouf's Revolutionary Front or something of that sort. It's commander is Abu Ali Bard, who is running it together with few other officers that used to serve with the RF, but otherwise, there are no confirmed links between these two organizations.

Secondly, as much as at least that part of the JAT that decided to remain 'loyal' to Oblabla and SDF is now de-facto 'US mercenaries in Syria' (the other part recently defected and went fighting the Daesh on the eastern side of Azaz corridor; at least as many fighters simply went AWOL into Turkey)... it must be observed that the JAN is doing whatever is possible to destroy any FSyA unit that has any kind of semblance of independence from it.

Assassinations and hijackings of FSyA commanders in Idlib and Aleppo continued through October, November and December last year. Body of at least one of them was found in late December, with obvious signs of torture.

JAN knows it has got very little support in Syrian population, and that it couldn't survive without Qatar's support. That's why it is always affraid of FSyA units uniting and turning against it - and that's the reason they're doing their best to weaken the FSyA and causing problems to it.

An 'openly pro-US' group like JAT is more than 'thorn in their side': JAN cannot tollerate any such presence in Idlib or Aleppo because it would show locals that there is an alternative to it (the JAN).

That said, it's a nonsense that the JAT is now fighting the JAN on the western side of the Azaz corridor (like quite a few - but foremost the SDF and the JAT - are claiming). The JAT did a massive mistake when it permitted the USA to move it from its bases in south-eastern Turkey into the Afrin enclave and then obeyed the order to attack the Azaz corridor in the first place. It's fighting only FSyA units there - instead doing what it was supposed to do: fighting the Daesh in Raqqa area.

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 09:43 AM
150+ #Russia'n airstrikes in past week fully wipped out Shayk Maskin city in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpkjtKcQCiY …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32.831351&lon=36.160727&z=14&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 09:50 AM
Further reality that nothing Kerry and Obama state to the press means anything......remember their statement...."we have a milestone".....THEN..."we will bring up with Putin the deliberate killing of civilians via air strikes" ONLY after massive social media pressure on the massive killings that were AND or still ongoing coupled with a deliberate starvation campaign.....EXACTLY the same Russian tactics we have seen in eastern Ukraine......

WELL this is the reality......that apparently Kerry and Obama are somehow not seeing.....

150+ #Russia'n airstrikes in past week fully wipped out Shayk Maskin city in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpkjtKcQCiY …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32...60727&z=14&m=b …

BTW----not a single Islamic State position anywhere near this town BUT a lot of anti Assad forces in and near this town..

CrowBat
01-04-2016, 10:38 AM
Further reality that nothing Kerry and Obama state to the press means anything......remember their statement...."we have a milestone".....THEN..."we will bring up with Putin the deliberate killing of civilians via air strikes" ONLY after massive social media pressure on the massive killings that were AND or still ongoing coupled with a deliberate starvation campaign.....EXACTLY the same Russian tactics we have seen in eastern Ukraine......

WELL this is the reality......that apparently Kerry and Obama are somehow not seeing.....

150+ #Russia'n airstrikes in past week fully wipped out Shayk Maskin city in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpkjtKcQCiY …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32...60727&z=14&m=b …

BTW----not a single Islamic State position anywhere near this town BUT a lot of anti Assad forces in and near this town..

Oblabla's 'policy' for Syria remains one of keeping everybody weak - and the USA 'out of that war, except for a lil bit'.

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 10:44 AM
Syria 40.000 people in #Madaya town west of #Damascus dying like flies
bc under regime hunger siege to include the Russian air strikes against market places, bakeries, food storage centers, NGO food relief centers, hospitals, and fuel convoys needed to heat and generate electricity..........
pic.twitter.com/CT0I1aMpm8

Assad the lesser evil... Apparently the West can live with this, then they wonder why there's extremism

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 10:47 AM
Even more non comments by Obama and Kerry......

Syria ----40.000 people in Madaya town west of Damascus dying like flies
bc under regime hunger siege to include the Russian air strikes against market places, bakeries, food storage centers, NGO food relief centers, hospitals, and fuel convoys needed to heat and generate electricity..........
pic.twitter.com/CT0I1aMpm8

Starvation as a non linear warfare tactic.......

Assad the lesser evil... Apparently the West can live with this, then they wonder why there's extremism

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 10:52 AM
Further reality that nothing Kerry and Obama state to the press means anything......remember their statement...."we have a milestone".....THEN..."we will bring up with Putin the deliberate killing of civilians via air strikes" ONLY after massive social media pressure on the massive killings that were AND or still ongoing coupled with a deliberate starvation campaign.....EXACTLY the same Russian tactics we have seen in eastern Ukraine......

WELL this is the reality......that apparently Kerry and Obama are somehow not seeing.....

150+ #Russia'n airstrikes in past week fully wipped out Shayk Maskin city in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpkjtKcQCiY …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32...60727&z=14&m=b …

BTW----not a single Islamic State position anywhere near this town BUT a lot of anti Assad forces in and near this town..


BreakingNews
After the "capture of #SheikhMaskin by the #SAA", #Russia bombs it to hell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3M8VlTkYMs …
pic.twitter.com/T1XIZSHWmH

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 10:55 AM
Even more non comments by Obama and Kerry......

Syria ----40.000 people in Madaya town west of Damascus dying like flies
bc under regime hunger siege to include the Russian air strikes against market places, bakeries, food storage centers, NGO food relief centers, hospitals, and fuel convoys needed to heat and generate electricity..........
pic.twitter.com/CT0I1aMpm8

Starvation as a non linear warfare tactic.......

Assad the lesser evil... Apparently the West can live with this, then they wonder why there's extremism

Madaya under #ASSad siege for 190 days
http://syrian-reporter.net/%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%88%D9%91%D9%8E%D8%B9%D 8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AC%D9%84-%D9%83%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7/ …
pic.twitter.com/Bv390AzRFL

Hezbollah, #Syria regime troops kill civilians fleeing besieged #Madaya: monitor says
http://mme.cm/CPAW00
pic.twitter.com/yd3wQNdbzT

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:25 AM
Rebels take out group of #Assad-forces in NE rural #Homs with russian ATGM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2113Y9w96Y …

Rebels killed or injured "Wafiq Nasser"- head of Military Security Branch in #Sweida near Izra /#Daraa

Seems Saudi Arabia (#KSA) & #Iran going towards direct war- after their proxy wars in #Yemen & #Syria

Russian" jets keep bombing as Syrian activists film air strike smoke in #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg1CGDOGk54 …

Footage
#RussianAirstrikes hit central #SheikhMaskin where the battle continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg6cMV7d7u8 …

BreakingNews
This night, #Russian jets hit residential areas in #Marea, N of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZdlC5mmjLU …

Report
#Assad regime controls all northern and some eastern districts of #SheikhMaskin.
25 #FSA brigades try to regain it.
- SMART News

Footage
Russian Su-34 keep hitting towns / civilians north of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUXah_ZXwbc …

Footage
Syrian rebel ATGM attack vs. advancing pro-#Assad militias in N #Homs prov.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2113Y9w96Y …

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:26 AM
Appears as if the Sunni Front States are moving ever so slowly towards open war not a proxy war in Syria and Yemen and Obama/Kerry have absolutely no further say since their retrenchment from the ME actually began four years ago.

interested to see what Turkish moves are....

BREAKING
#Bahrain follows #SaudiArabia and cuts diplomatic ties with Iran following attack on Saudi embassy in #Tehran

Army of Islam
‏@Islamarmy_eng2 Statement by Jaysh al-Islam spokesperson @islamdamas1980 declaring support of Saudi Arabia rupture of ties with Iran

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:28 AM
Iran missiles hit 1500 yards away from US ships and State Dept thinks execution of Saudi cleric raises tensions

BUT WAIT the Iranians stated they did not fire any missiles BUT WAIT they declare they have the right to continue developing nuclear capable ballistic missiles and to violate the UNSC resolutions on those same missiles....

http://m.state.gov/md250934.htm

So how is exactly that Obama Syrian strategy working these days since Iran is heavily engaged inside Syria along side Russia

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:33 AM
Iran'ian media: More 2 officers from the Revolutionary Guards died in battles in #Syria.

MORE civilians and one SCD first responder are killed by Russia....
5 martyrs including #SCD HERO Farouk Bakir
victims of #Russia airstrikes on #Al_Bab
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 4

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Al_Bab city
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 4

Civilians trying to flee #Marj area due the shelling and airstrikes..
To where......
#Damascus CS #Syria JAN4

US_Coalition warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting the Industrial Zone of #DeirEzzor #Syria JAN 4

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #al_Jowlak village & it's thermal station
#Homs CS #Syria JAN4

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Aalzaldin village
#Homs CS #Syria JAN 4

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:39 AM
This same Russia that has been massively killing Sunni civilians, bombing only KSA and Sunni Front States, and has stated that two anti Assad forces fighting in Syria and supported by the KSA are "terrorists"....this same Russia and Putin will do exactly what again.....

BREAKING: #Russia ready to act as intermediary to help settle dispute between Iran & Saudi Arabia - @SkyNewsBreak

BUT WAIT then this out of Russia......at the same time......

‏@JuliaDavisNews #Dugin is now issuing fatwas, advocating Russia's alliance with Shia Muslims (in spite of Sunni majority in Russia).

So how is that Obama Syria strategy now working.......

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:46 AM
I posted here about three weeks ago a long article which came out of KSA-- heavily critiquing the Obama ME politics and lack of leadership.......

BREAKING: 'The #Saudi kingdom "does not care" if it has angered the White House' - Saudi source tells @Reuters

Would highly suggest Obama and Kerry both reread that article as it goes to the core of how exactly the KSA is "now growing up" and establishing their regional power that in some ways has always been restricted by the US.....

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:52 AM
Saudi FM: Iran has been defeated in Yemen and the Iranians won't be able to save Assad in Syria.
https://twitter.com/IkhwanSyria/status/683749788249096197Saudi …

Will we hearing the echo of the anti-Iran rhetoric, and the improved Turkish relations, in Syria in coming days/weeks? Aleppo in particular?

If so, Saudi Arabia could easily end the restrictions on #ATGM, Mortars, ammo and fully open the Pipeline. +SAM's...

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 11:56 AM
Grim ribat /guard duty in the snowed mtns of Latakia
https://youtu.be/BmA2-FQerqY

New #Nusra combat vid fromt the battles in #Ghouta.
https://youtu.be/ndhkc4tCboE

Recommend overview of the war after #Putin's joining #Assad's genocide:
Evaluating the Russian Intervention
http://ceip.org/1TVLGTU

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 12:05 PM
561 #SAA & it's partners mercenaries militias casualties during last December 2015
smo-sy.com/2016/01/03/29482/#prettyPhoto …

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #al_Aaqamiyah village
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 4

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #al_Malikiyah
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 4

SAA helicopters dropped more than 10 barrel bombs on #Darayya in the past 1 hour
#Damascus #Syeia Jan 4

US_Coalition warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Manbij
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 4

US_Coalition warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Manbij
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 4

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 05:41 PM
Marea this morning. .cold and snow.......
pic.twitter.com/TUy5ixJdNK

MORE: Saudi Arabia will cut off all air traffic between it and #Iran, foreign minister tells @Reuters -

BREAKING: Saudi Arabia will cut off all commercial ties with Iran, ban its citizens from traveling to Iran: foreign minister -

BREAKING: Iranian official says Teheran will issue 'severe' retaliatory measures against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

MeetTheTerrorists
School children in #Aleppo try to study under #Assad/#Putin bombs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqLq4XWtnh4 …

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 05:41 PM
Russian officers seem to suddenly be having "heart attacks" a mass.......

Within a week Russia's Military Intel chief Sergun & Airborne troops General Shushukin died.Both involved in Ukraine
pic.twitter.com/zI7HfOWoU4

A week ago the general who led the invasion of Crimea died. Today the head of Russia’s mil intelligence (GRU) died. Putin killing witnesses?

Deaths of top Russian military recently possibly due to:
a) Kremlin purge;
b) excessive New Year celebration;
c) something else.

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 05:49 PM
Chinese officer in #ASSad mercenaries Army. ��
#Latakia #Syria JAN 4

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 05:54 PM
Footage
The #FSA fights pro-#Assad forces at the central roundabout it #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL9DJ7lMWk0 …

BreakingFootage
#Israel fires back into southern #Lebanon after a #Hezbollah #IED attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG5Jae87DiM …

Lebanese media reporting 3 #Israel military vehicles hit by Hezbollah fire ATGMs

With #Israel facing another war with #Lebanon Hezbollah, watch Obama administration springing up into mediation.

29 #Assad-forces killed by #IS vehicle blast in Njara north of #Kuweiris airbase in eastern rural #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.242127&lon=37.542257&z=14&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 05:55 PM
High ranking Iranian commanders & generals killed in Syria
http://eldorar.com/node/93269

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 06:02 PM
Sudan has just severed diplomatic ties with Iran. So now that's Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Sudan.

Sunni Army forming--for possible involvement directly inside Syria????????

Statement: 26 #FSA groups stand in solidarity with #Saudi Arabia and condemns Iranian interference in the region

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 06:15 PM
Appears that the Obama Iran Deal has cost Obama what little leverage he and Kerry had......especially with the warm up between the KSA and Israel and Turkey and Israel....

Arab League will convene an emergency meeting next Sunday at the request of Saudi Arabia to condemn "Iranian interference in Arab affairs

Iran might be making a historic mistake by forcing a more aggressive/activist geopolitical change in Saudi Arabia

Struggle btw Riyadh & Tehran for influence has geopolitical implications far beyond Gulf argues @Dr_Ulrichsen
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-35219693 …

Sudan has expelled the Iranian ambassador over attacks on the Saudi embassy: Al Arabiya. Gulf News


http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/the-new-saudi-arabia-assertive-and-unapologetic-1.1647717

The new Saudi Arabia: assertive and unapologetic

There is a new belief that proactive policies could achieve favourable results in the region

Published: 18:04 January 3, 2016 Gulf News
AFP


Dubai: Iran betted in the past on a hesitant foreign and domestic Saudi policy, but over the past year, things have completely changed and Riyadh has assumed a position that is rather provocative towards Tehran, said Mahjoob Al Zweiri, professor of Middle Eastern studies at Qatar University.

Nearly a year ago, King Salman succeeded his half brother Abdullah as the monarch of the regional heavyweight.

He brought along his nephew Mohammad Bin Nayef as crown prince and interior minister and his own young and ambitious son Mohammad as a deputy crown prince and defence minister.

In March, Saudi Arabia took the unforeseen step of leading an Arab military intervention in neighbouring Yemen, launching an air campaign against Iran-backed Al Houthi militants in support of Yemen’s legitimate president Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.

Last month, Riyadh brought Syrian political and armed opposition factions together for unprecedented talks, reflecting its rising profile in efforts to end the war.

Shortly after - and completely unexpectedly - Defence Minister Prince Mohammad announced the formation of a 34-nation coalition against Islamist “terrorism”.

“Riyadh presses ahead with its actions without giving much thought to reactions,” said Al Zweiri.

“It seems that there is a belief now that proactive and determined policies by Saudi Arabia could achieve results, including responding to Iran and its policies in the region,” he said.

The boldness was reflected in Saturday’s comments from the Saudi Interior Ministry. “We are completely confident with what we’re doing and we believe in it and do not care how others view our procedures, whether on justice or implementation of sentences,” said spokesman Mansour Al Turki.

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 06:40 PM
Turkish Hackers Claim Credit for Hijacking Top Russian Official's Instagram
https://globalvoices.org/2016/01/03/turkish-hackers-claim-credit-for-hijacking-top-russian-officials-instagram/ …
pic.twitter.com/EIUTKQJrwM

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 06:41 PM
CrowBat---is the FSA Southern Front now "off the fence" and engaging....next question is the KSA releasing more TOWs to them.....????

FSA Southern Front announce "Shayk Maskin operation room"
to retake entire town & former military bases
pic.twitter.com/4Wn6g7PPMP

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 06:50 PM
CrowBat--you might find this interesting........

Long interview: Saleh Muslim talks NCB, PKK, KNC, etc; insists N. Aleppo has Kurdish majority
http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=459454 Ar. by Jwan Soz

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 07:11 PM
.@en_informnapalm reveals Russian marines shuttled by helicopter to a lookout post 7.5 km east of Hmeimim airbase.

Link to investigation:
https://informnapalm.org/18173-morpeh-810-obmp-7-km/ …

New footage of Volcano rockets in action with the NDF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWP1RhNGs6U …

Says regime officer executed after killing Iranian officer in dispute at 5th Division cmd ops HQ in Izraa, #Daraa
Soldiers from the Assad regime killed an Iranian officer. Talk about stabbing them in the back
http://eldorar.com/node/93277

SaudiArabia closing #Iran Hajj office in #Mecca

Break the siege in #Madaya or burn #Fouah and #Kafraya"
Protests in #Idlib for the end of #SAA siege
#Syria JAN 4

Protests in #Idlib #Saraqib #Maarat_alNuman & #Kafranbel for besieged #Madaya asking #al_Fateh army to shell #Kafraya & #alFouah towns now

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 07:37 PM
Five children from the same family were injuring by the regime artillery shelling on Al-Siryeah village, #Dar'aa countryside.

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 07:43 PM
Russian ideologue......has had in the past a strong influence on Putin.....

Dugin predictably comes out in support of Russian-Shia alliance based on "deep religious kinship"
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1112175165459189&set=a.147408498602532.29033.100000001479276&type=3&theater …

The Kremlin's pocket nationalists may be professing their love towards Shiites, but your average Russian nationalist hates Muslims period

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 08:03 PM
UK's #Syria Rep @Garethbayley: #Assad Starves 40,000 Civs in #Madaya to Death
http://ow.ly/WC75V

More than 150 cases of fainting as a result of severe malnutrition to Madaya's field hospitals on Sunday only
http://ow.ly/WBWhN

How come USA was able to drop food to besiege yazidi ppl in Sinjar Mtn but unable to drop food to Syrians in Madaya

Siege of Syria's Zabadani persists despite deal between government forces and rebels
http://aje.io/n4m9

Syria-n Coalition Calls for Urgent Action to Save Besieged #Madaya
http://ow.ly/WBUYH

Syrian Coalition: We call for expelling Iran from Organization of Islamic Cooperation
http://ow.ly/WB4PF

ISIS cannot be defeated in #Syria unless the international community coordinates with the #FSA on the ground
http://en.etilaf.org/all-news/news/president-khoja-regrets-western-support-for-terrorist-groups-such-as-the-pkk.html …

SNHR #Syria
Toll of medics killed in Syria since 1 Jan 2015 till the end of Dec 2015.
http://goo.gl/Fqzxxc

SNHR #Syria
Study: The Most Significant Human Rights Violations in Syria during 2015
http://goo.gl/XQtf4D

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 08:32 PM
Foreign Shiite militias from #Iraq today in occupied parts of southern rural #Aleppo
pic.twitter.com/PwjfHLneOW

Grid power partially restored to Aleppo after 80 days. water still sporadic, and heating fuel nonexistent in the bitter cold

As the snow falls on west Aleppo so do the terrorist rebel shells by the dozen. pic from Siryan Jadideh today

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 08:38 PM
Leaked memo shows #Saudi Arabia was fully prepared for executions backlash – and went ahead anyway
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-executions-leaked-memo-shows-was-fully-prepared-for-middle-east-backlash-a6796381.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-04-2016, 08:39 PM
Breaking: Turkish army are firing on the YPG in the YPG held Town of Girespi & the border crossing.

