Syria in 2016 (July-September)

[Bill Moore]

Maybe Obama/Kerry should have read and reread this JFK statement every single hour of every single day they are in the WH.....THEN maybe they and the US would not be in this mess to begin with.




Not going to happen with this cowardly and foolish administration. Those committing mass murder of civilians have a few months left to finish their deed. You can't help but wonder if that is what the real deal with Russia and Syria really is.

[CrowBat]

Senior military advisor to Khamenei, Yahya Rahim Safavi: “We hope the Americans don’t deceive the Russians in Syria” http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/406621/Ex-IRGC-chief-warns-Russians-of-compromise-on-Iran-s-share-in#…

Iran is worried of a bad deal between Russia & U.S. in Syria.Of course they are worried: after all, they have their own designs and solutions, and are not ready to see these squandered by Putler for the purpose of 'proving that Russia is a superpower'.

This became obvious when they kicked the VKS out of the TFB.3, four weeks ago.

Only a reason more to conclude Russians are not in control.


The current rate of Iranian expansion from Yemen to Afghanistan will ensure Saudi Arabia ceases to exist within the next 10 years.Sorry, but surely not.

The current BS-itting by the IRGC from Yemen to Afghanistan will ensure a further increase in activity of Wahhabist extremism.

Means: West can try to keep itself out of the Middle East as much as it likes. But 'now' - i.e.: in the next 20-30 years - it's going to pay precisely for that inaction.

[OUTLAW 09]

Of course they are worried: after all, they have their own designs and solutions, and are not ready to see these squandered by Putler for the purpose of 'proving that Russia is a superpower'.

This became obvious when they kicked the VKS out of the TFB.3, four weeks ago.

Only a reason more to conclude Russians are not in control.

Sorry, but surely not.

The current BS-itting by the IRGC from Yemen to Afghanistan will ensure a further increase in activity of Wahhabist extremism.

Means: West can try to keep itself out of the Middle East as much as it likes. But 'now' - i.e.: in the next 20-30 years - it's going to pay precisely for that inaction.

CrowBat........I keep going back to the Obama 20,000 word interview and rereading it...it does appear that in his assumed genius of ethical FP he somehow "forgot" the sectarian aspect, the Khomeini/KSA rivalry, revolutionary Islam, and the famous Khomeini "Green Crescent" statements.

WHEN you think you are the brightest bulb in the room you tend to overlook such small and not so obvious things......as they clash with being the brightest bulb in the room...

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria's Aleppo while the World remains totally quiet especially the Obama WH...

THIS is in fact the face of genocide and YET the US which claimed evidently "falsely' that they would never allow it to ever occur SEEMS to be allowing it in Syria in order to protect Assad and Putin...

[OUTLAW 09]

Not going to happen with this cowardly and foolish administration. Those committing mass murder of civilians have a few months left to finish their deed. You can't help but wonder if that is what the real deal with Russia and Syria really is.

Bill..I have been pounding this theme since Crimea....this WH has absolutely no strategy for anything......

His interview coupled with his actions around the Iran Deal have fully indicated for those interested that he has basically sold out the ME to both Iran and Russia in order to achieve what he views as his very own "ethical FP"....

If that means selling out the anti Assad opposition he will do it as he has "given Syria' to Iran in order for them to just sign the "deal".

By ignoring the Sunni Shia divide he has unleashed a sectarian war that will drive the entire ME turmoil and much of the global Muslim community for the next 30 years....and that is not good for them and or the US....

I have never in all my years of following international relations experienced a President making such decisions without a deep and thorough internal national debate....

I am still wondering just what he got his Nobel Peace Prize for.....

I still believe that Kerry sold out the anti Assad opposition in those Iran Deal talks just as he repeatedly is still trying to do in the Geneva talks...the core question that the US MSM is not asking is WY?????

The WHY is Iran and Russia.....

WHILE the US questions Trump's connections to Russia WE ignore the Kerry/Obama back channels also to Russia....

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #UN Secretary-General confirm the use of incendiary weapons, bunker buster bombs & other powerful munitions on #Aleppo's residential areas

YET the Obama WH fails for some strange reason to call out Putin for his war crimes against humanity and the deliberate targeting of civilians....

New #footage
#Putin's bombs burn down the #Aleppo suburbs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO85qizYFiM#…

[OUTLAW 09]

North of #Aleppo today.

Left: #Assad barrel bomb
Photo 1
Right: #Putin vacuum/thermobaric/fuel air bomb
Photo 2

Every child can spot the difference.

EXCEPT the children in the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH that is....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osH7Ts-Sz_s#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo the test of Faith......Muslim, Christian, Jewish............and yes even non believers........

THAT is to say....all except the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH that are willingly supporting both Assad and Putin as they fully titled Syria into the Iranian "sphere of influence"...a largely 73% Sunni nation state so that Iran can continue their land corridor to Hezbollah and still support Khomeini revolutionary Islam.......

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad regime allow humanitarian convoy to enter al-Waar after displacement the first wave of residents completed.

[OUTLAW 09]

A tad off topic for here but the Russian non linear warfare has two key components 1) cyber warfare and 2) information warfare........

What we are facing in the consumer wave of new gadgets is the so called "Internet of Things"......IoT.....with say a smart refrigerator or TV or CCTV etc.....

This botnet with 145607 cameras/dvr (1-30Mbps per IP) is able to send >1.5Tbps DDoS. Type: tcp/ack, tcp/ack+psh, tcp/syn.

For those that do not understand this tech speak ...it was a massive really massive DDoS attack ...coming from camera's.......

The power wasn't all put into one server, it was used on multiple servers around the world, different companies ect

This is the daily "war" I deal with......and it is getting worse by the day.....

For example western MSM rarely reports on the ongoing Syrian cyber attacks against KSA, Jordan, UAE and or Kuwait almost daily these days....

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister
✔
@Charles_Lister
200+ civilians killed & 300+ wounded in 48hrs of sustained aerial & ground-to-ground bombing of besieged eastern #Aleppo

= more war crimes.


Al Jazeera News
✔
@AJENews
"The situation is catastrophic. Destruction and death, everywhere around us."
http://aje.io/8yzr

AND the response from the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH......is ABSOLUTLY nothing........ not even a small comment.......

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo the test of Faith......Muslim, Christian, Jewish............and yes even non believers........

THAT is to say....all except the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH that are willingly supporting both Assad and Putin as they fully titled Syria into the Iranian "sphere of influence"...a largely 73% Sunni nation state so that Iran can continue their land corridor to Hezbollah and still support Khomeini revolutionary Islam.......



Russia would never contest a Western imposed no-fly zone in #Syria, as that would expose what crap S-400, Su-34 & Su-35 actually are.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #Assad/#Russia|n airstrikes have destroyed the @SyriaCivilDef HQ in #Hanano District today.

Charles Lister
✔
@Charles_Lister
Mohammed Alloush says bombing of civilians in #Aleppo is responsibility of "Friends of #Syria" who block opposition acquisition of MANPADS:
https://twitter.com/mohammed_aloush/status/779834547303219200#
…

WOW...the Brits say what apparently the Obama WH cannot say....."war crimes against humanity"...

Al Arabiya English
✔
@AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING: #British FM Johnson: #Russia is guilty of protracting war in #Syria and of war crimes

“[Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin’s] regime is not only handing Assad the revolver, he is using the revolver himself,”
- @BorisJohnson

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Liwa al-Quds pick-up truck captured by rebels in #Handarat.

Daraa: Heavy #Assad airstrikes on #Dael town now.

Damascus: Heavy #Assad & #Russia|n airstrikes on #Douma now.

Syria #IS launch assault on Al Jufrah village & industry area in #DeirEzZor
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.299611&lon=40.195112&z=15&m=b#
…
Mohammad Hamadi, a nurse in a makeshift hospital in #Aleppo, died in a #Russia(n) airstrike on Tareeq Al Bab in #Aleppo city yesterday

Report
129 civilians were killed by #AssadPutin on Saturday, incl. 27 children.
106 of the victims died in and around #Aleppo.
- LCC

See this!
The #Russian bombs hit so deep and heavy, they even destroy the canalisation under rebel-held #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0winVCBqNF8#…

Footage
Total devastation and children in the ruins after #Russia's yesterday war crimes in #Aleppo city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMvV8VwTcGM#…

Footage
For the whole night, #Huraytan (near #Aleppo) was hit by #Russian incendiary bomb attacks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1UDVG_I9uM#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express.......