CrowBat
01-04-2016, 10:02 PM
With #Israel facing another war with #Lebanon Hezbollah, watch Obama administration springing up into mediation....if I'm to ask: much too late.

Oblabla (and not only him: US Congress, media, even the ignorant public) screwed up whatever he/they only could in the Middle East: if idiocies of Bush Jr.'s admin - combined by incredible ignorance of the US public back in 2002 - created this mess, Oblabla's admin (and consorts) trippled it, and now the situation is about to get completely out of control.

Actually, it's near the point of a total meltdown.

In worst case, by the end of this month, there's not only going to be the wars in Syria and Yemen, but also in Lebanon and then between Saudi Arabia (and allies) and Iran... With other words: Sunnis + Turkey + Israel versus Shi'a + Assadists + Russians.

Wonder where are all the US posters from back in 2013 (when all of this could've been easily prevented) to explain me in whose 'higher national interest' is such a quagmire now?

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 06:19 AM
Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins

Great analysis of the new OPCW report - Syrian soldiers exposed to ‘sarin or a sarin-like substance’
http://www.the-trench.org/syrian-soldiers-exposed-to-sarin/ …

Did Assad's loyalists get hit with their own Sarin again?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_al-

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 06:23 AM
Sergun, GRU chief who just died, led "most of complex operations" of GRU, i.e. wars abroad. Stepashin won't say more
http://crimea-24.com/novorossiya/120034-sergej-stepashin-eks-premer-rossii--ob-igore-sergune-on-umel-voevat-i-lyudej-ochen-bereg.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 06:27 AM
Al Arabiya English ✔ @AlArabiya_Eng

#Syria’s opposition urges all Arab states to cut #Iran ties
http://ara.tv/z3m8s
pic.twitter.com/jzvIuSKJk2

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 06:37 AM
Too little too late.....and absolutely no influence since Obama and Kerry went full in on the Iran Deal...for the Sunni Front States Obama and Kerry in fact support Putin in his killing of Sunni's by Shia mercenaries.....AND his RuAF

White House goes into damage control on Syria peace talks via @POLITICO
http://politi.co/1mvmvg2
pic.twitter.com/O2rwVXc83F

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 10:13 AM
Sheikh_Meskin Op. Room announced retrieved back 60% of #Brigade82 in counter assault launched by #FSA
#Daraa #Syria JAN 5

This after 200+ Russian airstrikes

8 bodies of #Iran's Revolutionary Guards arrived in Mashhad- killed during battle in Sheik Miskin /southern #Syria

Douma after years of #Assad and months of #Putin air strikes ...
Some people want to stay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OxSyOACujk …

The starving civilians of Douma due to Assad starvation policy. Lots of evidence in this link
http://humanpains.com/2015/05/14/syria-asssad-regime-starvation-as-weapon-of-war/ …

Heavy clashes & Grad Rockets shelling between Rebels & #SAA taking place now at #Marj area
#Damascus CS #Syria JAN 5

SAA mercenaries shelling with grad rockets targeting #Busra_alHarir village from regiment 175 Bazra position
#Daraa #Syria Jan 5

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 10:17 AM
Iran got carried away talking so tough warmongering, terror sponsoring & death chants but knows Saudi can turn Sunni world against Iran

Kuwait has called back their Iranian Ambassador......

Al Arabiya English Verified account 
‏@AlArabiya_Eng #BreakingNews Correspondent: Iranian letter to Security Council expressing sorrow over what had happened to Saudi embassy

Bullies are deep down the biggest wimps. Iran are now begging & apologizing

Very true. Obama kept supporting Iran for his legacy allowing them to massacre Sunnis & holding Saudis back. Too late now

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 11:24 AM
Russian non linear warfare has two key cornerstones.....info warfare and cyber warfare.

Russia cyber warfare has been turned loose by Putin now......

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
Interesting, the host of @Checkdesk where we do our Russian airstrike verification is under DDoS attack since Dec 25
http://status.linode.com

Concerning - "highly destructive" malware has caused several days of blackouts in Western #Ukraine
http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/01/first-known-hacker-caused-power-outage-signals-troubling-escalation/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 11:28 AM
Further evidence through open source investigation by user "witnesss" on the subreddit of @RSyrianCivilWar
pic.twitter.com/qMy8Ubxb23

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 04:29 PM
VIDEO: Rebels in #Aleppo #Syria fire DIY cannon at regime position. -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q4WsRcNRxg …

SYRIA: ISIS executes local female journalist for reporting from inside its territory. - @SyriaDirect
http://syriadirect.org/news/islamic-state-executes-female-journalist-in-raqqa/#.VoutqBA65HA.twitter …

Analysis #Map
Rebels keep fighting pro-#Assad troops at the #SheikhMaskin housing complex.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zpyHUCaV3E …

Syria Big business in #Latakia with #Russia'n soldiers & their Vodka thirst
after "work"

Aftermath #Russia airstrikes on #Ebtaa town.. Killing 2 civilians (1 man & woman)
#Daraa #Syria JAN5

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 04:37 PM
Russia warplanes carried out airstirkes targeting #Musaybeen village #Syria JAN 5

Several #Russia airstrikes only in #Ebtaa town
#Daraa #Syria JAN 5
Civilian wounded and killed.....

SAA terrorists shelling on #Hazarma village, wounded dozens of civilians including children.
#Damascus #Syria JAN 5

Media Activist Jenkin Aliko tortured at the hands of #PYD in #Derbassiyeh town #Turkey border
#Hassakah #Syria JAN 5

Reports of a Land mine explosion hit #SCD Ambulance in #Maarat_al_Nouman..
#Idlib #Syria JAN 5

SAA shell #Madaya with heavy machine guns and RBG shells on civilians to avoid the barricade they building up around the town
#Syria JAN 5

Ahmad Abdul & Ghiath Esa killed & several others wounded & detained by #Hezbollah while trying smuggling some bread into #MAdaya #Syria JAN5

Ziad Ghalioun was killed by #Hezbollah, Majd Sheikhou was captured, and 3 lost contact while attempting fleeing out of #Madaya
#Syria JAN 4

SAA & #Hezbollah at the deadly checkpoints around #Madaya keep launching flare bombs on civilians to warn them of get out of the town

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 05:02 PM
The other day Hezbollah leader Nasrallah referred to al-Nimr as one who "bravely told the truth". Nimr said Assad was a tyrant, Nasrallah

Either Nimr is right and that makes Nasrallah an oppressor, or Nasrallah is right and that makes Nimr ignorant. Which is it?

By framing this as an existential threat to Saudi Arabia, Hezbollah's rhetoric serves to rally average Saudis behind their regime more

What could truly threaten the survival of the Saudi regime isn't losing the consent of the Shia minority, but that of the Sunni majority.

Hezbollah's recent statements about "Saudi Arabia nearing collapse" demonstrate its strategic stupidity.

Just note that this isn't about Saudi Arabia vs Iran as cultures; it's about the regimes

Saudi Arabia's recent actions have been reckless and inflammatory - but they're not irrational. There's a cold logic to them.

A reliable ally helps you achieve a strategic vision. Does the US even have a strategic vision in the Middle East any more?

There is no question that the Iran deal has worsened the proxy war in the region.

I really doubt Saudi Arabia coordinated with the US before taking these moves.

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 05:09 PM
NYTs from today........

To Have an Ally in the Middle East, the U.S. Needs a Strategic Vision

Iyad El-Baghdadi

Iyad El-Baghdadi is an entrepreneur, writer and Arab Spring activist. He is on Twitter.

January 4, 2016



A “reliable ally” is one that effectively aids you in accomplishing a strategic vision. Does the United States even have a strategic vision for the Middle East, to ask any allies to rally around?

For years, Saudi Arabia was a reliable ally in maintaining a certain “stability” in the Middle East, one focused less on human rights and more on energy security and counterterrorism. This longstanding alliance seems to be falling apart now, as the Gulf states pursue their own independent agenda, in a manner that is further destabilizing an already volatile region.

Saudi Arabia’s decision to execute Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was as reckless, inflammatory and immoral as its decision to invade Yemen last year. However, try for a minute to take Saudi Arabia’s assumptions for granted – what if the Houthi rebellion in Yemen was an “Iranian intervention”? What if Nimr al-Nimr was a terrorist mastermind in the employ of an Iranian agenda? They weren’t – and he wasn’t – but if you somehow accept these assumptions, then Saudi Arabia was indeed acting assertively against an existential threat.

The U.S. may have thought the Iran deal was a strategic breakthrough, but it is beyond question today that the effects of the deal on the Middle East have so far been catastrophic. By excluding the strategic interests of Arab nations about Iranian interventionism, the Obama administration has allowed an ugly proxy war to get uglier, and has forced Arab nations to break rank to protect what they perceive to be their own self-interests, bringing more instability and more suffering.

If the U.S. wants reliable allies in the region it has to first figure out what it wants in the region – and it better be something the people of the region can sign on to. And please, put human rights on the agenda.

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 05:29 PM
Syria 67 #Assad-forces killed the past days during offensive at SE outskirts of #Hama city http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.080163&lon=36.876812&z=13&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 06:14 PM
Where's Russia striking? Is #IslamicState near? Check this data by @bellingcat on @silkdotco
http://russia-strikes-syria.silk.co
pic.twitter.com/0ZoUTwNSfe

Aleppo Rebels from Noureddine Zanki movement seized large amount of ammunition- destined for #IslamicState
pic.twitter.com/Uaq98Vef7Y

2-days ago, Sheikh Abu Rateb issued a broad call for improved levels of unity among the armed opposition in #Syria:
pic.twitter.com/KbDIlqZ6Q0

Ahrar al-Sham's chief in #Homs, Abu Rateb (former Liwa al-Haq leader) has been assassinated by gunmen.

Sheikh Abu Rateb was a member of Ahrar al-Sham’s ruling Shura Council. He was shot dead while driving in Al-Farhaniya in northern #Homs

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 06:15 PM
Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins

UN Security Council to discuss weapons delivery from Turkey to Syria at Russia’s request
http://tass.ru/en/world/848312


© EPA/JUSTIN LANE UNITED NATIONS, January 5 /TASS/. The United Nations Security Council will discuss delivery of weapons from Turkey to Syria on Tuesday at Russia’s request, Uruguay’s Permanent Representative to UN Elbio Rosselli, who is presiding over the UN Security Council in January, told journalists on Monday. He added that the meeting would take place behind the closed doors. Read also Syrian ambassador to UN says Turkish Army directly helped terrorists "Yes. The question of delivery of (weapons) across the Turkish-Syrian border will be raised tomorrow (Tuesday) as part of the general discussion. The consultations will take place at Russia’s request," the diplomat told TASS. According to Rosselli, Jeffrey Feltman, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, is to deliver a report. In December 2015, Vladimir Safronkov, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that Moscow was extremely concerned with the ongoing arms supplies to Syria and the penetration of terrorists into the country via the U.N.-monitored checkpoints at which U.N. observers are supposed to check the relief cargoes. Safronkov said that Russia had suggested applying the U.N. monitoring mechanisms to all the cargoes bound for Syria, including those declared as relief cargoes. However, the United Nations Security Council ignored the Russian initiative as it was preparing Resolution 2258, which authorizes the delivery of relief cargoes to the conflict-stricken areas in Syria directly from the territories of neighbouring countries until January 10, 2017.

BUT WAIT--Russia has run 49 so called "humanitarian aid convoys" into eastern Ukraine AND has refused to allow any UN and or IRC controls on what was being transported....a recent Russian Red Cross official openly in an interview stated that Russia had been using the aid convoys to ship weapons to their mercenaries......

SO NOW will Russia start allowing controls of their so called aid convoys into eastern Ukraine...certainly not.

WILL BE interesting to see how the US handles this----Russia is not interested in weapons flowing to IS AS MUCH as they want the KSA and the Sunni Front States to stop weapons flowing to FSA......

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 07:01 PM
Aleppo province: #Russian warplanes launch an air-strike on #Sakhour neighborhood a little while ago.
http://fb.me/4mh4Mefr8

Report: Russia asked Hezbollah not to escalate tensions with Israel
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Report-Russia-asked-Hezbollah-not-to-escalate-tensions-with-Israel-439479?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter …

A vid showing the training of snipers by #Ahrar
https://youtu.be/xN1i1Nv3Ojw
pic.twitter.com/zCP7NqB4I2

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 07:04 PM
Two Troubling Questions about Putin: Is He Sick? And Is He Getting Rid of Witnesses?
http://www.interpretermag.com/two-tr...tnesses/#11741 …
pic.twitter.com/xVQURtRi7w

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Two Troubling Questions about Putin: Is He Sick? And Is He Getting Rid of Witnesses?

Paul Goble


Staunton, January 5 – In the dies non that exists in Russia over the winter holidays, two uncomfortable and potentially dangerous questions have been raised about Vladimir Putin: Does his fall off in public activity mean he is sick? And are recent deaths evidence that the Kremlin leader is getting rid of witnesses to his crimes?

That such questions are being asked at all is more important in terms of public attitudes than the answers that anyone may give to one or the other.

Yesterday, Moscow’s independent Dozhd television, citing a report by the Center for Economic and Political Reforms (cepr.su/2016/01/04/kolvo-ukazov/), said that in recent weeks, Putin’s activity has fallen to “a record low for the past 15 years,” sparking concerns that he is either tired or sick (tvrain.ru/news/ustalost_prezidenta-401269/).

Between 1994 and 2012, the center’s analysts found, Russia’s three presidents, Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev issued between 123 and 149 decrees monthly. But since 2013, they found that Putin had issued “almost half as many” and that “the number has contracted further.” In 2013, he issued 970; in 2014, 837; and in 2015, 638.

Nikolay Mironov, the center’s director, says that this fall off in activity “may be connected with physical problems” or simply the result of the wearing down of someone who has long been in office. The decline began in May 2013, and since that time, many have suggested that Putin doesn’t look as well as he did earlier.

He notes that the decline in official activity includes not just decrees but other forms of orders issued to subordinates. Over the last year, Mironov continues, the president has distanced himself “from all important questions,” as shown as well by the way in which he answered questions at his recent press conference.

But the director points to the most important consequence of this: Under Russian conditions, if the president doesn’t formulate his orders in a written form, many in the bureaucracy and society do not know what they are supposed to do – and being at a loss, they may either do nothing or go their own ways.

Today, Zoryan Shkiryak, an advisor to the Ukrainian interior ministry, suggested that the recent deaths of two military commanders who undoubtedly have access to many of Putin’s most closely held secrets suggests that the Kremlin leader may be killing off witnesses to his own crimes (nr2.com.ua/News/world_and_russia/Putin-izbavlyaetsya-ot-opasnyh-svideteley-svoih-prestupleniy-ekspert-114437.html).

He points specifically to the death on December 27 of Major General Aleksandr Shushukin, who led the occupation of Crimea, and of Col.Gen. Igor Sergun, the head of the GRU, who has long done secretive dirty work “at the order of the Kremlin in the war against Ukraine.”

Of course, the two deaths may be a coincidence, but they are convenient and getting rid of the executors of regime policy has long been a tradition for the Soviet and Russian security services. They in this as in much else operate according to the principle “no person, no problem.” That Putin might do the same should not surprise anyone, Shkiryak says.

OUTLAW 09
01-05-2016, 07:20 PM
SCD @SyriaCivilDef RECOVERED A LITTLE BOY VICTIM OF #RUSSIA AIRSTRIKES ON #EBTAA..
#DARAA #SYRIA JAN 5

Video of an #Iraq|i Mi-35M badly damaged in August 2015
http://aerohisto.blogspot.fr/2016/01/video-of-iraqi-mi-35m-badly-damaged-in.html …

Yury Barmin ‏@yurybarmin · Jan 3
Russia will certainly side with Tehran in Saudi-Iranian diplomatic conflict but it will also be happy to see Iran weakened as a result of it

What can we expect from Russia's Syria policy in 2016?
http://www.russia-direct.org/opinion/what-expect-russia%E2%80%99s-syria-policy-2016 …

Azor
01-06-2016, 01:54 AM
Featuring Mike Doran, Phil Gordon and Paul Pillar.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BDOEySPVeZA

Mike Doran: double-down on supporting the FSA moderate groups, back the Sunni Front in the Middle East, carve out a no-fly/Sunni Arab zone, and work to push Iran and Russia out, including insertion of special forces with the FSA and anti-Assad T&E. End State: Lebanonization for Iraq and Syria.

Phil Gordon: ceasefire along current lines with no pre-conditions that Assad step down, even while working diplomatically to that end. End state: transitional partition then Lebanonization.

Paul Pillar: Syria isn't a core interest to the U.S. Work diplomatically for a ceasefire while focusing exclusively on IS. End state: truth and reconciliation and Syria remains a unitary state.

Personally, I agree mostly with Phil and Mike, but Paul is right that Syria is not an existential interest for the US...

CrowBat
01-06-2016, 07:08 AM
While ideas like a blockade of Syrian airspace (something I've suggested already nearly three years ago (http://warisboring.com/articles/blockading-syria-by-air/)) - which 'automatically' implies 'backing of Sunni front' - are sound, the rest not so much.

I can only repeat that Syria is a centre-piece of the Middle East. Anybody ignoring this factor has simply no clue about importance of that country for the locals (including neighbours), and is living in illusions.

Yes, money, oil and gas are somewhere else (but in Syria), but for a host of reasons, 'Sham' is simply too important in minds of locals - otherwise we wouldn't see so many of them getting involved there.

The same can be said for those considering a 'war against the Daesh' as an 'isolated' issue, that can be accomplished without removing Assad; and especially for people who think that Assad can be removed without disassembling the entire regime in Syria (that is: whatever is left of the military, intelligence and security apparatus, civilian authorities etc.).

Overall: 'solving problems' in Syria cannot work without a wide range of solutions around the country too. We all have to accept, that maintaining 'status quo' in regards of all the possible dictatorships there is no lasting solution. Quite on the contrary.

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 07:34 AM
Very cool:
@OrientNewsEn reports on its English-language @YouTube channel fr. Sh.Maskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y_xs8WRT8o …
pic.twitter.com/sh07BCgXKs

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 07:35 AM
Russia demonstrated in #Ukraine it's prepared to use cyber attacks to create power-outages.
https://next.ft.com/content/0cfffe1e-b3cd-11e5-8358-9a82b43f6b2f?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fhome_u s%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct …
pic.twitter.com/5E2MOCU2jf

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 07:39 AM
Syrian Express is on the move again in the New Year..........