A renumbered Admiral Grigorovich makes her southbound passage in the early Sunday morning. Her number was 745. Now it's 494

[OUTLAW 09]

The Russian version of their Syrian "truth" released by the Russian UK Embassy which has had the lead in English propaganda statements about both eastern Ukraine and now it seems Syria...........


Watch how Russian 6Ds propaganda works...and try to pick out how many are used.....Distort, Deflect, Dismay, Deflect all designed to create Doubt and Distrust....

24.09.2016
Why not give the Syrians a break? (by Ambassador Yakovenko for RBTH)


It was in the fertile soil of the ongoing civil conflict that ISIS expanded to Syria. Ever since, Russia has been urging the establishment of a common front of the international community against terrorists, including the al-Qaeda linked Jabhat al-Nusra, which despite its recent rebranding continues to be a terrorist organization. We agree on that with our U.S. partners, as testified to by the Lavrov-Kerry accords, reached in Geneva along the lines agreed by presidents Putin and Obama. Russia insists on declassifying this deal, so that there is not the slightest whiff of secret diplomacy about it. Terrorists played a key and leading role in the fight against government forces.
The battle for Aleppo is a case in point. The fight against terrorism creates common ground for all Syrians. Most of the terrorist fighters in Syria are foreigners, whose agenda has nothing to do with the interests and aspirations of the Syrian people. In fact, the terrorists have hijacked the cause of the opposition. This major factor distorting the entire Syrian situation has to be eliminated.
As agreed by Russia and the U.S. in their capacity as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, the opposition groups ought to disentangle themselves from the terrorists on the ground, to be part of the cessation of hostilities (CofH) and to sit at the table of inclusive negotiations on Syria’s future, as provided for in the UN Security Council resolution 2254. That is a key priority in making the CofH sustainable.
Russia and the U.S. have agreed to co-ordinate their strikes at terrorist targets in Syria and, for that purpose, help the true opposition sever its unholy alliances with terrorists. This will go a long way in ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches all those in need throughout Syria.
The Centre for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides, established by the Russian military, has been brokering support for the ceasefire at the grassroots and delivering humanitarian assistance. As a result, about 600 villages and 69 armed groups now abide by the cessation of hostilities co-sponsored by Russia and the U.S. in February.
The Syrian situation is complicated by regional rivalries. The conflict is being used to reorder regional politics along the lines of Sunni-Shia confrontation. That is why some insist on turning Syria into a Sunni state, not a secular democracy. So far, all the attempts to impose a “Sunni alternative” on Syria proved to be a cover-up for a terrorist takeover.
No one in Syria expected the conflict to be of such magnitude and to last so long. From the outset, many in Syria were misled by the precedent of Western military intervention in Libya, which the Foreign Affairs Committee in its latest report strongly condemns as a blunder. Had it not been for that, people on both sides of the civil conflict would have acted more responsibly. People know now what life under terrorist rule is like. There are more than enough grounds for a sober reassessment of the situation by all, including outside players. Why not give the Syrians a break and let them decide for themselves?
There is no reasonable alternative to a moderate politics of reconciliation and return to a peaceful life. Regional players and the international community at large should help in the economic reconstruction and social rehabilitation of this country. The world let the Syrians down in the past. We cannot fail them now.

NOTE...notice just how he avoids saying "there is nothing but a military solution available and we are using it" WHEREAS Obama states "there can be no military solution"...HOW wrong was Obama???



NOTICE the Russian ambassador refers to the recent US/Russia so called ceasefire as if it was a done deal....BUT he utterly failed to mention both Assad and the Russian MoD cancelled the ceasefire AND then proceeded to air strike a agreed to UN/SRC aid convoy....claiming it was hit by a US drone carrying 250lb Russian bombs.....and that drone dropped over 18 bombs......

[OUTLAW 09]

Eliot Higgins
✔
@EliotHiggins
The same Russian bots who were pushing the "anti-bellingcat" report are now pushing claims the photos from the UN convoy attack are fake.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: #Assad/#Russia|n airstrikes have destroyed the @SyriaCivilDef HQ in #Hanano District today.

Charles Lister
✔
@Charles_Lister
Mohammed Alloush says bombing of civilians in #Aleppo is responsibility of "Friends of #Syria" who block opposition acquisition of MANPADS:
https://twitter.com/mohammed_aloush/status/779834547303219200#
…

WOW...the Brits say what apparently the Obama WH cannot say....."war crimes against humanity"...

Al Arabiya English
✔
@AlArabiya_Eng
#BREAKING: #British FM Johnson: #Russia is guilty of protracting war in #Syria and of war crimes

“[Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin’s] regime is not only handing Assad the revolver, he is using the revolver himself,”
- @BorisJohnson

BUT WAIT...Brit double standards .......

Meanwhile British government accepts Assad's request to block Syrian activist from traveling. What's up @BorisJohnson ???

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister ‏@Charles_Lister

Diplomatic thinking in the US & EU is beginning to shift on #Syria.

#Russia’s attack on aid convoy & #Aleppo onslaught is having an effect.

Hawkish voices from UK, France (+ regional states) beginning to show some foresight in #Washington.

180° shift in assessment of #Russia.

The idea that a regime victory would lead to enforced stability in #Syria is a *total* fantasy.

Status quo is *not* sustainable.

BUT WAIT...the Obama WH is only smiling and nodding their heads nothing else happens though.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Hama Rebels seized 2 barriers btw Kubbariyah & Kawkab
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.321358&lon=36.800594&z=14&m=b#…

N. #Hama: Rebel offensive ongoing as they took 2 barriers this morning & launched operations to storm Al-Qarah.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.341175&lon=36.832352&z=13&m#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Su-25SM3 war planes spotted returning to #Syria fitted w/ the latest SOLT-25 thermal imaging & Vitebsk active protection systems

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad helicopters attacked @SyriaCivilDef HQ in #Hanano with Barrel bombs this morning putting it out of service.

[CrowBat]

CrowBat........I keep going back to the Obama 20,000 word interview and rereading it...it does appear that in his assumed genius of ethical FP he somehow "forgot" the sectarian aspect, the Khomeini/KSA rivalry, revolutionary Islam, and the famous Khomeini "Green Crescent" statements.
I see this different.

Before explaining how do I see it, let me observe I'll now post a few things that are likely to make me extremely unpopular here (at least they already made me extremely unpopular in quite a few other places). Indeed, it's going to probably cause not only a few to declare me 'anti-US', especially 'anti-Israel', and some even 'anti-Semitic' and 'conspiracy theorist'. Let me observe that nothing of this is the case: I'm merely going to explain my conclusions, based on 30+ years of research about the Middle East (and specially countries like Iran, Syria, Iraq, etc., and their, and US and Israeli mutual politics and relations).

Namely, I doubt he (Oblabla) forgot about anything. If it would be that way, one could only wonder how comes. There is simply no logical explanation for this. Actually: explanations are not only available, but perfectly logical too.

I'm sorry to say it, but when it comes to countries like Syria, the USA have no own foreign policy. Means: the US foreign policy for such important countries like Syria is dictated by Israeli interests.

Israelis are not interested in some sort of peaceful, pluralist, democratic Syria - and that for many of reasons that are important to them. They know very well, first thing such a Syria would do would be to open negotiations for return of the Golan Heights. And they are not the least interested in negotiating about this topic (not only because this is one of three major aquifiers of Israel, but also because they know their case would not stand any international jurisdiction; on the contrary, they're meanwhile argumenting that 'Golan is longer a part of Israel than it used to be a part of Syria', and similar nonsense).

Secondly, they know that such Syria would be no threat - not even a theoretic one (like Assad's regime) - for Israel.

Thirdly, such Syria would not have IRGC bases on its soil, nor could/would it tolerate Hezbollah presence.