счастливого Рождества #SyriaExpress ! #ВМФ #Бф BF ropucha class landing ship Minsk 127 transits southbound Bosphorus

CrowBat
01-06-2016, 07:51 AM
NYTs from today........

To Have an Ally in the Middle East, the U.S. Needs a Strategic Vision

Iyad El-Baghdadi

Iyad El-Baghdadi is an entrepreneur, writer and Arab Spring activist. He is on Twitter.

January 4, 2016It's outright silly that anybody is complaining about any kind of Saudi actions 'now': these were ignored for decades, because that was in 'Western' interest. Now that the 'West' has decided to de-facto disengage from the Middle East, they are not in Western interest any more?

...and if not, where is actually a problem? Then the Saudis are left on their own to bring their decisions, and nobody should complain.

BTW: this 'falling appart of reliable alliance with Saudi Arabia' didn't happen on Saudi insistence - i.e. because 'the Gulf states would now "suddenly" be pursuing their own agenda', as implied in that feature, but precisely because the lack (and massive failures) of Western leadership. After all, Saudis & Co (nearly everybody except Turkey and Qatar) were demanding US 'leadership' for years - and have been left on their own device in response.

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 07:52 AM
Featuring Mike Doran, Phil Gordon and Paul Pillar.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BDOEySPVeZA

Mike Doran: double-down on supporting the FSA moderate groups, back the Sunni Front in the Middle East, carve out a no-fly/Sunni Arab zone, and work to push Iran and Russia out, including insertion of special forces with the FSA and anti-Assad T&E. End State: Lebanonization for Iraq and Syria.

Phil Gordon: ceasefire along current lines with no pre-conditions that Assad step down, even while working diplomatically to that end. End state: transitional partition then Lebanonization.

Paul Pillar: Syria isn't a core interest to the U.S. Work diplomatically for a ceasefire while focusing exclusively on IS. End state: truth and reconciliation and Syria remains a unitary state.

Personally, I agree mostly with Phil and Mike, but Paul is right that Syria is not an existential interest for the US...

Azor.....the argument that Syria is not critical to the US interests is one of those true myths that Obama and company have been spreading since four years...as well as the second Obama myth--it is not militarily winnable...BUT WAIT the rag tag UAF was run over by the Russian Army in 2014 but fought with their volunteers much like out Minute Men in Lexington.

NOW the UAF has the same tank count 500 as the Russians, has the retrained UAF and is and has held the Russians to virtually no territory gains since the summer 2015 and right now has basically stopped two more offensives costing the Russians 35 KIAs mostly Spetsnaz troops.

BTW--that rag tag UAF is now the third strongest military in Europe behind Turkey and Poland and that was achieved just inside two years while they were constantly fighting the Russians.

The same is occurring inside Syria with the anti Assa forces which IMHO have become the finest urban warfare fighting force in the world in their abilities to fight inside villages, towns and cities--the US Army could learn a thing or two from them.

AND after 90 days of RuAF strikes and a major offensive by Iranian/Shia mercenaries Assad still has not gone anywhere.

The Obama and company myths are simply designed for public consumption in order to avoid having to make the hard choice to use hard power as his Harvard education only taught him to "talk" and that is about it.....

BUT back to the critical nature of Syria---check the geo location and the geo relationship to Turkey, KSA and the other Sunni Front States.

IMHO Obama has basically sided with Iran ie the Shia side much as has Putin has and both have totally forgotten that the largest majority of the Islamic World/ME is Sunni and the majority of Muslims inside Russia ARE Sunni (70%).

THEN go back a reread all of the Khomeini speeches where he talks about the "Green Crescent" THEN overlay the "Green Crescent" over the old historical "Silk Road" THEN come back to 2016 and tell me there is not a critical role for Syria....

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 11:45 AM
Bombs are flying
People are dying
Children are crying
Politicians are lying

SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Marj area
#Damascus #Syria JAN 6

More than 35 Barrel Bombs so far ONLY in #Darayya since morning
#Damascus #Syria JAN 6

SAA helicopters target #Deir_Asafir town with a Guided Missiles
#MI25 #Damascus cs #SYria JAN 6

SAA shelling heavy artillery targeting #Jobar neighborhood
#Damascus #Syria JAN 6

4 martyrs so far & 20+ wounded due #SAA shelling w/ #RUssia Cluster Bombs on #Douma
#Damascus #Syria JAN 6

Rebels destroyed #SAA Cannon 14.5 in #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 6

SAA lost several mercenaries in #Sheikh_Meskin,they ask their leaders to intensify shelling bcoz difficulty of remove wounded
#Syria JAN6

Newly formed #Ashaar Army(part of #Raqqa Rebels Front) was disintegrated due to disagreement between them and the #Kurdish Units

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Kiyndah village
#Latakia cs #Syria JAN 6
#Syria JAN6

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Kansabah village
#Latakia cs #Syria JAN 6

US_Coalition carried out airstrikes targeting #Ain_Esa town

SAA shelling with Grad Rockets targeting #Shashabo_Mount
#Hama cs #Syria JAN 6

Remnants of #Russia soviet 3O8 240mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles targeting #Douma
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 6

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Salma village
#Latakia #Syria JAN 6

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Turkmen_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 6

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Kurds_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 6

US_Coalition warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting the Water company in downtown #Raqqa #Syria JAN 6

USE of thermobaric bombs......
Russia airstrikes with vacuum bombs on #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 6
#Raqqa #Syria JAN 6

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 12:14 PM
Largest Recruiting Tool for Al Qaeda & ISIS is US inaction in Syria & the US tilt to Iran to secure Nuke Deal - Not GTMO & Syrian Refugees

Assad creates 'Warsaw Ghettos' of starving civilians and the World yawns. Hitlers dream..

'Take Your Portion': A Victim Speaks Out About Rape in Syria
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/06/take-your-portion-a-victim-speaks-out-about-rape-in-syria/276979/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 12:15 PM
Who those SWJ readers who really do not want to believe the US/Obama has fully swung over to the Iranian/Putin/Shia positions DO read the following...AND YET we wonder why the KSA is acting in it's own self interests..........?????

HERE is exactly why the KSA is disconnecting now from the US and it is the specific fault of Obama no one else and "blaming others" just does not cut it any longer........

https://www.yahoo.com/news/provoke-peril-obama-administration-sending-212012154.html

'Provoke at your peril': The Obama administration is sending a 'message' to Saudi Arabia

Natasha Bertrand


Saudi Arabia cut off all diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday, after Iranian protesters ransacked and set fire to the Saudi embassy in Tehran amid a row over the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

The US State Department on Saturday criticized Saudi Arabia's execution of Nimr al-Nimr.

It issued a statement expressing concern that Riyadh's actions were "exacerbating sectarian tensions." On Monday, State Department spokesman John Kirby noted that Iran had arrested some protesters who ransacked the embassy, undercutting the Saudi claim that Iran's government had an implicit hand in the embassy attack.

This comment, and the administration's overall response to the spat, has led some experts to wonder whose side the White House is really on.

Tony Badran, a Middle East expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said he believes the Obama administration has set a "very dangerous precedent" not only by failing to express support for its ally, but also by framing the conflict as a Sunni-Shiite religious war.

Indeed, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said on Monday that the conflict "breaks down along sectarian lines." He said the US had raised "direct concerns" to Saudi officials in advance "about the potential damaging consequences of following through on the execution" of al-Nimr.

"Unfortunately, the concerns that we expressed to the Saudis have precipitated the kinds of consequences that we were concerned about," Earnest said.

But this rhetoric, Badran said, only adds fuel to Iran's argument that the execution of al-Nimr "was a deliberate provocation" against Iran and its Shiite allies — which, in turn, implies that Iran is a legitimate representative of the region's Shiite Muslims.

"The White House is therefore sending a new message to Saudi Arabia," Badran added. "'Provoke at your peril.'"

That message, Badran said, is sent in conjunction with the Obama administration's vision for a new Middle East order — one in which Iran plays a central, if not leading, role. That vision, Badran believes, stems from Obama's desire to preserve a nuclear deal that will be the cornerstone of his foreign-policy legacy.

"Attacks on Saudi diplomats are attacks on the US order in the Middle East," Badran said, referring to Saudi Arabia's long-time status as a major US ally. "By not stepping up to defend that order, the US has essentially given Iran permission to try and tear it down."

Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator who is a vice president at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, echoed this sentiment in an interview with Bloomberg View.

"The Iranians hold the Obama legacy in their hands," said Miller, who worked in the State Department for more than two decades. "We are constrained and we are acquiescing to a certain degree to ensure we maintain a functional relationship with the Iranians."

Other analysts have suggested that Iran's rising influence in the region led an increasingly isolated Saudi Arabia to push back against Iran and its allies, partly explaining the decision to execute al-Nimr.

"The key source of Saudi anxiety is Iran," the political-risk firm Eurasia Group noted in its 2016 analysis of the top risks to the world. "Soon to be free of sanctions, Iran's economy will strengthen, and its government will have more money to spend in support of regional clients."

But Badran said the US maintaining that functional relationship is key to the success of what he termed as the administration's "misguided approach to Syria," which aims to minimize US involvement in the conflict while recognizing Iran as a legitimate stakeholder in the country's future.

That policy was articulated most clearly in November when Russian officials, with the US's blessing, invited Iran to Vienna to participate in peace talks over Syria for the first time since the war erupted in 2011.

The invitation was "in line with Obama's long-held perception of Syria as an Iranian sphere of influence, and his desire to legitimize Iran as a regional interlocutor of the US," Badran said at the time. "Indeed, that was the whole point of the Iran deal — to establish a broader regional partnership with the Iranians."

Last week, an abrupt about-face from the administration also contributed to this perception.

It originally informed Congress that it would sanction Iran for violating a UN resolution and testing ballistic missiles at least twice in 2015. But it quickly backed away from those sanctions, indicating that it will take a lot — much more than a spat between Saudi Arabia and Iran — to derail a new relationship nearly eight years in the making.

Especially since, as Brookings' executive vice president told The New York Times on Monday: "We haven’t been on the same page with the Saudis for a long time."

davidbfpo
01-06-2016, 02:33 PM
Cited in part:
The same is occurring inside Syria with the anti Assad forces which IMHO have become the finest urban warfare fighting force in the world in their abilities to fight inside villages, towns and cities--the US Army could learn a thing or two from them.

From my armchair I do wonder if many of the anti-Assad forces owe their urban warfare skills to their service in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Lebanon in the long civil war; with up to 40k serving each year, from 1976-2005. I can recall reading an analysis on how the SAA learnt much and that it often fought each faction in turn. 'Fought' being a word defined widely.

Add in the knowledge acquired in Iraqi cities and possibly other places. like Chechyna.

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 02:56 PM
Cited in part:

From my armchair I do wonder if many of the anti-Assad forces owe their urban warfare skills to their service in the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the Lebanon in the long civil war; with up to 40k serving each year, from 1976-2005. I can recall reading an analysis on how the SAA learnt much and that it often fought each faction in turn. 'Fought' being an defined widely.

Add in the knowledge acquired in Iraqi cities and possibly other places. like Chechyna.

David...good point but here is the interesting thing....take the Iraqi Army and related ISF excluding the Iraqi SF which was trained by the US SF....they get battered in every urban fight with IS---maybe irregular forces have the ability to adapt in ways a standard trained army unit does not. Meaning on their own and responsible for only their own patch of ground to defend.

During the major fighting in several key eastern Ukraine towns the UAF while vastly outnumbered and out gunned artillery wise also defeated Russian attack after attack by astute urban fighting......before having to give ground up due to the Russian overweight.

IMHO it has to do though with the fact that most of say the FSA fighters are actually Syrians and their are fighting in and or near their own towns and villages and they are fighting for an idea/image/cause-----kicking out Assad----something the Shia are not.

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 03:04 PM
For up to date info from the Assad/Hezbollah starvation sieges of Madaya, Zabadani and Moadamiyah ...

Journalists who want to cover SIEGES, contact:
#Madaya: (@raedbrh Skype ra2d1989)
#Zabadani;(@ward_alyafe)
#Moadamiyah;(@Dani_Qappani)

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 03:20 PM
We are so uninformed by our MSM on what is ongoing in Syria...either because of disinterest on the part of their readers and or a deliberate censorship by the corporate MSM because it does not "sell newspapers".......

For up to date info from the Assad/Hezbollah starvation sieges of Madaya, Zabadani and Moadamiyah ...

Journalists who want to cover SIEGES, contact:
#Madaya: (@raedbrh Skype ra2d1989)
#Zabadani;(@ward_alyafe)
#Moadamiyah;(@Dani_Qappani

Assad creates 'Warsaw Ghettos' of starving civilians and the World yawns. Hitlers dream comes true.......

BUT Hey then the US backs off in support for the KSA in favor of Iran and Hezbollah.........AND then Obama wonders why KSA does no longer trusts the US........does that make sense to any first year IR student and Obama is a Havard grad.......

OR has anyone seen extensive US MSM reporting on the use of starvation as an Assad/Putin Sunni cleansing battlefield tactic.....??

NOTICE BTW--not a single comment by Obama and or Kerry......

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 05:08 PM
Russian Strategy Seeks to Defy Economic Decline With Military Bravado
http://www.jamestown.org/programs/ed...-W6Lfm.twitter …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 05:20 PM
Harakat al-Muthanna fighters fire an HJ-73 ATGM in the vicinity of Shaykh Maskin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksk4ABG_710 …

Clashes between Rebels and #ISIS/#IS in Al Bukamal town as first group attacked an IS checkpoint #Syria

MeetTheTerrorists
Syrian families,displaced by #Assad/#Putin offensive in N #Hama province
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT0EaZn0fuI …

Footage
Syrian rebels fire AT-3 #Sagger vs. #Assad's militias in #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKxz_fIycUg …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 05:22 PM
CrowBat---anything to this.....??

Fighters in YPG led Jaish Al Thuwar in "Syrian democratic forces" defect because they claim to have been misled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMD_VfjonfA …

they claimed they were told they would be fighting Assad & ISIS in Aleppo but found themselves engaged against rebels

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 05:25 PM
Aleppo: 4 Iranian revolutionary guards officers killed in Brive Abdul Mehdi Kazemi battalion commander Colonel Hussein Abdullah, Ismail Karimi and Mohammad Reza Khani

Iran's Foreign Minister: Saudi Arabia fuelling tension and we are trying to calm it

Appears the Iranian FM has totally forgotten where his IRGC, the Iraqi Shia militias and the Shia mercenaries from 12 different countries are currently fighting.....

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:04 PM
Daraa Rebels declare control of "fire battalion" in Sheik Miskin town

Daraa Rebels advance into military housing area of Sheik Miskin town
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32.826231&lon=36.167454&z=17&m=b …

FSA Southern Front - Ahrar Nawa Division shelling Assad militias at Brigade 82 Radar Base in Sheikh Miskin, #Daraa
http://youtu.be/8PdddbP88KM

Clashes between rebels (Faylaq al-Rahman here) & regime forces continue in Marj, eastern Ghouta, #Damascus
http://youtu.be/2pImLLcg0SA

In freezing conditions, 6 displaced Kafrnabouda families live in these 2 burlap tents in Jabal Shahshabo, #Hama
http://youtu.be/OT0EaZn0fuI

The situation of Displaced civilians in #Idlib countryside..
#Syria JAN 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXYl5niM0OM …

Protest in #Saraqib for the besieged #Madaya
#MADAYA_STARVING
#Idlib #Syria JAN 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XusiAhC7H30 …

Moment of #Russia airstrikes targeting #Nawa
#Daraa #Syria JAN 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfYhWoxSCn8 …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:07 PM
Destruction aftermath #Russia airstrikes on #Nawa village
#Daraa #Syria JAN 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TR0Kg_D0oI …

BREAKING
Rebels declared full control of #BRIGADE_82 in #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 6

DEATH TOLL MORE HAN 50 CIVILIANS KILLED TODAY SO FAR IN #SYRIA BY #AIRSTRIKES & SHELLING...
JAN 6

Daraa Rebels advance into military housing area of Sheik Miskin town
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=32.826231&lon=36.167454&z=17&m=b …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:17 PM
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE BY THE NEW @OrientNewsEn
#MADAYA IS STARVING TO DEATH!!
#SYRIA
https://youtu.be/vEgNCrftbMA

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:18 PM
Reuters TV ✔ @ReutersTV
Amnesty International: Russia covering up Syria deaths. Watch now:
https://cards.twitter.com/cards/18ce5407ljj/1b9r2 …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:24 PM
Recommend highly this site as I use a number of similar OSINT tools......

Automatically Discover Website Connections Through Tracking Codes | Automating OSINT Blog
http://bit.ly/1SzlT5f

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:44 PM
Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan
The kind of revelation that actually tells you something new about the Islamic State -- kudos to Sky News
http://news.sky.com/story/1617197/exclusive-inside-is-terror-weapons-lab …

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 06:46 PM
Actually an interesting read from another direction other than my rants....

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/01/04/obamas-ira...

Obama’s Iran blunder

By Jennifer Rubin January 4 


President Obama came into office imagining he could turn our Middle East policy on its head. Withdraw rather than assert our interests; put the screws on Israel while reaching detente with Iran; leave longtime Sunni allies to fend for themselves. It was a monumental error, based on the false notions that the United States had been the real problem (while Iran was a victim desiring return to “the international community”); that Israel was the impediment to peace with the Palestinians; that a smaller U.S. footprint would reduce tension; and that George W. Bush’s administration had exaggerated the threat of Islamic terrorism. Each of these goals was illusory, and each assumption just plain wrong.

The latest incident bears this out. The Post reports:

Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran on Sunday amid the furor that erupted over the execution by the Saudi authorities of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubair told reporters in Riyadh that the Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia had been given 48 hours to leave the country, citing concerns that Tehran’s Shiite government was undermining the security of the Sunni kingdom.

Saudi Arabian diplomats had already departed Iran after angry mobs trashed and burned the Saudi embassy in Tehran overnight Saturday, in response to the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr earlier in the day. . . . The Saudi consulate in the Iranian city of Mashad was also set on fire during the protests that erupted after Nimr’s execution was announced.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emeraties have now joined Saudi Arabia in severing ties with Iran.

Unlike the Obama administration, the Saudi government recognizes that one cannot deal with a country that refuses to abide by international norms, including respect for the sanctity and protection of diplomatic facilities. This is hardly the first time Iranians have demonstrated their willingness to use violence against diplomats. Whether it was attacking the U.S. Embassy in 1979 and taking American hostages or the 2011 attempt to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Iran has treated diplomats as legitimate targets.