These two arguments are particularly important then the experience ever since the 1950s and 1960s has shown (and one needs not much more but read books by Dayan, Ben Gurion etc.), that Israel 'needs' a sort of 'mortal/extistential threat from abroad': that's stimulating donations, technology transfer, and provision of military aid (primarily from the USA of course).

(Of course, one could say that Oblabla is not in particularly good relations with Netanyahu. No doubt, this is correct. However, it means not that Oblabla's administration curbed US donations, flow of arms and/or technology transfer to Israel in the last eight years. On the contrary: this was even increased. And not only that: many of decisions very important for the future of the US military were based on 'experiences' provided by what various consultants in the DC see as 'our friends there'. ... BTW, this is where you can add that idiotic meddling of the Pentagon and the DIA into the US foreign policy, i.e. these 'outplaying' the State Departments when it comes to 'impressing' their opinions and politics upon Oblabla: namely, and despite all the possible official limitations on connections of that kind, a great deal of what the Pentagon and the DIA think they 'know' about Syria, is provided through various 'unofficial channels' - from precisely 'that one source', namely Israel. BTW, this is something I really know 'first hand', then I've eye-witnessed relevant 'discussions' not only 'dozens of times'.)

Whichever way one turns it: since Israeli interests are perfectly in line with Oblabla's own idea about 'not getting involved anywhere in the Middle East, no matter the cost or consequences', the issue of 'not getting involved in Syria' became one of (supposedly) higher national interests.

And that's it.

From that POV, it's actually irrelevant whether then he forgot, ignored, has no clue about, or can't care less about the other 'conglomerate of crucial interests there', be this the sectarian aspect, or Iran/Saudi Arabia rivalry etc. That's simply not important - because what is important for the USA in such cases (like Syria) is what Israel thinks.

This is especially obvious when it comes to that supposed Iran/Saudi Arabia rivalry. Sure, there is rivalry, but this was always around, yet never before dominating the scene like it does recently.

But foremost: who came to the idea that the IRGC launched its military intervention in Syria because of 'rivalry with Saudi Arabia'?

Sorry, no clue. I'm only sure it wasn't me.

Why is this important?

Well, because the IRGC is not in Syria for something like 'countering Saudis' - like so many are babbling around. The IRGC is there for the purpose of spreading its hegemony. The IRGC knows Syrians - in general - are even nowadays (and after all the terror they went through), no extremists, and not receptive for Wahhabism. It knows the numbers are simply against local Alawites and local Shi'a, which is contrary to Lebanon.

So, why is then the IRGC there at all? It's there with the same, lame purpose of preventing Syrians from making their own decisions about their future - for which it squashed the uprising in Iran, back in 2009.

Surely, one could say that the IRGC has a secondary interest in confronting Israel. That's so because just like it's 'good' for Israel whenever it finds itself confronting some kind of 'mortal danger' (because this is stimulating provision of donations, technology transfer and US arms deliveries etc.), so it's also 'good' for the IRGC to be able to make claims it's 'confronting the Zionist enemy'.

But, that's a lame excuse. The IRGC would never come to the idea to openly, 'frontally' confront Israel. All it's doing in this regards is 'just enough for PR purposes'.

So, the actual conclusion is: a sovereign, pluralist Syria is simply something that's in nobody's interest: not in that of the USA, not in that of Russia, not in that of Assad, not in that of the IRGC, not in that of Israel, though yes: even not that of Saudi Arabia, or Qatar, or Turkey etc.

In other words: this cluster-f... in Syria is actually in almost everybody's interest, so no surprise it goes on, and on, and on and on...

[OUTLAW 09]

Hama: Rebels destroyed 1 #Assad T-72 tank, a 23mm gun and killed many pro-#Assad forces at #Qarah village today

"The only way to take [eastern Aleppo] is by such monstrous atrocities that it would resonate for generations."
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/24/aleppo-siege-tighten-bashar-al-assad-water-two-million?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other#
…

[davidbfpo]

Trying to make sense of Aleppo today:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37454637

http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/6F5F/production/_91311582_aleppo_control_19_09_16_624.png

[OUTLAW 09]

A tad off topic for here but the Russian non linear warfare has two key components 1) cyber warfare and 2) information warfare........

What we are facing in the consumer wave of new gadgets is the so called "Internet of Things"......IoT.....with say a smart refrigerator or TV or CCTV etc.....

This botnet with 145607 cameras/dvr (1-30Mbps per IP) is able to send >1.5Tbps DDoS. Type: tcp/ack, tcp/ack+psh, tcp/syn.

For those that do not understand this tech speak ...it was a massive really massive DDoS attack ...coming from camera's.......

The power wasn't all put into one server, it was used on multiple servers around the world, different companies ect

This is the daily "war" I deal with......and it is getting worse by the day.....

For example western MSM rarely reports on the ongoing Syrian cyber attacks against KSA, Jordan, UAE and or Kuwait almost daily these days....

6 Ways to #Protect your #Internet of Things from #Hackers
http://www.hacksurfer.com/posts/6-ways-to-protect-your-internet-of-things-from-hackers#

Moderator's Note: This website requires registration.

[OUTLAW 09]

If Israel had dropped one bomb on Aleppo world would be up in arms, massive protests, emergency meetings. Now city being pulverized. Silence

Russian info warfare hard at work......

Obama: "ALL OF US can be co-workers with God."

#Russia's gov't-sponsored Vesti: "U.S. claims to be in partnership with God."

[OUTLAW 09]

Hama: Rebels destroyed an #Assad Mig-23 warplane with Grad rockets on #Hama Military Airport.

Hama Military Airport was hit by 30 Grad rockets today.

Syrian FM, Dep PM Walid Moallem's speech before the UN General Assembly

He claimed that 380,000 terrorist have entered Syrian since 2011,the SAA has killed 95,000 and 120,000 have returned home.....

Engl video https://www.c-span.org/video/?415779-1/syrian-foreign-affairs-minister-un-general-assembly-address#…
Engl text http://sana.sy/en/?p=88920#

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: 60 civilians confirmed killed by #Russia|n airstrikes with cluster bombs on Shaar & Tariq Al-Bab Districts, #Aleppo City.

Aleppo: 630+ #Syria|n civilians were killed by #Assad & #Putin airstrikes this week, including 135+ children & 100+ women

7 brigades announce joining al Safwa Battalion in N. #Aleppo
https://youtu.be/FiaQ3Nux9gM

FSA groups release a joint statement about regime and Russian escalations in Syria.

Rahman corps targeting regime fighters on two bridges front #Ghouta

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia Syrian Express........

#ВМФ #ЧФ BSF Tapir class LST Nikolai Filchenkov rejoins Russia's #Syria campaign after 312 days & transits Bosphorus en route to #Tartus

[OUTLAW 09]

Video here of the bombs #Russia is using against civilians in #Aleppo including the bunker buster BETAB-500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=679YYdsfTcU#
…
Somehow Germany cannot use the words...Russia and bombing Aleppo in the same sentence.....

German media talking about a "surprising bombing pause" in #Aleppo and concealing the #Russia|n involvement.
https://twitter.com/tagesspiegel/status/780043743860776960#
…

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Su-25SM3 war planes spotted returning to #Syria fitted w/ the latest SOLT-25 thermal imaging & Vitebsk active protection systems

Charles Lister
✔
@Charles_Lister
*Very* important:

#Russia has re-deployed Su-25 jets (designed for close air support) to #Syria.

= Speaks volumes as to #Moscow’s intent.

[OUTLAW 09]

Video here of the bombs #Russia is using against civilians in #Aleppo including the bunker buster BETAB-500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=679YYdsfTcU#
…


UN Envoy De Mistura makes reference to “bunker buster” bomb use on #Aleppo.

#Russia has used its BETAB-500s in #Syria before, but vs. #ISIS

[OUTLAW 09]

#US Gen. Danford, CJCS: "Right now… for us to control all of the airspace in #Syria would require us to go to war against Syria and #Russia"

BUT WAIT.....Kerry never said a single word about ALL of Syria...he stated..."for specific selected areas".....

[OUTLAW 09]

[QUOTE=OUTLAW 09;194353
FSA groups release a joint statement about regime and Russian escalations in Syria.