As former deputy national security adviser Elliott Abrams writes:

What these events have in common is the repeated failure and refusal of the security forces to protect embassies, despite whatever apologies come later. Iran is a police state, with plenty of manpower available to stop “protesters” or “students” from entering embassy grounds that the Islamic Republic government –like all governments– is pledged to protect. Iran’s top police official later said police were working to defuse the situation and remove “protesters” from the building. But it was obvious the moment the Saudi Shia leader Nimr al-Nimr was executed on Saturday that the Saudi embassy would need protection, so the decision not to provide it until it was too late was just that–a political decision.

Indeed, we will never know what proportion of the crowd of “protesters” were actually from the basij, the paramilitary “volunteer” mobs organized by the Revolutionary Guards. . . . So it is another piece of evidence that Iran refuses to live by the rules of civilized diplomatic practice, and that its behavior has gotten worse not better since the signing of the nuclear deal–whose “outreach” was supposed to change Iran’s conduct.

Not without cause, Iran has come to believe there are no consequences for its aggression and illegal conduct. Iran conducts impermissible ballistic missile tests; the U.S. president decides to delay sanctions. Iranian forces move into Syria to prop up Bashar al-Assad; the administration invites Iran to talks on Syria’s future. The Obama negotiators conclude a nuclear deal without insisting on the release of Americans held in Iran; Iran takes this as a green light to grab another American.

Such is the nature of appeasement. It is not only morally abhorrent; it never works, because aggressive regimes and tyrants are never satisfied with their gains. Ultimately they must be confronted, but by then they have gained strength and confidence while Western democratic governments are shown to be foolish and weak. It will take a new president to arrest the pattern of serial concessions to the United States’ adversaries. We should brace ourselves for the havoc dictators will cause before Obama leaves office.

LATEST--Qatar has now recalled their Iranian Ambassador

LATEST---Obama WH/DoS has admitted in an article today they view Assad remaining in power until March 2017---SO he is basically kicking the can to the next US President....

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 07:22 PM
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE BY THE NEW @OrientNewsEn
#MADAYA IS STARVING TO DEATH!!
#SYRIA
https://youtu.be/vEgNCrftbMA

This is like Srebrenica, but orders of magnitude worse. Complete indifference from the world https://twitter.com/HadiAlabdallah/status/684809643441438720 …

Hezbollah entered #Syria 3 years ago to kill w/int'l community's blessing. Now they're slowly starving 40K people to death w/#Madaya siege.

CrowBat
01-06-2016, 07:31 PM
CrowBat---anything to this.....??

Fighters in YPG led Jaish Al Thuwar in "Syrian democratic forces" defect because they claim to have been misled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMD_VfjonfA …

they claimed they were told they would be fighting Assad & ISIS in Aleppo but found themselves engaged against rebels
Yup, that's correct. About 100 went AWOL already in mid-December, immediately after SDF's defeat on the western side of the Azaz corridor (you've posted some of related Twitter reports too). Another 200 joined the Mare'a OR: they just wanted to fight Daesh, so were transferred from one side of the corridor to the other.

I'm just waiting for WP, WSJ, FT or Guardian to catch with the story and declare a 'stab in the back' of the US 'vetting' efforts... :D

OUTLAW 09
01-06-2016, 07:54 PM
Footage
Terrorism: Russian air strike on civilians in the town of #Zamalka today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg4YOhOWJzA …
pic.twitter.com/xvJyXpkgKl

Probably same attack from further away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THuPUPsqvco …
#Damascus #Zamalka
pic.twitter.com/JCsvoKnc7x

SCD caring little girl w/ shrapnel on her head
#Russia airstrikes on #Tel_Hardatnin village
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 6
pic.twitter.com/LXwdaUFoEw

JAI, Syrian group who's leader was assassinated by Russia 2 weeks ago, is still resisting ISIS. https://twitter.com/malcolmite/status/684814431155548161 …

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 01:57 PM
Analysis #Map
Syrian rebels fight their way back 2 the central roundabout in #SheikhMaskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQdXYB9pZzY …

FSA fighter in #SheikhMaskin closely missed by pro-#Assad projectile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uQJv5u5u6g …

Russian soldiers checking Russian soldiers inside the #Latakia air base.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1q_E5VOwmU …

Another #MustWatch from #Marea, where the #FSA fights #ISIS and gets bombed by #Russia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxOoMXJr1-I …

Daraya today. #Assad's killers keep bombing. The intl. community (@UN) remains silent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMqPWEMp1lA …

Even in this low altitude, Syrian rebels have no chance vs. aircraft, attacking civilians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ6Zh6Z4sqw …

Russian cluster-munition rocket ended inside a house in Douma #Damascus.

Battle to take Manbij from #ISIS in north rural #Aleppo has started says Jaish al-Thuwar

12 civilians dead & 10s wounded in Russian airstrikes on Zamalka & Haza yesterday #Damascus
http://youtu.be/fg4YOhOWJzA
http://youtu.be/qXENT0YAk2Q

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 02:03 PM
Hezbollah has avenged Kuntars death by tearing a wheel on an Israeli hummer 😂

Daraya: 32 barrel bombs dropped by Assad regime in last 24 hours
over 700 plus for the entire month of December 2015

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 02:05 PM
CrowBat --have you picked up anything on this comment--first time I have seen/heard about it......

At least 20 #Syrian rebel commanders died in #Syria since early Dec, may be part of assassination campaign
http://buff.ly/1VIFFea

If true-- next question would be how many of them made the recent KSA conference????

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 02:17 PM
Jaish Thuwar: we're not trying to seize Aazaz or the border, but we're going for the road
http://welati.info/nuce.php?id=26920&niviskar=638&cure=5 … Ar. by Zara Mistou

Apparently Syrian business men living in Dubai have donated huge quantities of food to the starving in Madaya however they are seeking international pressure on Assad to force him to allow this much needed aid to reach civilians
pic.twitter.com/dsWuaqH4kg

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 02:20 PM
Iranian FM makes a super big deal with their claim that the KSA bombed their
Yemen embassy....BUT WAIT......

The Associated Press ‏@AP
AP reporter in Yemen's capital says he sees no damage at the Iranian Embassy after airstrike:
http://apne.ws/1mI3fvk

Witnesses in Sana saying Iranian embassy not hit by airstrike, but rather house across the street, with shrapnel possibly injuring guards.

The Russians are the worlds' best lairs but Iran seems to come in as a great second.....AND Obama and Kerry appear to not see that....

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 02:22 PM
This does not surprise me as the ROC had called early on for a "Holy War" in Syria........

Head of Russian Orthodox Church Defends Moscow's Bombing Campaign In Syria
http://www.rferl.mobi/a/27473825.html

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 02:53 PM
VIDEO: Children are starving to death in #Madaya - EU must take action to lift siege & ensure humanitarian access
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S587ncQR8ps&feature=youtu.be …

Breaking: #UN says that #Assad regime refused #UN's request to send food aid to city of #Madaya #Syria

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 03:01 PM
Reports of mercenaries recruitment to #Syria in DNR (Horlivka, Enaievo) through military offices. Salary up to $2500 https://twitter.com/Utilizator_/status/684726849486860289 …

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 03:02 PM
VIDEO: Children are starving to death in #Madaya - EU must take action to lift siege & ensure humanitarian access
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S587ncQR8ps&feature=youtu.be …

Breaking: #UN says that #Assad regime refused #UN's request to send food aid to city of #Madaya #Syria

BREAKING Syria government agrees to allow aid into besieged Madaya: UN

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 03:28 PM
SAA shelling with #Russia cluster Bombs on #Douma, 6 at once
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWUp3xilPZA&feature=youtu.be …

Better image of the warplane after it's airstrikes on #Erbeen
#SAA right?
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 7

BREAKING FOOTAGE
Moment #SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Erbeen
#Syria JAN 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJPHmuqyWbM …

MORE wounded and killed civilians.......
SCD @SyriaCivilDef recover Op.seconds after #SAA airstrikes on #Erbeen
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 7

SAA warplanes flying over E #Ghouta after several airstrikes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsrFrLcbWbM …
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 7

MORE killed civilians by Russian air strikes.....
A massacre in #Zamalka, 10 martyrs so far, 4 children all victims of #Russia
airstrikes #Damascus CS #Syria JAN 7

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Turkmen_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 7

Ryssia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Kurds_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN. 7

SAA shelling with heavy artillery targeting #al_Tal
#Damascus CS #Syria JAN 7

SAA shelling missiles on #Douma
#Damascus CS #Syria JAN 7

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Nawa village
#Daraa #Syria JAN 7

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Raabia village
#Latakia CS #Syria JAN 7

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 7

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 03:50 PM
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/01/middle_east_expert_karim_sadjadpour_on_saudi_arabi a_s_relationship_with.2.html

Jan. 6 2016 1:50 PM

“Iran Is the Arsonist and the Fire Brigade”

By Isaac Chotiner


Last week, the government of Saudi Arabia executed Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a Shiite cleric who had protested against the regime. Forty-six other people were also put to death on “terrorism-related” charges. The Sunni monarchy that runs Saudi Arabia has a long and poor record of dealing with the country’s Shiite minority, but the brazenness of this execution, amidst Sunni-Shiite conflicts in Syria, Bahrain, Iraq, and Yemen, was shocking to both the country’s allies and adversaries. Indeed, the country’s principle adversary, Iran, encouraged or allowed a number of its citizens to attack the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The Iranian government also does not have a great record on the death penalty or sectarianism: It not only backs Bashar al-Assad’s Sunni-massacring dictatorship in Syria but also executes more people than any country on Earth besides China.

In response to the embassy attack, Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic relations with Iran; a couple of Saudi allies have now done the same. For some insights into all of this, and the broader turmoil in the region, I called up Karim Sadjadpour, an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment who is an expert on Iran and the Middle East and who used to be based in Iran with the International Crisis Group. We discussed America’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, why ISIS has very few true enemies in the Middle East, and whether the Sunni-Shiite split is fixable. The conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Chotiner: Some analysts have suggested that Saudi Arabia and Iran are in a sense seeking out this crisis because it is helpful for hard-liners in both countries. Do you agree with that analysis?

“We are not talking about a Saudi government run by Wahhabi Kissingers or Brzezinskis. This government does not have a deep bench of strategic thinkers.”

Karim Sadjadpour

Sadjadpour: I sometimes think we ascribe too much strategic forethought to governments in the Middle East. I don’t share the view that Saudi Arabia had a sophisticated regional strategy in executing Sheikh Nimr. They were executing about four dozen Sunni radicals, which was going to alienate some segment of society. So they executed a few prominent Shia at the same time.

So there was no broader strategic thinking? It was a pretty big decision.

I think when you look at the arenas where Saudi Arabia and Iran are in conflict, whether Syria or Bahrain or Lebanon or Yemen or Iraq, Iran has an upper hand. When you look at it in a broader regional context, the increasing prevalence of sectarianism benefits Saudi Arabia because they have more numbers. Eighty-five percent of the region’s Muslims are Sunni. For the Saudis, if sectarian politics outweigh anti-imperialist politics, that is beneficial. But at the same time, we are not talking about a Saudi government run by Wahhabi Kissingers or Brzezinskis. This government does not have a deep bench of strategic thinkers. They are not playing a game of chess.

It’s interesting that you think Iran is doing better in these conflicts even though the region is overwhelmingly Sunni. Why? Is the Iranian regime smarter or more strategic?

We have to look at each situation in its own context. In Iraq, there is a Shia majority. But that certainly isn’t the case in Syria, where the Alawites only represent 15 percent or so of the population. But Iran has now almost 40 years of experience building militias in the Middle East, starting with Hezbollah. They have a committed ideology and worldview. They have a very clear goal in Syria, which is the continuation of the Assad regime. The Saudis don’t really have a clear alternative worldview, and they have often been compromised by the fact that they are aligned with the United States. It’s tough for them to win an ideological battle. It’s easier to win a sectarian one.

Do you think the Saudi regime is in an especially weak place now, with oil prices so low and with the Iranian nuclear deal?

I am not sure they are feeling existential angst at home. Four or five years ago, people had romantic thoughts about the Arab Spring. Now I don’t think many Arabs watching television think popular uprisings will be successful. So except for the Shia population in the East, there are no signs that they feel they have to quell a popular uprising. Oil prices are trouble, but they have billions more in reserves than Iran.

But in the region it has been a time of humiliation for them. In today’s Middle East, everyone feels like they are the oppressed victim. Shiites have long felt repressed. But now Sunnis feel that way.

Self-pity is always so helpful in situations like this. And you do have a non-Sunni president dropping barrel bombs on a largely Sunni population in Syria.

Absolutely. The Saudi population watches television every night, which shows Sunnis being massacred by an Iranian-supported president.

Were you surprised by the Iranian reaction?

Given how many embassies Iran has ransacked, I don’t think that was uncharacteristic either.

When you say “Iran has ransacked,” I assume you think this was done at the urging, or with the consent, of the regime.

If there were a group of 50 Iranians who got together to protest the government’s human rights or labor rights practices, they would be crushed in a matter of minutes. Nonsanctioned protests in Iran are now rare. Policemen in Iran were told not to interfere. Starting with the U.S. Embassy in Iran in the 1970s, and continuing with the Saudi and Kuwaiti embassies in the following decades, there is a precedent.

Someone joked that no government hates embassies more.

Yeah.

Do you think this was part of an internal power struggle between the president and hard-liners?

President [Hassan] Rouhani is not in charge of the Revolutionary Guards. He is a protégé of former President Rafsanjani, who was long an advocate of better Iran-Saudi relations. So I have no doubt that he did not order or approve this. It is detrimental to the interests of his government, which is trying to open Iran up to business. The hard-liners benefit.

Are you optimistic about Iran normalizing relations with the West and America? And are the Saudis rightly worried about this?

The Saudis have long had an inferiority complex. The paradox of Iran and Saudi Arabia is that the Saudis have a superiority complex vis-à-vis the Shia and an inferiority complex vis-à-vis the Persians. The Saudis have long felt that America favors Iran and that Obama has less respect for Saudi Arabia. I think there will be normalization between Iran and Europe, but as long as the supreme leader remains in power, I don’t think Iran and American will normalize relations. But many gulf rulers think the rapprochement has already taken place, whether it was the U.S. removal of Saddam [Hussein], or the refusal to attack Assad. That is a mainstream conspiracy theory in the gulf.

Are you surprised by how quiet the Obama administration has been over the past week?

Countries often choose allies based on shared values, whether those values are tolerance or free-market economics. Saudi Arabia is an ally who doesn’t share our values.

Except about executing people: us, Iran, Saudi Arabia.

Yeah, Iran is No. 1 per capita.

What, if anything, do you think the United States could be doing to minimize tensions?

I just read a piece that said we should abandon Saudi Arabia and commence an alliance with Iran. And yet the Saudi government wants to ally with the United States, and Iran’s official slogan remains “Death to America.” I think Obama and [Secretary of State John] Kerry would love to normalize relations, but it takes two to have an alliance. As for what we can do now: The Obama administration doesn’t want to do anything to mess up the nuclear deal. We have long been a bulwark against Iran but have said that other regimes should do some of the work. But now that the Saudis have, in Yemen, it is doing more damage than good. It’s a dilemma with no good answers.

The United States, and especially John Kerry, has worked tirelessly to get Iran and Saudi Arabia in the room to discuss peace regarding Syria. How has the past week changed the odds of success?

Before this week, I would have given the odds of success 4 out of 10. Now I would say it’s 3 out of 10 or 2 out of 10. There is an old proverb that states when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. The people who are most going to be hurt are Syrians, Yemenis, Iraqis, Lebanese. They are living through the proxy war.

Where does this end? Is sectarian violence just going to get worse?

If you look over the past four decades, 40 years ago the most notorious terrorist group was considered to be the PLO. Then Hezbollah made the PLO look moderate, and then came al-Qaida, which made Hezbollah look moderate. And now we have ISIS. The trend lines haven’t been in positive directions.

Continued.........

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 04:43 PM
BREAKING Syria government agrees to allow aid into besieged Madaya: UN

Al Arabiya English ✔ @AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING Saudi Arabia’s Council of Senior Scholars calls ending blockade of Madaya

France Diplomacy ✔ @francediplo_EN
France utterly condemns the siege being imposed by the Syrian regime on the town of Madaya in #Syria
http://fdip.fr/v4aDW

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 04:44 PM
I use to use this video as a perfect example of the BCT Staff decision making processes seen in 2006 through 2012----dug it out as it is a perfect example of what the US FP in the ME looks like to the KSA and the other Sunni Front States......the only difference is in the video the many cats do make it to their destination whereas our FP is lost somewhere in outer space...

A good cat herder is hard to find, no doubt
http://youtu.be/wz5vwUM_uuM

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 05:06 PM
Reuters Opinion ✔ @ReutersOpinion
Saudi Arabia and Iran are playing a winner-take-all game
http://reut.rs/1RuViFn
pic.twitter.com/HJlxePxRzL

Making of the Arab World - How Sykes-Picot agreement created modern geo-political troubles.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-25299553 …
pic.twitter.com/uFft2nJaaV

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 05:11 PM
The #YPG breach the truce after advancing towards Meng Airport
http://ow.ly/WKEhB
pic.twitter.com/r9jbjmla3w

Dawn of Islam Brigade fighting in Sheikh Miskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkuXjgYefC0 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=32.830991&lon=36.157551&z=14&m=b …

Rebels shell checkpoint at Kherbet Ghazaleh to relieve pressure on Sheikh Miskin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz87i9xsvDA …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=32.731408&lon=36.208706&z=13&m=b …

Brave Syrian ins the hard-hit town of #Rastan protest for an end of the siege of #Madaya.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACxmP1Rfq1s …
pic.twitter.com/NLxaIB7yVI

Civilian victims of the #RussianAirstrikes that hit #Douma yesterday.
pic.twitter.com/8XHx1jEXZT

Footage
Terrorism: #Assad air force MiG-23 drops bomb on #Irbin, east of #Damascus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lXfi54Fm5U …
pic.twitter.com/X3mL85sWv3

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 05:34 PM
Recommend always following this site.........

STRATCOMCOE:On Friday we will publish our report on #Daesh.For now - here is Global #media structure of #Daesh
pic.twitter.com/pSLm5r2XVd

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 06:07 PM
Where's Russia striking? Is #IslamicState near? Check this data by @bellingcat on @silkdotco
http://russia-strikes-syria.silk.co
pic.twitter.com/0ZoUTwNSfe

CrowBat
01-07-2016, 06:13 PM
CrowBat --have you picked up anything on this comment--first time I have seen/heard about it......

At least 20 #Syrian rebel commanders died in #Syria since early Dec, may be part of assassination campaign
http://buff.ly/1VIFFea

If true-- next question would be how many of them made the recent KSA conference????
Yup, though I'm rather surprised that assassinations in question are hitting either Islamist or Jihadist commanders (in comparison: 'only' two FSyA commanders were assassinated in last two months).

So, not sure what to make out of this story.