[/QUOTE]

FSA on recent #Aleppo events:

- Political process meaningless
- #Russia can no longer be monitor
- UNSC resolutions must be enforced, now

[OUTLAW 09]

US representative:
Perhaps SC will ask who's guilty and say Russia to stop the bombardment of Aleppo

#Aleppo residents: "It's impossible to recover the bodies. There are too many and the airstrikes don't stop."

[OUTLAW 09]

6 Ways to #Protect your #Internet of Things from #Hackers
http://www.hacksurfer.com/posts/6-ways-to-protect-your-internet-of-things-from-hackers#

Moderator's Note: This website requires registration.

In the future, bored kids will hold the world's economy to ransom by building DDoS botnets of smart fridges, toasters and light bulbs.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Ambassador tells the Security Council the Syrian regime has displayed "enviable restraint" in response to events in #Syria.

Near half million dead, some 12 million displaced and refugees- that's some rewrite of the meaning of "admirable restraint"

More by Amb Power:

- #Russia is not countering-terror, it’s practicing barbarity

- One thing is certain, #Moscow does not tell the truth.


British ambassador to UN: "In Short it is difficult to deny that Russia is partnering with the Syria regime to carry out war crimes

Samantha Power
✔
@AmbassadorPower
What #Russia is sponsoring and doing in #Aleppo is not counter-terrorism. It is barbarism.

The agreement has been torn to shreds by the large-scale attack on eastern Aleppo, Senegal says.

Samantha Power
✔
@AmbassadorPower
Instead of pursuing peace, Russia & Assad make war, attacking aid workers, civilian families, and the first responders trying to save lives

Uruguay
"It is none other than a massacre. That's what it means to drop bombs on the civilian population, to drop bombs on medical facilities."

Russian U.N. ambassador: peace in Syria 'is almost an impossible task now
http://www.
reuters.com/article/idUSKCN11V0O4#
…
British ambassador to UN: #Russia partnering with Syrian govt to commit war crimes.
http://news.sky.com/story/rebels-say-push-for-peace-in-syria-is-futile-as-russian-backed-bombing-intensifies-10592957#
…

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Ambassador tells the Security Council the Syrian regime has displayed "enviable restraint" in response to events in #Syria.

Near half million dead, some 12 million displaced and refugees- that's some rewrite of the meaning of "admirable restraint"

More by Amb Power:

- #Russia is not countering-terror, it’s practicing barbarity

- One thing is certain, #Moscow does not tell the truth.


British ambassador to UN: "In Short it is difficult to deny that Russia is partnering with the Syria regime to carry out war crimes

Samantha Power
✔
@AmbassadorPower
What #Russia is sponsoring and doing in #Aleppo is not counter-terrorism. It is barbarism.

The agreement has been torn to shreds by the large-scale attack on eastern Aleppo, Senegal says.

Samantha Power
✔
@AmbassadorPower
Instead of pursuing peace, Russia & Assad make war, attacking aid workers, civilian families, and the first responders trying to save lives

Uruguay
"It is none other than a massacre. That's what it means to drop bombs on the civilian population, to drop bombs on medical facilities."

Russian U.N. ambassador: peace in Syria 'is almost an impossible task now
http://www.
reuters.com/article/idUSKCN11V0O4#
…
British ambassador to UN: #Russia partnering with Syrian govt to commit war crimes.
http://news.sky.com/story/rebels-say-push-for-peace-in-syria-is-futile-as-russian-backed-bombing-intensifies-10592957#
…

Russia claims that videos from Aleppo are being faked and want to restart the political process.

BUT WAIT.....
Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura tells #UNSC dozens of women and children killed in #Aleppo in recent days

UK Amb. Rycroft #UNSC: Russia, Assad & Shiite militia have killed more civilians than ISIS & Nusra

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia and Syria have set up corridors to help people leave Aleppo, Vitaly Churkin lies without any shame.

On UN convoy Churkin says Russian planes were over it for several minutes (as Americans told him) but bombing lasted for hours. Not us, gov.

US/UK/Fr statements in Security Council surely signal that the 'trust Russia to stop Assad killing civilians' strategy is over. New phase.