BTW, something similar happened to the 'Emir' of the Daesh's Wilayet in south-western Dera'a recently (if you check any recent and useful map of Syria you'll see a small Daesh-held pocket at the joint of Syrian-Jordanian borders, and Israeli-occuppied Golan Heights). Yesterday, reports appeared that this pocket is now short of getting overrun, or at least negotiating surrender... only thing unclear was: with whom? FSyA or the JAN...

OUTLAW 09
01-07-2016, 06:46 PM
VIDEO: Footage claims to show an AA vehicle destroyed by mortar in Sheikh Miskeen, Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueg14J5Oj08&feature=youtu.be …

VIDEO: Saif al-Sham fires SPG-9 at #SAA positions near Brigade 82 base in Sheikh Miskeen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7ZP448RCyE …

SYRIA: Reports that #ISIS are attacking the #SDF on 2 different fronts near Tishrin Dam.
http://www.hawarnews.com/%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83%D 8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%B7-%D8%B3%D8%AF-%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86/ …

VIDEO: FSA groups target SAA held Qassab Tower in Latakia, #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKFWkCPImqM …

VIDEO: @OrientNews report on ongoing battle to retake Brigade 82 base in Sheikh Miskeen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMmLWmdCCeI …

VIDEO: Islamic Muthanna Movement destroy building being used by militia in Sheikh Miskeen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKxz_fIycUg …

VIDEO: Assad regime troops clash with rebels around the town of Sheikh Miskeen in southern #Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onygWB0jbVk …

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 10:00 AM
.@CITeam_ru identifies 3 models of Rus cluster bomb being used in Syria. @leloveluck documents the horrific results http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12087223/Syrias-schools-feel-blast-of-Russia-war-planes.html …

How @Ruptly @RT_com & @mod_russia accidently helped @CITeam_en expose Russia's cluster bomb lies
https://citeam.org/sputnik-rt-and-russian-mod-expose-cluster-bombs-at-hmeimim-airbase/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 11:56 AM
Footage
Heavy clashes in #Daraa's #Manchiya district as the #Assad army tries to advance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-AUueMwt4I …

Siege Watch, an interactive map showing areas under siege in #Syria:
http://siegewatch.org

Analysis #Map
Syrian rebels defend the "Customs Gate" in #Daraa from the #Assad assault:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDislmac1qM

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 12:04 PM
Assad steals NGO/UN food for his own military and supporters.....

Int orgs/NGOS send supplies to starving Syrians starved by Assad: Assad steals them & distributes to his mercenaries https://twitter.com/aejkhalil/status/650334451281580032 …

Do I need to tell you why ASSad staff did blur the labels of these box containing @WFP aid food water etc???
pic.twitter.com/JU82uCIsux

Assad using #UNHCR Supplied Relief supplies for his troops #Latakia
pic.twitter.com/HHydTKDeGn

While besieged areas is receiving bombs
#ASSad "volunteers"deliver #WFP Aid to #SAA in the frontlines
#Suweida oct3

Hezbollah in #Lebanon steal Gulf&Turkish aid & "post-it" w/ their logo to send to"Syrians"(#ASSad soldiers&Iranians)

CrowBat
01-08-2016, 12:12 PM
News of the day on battlefields of Syria is that the regime is moving two new 'brigades' into north-eastern Lattakia:

- Liwa Assad Allah al-Ghalib (about 1000 motorized infantry from Abu Fadhl al-Abbas movement); and

- Liwa Suqour as-Sahra (BPM's Desert Hawks Brigade).

While regime fans are already announcing a next big (in terms of 'final') offensive there, this is actually a rather amazing admission of failure on that front. Namely, in three months of assaulting positions of what is now the Sultan Murad Division FSyA (fmr. 1st and 2nd Coastal Divisions), the regime has spent (literally) the 103rd Brigade RGD, Liwa Dir as-Sahel RGD/NDF and two extra 'Alawites-only' battalions, Liwa Nusr az-Zawba SSNP, al-Hosn PMC, and Muqawama as-Syria TSR, one brigade of Hezbollah/Lebanon (over 100 KIA in early December), and two battalions of the Russian Army (reportedly up to 50 KIA in December)... for a gain of 5km...

...and now they're sending Hezbollah/Iraq and BPM to 'win instead'...?

Also: if BPM's Liwa Suqour as-Sahra was re-deployed away from Palmyra (where it was involved in combat during all of December), this effectively means that the regime's offensive on Daesh-held Palmyra is over too.

But OK. Namely, that's perfectly in fashion of what never stops amazing me about Assad-fans:
- their union in insistence on twisting the truth, and
- their insistence on supporting regime's insistence on bolstering failures.

Related to this is also my second point: this incredible insistence on bolstering failures by Assadist, IRGC, and now Russian wannabe-Napoleons is nothing short of... nah, 'amazing' is not doing it... 'almost shocking'. Even the IRGC has given up trying to punch through over the M5 in southern Aleppo.

BUT, Alawites keep on insisting on that battle in NE Lattakia - although they should know very well they have failed to break through in three months of trying; they're unlikely to break through in another three months; and overall this means they'll almost certainly never reach their ultimate objective (Jishr ash-Shughour).

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 12:56 PM
For now 100 days the Russians have been deliberately targeting and killing civilians and both Assad and Putin are in clear violation of international humanitarian law that states the use of starvation as a battlefield tactic is illegal end of story.

BUT WAIT all we hear out of Obama and Kerry is..."we are a few days away from implementation of the Iran deal"...not a single word of Assad and Putin killing in 100 days approx. 2000 civilians and starving literally thousands....

YET we wonder WHY the KSA is parting ways with the US.......

Almost 2000 civilians killed, 1730 identified, victims of #Russia airstrikes in it's 100th days occupying #Syria.

45 martyrs including 12 children & 7 women
23 #Damascus
19 #Aleppo
3 #DeirEzzor
2 #Hama
1 #Idlib
#Syria JAN 7

Ten more IRGC and terrorist Quds Force fighters killed in #Syria
http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/terrorism-fundamentalism/19770 … …

SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Douma
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Tel_Refaat
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 8

SAA terrorists shelling with Grad Rockets on #Darayya
#Damascus #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Palmyra
#Homs #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Raabia village
#Latakia cs #sYRIA JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Salma village
#Latakia cs #Syria JAN 8

SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Douma
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Jabal_Alhmar
#Latakia cs #SYria JAN 8

US_Coallition carried out airstrikes in #Raqqa countryside, killing 11 civilians #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Hamimah village
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Faysal_Mills
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 8

7 #Russia airstrikes so far in 30 minutes ONLY in #Deir_Gamal
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 8‏

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #al_Zeyarah village
#Hama cs #SYria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Tel_Wassit village
#Hama cs #Syria JAN 8

SAA warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #al_Shifouniyah village
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 8

4 civilians killed after step over landmines АО -2.5РТМ dropped by #Hezbollah in the surrounds farms of #Madaya
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Tel_Refaat
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 8

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Deir_Gamal town
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 8

Two #Russia warplanes flying together carried out airstrikes on #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 8

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 01:19 PM
Mar Al Numan: rebel brigade Ahrar al Sham capture ISIS sleeper cell that assassinated Abu Tamim leader of Jund Al Sunnah.

A #Syria Civil Defense vehicle was hit at an airstrike scene in Zamalka on Thursday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miqGQqBH1b0&list=PLNxwX7r4A557Ng6VT6nsFBueD7LaJEH_I&index=1 …
pic.twitter.com/VkHBdXGeRm

CrowBat
01-08-2016, 01:54 PM
For now 100 days the Russians have been deliberately targeting and killing civilians and both Assad and Putin are in clear violation of international humanitarian law that states the use of starvation as a battlefield tactic is illegal end of story.

BUT WAIT all we hear out of Obama and Kerry is..."we are a few days away from implementation of the Iran deal"...not a single word of Assad and Putin killing in 100 days approx. 2000 civilians and starving literally thousands....

YET we wonder WHY the KSA is parting ways with the US...........
That's the most tragic aspect of what's going on there.

But now add the following absurdities to that equotation:
- While helping create that 'Popular Militia Units' ('Hashd') to fight the Daesh in Iraq, the IRGC is diverting an increasing numbers of these to Syria, where they are exclusively fighting native insurgents;

- which means that US and taxpayer's money of other Western powers (UK, France, Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, Italy, Germany etc.) keeps on getting squandered to fight the Daesh in Iraq - which, even if successful, is only going to result in one oppressive regime (Daesh) being replaced by another (IRGC)...

- And, while everybody - regardless if in Russia or so many in the 'West' (indeed, even Financial Times (https://www.google.at/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwibjvTCrZrKAhXHxRQKHTfqB6EQFgggMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F69cb93 de-b552-11e5-8358-9a82b43f6b2f.html&usg=AFQjCNEXH8vEEZJaAewySDAFVNFtHhpz6Q) is wetting itself while babbling about 'Russia helps shift balance'...) - is still faming 'precision' and 'influence on ground warfare' of the VKS, the latter is all the time bombing Syrian civilians; and not only massacring hundreds but creating ever additional waves of refugees that are fleeing to Turkey and other neighbouring countreis...

- ...while at the same time the VKS is insistent in NOT attacking 'at least' insurgent artillery and armour deployed in the open around Sheikh Mishkin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMmLWmdCCeI

- ...yet, all sorts of 'curious observers' in the West, ranging from anti-Imperalists to Neo-Nazis are cheering Russians for 'finally sorting out things in Syria'...

Man... sooner or later (more likely much too late, but why should anybody care?), there's going to be such a rude wake-up from this hangover... :rolleyes:

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 01:58 PM
CrowBat---any reason for the lack of TOWs being fired....say lack of targets, or bad weather...or the US???
Zero #TOW #ATGM Launch in 2016 is no coincidence.
Not realistic to assume no targets with multiple SAA offensives.

JaF executed 5 Undercover IS in Idlib city accused of planting bombs. 2 were ex Jund Al Aqsa and 3 were active Jund members.

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 02:13 PM
Just a refresher.......

Syria INFOGRAPHIC: all the major armed groups of the Syrian rebellion & their dynamics
http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/04ed/dpwvmuqv8aa7qsqzg.jpg …

Turkish president hosts Syrian Turkmens, as UN’s Mistura visits Ankara - Hurryiet
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-president-hosts-syrian-turkmens-as-uns-mistura-visits-ankara.aspx?pageID=517&nID=93583&NewsCatID=352 …

CrowBat
01-08-2016, 02:27 PM
US_Coallition carried out airstrikes in #Raqqa countryside, killing 11 civilians #Syria JAN 8
...and this sounds like another carpet-bombardment by VKS (i.e. Russian Airspace Force) Tu-22M3s (or at least Su-34s), then the CENTCOM is presently only flying air strikes in support of the YPG (i.e. 'quasi-SDF') advance from Euphrates in direction of Manbij (north-eastern Aleppo province).

It did not report any air strikes in Raqqa area the last two days; neither in report from 6-7 January (http://www.centcom.mil/en/news/articles/jan.-7-military-airstrikes-continue-against-isil-terrorists-in-syria-and-ir) nor for 7-8 January (http://www.centcom.mil/en/news/articles/jan.-8-military-airstrikes-continue-against-isil-terrorists-in-syria-and-ir).

CrowBat
01-08-2016, 02:43 PM
CrowBat---any reason for the lack of TOWs being fired....say lack of targets, or bad weather...or the US???
Zero #TOW #ATGM Launch in 2016 is no coincidence.
Not realistic to assume no targets with multiple SAA offensives.
'Not realistic' is to babble about 'multiple SAA offensives'.

Namely: there's no 'SAA' to be seen on any of battlefields, and except in NE Lattakia and in Sheikh Mishkin area, this IRGC/Hezbollah/NDF/SSNP + whoever-else-only-can conglomerate is not 'on offensive' (indeed, even the IRGC/PLA offenisve in Sheikh Mishkin was meanwhile checked, and Iranians and Palestinians are retreating there).

Anyway: there are two primary reasons for relatively few TOW-firings (or any other sort of ATGM-firings) in the last few weeks.

1.) One is that after several slaughters (like those of NDF/SSNP tanks in northern Hama in October; and IRGC-QF's tanks in southern Aleppo, in November), 'regime' commanders have learned to deploy these no closer than 2-3km from the frontline - except there is a need to do so.

2.) But foremost: all regime's offensives in 'tank-suitable' terrain - that is northern Hama and southern Aleppo - have been stopped. The RGD, NDF and SSNP - only units to deploy MBTs in NE Lattakia - have now been withdrawn to the second line there, and replaced by IRGC and BPM units that operate no MBTs.

That's why the last week or so most of ATGMs have been fired in Sheikh Mishkin area

3.) Finally, it is so that most of 'major/most-prolific' TOW-users - such FSyA units like 13th Division, Tajamu al-Aazza etc. - have been re-deployed to areas where there is more need for them, like to NE Lattakia, where they get less opportunity to find any MBTs, technicals, bulldozers etc. to target.

Even so, ATGMs are still fired - whenever there's a suitable opportunity. The only recent days for which I recall that none were fired were 1 and 2 January.

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 04:38 PM
VIDEO While Syrians are starving UN aid supplies are found at Assad army base.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Vbq-9MaNg …

Rojava Soldier in the frontlines of Northern #Efrin holding Bread in protesting for #Madaya
#Aleppo #Syria JAN 8
pic.twitter.com/roBvP1m0sr

Distraction in Andan village #Aleppo after what locals say Russian missiles attack.
https://youtu.be/n-QkD0sqRgU
pic.twitter.com/yjItTVxllE

Implications for U.S. allies of Iran/Hizballah advancing in southern Syria under Russian air cover.
http://washin.st/1VQdB8B

Russia is sabotaging the rebels in southern #Syria, a bastion of moderates with a functional relationship w/ West.
http://on.ft.com/1UCjxRA

OUTLAW 09
01-08-2016, 04:50 PM
Russian naval activity on the move....Syrian Express on the move at the same time.....

ЧФ BSF flagship Moskva 121 hoisted #ВМФ naval ensign Andreevsky and a single star ‘formation commander’ flag

Moskva 121 is armed with 16 Chelomey SS-N-12 Sandbox (Bazalt) launchers

Turkish Coast Guard’s 80 class TCSG88 keeps an eye on #ВМФ #ЧМФ BSF Slava (NATO:Atlant) class Moskva (ex-Slava) 121

TCSG88 had a busy day today. Following two southbound ropucha LSTs, TCSG88 escorted Moskva 121

Homebound #ВМФ #ЧФ BSF flagship Moskva 121 transits northbound Bosphorus after 105 days Mediterranean deployment

ВМФ #ЧФ ropucha class LST Yamal 156 transits southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

In 2015, #ВМФ #ЧФ ropucha LST Novocherkassk 142 completed 10 Syria assignments. This is the first deployment in 2016

ЧФ ropucha LST Novocherkassk 142 hoisted #ВМФ naval ensign Andreevsky, ‘formation commander’ & ‘stay clear’ flags

ВМФ #ЧФ ropucha class LST Novocherkassk 142 transits southbound Bosphorus en route to #Tartus #Syria

SyriaExpress #ВМФ #ЧФ Novocherkassk 142 (left), #ЧФ Yamal 156 transit southbound Bosphorus. TCSG88 in the middle

ВМФ auxiliary fleet cargo vessel Vologda-50 entered the Black Sea at 06:45GMT

ВМФ auxiliary fleet cargo vessel Vologda-50 returned from #Tartus in 12 days as usual.

On the way of Syria, Russia keeps sending Naval support ,Ropucha class large landing ship 127 Minsk passed Bosphorus

Бф BF ropucha class LST Minsk 127 starts the year for #ВМФ Tartus-bound transits. Reset the count: Ship 1—> Minsk

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 09:07 AM
RuAF airstrike on Mansoura, W #Aleppo geolocated https://youtu.be/pXxzmaf1G4I [0:00-0:06]
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=36.211204&lon=37.051585&z=17&m=b …
pic.twitter.com/VFYmXMmsDZ

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 10:17 AM
Iran trying to change the narrative......not sure how they explain their troops, mercenaries and Shia militias found themselves inside Syria......

Iran complains to U.N. about Saudi 'provocations'
http://reut.rs/1RriZ3s

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 10:36 AM
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/01/putin-russia-syria-war/423309/

The Danger of Putin Losing in Syria

If Russia’s military adventure unravels, what happens next?

Dominic Tierney
Jan 8, 2016


Last September, Russia deployed dozens of jets to Syria to rescue the ailing regime of Bashar al-Assad. Vladimir Putin aimed to protect one of Moscow’s few foreign allies and gain leverage for the coming peace negotiations over the Syrian Civil War. Russian media presented the mission as a heroic attempt to save the civilized world from Islamic terrorism. In Washington, however, Putin was widely seen as wading into a quagmire. According to The Economist: “If America’s Syria-watchers agree on anything it is that the Russian campaign, which has enabled Mr Assad’s forces to make only minor gains, will fail, and thereby encourage Russia to give up on its proxy. That would be a huge boost to the UN-backed peace talks John Kerry, the secretary of state, is brokering, with the aim of replacing Mr Assad with a transitional government early next year.”

But would a loss for Putin really be good news? While it’s tempting to take satisfaction in the Russian president’s travails in Syria—what you might call Putinfreude—Syria-watchers should question their assumptions. If Putin’s military adventure unravels, the result may not be peace.

Can Putin Bomb His Way Out of Sanctions?

It’s certainly easy to imagine the Russian intervention deteriorating. In recent weeks, Assad’s forces have made some limited gains around the Syrian city of Aleppo. But the overall strategic situation for Damascus remains highly precarious. Last year, the Syrian regime suffered a string of battlefield defeats, and Assad publicly admitted to “fatigue” and “a lack of human resources [in the army].” The regime pulled back to defensible territory and was left in control of a rump coastal strip representing around one-sixth of the country. Russian jets are not enough for victory. It would likely take tens of thousands of troops to recapture and hold cities like Aleppo and Raqqa.

Russia is in a perilous position, internationally isolated and enduring economic turmoil. And now Putin has plunged into the unknown. Moscow doesn’t have experience coordinating military operations with Syria, Iran, and Hezbollah. This is Russia’s first military expedition outside of its immediate sphere of influence since the end of the Cold War. Putin has also pinned his fortunes on a highly incompetent dictator; Assad’s policies of systematic torture and barrel bombing of civilians brewed the hell broth in Syria.

And two can play at the great game of proxy warfare. Patrons of the Syrian insurrection, like Turkey and the Gulf states, may match Russian intervention by stepping up their own assistance to rebels—in the form, for example, of anti-aircraft missiles. During the 1980s, the Soviet Union’s counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan unraveled in part because the CIA provided ground-to-air Stinger missiles to the mujahideen.

To get a sense of what could await Putin, look at Iran’s experience in Syria. When Tehran first chose to aid Assad, it likely didn’t realize that Syria would become a sinkhole that would cost hundreds of Iranian military personnel and tens of billions of dollars. Or consider Iran’s Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, which marched over the border to save Assad and subsequently lost around 1,200 to 1,700 fighters in a seemingly endless morass.

Leaders often respond to defeat with disastrous decisions that only worsen their plight. They rage against the dying of the light.

In other words, Putin’s war may very well fail. But if it does, will he make concessions and abandon his ally? If the Russian president acts rationally, he should cut his losses. Putin, however, may not act rationally. When I researched my book on military disaster, The Right Way to Lose a War, I was struck by how poorly governments tend to handle battlefield reversals. From the United States in Vietnam to the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, leaders often respond to defeat with disastrous decisions that only worsen their plight. Rather than coolly looking for a way out of the predicament, they rage against the dying of the light.

Part of the problem is what psychologists call “loss aversion.” Losing hurts twice as bad as winning feels good—whether in a tennis match or a war. The idea of accepting even a small loss can seem intolerable, and people are tempted to risk greater losses for a shot at the win. The gambler who drops 20 bucks in a casino doesn’t walk away; he doubles his bets. In a similar vein, the president who loses 1,000 soldiers in Vietnam doesn’t end the war; he sends half a million Americans into the mire.

It’s hard to imagine Putin accepting defeat. He has cultivated an image as the father of the Russian people, who is restoring the country as a world power. If Assad’s regime falls, Russia could lose its only military installation outside the former U.S.S.R.—the naval base in Tartus, Syria. Therefore, if the war effort collapses, Putin may want to salvage something from the wreckage, potentially moving the conflict into a dangerous new phase. He could intensify Russian air strikes or deploy “little green men”—as the Russian soldiers serving unofficially in eastern Ukraine were called. Once Russian troops start dying in Syria, all bets are off.

To get Putin out of Syria, the United States might need to play along by avoiding boastful claims of a major Russian debacle.

Putin, moreover, has repeatedly responded to the potential loss of client regimes with military force. In 2008, the Russian military intervened in Georgia to punish pro-Western Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and protect the independence of the breakaway Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Six years later, in 2014, Putin aided Ukrainian rebels and annexed Crimea following the toppling of pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. In late 2015, with Assad’s forces reeling, Putin once again intervened to stabilize a client regime.

And Putin has already raised the prospect of further military escalation, saying that Russia is using “far from everything we are capable of” in Syria and that “We also have other things as well and will use them if necessary.”

What’s the solution? If Russia’s defeat could trigger hazardous escalation, this doesn’t mean a Russian victory is preferable. After all, if Assad somehow assumed a winning position, why would he negotiate a compromise peace that recognized the interests of all Syrian groups? Instead, the optimal opportunity for a peace deal may be a situation in which Putin believes a decisive triumph is not possible, but he can still save face by spinning the outcome as a success. In other words, he needs a story to tell the Russian people about the positive results of the mission. This narrative doesn’t need to be true, but it does need to have truthiness, or a seeming plausibility. And so, to get Putin out of Syria, the United States might need to play along by avoiding boastful claims of a major Russian debacle. In 1989, after the Berlin Wall fell, U.S. President George H.W. Bush deliberately refused to declare the development a win—to avoid complicating the life of Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

Putin needs a victory speech. And Washington may have to help him write it.


HERE is the core problem with this interesting article....the West attempted via Minsk 2 to give Putin an "face saving" exit ramp to get out of eastern Ukraine...YET he interpreted that "face saving exit ramp" as a "VICTORY and weakness on the part of the West" and it emboldened him to make his move into Syria to continue his "confrontation with the liberal West"......

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 10:44 AM
RUAF An-124 82037 departed Krymsk. Heading towards Caspian Sea and likely to #Latakia.
pic.twitter.com/COHHCEMnjZ

According to OSCE #Kominternove (10 km from #Mariupol) is still under control of #DPR,
http://www.osce.org/ukraine-smm/215196 …
pic.twitter.com/nPAcJxW5C3

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 10:46 AM
Humor......

Thousands of #refugees from #USA's impending collapse swim from Alaska & are welcomed to #Russia as citizens
pic.twitter.com/XJOUDZS2BD

Germany considers banning @realDonaldTrump from its capital, #Paris
pic.twitter.com/1bpi7DjoyH

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 11:02 AM
The DoS/Kerry have stated twice that they have brought up the Russian deliberate killing of civilians with both Putin and his FM and YET Russia still continues killing civilians...NOTICE the US has said nothing about the use of starvation against civilians as a battlefield tactic in full violation of international humanitarian law.

SO is the US apparent inaction on anything in eastern Ukraine and now Syria really an attempt to appease Putin and "provide him a face saving exit ramp" in order to pay him back for his alleged Iran deal assistance.

Appears to be the case from the reality of the US inaction in both locations and the apparent support for Iran in the face of the Sunni Arab nation states.

AND the killing fields of Syria just keep on killing......

Russia warplanes carried out more than 15 airstrikes only in the area of #Sheikh_Meskin since morning so far
#Daraa #Syria JAN 9

SCD HERO AHMED AL MASSAROH WOUNDED VICTIM OF #RUSSIA CLUSTER BOMBS ON #DOUMA
#DAMASCUS CS #SYRIA JAN 9

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #SAHL_alGHAB
#HAMA CS #SYRIA JAN 9

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #AL_MANSOUR VILLAGE
#HAMA CS #SYRIA JAN 9

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #TEL_WASSIT VILLAGE
#HAMA CS #SYRIA JAN 9

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #AL_QARQOUR VILLAGE
#HAMA CS #SYRIA JAN 9

11 Civilians killed in another deliberate Russian air strike...among the dead are also children and women....
LITTLE ANGEL VICTIM OF #RUSSIA AIRSTRIKES ON #MAARAT_AL_NOUMAN, 11 MARTYRS SO FAR
#IDLIB #SYRIA JAN 9
RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING A BAZAAR MARKET IN #MAARAT_AL_NOUMAN
#IDLIB #SYRIA JAN 9

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #KIMSABAH VILLAGE
#LATAKIA CS #SYRIA JAN 9

more than 4 clusters bombs (forbidden internationlly) on civilians areas in #Douma_city caused many injuries.[/B]

SAA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #TEL_KURD IN EASTERN #GHOUTA
#DAMASCUS CS #SYRIA JAN 9

Image captured while #SAA flying between #Darayya & #Moadamiyah, 4 barrel bombs so far in the area.
#Syria JAN 9

SAA shelling with heavy artillery targeting #Ebtaa town
#Daraa #Syria JAN 9

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs on #Darayya
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 9

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs on Teir_Maela
#Homs #Syria JAN 9

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on Downtown #Idlib
#Syria JAN 9

Heavy clashes between #SAA terrorists & Rebels at #al_Dhdagan & #al_Drah Fronts
#Lattakia cs #Syria JAN 9

SAA terrorists shelling with Grad Rockets targeting #Saqba
#Damascus cs #SYria JAN 9

Little boy from #Madaya, can't walk due malnutrition... weak..
#Damascus cs JAN 6 #Syria

Our HEROES #SCD extinguishing fire of a civilian homes,#Russia airstrikes on #Deir_Gamal
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 9

An @OPCW document on the most recent Sarin CW incident includes Hospital 601 of Caesar fame:
http://docplayer.net/11334139-Note-by-the-technical-secretariat.html …

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 11:32 AM
11 reported dead so far & 10s wounded in a #Russia|n airstrike on a market in Ma’aret al-Nouman in #Idlib, #Syria

Jaish al-Yarmouk cmdrs on how they foiled regime advance into Awad Hilal sector in Manshia district, #Daraa Balad
http://youtu.be/R_5NPWlcmNw

Iran mourning death of Colonel Mohamed Zahra Wenad killed by Syrian Rebels in Syria

Distraction in Andan village #Aleppo after what locals say Russian missiles attack.
https://youtu.be/n-QkD0sqRgU

Footage
#FSA D-30 artillery targeting / firing process near #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LbbAkuoTzk …
#Daraa #Syria

Footage
Russian jets bombed oil trucks in Dayr Jamal, North of #Aleppo last night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2N0m_bi6hc …

What #SDF/#YPG achieved vs. #ISIS (due to Western help) is great !!
But it's the only "rebel" group in #Syria that has 100% peace w/ #Assad.
The "D" in #SDF stands for "Democratic".
However, this army seems to have no problem with #Assad's Dictatorship ...

VIDEO: SDF fighters battle ISIS around #Tishrin #Syria. Coalition also providing airstrike support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QNB5JccDw0 …

Footage
"#RussianAirstrikes" hit #SheikhMaskin in support of pro-#Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k388t4fLZ14 …

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 11:42 AM
Russian/Iranian propaganda hard at work........today from the 100% Russian owned propaganda media outlet....Sputnik.

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160109/1032864756/syria-army-offensive-militants.html#ixzz3wkL0a1Pd

Rebel Militants Repelled by Syrian Army, Russian Jets in Latakia Province

Middle East
08:50 09.01.2016(updated 12:55 09.01.2016)


Taking the Ground Back: Syrian Army Further Liberates Aleppo
With the help of Russian air strikes, the Syrian Army and the country's National Defense Forces (NDF) won back an array of strategic areas in western Syria's Latakia province, according to the Iranian news agency FARS.

Dozens of militants were killed and many more wounded after the Syrian troops launched an offensive on terrorists based in the mountainous regions of Latakia province, where the army took control of Tal Kherba, Al Juba and Height 1023, among other areas.

"The Syrian army and the NDF continued to advance against the terrorist groups north of Lattakia and took back Heights 292, 296 and 387. The pro-government forces also won back the Heights 465, 342 and 489 near the newly-liberated village of al-Sarraf," FARS quoted army sources as saying.

According to the sources, the Syrian forces also captured Daghdaghan Farm, believed to be one of the main strongholds of the militant groups in Latakia.

Earlier this week, the Syrian Army and the NDF staged large-scale offensives on the militant groups in Lattakia, winning back several strategic villages and heights.

In particular, the army took full control of Rweiset Abu Ghannam, Rweiset al-Sheikh Salman, Mount al-Hara and Mount Bait Fares, where scores of rebel Islamist extremists were killed or wounded, the sources said.

Aleppo Governor Predicts Syrian Army's Imminent Victory Against Daesh
The Russian air campaign in Syria was launched on September 30, 2015, when more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, commenced precision airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria at the behest of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Earlier that day, the Russian upper house of parliament unanimously supported the request of President Vladimir Putin to deploy units of the Russian Aerospace Forces abroad. Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad, for his part, confirmed that Syrian Army strikes, supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces, were being carried out against armed terrorist organizations, rather than political opposition factions or civilians.


WOW--did I understand this sentience correctly---the 11 Syrian civilians killed in the RuAF air strike on a market place and the tens wounded WHERE NOT civilians......?

HELL ON EARTH AFTERMATH #RUSSIA AIRSTRIKES ON #MAARAT_AL_NOUMAN, 40+ MARTYRS SO FAR
#IDLIB #SYRIA JAN 9 pic.twitter.com/Lk3Q00weH5

RuAF air strike was deliberate and directed against a normal Saturday morning marketplace......

At least 5 massacres carried out by Russian Warplanes today in #Syria. Dozens of civilians brutally massacred.

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 12:20 PM
"Three Months of Russian Intervention in Syria: The Military and Political Implications"
@PISM_Poland http://www.pism.pl/publications/bulletin/no-1-851 …

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 12:33 PM
Humorous but reality........

Squirrels winning the #cyberwar :) In map squirrel-caused power outages in US/2015, @PopSci
http://www.popsci.com/map-shows-squirrel-winning-cyber-war …
pic.twitter.com/BMPJOm5I1f

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 12:41 PM
11 reported dead so far & 10s wounded in a #Russia|n airstrike on a market in Ma’aret al-Nouman in #Idlib, #Syria

Jaish al-Yarmouk cmdrs on how they foiled regime advance into Awad Hilal sector in Manshia district, #Daraa Balad
http://youtu.be/R_5NPWlcmNw

Iran mourning death of Colonel Mohamed Zahra Wenad killed by Syrian Rebels in Syria

Distraction in Andan village #Aleppo after what locals say Russian missiles attack.
https://youtu.be/n-QkD0sqRgU

Footage
#FSA D-30 artillery targeting / firing process near #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LbbAkuoTzk …
#Daraa #Syria

Footage
Russian jets bombed oil trucks in Dayr Jamal, North of #Aleppo last night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2N0m_bi6hc …

What #SDF/#YPG achieved vs. #ISIS (due to Western help) is great !!
But it's the only "rebel" group in #Syria that has 100% peace w/ #Assad.
The "D" in #SDF stands for "Democratic".
However, this army seems to have no problem with #Assad's Dictatorship ...

VIDEO: SDF fighters battle ISIS around #Tishrin #Syria. Coalition also providing airstrike support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QNB5JccDw0 …

Footage
"#RussianAirstrikes" hit #SheikhMaskin in support of pro-#Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k388t4fLZ14 …

A US A-10 Warthog featured in the last Aamaq video over Tishreen dam battle. H/T @CTstudies

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 05:22 PM
What #SDF/#YPG achieved vs. #ISIS (due to Western help) is great !!
But it's the only "rebel" group in #Syria that has 100% peace w/ #Assad.
The "D" in #SDF stands for "Democratic".
However, this army seems to have no problem with #Assad's Dictatorship ...

VIDEO: SDF fighters battle ISIS around #Tishrin #Syria. Coalition also providing airstrike support.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QNB5JccDw0 …

Footage
"#RussianAirstrikes" hit #SheikhMaskin in support of pro-#Assad forces.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k388t4fLZ14 …[/QUOTE]

A US A-10 Warthog featured in the last Aamaq video over Tishreen dam battle. H/T @CTstudies

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 05:41 PM
Michael Weiss ✔ @michaeldweiss

Pro-Assad and pro-Hezbollah types are trolling starving Syrians by tweeting them pictures of their dinner http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/madaya-syrian-regime-supporters-share-food-photos-to-taunt-starving-civilians-trapped-in-town-a6803676.html …

#Assad wants to prevent "terrorist groups" from attending peace talks - meaning everyone who wants to overthrow him
http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.696408?v=26EB08493B2C90FC7035EEF82635A17E …

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 06:00 PM
MORE Russian killing of civilians when they are in marketplaces.......

Footage
@SyriaCivilDef dig for people after the Russian-initiated massacre in #MaaratNuman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVmKucvJhHo … pic.twitter.com/rHTRytBEfX

Few Russian strikes in #Syria are against Islamic State, U.S. official says
http://www.reuters.com/article/2016/01/09/us-mideast-crisis-us-russia-idUSKCN0UN0I320160109 …
pic.twitter.com/hbRKrtDOd3

Video from #Qaboun.
This happens when you agree to local ceasefires with #Assad! ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0auQ8zWfESs …
GRAPHIC!

News
#Assad has violated the truce in #Damascus' suburb #Qaboun, firing mortars and rockets that killed and injured up to 10 civilians.

RuAF airstrike on SW #Aleppo suburbs geolocated
https://youtu.be/pXxzmaf1G4I?t=39s … [0:39-0:49]
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=36.138325&lon=37.021877&z=17&m=b …
pic.twitter.com/jnKR0hPnov

Coalition airstrike on the railway bridge 20km N of Abu Kamal #Syria
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=34.653412&lon=40.885416&z=17&m=b …
https://youtu.be/tedSmieC2Oc

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 06:21 PM
Locals reported two #RuAF airstrikes targeted Ma'rat al-Numan prison and courthouse killed more than 40 ppl today.

More than 40 ppl killed in new #RuAF massacre in Ma'rrat al-Numan city #Idlib @SyriaCivilDef
https://youtu.be/B_2G1-mHqBY

Sheikh Maskin: looks like Syrian Rebels are back in complete control & all pro Assad forces have been kicked out

Big questions over regime's promise to allow aid into Madaya. One delivery unlikely to make major difference: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/07/syria-to-allow-aid-into-besieged-town-where-thousands-face-starvation …

21 rebel groups warn of foreign pressure & say they support body elected in Riyadh
https://www.zamanalwsl.net/news/67671.html

The badly in need of an overhaul RFS Moskva returned to Sevastopol today.
pic.twitter.com/RHxoqJPkWm

Tension in Idleb after Ahrar orders execution of five-man Aqsa/IS cell killing rebels
https://goo.gl/mSDJbq
https://goo.gl/SEQFjt

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 06:25 PM
JUST IN: Video of Iranian rocket launch near US ships
http://militari.ly/1RfdTqr
| #FOIA by @KenC41 @military_scoop
pic.twitter.com/zpaUe3i49E

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 06:48 PM
Oh come on...really.....and this President understands Iranian UW and "revolutionary Islam" as preached by Khomeini....????

Max Boot
‏@MaxBoot CIA ordered not to support 2009 Green Movement in Iran because Obama wanted to woo Khameini.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/nuclear-deal-fuels-irans-hard-liners-1452294637 …

Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum
looks like the Iran deal wasn't the launch of a persian peristroika after all

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 06:49 PM
JUST IN: Video of Iranian rocket launch near US ships
http://militari.ly/1RfdTqr
#FOIA by @KenC41 @military_scoop
pic.twitter.com/zpaUe3i49E

Remember the US/Obama/DoS response was...not a provocation......judge for yourself.....

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 07:42 PM
SYRIA: Airstrike on town in Idlib, #Syria kills approximately 40 people and wounds 150.
https://twitter.com/SyriaCivilDef/status/685811531305607168 …

The UN believes that of the 4.5 million people living in what it terms "hard-to-reach" areas of Syria, nearly 400,000 are besieged.

Syria-n Coalition Calls on the #US to Airdrop Aid to #Madaya
http://ow.ly/WPMNv

.@MSF_Syria Calls for Immediate Delivery of Food and Medicine to #Madaya
http://ow.ly/WOtCZ

Syria-n Coalition: Failure to Enforce #UNSC Res. Encourages #Assad to Starve Civils #Madaya
http://ow.ly/WOl1u

Syrian Rebels kill 12 Assad forces & destroy a tank in Sheikh Maskin

SNHR 63 civilian deaths in #Madaya since Jul 2015. 29 died of malnutrition/starvation & 34 killed trying to escape pic.twitter.com/R8uSl5WlxU

Reports that Assad is moving S200 missiles from #Dumair military airbase in rural #Damascus to an unknown location
pic.twitter.com/dBY1kVPh9T

OUTLAW 09
01-09-2016, 08:25 PM
CrowBat --what do you think of this article........?

http://www.businessinsider.de/how-saudi-arabia-pulled-a-proxy-out-from-under-irans-wing-2016-1?r=US&IR=T

How Saudi Arabia 'pulled a proxy out from under Iran's wing'

Armin Rosen


The latest round of tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia is unsettling what little is left of the Middle East's regional order.

Saudi Arabia's execution of the country's most prominent Shi'ite cleric on January 2nd triggered the apparently state-sanctioned burning of Saudi diplomatic facilities in Tehran and Mershad, a breach of international order that in turn resulted in Saudi Arabia cutting ties with their Persian Gulf neighbor.

Luckily, in the past Saudi Arabia and Iran have demonstrated at least a limited ability to keep their animosity in check.

The countries didn't go to war when an Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US at an upscale Washington, DC restaurant was revealed in 2011. It's unclear what if any long-term impact the latest series of incidents will have.

But they're likely to have one lasting effect, a political development that could tangibly shift hte terms of the Middle East's sectarian divide.

On January 4th, Sudan announced that it was also severing diplomatic ties with Iran. This move denied Iran of its sole Sunni Arab ally, undercutting the Tehran regime's argument that Iran's Islamic revolution is capable of transcending sectarianism and uniting the world's Muslims.

More practically, the freeze in relations also closes off the Red Sea port of Port Sudan to Iranian warships and weapons shipments, takes away a staging area for Iran's regional arms pipeline, ends a partnership with a fellow revolutionary Islamist regime, and flummoxes whatever remained of Iran's efforts to win over potential supporters in the Sunni world.

The relationship between Iran and Sudan stems from the National Islamic Front's elevating to power after the 1989 military coup in Khartoum, an event that marked the first instance of a revolutionary Islamist movement taking power in an Arab country.

Over the next decade, Sudan's government sheltered Osama bin Laden, attempted to assassinate the anti-Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak, and tried to impose Islamic law throughout what was then the territorial ly largest country in the African continent.

Even if these measures turned Sudan into an internationally sanctioned rogue state, they created an opportunity for a partnership with a fellow revolutionary regime in Tehran, which had been the world's only revolutionary Islamist government between 1979 and 1989.

The relationship paid off: Iran provided Sudan with weaponry and expertise that allowed the country to set up a fairly extensive domestic arms industry, giving it the capability of building its own automatic weapons, rocket launchers, and even tanks.

The Sudanese regime lost many of it its Islamist trappings. The Islamic Movement changed its name to the National Congress Party (NCP) in the late 1990s and began evolving into a somewhat more conventional dictatorship in hopes of improving the country's economy and relations with the west.

But Sudan maintained close ties with Iran. International isolation over the government's conduct in wars in Darfur and South Sudan gave Sudan the added incentive to deepen ties with a fellow sanctioned regime. Iran and Sudan completed a military cooperation agreement in 2008, while the Sudanese military has deployed Iranian-built drones in both Darfur and the south of the country. The two governments were allies through 2014.

That began to change as the NCP began to faced steep financial crisis — and as Saudi Arabia began mobilizing the Sunni Arab states against Tehran.

The NCP, which is still under international sanctions related to the Sudanese government's human rights abuses in Darfur, had faced a prolonged economic drought after the southern third of the country became the independent state of South Sudan in 2011. Khartoum and South Sudan failed to reach a durable compromise over the post-independence split of South Sudanese oil revenues (the oil's export is dependent on an oil transit infrastructure in the north of Sudan). Oil from the south had previously constituted nearly the entirety of Sudanese government revenue.

At the same time, the Middle East ignited. The escalating conflict in Syria sharpened the region's sectarian divisions, and events like the Yemeni civil war and the thaw in Iran-US relations heightened the competition between Riyadh and Tehran.

These tensions raised made a potentially swing state like Sudan even more important.

As Alberto Fernandez, current Vice President at the Middle East Media Research Institute and the Charge d'Affaires at the US embassy in Khartoum from 2007 to 2009 explained to Business Insider, amid both domestic and regional turmoil the increasingly pragmatic regime in Khartoum began to realize that its survival depended more on Saudi largess than on its relationship with Iran.

"These guys have been in power now for 26 years," Fernandez says of the NCP. "They're no longer the revolutionaries that they were. They're now a regime that wants to hold onto power. And in that sense they were fruit ripe for the plucking by the Saudis."

The thaw culminated in Sudan's March 2015 decision to join the Saudi-led anti-Houthi rebel coalition in Yemen, which is fighting to restore Yemen's internationally recognized government after an Iranian-supported Shi'ite militant movement deposed it in early 2015.

By that point, the NCP had determined that the Saudis had the unrivaled resources and willingness to secure the regime's long-term survival. "The Saudis can still outbid the Iranians," says Fernandez. "The Iranians have technical expertise and other things they can offer, but they're not swimming in cold hard cash the way the Saudis are."

The move has strategic implications for Iran. Sudan's partnership was more than just a symbolic victory for Iran, 0r a sign that the the Islamic Republic's state ideology was capable of resonating with Sunni Arab Islamists too. It also gave Iran a strategic way-point for weapons trafficking into both the Gaza Strip and Central and East Africa.

Sudan was a frequent staging area for Iranian weapons shipments heading north, to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza. Sudan gave the Iranian arms industry, and the Iranian regime, access to regions of strategic and possibly commercial concern. Suspected Israeli attacks targeted Hamas weapons shipments or facilities in Sudan in 2009, 2011, and 2014. And as a 2012 study by Conflict Armaments Research detailed, Iranian munitions have been found throughout Africa, in places spanning from South Sudan to Cote D'Ivoire.

Iran also helped seed a Sudanese domestic weapons industry purported to be the third-largest in Africa, behind only Egypt and South Africa. According to a 2014 Small Arms Survey report, Iran owns a 35% stake in the Yarmouk industrial facility in Khartoum, which is believed to produce artillery, rocket launchers, and military-grade firearms.

Iran's Yamrouk investment hasn't been cost-free for the Sudanese regime: in October of 2012, the Israeli air force attacked the site, likely in order to destroy Iranian-supplied long-range rockets bound for Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Yarmouk was also cited in a 2006 US diplomatic cable published by WikiLeaks for its alleged connection to activities "that have the potential to contribute materially to WMD, missile, or certain other weapons programs in Iran or Syria."

As the Small Arms Survey recounts, Sudanese weapons factories produce a range of armaments, including light weaponry and small rocket launchers of Iranian design. Sudan has flown military drones of Iranian origin, and Patrick Megahan, a research associate for military affairs at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted in an email to Business Insider that Sudan's state weapons enterprises had exhibited "a copy of an Iranian remote weapons station" at an international defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi in early 2015.

Emile Lebrun, the editor of the Small Arms Survey's Human Security Baseline Assessment for Sudan and South Sudan, speculates that Iranian assistance "was already very limited before the Yemen campaign was underway."

But it's still "unclear," he wrote to Business Insider in an email, "whether the Iranian technicians working in the Sudanese arms factories (some hundreds of workers, according to reports) can be replaced with local specialists."

Sudan's value as a strategic asset to Iran, and Iran's role in helping Sudan establish a domestic arms production capability, suggest that the relationship between the two countries may continue in some more muted, sub-official form. There might be some enduring (if informal) cooperation between officials from the two countries regarding weapons trafficking or continued Iranian involvement in the arms sector.

"My sense is that we're going to see Sudan inch away from Iran but Iran will maintain lingering assets in the country whether Sudan likes it or not," says Jonathan Schanzer, vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

But on the geopolitical level, Saudi Arabia was able to ply away Iran's only Sunni Arab ally — a country that enjoyed longstanding military and strategic ties with Tehran.

"It looks like the Saudis have outmaneuvered the Iranians," Schanzer told Business Insider. "They pulled a proxy out from under Iran's wing."

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 07:32 AM
This woman, Taryn Fivek, is a current press officer at the UN (@IOMatUN) while denying the starvation of Madaya

Official #Islamic agency (#IRNA) today praises #US media for taking #Tehran's side in diplomatic tussle with #Riyadh over embassy attack.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 07:44 AM
Nusra have reportedly kidnapped the activists Hadi al-Abdallah (@HadiAlabdallah) and Raed Fares (@RaedFares4) in Kafranbel

Eliot Higgins @EliotHiggins
The Russian MoD's own airstrike videos show around 15% of those targets are in ISIS territory
https://twitter.com/EliotHiggins/status/686073287856762880 …

Few Russian strikes in Syria are against Islamic State, U.S. official says http://reut.rs/1PUZP4i via @Reuters

Check out the latest data on Russia airstrikes in Syria on our @SilkDotCo powered database
http://russia-strikes-syria.silk.co/
pic.twitter.com/ZOWQHkKiZA

Russia Has Killed Far More Syrian Civilians Than Fighters -
http://www.vocativ.com/news/266014/russia-has-killed-far-more-syrian-civilians-than-fighters/ …

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 07:45 AM
Again indications of Iranian non linear warfare UW hard at work....and largely ignored in US MSM and the WH/Obama in their drive for the Iran Deal....would have believed it possible that the "legacy drive of an outgoing US President" would be the key driver of US FP.....

Iraq faces take-over by Iran-backed militias if Islamic State is defeated, coalition commanders fear via @Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/12089119/Iraq-fa... …

US MSM and the Obama WH has evidently also overlooked that right now inside Syria there are a total of 30 Iraqi Shia militias fighting for Assad and against the anti Assad forces....instead of fighting inside Iraq against IS and receiving RuAF ground support as well.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 07:54 AM
Faylaq al-Sham & Sultan Murad supported by Turkish artillery expelled #ISISL frm Qarah Kubri & Khirbat north #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.651395&lon=37.284100&z=16&m=b …

Obama's big think is discredited. The nuclear deal empowered Iran’s hard-liners, not the imaginary moderates.
http://on.wsj.com/1RzognK

ISIS has seized control of al-Duwah west of #Palmyra after Assad forces withdraw towards the Jahar field area.

Rebels declare full control of #al_Khirbat and #al_Qarah villages w/ the bridge
#Aleppo CS #Syria JAN 10

CrowBat
01-10-2016, 09:04 AM
CrowBat --what do you think of this article........?

http://www.businessinsider.de/how-saudi-arabia-pulled-a-proxy-out-from-under-irans-wing-2016-1?r=US&IR=T

How Saudi Arabia 'pulled a proxy out from under Iran's wing'

Armin Rosen
...that it's about one year late.

Namely, Saudis successfully (and literaly) bought Sudan out of alliance with Iran already in late 2014 and early 2015 - as became clear when Khartoum decided to send four Su-24Ms of its air force to join the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 01:52 PM
...that it's about one year late.

Namely, Saudis successfully (and literaly) bought Sudan out of alliance with Iran already in late 2014 and early 2015 - as became clear when Khartoum decided to send four Su-24Ms of its air force to join the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.

CrowBat---just a side question....any idea why it is about a year late....?

Is it that MSM just felt a year ago it was not news worthy and would not sell newspapers or no interest from decision makers at the western leadership levels?

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:11 PM
With these raving successes in the Obama Syria strategy NOT sure why he needs more messaging....he is doing great with his non actions and his silence already....

CORE Obama Syria strategy problem is with his junior partner Putin who for the life of the Russian AF cannot seem to kill IS fighters where there are an estimated 25-60K of them alone in Syrian BUT all the while the Obama junior partner seems intent on just killing civilians much like he did in Chechnya.......

EVEN MORE civilians were killed in this Russian air strike yesterday....
SCD continues Rescue Op. since y'day,#Russia airstrikes on #Maarat_al_NOuman,86 killed so far
#Idlib #Syria JAN 10

Russian AF is still carrying on with their Syrian civilian starvation campaign in order to create more refugees for Europe and to ethnically cleanse major Sunni areas...and to create a non Sunni area for Assad to expand his control over as a rump state

BREAKING
#Russia Cruise Missiles targeted the Humanitarian Relief Warehouse #IHH @ihhinsaniyardim in #Turkmen_Mount
#Latakia #Syria JAN 10

EVEN MORE RuAF air strikes on civilians....
SCD HEROES rescue operation aftermath #Russia airstrikes on #Kafr_Hamra
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 10

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #KAFR_HAMRA
#ALEPPO CS #SYRIA JAN 10

More #RUssia airstrikes on #SHeikh_Meskin, more than 25 airstrikes since morning
#Daraa #Syria JAN10

US_COALITION CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES TARGETING #AL_HAMIDIYAH NEIGHBORHOOD
#DEIR_EZZOR #SYRIA JAN 10

RUSSIA AIRSTRIKES ON #AL_RASTAN
#HOMS #SYRIA JAN 10

SAA terrorists helicopters dropped the 18th Barrel Bomb on #Darayya
#Damascus #Syria JAN 10

CHILDREN LOOKING UP WATCHING THE NEXT #ASSad BARREL BOMB TO FALL ON #DARAYYA
#DAMASCUS #SYRIA JAN 10

MARTYRS AS #ASSad BARREL BOMBS FALL ON #DARAYYA
#DAMASCUS #SYRIA JAN 10

ASSAD is now having his SAA which is neither Syrian no Arabic BUT Shia mercenaries.....shell IDPs......
SAA terrorists shelling Grad Rockets on the Displace civilians at #al_Yamadaya

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Al_Lataminah
#Hama cs #Syria JAN 10
#Latakia cs #Syria JAN 10

SMOKE DUE #RUSSIA AIRSTRIKES ON #DOUMA MOMENTS AGO, MORE THAN 9 AIRSTRIKES SO FAR
#DAMASCUS CS #SYRIA JAN 10

RUSSIA WARPLANES CARRIED OUT AIRSTRIKES ON #TALBISEH CAUSING A MASSACRE
#HOMS #SYRIA JAN 10

SCD @SyriaCivilDef Rush to the ambulance w/little girl victim of #Russia airstrikes on #Talbiseh
#Homs #SYria JAN10

RUssia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Moadamiyah_Al_Sham
#Damascus #Syria JAN 10

SAA mercenaries terrorists shelling Mortars on #Erbeen
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Daraa_al_Balad neighborhood
#Daraa cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Busrah_Al_Sham village
#Daraa cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #al_Bab town

FSA TOW hit on tank.....
FSA destroyed #SAA Tank killing a number of it's mercenaries while hidden behind of it at #Darayya
#Syria JAN10
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 10

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs on #Busr_al_Harer
#Daraa cs #Syria JAN 10

SAA helicopters dropped barrel bombs on Taybah village
#Daraa cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Deir_Foul village
#Homs cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Qonitrah village
#Homs cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes targeting #Ebtaa village
#Daraa cs #Syria JAN 10

Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Nawah town
#Daraa cs #Syria JAN 10

Rebels inside #Qarah village, after heavy clash w/ #isis terrorists.
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Szc74qo3ZxE …

STARVATION as a weapon by Assad and Putin---and by not saying anything Obama becomes complicit a well in this starvation campaign...by his non actions.....no comments....

Essa stills waiting for food..
#Madaya.. #Damascus cs #Syria JAN 10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFx2EweLuK4 …

JaN kidnaps activists.....
Assad couldn't kill them & ISIS couldn't silence them. So Jolani's thugs kidnapped @HadiAlabdallah & @RaedFares4

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:24 PM
Al Arabiya English ✔ @AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING Egypt FM reaffirms support for Saudi Arabia in row with Iran

Syrian troll activity.......actually maybe a Russian troll.....
An advocate of starving & killing civilians/children in #PT, #Assad fanatic @IvanSidorenko1, is now deleting tweets.
pic.twitter.com/7p5meD5gXA

Footage
(Most probably) #Assad's bombs hit #Talbisah in besieged #Homs province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHx7pJbQ6sQ …
pic.twitter.com/cGZw6WbrKZ

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:31 PM
Humor........

Russian priests arrive in #Syria, ready to end the suffering of starving civilians
pic.twitter.com/U5oPfHjTIZ

ROCs version of a "Holy War" they called for........

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:35 PM
Footage
Not only Russian jets, but also "Russian spy plane" over #SheikhMaskin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYcsHjGNTqY …
pic.twitter.com/v6weSoD8HK

Most likely it is the aircraft An-30b "83" red

Footage
#RussianAirstrikes keep hitting #SheikhMaskin where rebels fight pro-#Assad forces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzALRWhyuHs … pic.twitter.com/tCTHZQg1Kd

Notice that there is not a single (Sunni) civilian left in the former 8.000 inhabitants towns.
pic.twitter.com/Ti3sfPehZc

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:46 PM
Those Syrian strategy successes just keep on keeping on.........after this particular success MAYBE the Obama WH does in fact truly need some messaging.

Breaking
#Hezbollah al-Nujaba leader Sheikh Akram Al-Kaabi visits invasion forces in Al-Eis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2OcGNvrK20 …
pic.twitter.com/94RDK1LW57

AND who is exactly the God Father to Hezbollah......AND who wants to maintain a land corridor through Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon??

BUT WAIT that Iranian Deal was to ensure the "moderates take over" right???

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:55 PM
Confirmed:Faylaq Al-Sham and Firqat Al-Sultan Murad have recaptured Al-Khirbah,Qurah Mazraah,Qurah Kubri and Qizil Mazraah from ISIS.

Here are the facts on #Assad blocking aid deliveries
https://twitter.com/fordrs58/status/685968383947485185 …

Footage
#Assad's terrorism in #Daraya, W of #Damascus, continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txaFgKWbk6M …
pic.twitter.com/QmU0lAyc4Z

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 03:57 PM
Those Syrian strategy successes just keep on keeping on.........after this particular success MAYBE the Obama WH does in fact truly need some messaging.

Breaking
#Hezbollah al-Nujaba leader Sheikh Akram Al-Kaabi visits invasion forces in Al-Eis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2OcGNvrK20 …
pic.twitter.com/94RDK1LW57

AND who is exactly the God Father to Hezbollah......AND who wants to maintain a land corridor through Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon??

BUT WAIT that Iranian Deal was to ensure the "moderates take over" right???

More information on him:
http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.de/2015/03/iraqs-sheikh-akram-al-kaabi-and.html …
and his de facto Iranian-led militia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harakat_Hezbollah_al-Nujaba …

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 04:08 PM
Very interesting!
Hundreds of #FSA troops arrived in Hawar Killis yday, before the anti-#ISIS push N of #Aleppo.

News
Syrian rebels took Qarah Mazr'ah, 1800 meters from the Turkish border, for the 3rd time in 4 weeks from #ISIS

Interesting, seems @EjmAlrai deleted this tweet detailing #Assad's bombs. Said too much?
https://twitter.com/EjmAlrai/status/461962789473751040 …

US-backed Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki shows of their Volcano-like IRAM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WoYwflfF2I …

CrowBat
01-10-2016, 04:27 PM
CrowBat---just a side question....any idea why it is about a year late....?

Is it that MSM just felt a year ago it was not news worthy and would not sell newspapers or no interest from decision makers at the western leadership levels?
I have no clue, and can only guess here.

I guess they simply didn't pay attention, or at least lacked any 'reporters' that could tell them about what was going on in relations between Khartoum and Riyad, the last two or so years. Perhaps it is also so that the author missed all of that and only now - when Sudan closed its embassy in Tehran - came to the idea to prepare a 'write up' of related affairs. Kind of, 'oh, something is going on there after all, better write a few sentences'...

Even then, he missed most important details, though.

Namely, it was already in autumn 2014 that Riyad sent a big delegation to Khartoum with intention of driving Sudan away from Iran. When Saudis made plenty of promises about multi-billion investments in local economy, Bashir and his clique were so flabergasted by all the zeros on the paper in front of them, they very quickly forgot their 'everlasting Sudanese-Iranian friendship'.

There was lots of activity during the following weeks and months. For example, I can recall that Bashir flew to Riyadh in early April and again in late May 2015 - i.e. two times within six weeks. By the time, even his election banners were soon showing UAEAF F-16s - just no SuAF aircraft....

Of course, official Sudan still 'despises West', but it was obvious already then that not only its regime but also its military were thrilled about opportunity to join their forces with those of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Bosses in Khartoum were even more thrilled about opportunity to stuff their pockets too...

That said, this with economic cooperation was easy for both, Sudanese and Saudis - because there was actually never a lot of such cooperation between Khartoum and Tehran.

On the contrary, the two cooperated nearly exclusively on military-related affairs, and it was exclusively in this regards that a lot was going on in recent years. For example, the SAFAT (something like 'Sudanese Aircraft Industries') received plenty of support from Iranian companies like IACI, IHSRC and Pars Aviation in regards of learning how to overhaul and manufacture spares for its aircraft and helicopters of Western origin, in period 2009-2013. In 2010, SAFAT contracted IACI to overhaul four surviving C-130s of the SuAF (and their engines), perhaps even eight surviving Sudanese F-5Es (stored at Wadi Sayyidna since ages). IACI completed the work on at least three of C-130s by 2013; don't know if it overhauled the fourth Hercules too...

Meanwhile, IHSRC helped SAFAT overhaul Mi-2s, Mi-17s and Mi-24/35s (at approx one fifth of price Russians would have charged), a few Bo.105s, perhaps one or two of their SA.330 Pumas too.

Much of work was possible only thanks to supplies of spares and tooling from Iran, and thanks to Iranian companies that helped construct additional runways, hangars etc.... and when overhauls were complete it was IRIAF pilots that test-flew all of these, because SuAF has not a single pilot qualified to test-fly aircraft...

But otherwise, Iranians never invested into Sudanese economy, or vice versa. So, no big issue for Khartoum, actually - even more so since I'm next to sure that - regardless of 'improved ties' to Saudi Arabia & Co - the Sudanese didn't cut off relations between their Military Industry Complex and Iran 'over the night'. Certainly enough, it got extremely quiet about SAFAT ever sicne 2014 (especially in comparison to period 2009-2013), but this must mean nothing: Saudis surely have enough money to pay somebody else to help maintain C-130s (or overhaul) remaining F-5s, Su-24s, Su-25s, MiG-29s etc.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 06:08 PM
Here you can see @smd1900 deny civilians starved by his cult leader #Assad & the terrorist organization #Hezbollah.
pic.twitter.com/mMoS5WCroh

Guardian news ✔ @guardiannews
Murder in Istanbul: Kremlin's hand suspected in shooting of Chechen
http://d.gu.com/DDrSNM

I went to Istanbul to look into a murder that has it all: Chechen fighters, al-Nusra, Syria, Ukraine, Russian agents http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/10/murder-istanbul-chechen-kremlin-russia-abdulvakhid-edelgireyev?CMP=share_btn_tw …

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 06:09 PM
https://www.yahoo.com/news/pakistan-respond-saudis-territorial-integrity-threat-144318541.html

Pakistan says it will respond to any threat to Saudi Arabia


ISLAMABAD (AP) — Any threat to Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity will evoke a strong response from Islamabad, Pakistani army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif said Sunday.

Sharif made the remarks in a statement after Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman met with him in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital.

Salman earlier arrived in Islamabad, making him the second top Saudi official to visit Pakistan in a week amid growing tension with Iran over Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr's recent execution.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir visited Pakistan a couple of days ago.

The visits came after Saudi Arabia and several of its allies announced the severing or downgrading of diplomatic relations with Shiite powerhouse Iran. Protesters in Tehran stormed the Saudi embassy and a Saudi consulate elsewhere in the country after Saudi Arabia executed al-Nimr, a prominent Shiite cleric and opposition leader earlier this month.

Pakistan, a predominantly Sunni state, also has a large Shiite population. Pakistan has had a history of sectarian violence where Sunni and Shiite militants have reportedly been funded and supported by Gulf states for their proxy wars.

The deputy crown prince later called on Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The people of Pakistan would always stand with the people of Saudi Arabia, said Sharif in a statement after the meeting. Pakistan has previously agreed to become part of a Saudi-led counter-terrorism alliance. Sharif welcomed the initiative and informed the prince about Pakistan's support for efforts to oppose terrorism and extremism. It was agreed that the two countries would cooperate in developing an effective counter narrative to defeat the extremist mindset, said the statement. It said Pakistan also expressed its readiness to offer its offices to brotherly Muslim countries for resolution of their differences through peaceful dialogue and reconciliation.

Pakistan hold its defense ties with Saudi Arabia in highest esteem, said Sharif, the army chief. He said Pakistan attached great importance to the security of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 06:28 PM
Nusra has released @HadiAlabdallah and @RaedFares4.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 06:29 PM
CrowBat---anything to this comment...??

If Turkey is helping Azaz/Mare rebels to break through against IS, we could end up with rebels, YPG/SDF and regime all converging at Al Bab

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 06:55 PM
Doctors w/o Borders ✔ @MSF_USA
#Madaya medics have eaten nothing for a week. Tired, weak, growing lines of sick patients – all residents desperate
http://bit.ly/1ZSagZ0

MSF UK Press Office @MSF_Press
Madaya update: #MSF-supported medics in #Madaya besieged town have 10 critical starvation patients needing urgent hospitalisation

Hezbollah has "feelings"....come on get real....
Hezbollah feels reputation damaged by international media and NGOs like @MSF and posts "counter evidence". https://twitter.com/mmagreen/status/686230977442521088 …

Doctors w/o Borders ✔ @MSF_USA
UPDATE: #MSF-supported medics in Madaya confirm 5 starvation deaths in besieged town today; One 9-yr-old boy & four over 45-yrs men

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 07:04 PM
Humor........

BREAKING: #Russia's Su-27 accidentally crosses into #Turkey's airspace, co-pilot ejects just in case
pic.twitter.com/KCHBw6GIEW


Two articles on media propagandists, one working in the @UN. Both support killing civilians in defense of #Assad. https://twitter.com/Mario_Greenly/status/686197757082599424 …

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 08:07 PM
http://www.reuters.com/article/2016/01/10/us-mideast-crisis-syria-group-idUSKCN0UO0AJ20160110

Sun Jan 10, 2016 1:39pm EST

Syrian rebel group casts new doubt on peace process, wants missiles

BEIRUT


A large Syrian rebel group has said the best way to push Damascus to a political settlement of the country's civil war was to give insurgents anti-aircraft missiles and has pledged to control the arms if provided.

Islam Army (Jaysh al-Islam), echoing opposition concerns over a United Nations-led drive to launch peace talks in Geneva on Jan. 25, also said it was unacceptable to talk about a political solution to the war while people died of hunger and bombardment.

The opposition to President Bashar al-Assad wants goodwill measures including a ceasefire, a detainee release and the end of blockades on besieged areas before starting negotiations.

U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura is shuttling around the region to prepare for the talks, part of a plan endorsed by the Security Council last month to end the five-year-war that has killed 250,000 people and created millions of refugees.

Islam Army, part of a newly formed council to oversee the negotiations on the opposition side, said the "best way to force the regime to accept the (political) solution and stick by it" was to allow states that back the opposition to supply rebels with anti-aircraft missiles.

The statement, sent by the group's spokesman overnight, said it would guarantee the missiles would not reach groups that would use them "illegally".

Foreign governments including the United States and Saudi Arabia have provided rebels with military support, but have resisted demands for missiles for fear they would end up with hardline jihadist groups such as Islamic State.

The Syrian government says Islam Army is a terrorist group, like all the groups that fighting to topple Assad, who has received crucial support from Russia and Iran. Both states have sent forces to help him fight the insurgency.

The Syrian government told de Mistura on Saturday it was ready to take part in Geneva talks but stressed the need to see the names of the Syrian opposition figures who will take part.

Pointing to another potential complication, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem also stressed the need for the government to obtain a list of groups that would be classified as terrorists as part of the peace process.

Islam Army said the success of the political process "depended on the seriousness of the international community in putting pressure on the criminal regime to halt the killing".

Opposition officials have already cast doubt on whether the talks will go ahead on schedule, citing the need to see the goodwill measures from the government side.

Separately, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll from Russian aerial strikes on a rebel-held town in northern western Syria on Saturday climbed to 81 people with at least 52 civilians among the dead.

The dead included 23 fighters from Nusra and 6 Islamist fighters, in the latest update by the independent monitor on casualties.

The raids hit court house and prison run by al Qaeda’s offshoot Nusra Front and residential areas in the town of Maarat al-Numan, a major urban center in Idlib province whose towns have been the targets of intense Russian bombing in the last two months.

Rescue workers and rights groups say Russia's bombing in Syria has killed scores of civilians at busy market places and in residential areas. Russia denies this.

Jets also believed to be Russian pounded Talbisa and Rastan towns in Homs province and the southern town of Sheikh Maskin, part of Moscow's major military intervention to help the Syrian army gain ground lost to rebels, the monitor and activists said.

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 08:15 PM
EastGhouta: Unconfirmed Reports emerging claiming SAA have taken FULL CONTROL of Bilaliyah
http://redd.it/40cs08

Faylaq al-Sham commander: goals in northern Syria are al-Bab and Manbij
http://redd.it/40conf

UNHCR tents for Syria refugees show up in Fars News pics showing Iran-backed forces "liberation" of south A...
http://redd.it/40co11

Rebels captured 2 ISIS/IS members during clashes in E.Qalamoun region, Damascus province.
http://redd.it/40brtd

Remnants of a drone shot down by ur al-Din Zanki movement - بقايا طائرة الاستطلاع الت...
http://redd.it/40banj

Hezbollah, Syrian Army amass near the town of Al-Zorba in southern Aleppo [Al-Madsar News]
http://redd.it/409nvb

Battle of #Salma officially started. #SAA rocket/artillery pounding the terrorist stronghold
http://redd.it/40aycl

Opp sources say that SAA has besieged Salma and will soon storm it.
http://redd.it/40b2wz

Al-Masdar:Syrian Army storms the mountains surrounding the strategic town of Salma
http://redd.it/40b86s

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 08:37 PM
Mark Galeotti @MarkGaleotti

If as is likely Moscow behind hit, not 1st time: https://inmoscowsshadows.wordpress.com/2011/09/22/russian-wetwork-in-istanbul/ … + http://blogs.blouinnews.com/blouinbeatpolitics/2014/03/08/chechen-assassinations-in-turkey-linked-to-moscow/ … https://twitter.com/shaunwalker7/status/686220717470400512 …

Mark Galeotti @MarkGaleotti
Kremlin hand suspected in shooting of Chechen in Istanbul
@shaunwalker7 reports on an another presumed #Russia hit
http://gu.com/p/4eqgf/stw

OUTLAW 09
01-10-2016, 08:43 PM
http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/iran-wont-surrender-militias-that-conduct-assads-war#full

Iran won’t surrender militias that conduct Assad’s war

Hassan Hassan

January 10, 2016 Updated: January 10, 2016 05:27 PM


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.”

Last month on these pages, I highlighted that while Iran and Russia might in theory be willing to accept the removal of Mr Al Assad, there are practical reasons why they would not do that, because consequences are unpredictable and the result is not guaranteed.

For the rebels, no peace is possible while Mr Al Assad is in power, so his future complicates the peace talks. So does the presence of Shia militias in Syria.

Reliance on these foreign forces means that their departure will have to follow the consolidation of the government’s military control over the country. They operate in critical areas and the regime’s army or NDF do not appear to be prepared to take their place.

The presence of Shia militias is important for the regime and for its backer in Tehran. Many of these militias are also key Iranian proxies in Iraq, with recent reports suggesting that Iran has diverted them to Syria to assist in the wake of the Russian intervention in Syria. So the issue has also a regional dimension that cannot be ignored.

Iran finds itself in a situation where it seeks to save the regime in Syria through the help of religious zealots, while pushing for the designation as terrorists of Sunni extremists fighting on the side of the opposition.

In western capitals, strangely, that seems to be a reasonable position. For the opposition and regional backers such as Saudi Arabia, that is double dealing that further complicates the already-complex conflict in Syria.

OUTLAW 09
01-11-2016, 07:01 AM
Starving Syrians in Madaya are denied aid amid political jockeying.
http://nyti.ms/1Zfl0P7

Footage
Hell on earth in #Douma again ...
Giant "#Russian" bombs hit the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-tzjKoOyk …
pic.twitter.com/UazGqC79YB

No words to describe this ...
#Douma today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAEPpJ8j2cE …
pic.twitter.com/HJlyV6D5R3

Death toll in Russian raids on Syria's Idlib nears 100
http://dld.bz/egXtu
pic.twitter.com/y9Cj89GjnC

OUTLAW 09
01-11-2016, 07:15 AM
Why does Obama worry about "messaging" in his Syrian strategy WHEN he absolutely does nothing that would indicate that he is a leader......

ONLY two comments from his DoS and Kerry about the deliberate Putin air strikes against only civilians and not a single IS fighter....AND absolutely not a single comment on the deliberate use of starvation as a tactical weapon which is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

The US dropped food supplies to Kurds BUT the "messaging" to the average Syrian civilian is "you are not worth the effort"...........

Starving Syrians in Madaya are denied aid amid political jockeying. http://nyti.ms/1Zfl0P7

Footage
Hell on earth in #Douma again ...
Giant "#Russian" bombs hit the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-tzjKoOyk …
pic.twitter.com/UazGqC79YB

No words to describe this ...
#Douma today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAEPpJ8j2cE …
pic.twitter.com/HJlyV6D5R3

Death toll in Russian raids on Syria's Idlib nears 100
http://dld.bz/egXtu
pic.twitter.com/y9Cj89GjnC

BTW--an accidental Twitter comment from a proAssad supporter indicated the "average accuracy" of the Russian dumb bomb to be between 1-2km from actual target point.

4 KM is not a problem as regime pilots are actually aiming with iPads at the villages/cities https://twitter.com/mario_greenly/status/686424056589979648 …

CrowBat
01-11-2016, 08:36 AM
CrowBat---anything to this comment...??

If Turkey is helping Azaz/Mare rebels to break through against IS, we could end up with rebels, YPG/SDF and regime all converging at Al Bab
It's certainly so that there is a sort of 'race' for al-Bab and Manbij going on:

- Turkey-supported FSyA insurgents are advancing along the border in the north;
- '2nd Division' of the regime (that is: 'Tiger Force' and 'Katibat Ba'ath' of the Ba'ath Party Militia/Phalanga) is advancing from Kweres AB in the south;
- SDF's US-supported/vetted FSyA elements are advancing from Teshreen Dam towards Manbij from south-east.

However, this morning the Hezbollah, IRGC, SSNP and NDF have launched an all-out attack on Salma in NE Lattakia, while the IRGC and 4th Division have launched an all-out attack west of Aleppo (city). Both of these are likely to draw lots of insurgent attention away from northern Aleppo.

So, I would say that this might become something like a 'crucial moment' in this war: either insurgents still have reserves - and supplies - they can re-deploy to reinforce frontlines in NE Lattakia and western Aleppo, and do so while continuing advance in northern Aleppo, or they are not only going to lose the race to al-Bab, but also give the regime a major PR coup.

Considering reports from southern Syria, where 24 FSyA groups are on the best way to beat the IRGC+PLA assault on Sheikh Mishkin despite another US ban on delivery of ammo and supplies from Jordan... sigh... well, guess it's not much better in regards of what they're getting from Turkey meanwhile and thus it's hard to place any bets on them any more.

Once again: 'congratulations Oblabla'...

CrowBat
01-11-2016, 09:01 AM
...BTW--an accidental Twitter comment from a proAssad supporter indicated the "average accuracy" of the Russian dumb bomb to be between 1-2km from actual target point.

4 KM is not a problem as regime pilots are actually aiming with iPads at the villages/cities https://twitter.com/mario_greenly/status/686424056589979648 …
This is something I'm 'telling' whoever is ready to 'listen' since nearly three months - and for which I'm getting attacked in all imaginable ways in return, too: fact is not only that the VKS is almost exclusively deploying 'dumb' bombs, but foremost that its aircraft lack the precision, and are flying much too high but to hit anything at all (especially in a country that is as windy as Syria is).

We all - and I mean: all serious observers of this and similar ongoing wars - are used to nearly 20 years of continuous warfare by Western militaries. Western warfare envisages tight integration between intel and combat operations with the aim of achieving greatest possible accuracy. It's not working 100%; not even 80%; so much is clear and we need not making ourselves any illusions. But, it's still really 'amazingly precise on average', especially when compared to earlier times (indeed, one can see significant improvement already in comparison to Bosnia of 1995, or Serbia/Kosovo of 1999).

Because of this we all expect a similar performance from Russians too. Actually, Russians are neither capable nor interested in delivering a comparable performance. From Moscow's POV, it's PRBS which is all that matters, and not some amazing precision or else. Why 'waste billions of bucks' when all that matters is number of sorties flown and number of bombs dropped one can claim in the public?

In turn, these numbers enable Keystone Cops in Moscow to claim 'hundreds of terrorists killed', every single day. The MSM is insta-buying this, mass of the public too, and nobody cares afterwards, no matter how much both of them - Keystone Cops and the MSM - have been proved as wrong.

While actually, 'even' Su-34s and Su-30SMs are really spraying and praying. This is more than logical, then one simply can't hit anything at all if dropping dumb bombs from 2,000m + altitude in a country as windy as Syria is.

As if eager to confirm this, Elijah J Mangier, one of biggest regime-fans online, indicated that the 'average accuracy' of Russian dumb bombs is about 1,000-2,000 metres from the actual target point; that of Assadist barrel-bomb attacks out to 4,000 metres. Curiously, he deleted that Tweet ever since, but this was saved by some others, for example here (https://twitter.com/Mario_Greenly/status/686424056589979648).

Final irony: wherever I tried to explain that 90% of Russian sorties are targeting civilians in insurgent-held territories and about 5% are targeting the FSyA on several other 'military' forums, I've got banned within seconds - irrespectivelly of my assessment being based on Russian and allied releases, and well-supported. Now the AJE report here (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/01/russian-air-strikes-syria-idlib-160110175555588.html) is citing the SNC reports that say,

..."Nearly 94 percent of the 12,000 sorties the Russian air force has so far flown in Syria targeted civilians and the Free Syrian Army."
...
...which means: their statistics is confirming mine...

Bottom line: it's not as if 'Moscow couldn't care less when bombing civilians'. It's a part of their strategy.

However, actual fact is that they are missing even these and - to make things 'even better' - at least something like 50% of their bombs are failing to detonate.

Therefore, it's as absurd as true: Syrians can consider themselves happy Russian aiming is as piss-poor, otherwise there would be dozens of thousands of casualties already...