France's FM:Russia and Iran will be
guilty of war crimes if they don't pressure #Bashar
Assad to stop escalating violence.

.@RussiaUN Churkin: Syrian Govt forces are being surrounded. Only firing when they are being fired upon. (!)

Churkin on pressing Assad to stop crimes against humanity: "we don't have to order anybody to do anything unilaterally"

Russia's Churkin blames #Russia & #Assad's siege on Aleppo on civilians within said siege, calling them all 'human shields.'

Russia's Churkin tries to pin air strikes on Aleppo water supplies
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37460849#
… on Nusra, like previous airstrikes

Churkin admits more than 200,000 people in east aleppo, contrary to regime claims only 40,000. says they are prisoners of nusra.

Churkin says videos of alleged Russian air strikes on eastern #Aleppo are indeed months old attacks by rebels on western #Aleppo

Churkin spews a haphazard gaggle of semi-coherent cynicisms, half-truths & outright lies with intent to daze, deflect & bore folks to tears.

Churkin:
1. Dismissing the truth
2. Distracting the truth
3. Dismaying the truth
4. Distorting the truth
Russian 6 Ds propaganda hard at work.......

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia and Syria have set up corridors to help people leave Aleppo, Vitaly Churkin lies without any shame.

On UN convoy Churkin says Russian planes were over it for several minutes (as Americans told him) but bombing lasted for hours. Not us, gov.

US/UK/Fr statements in Security Council surely signal that the 'trust Russia to stop Assad killing civilians' strategy is over. New phase.

France's FM:Russia and Iran will be
guilty of war crimes if they don't pressure #Bashar
Assad to stop escalating violence.

.@RussiaUN Churkin: Syrian Govt forces are being surrounded. Only firing when they are being fired upon. (!)

Churkin on pressing Assad to stop crimes against humanity: "we don't have to order anybody to do anything unilaterally"

Russia's Churkin blames #Russia & #Assad's siege on Aleppo on civilians within said siege, calling them all 'human shields.'

Russia's Churkin tries to pin air strikes on Aleppo water supplies
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37460849#
… on Nusra, like previous airstrikes

Churkin admits more than 200,000 people in east aleppo, contrary to regime claims only 40,000. says they are prisoners of nusra.

Churkin says videos of alleged Russian air strikes on eastern #Aleppo are indeed months old attacks by rebels on western #Aleppo

Churkin spews a haphazard gaggle of semi-coherent cynicisms, half-truths & outright lies with intent to daze, deflect & bore folks to tears.

Churkin:
1. Dismissing the truth
2. Distracting the truth
3. Dismaying the truth
4. Distorting the truth
Russian 6 Ds propaganda hard at work.......

Churkin says US leaked info on two Russian fighter jets over attacked UN aid convoy after Kerry said they wouldnt. seriously?

Churkin: "Our planes were over the UN convoy only a few minutes...How could we have bombed it for hours? And what about France last month?

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian and Russian military consistently raising Aleppo to the ground-just like they did in Grozny, Chechnya in 1994-95.

Syria: aid for fully besieged E. #Aleppo destroyed by RuAF/SyaF while Jaish Fateh allowed aid for Fuah-Kefraya (supplied by Iranian C-130s)

[OUTLAW 09]

Big Syria question: When will Obama/Kerry stop treating Putin as a partner in peace and start treating him as an accomplice in mass murder?

[OUTLAW 09]

Big Syria question: When will Obama/Kerry stop treating Putin as a partner in peace and start treating him as an accomplice in mass murder?

BREAKING #Syria's @UN envoy says the regime's new #Aleppo offensive is 'meant to save lives'

Hraytan near #Aleppo under incendiary cluster munition bombardment

Syrian Arab Rep: rejects all accusations in use of prohibited weapons.

Jaafari: "the Syrian government will never relinquish one inch of our territory" (That's also a message to Erdogan)

Most air strikes on #Aleppo are by #Russia. Some by #Assad regime
- No #ISIS fighters in targeted areas
- All victims are civilians

Syria just blamed victims for getting themselves killed. Assad is emboldened to kill civilians only b/c of Russia's willingness to do same.

[OUTLAW 09]

Video claiming to show a T-72 tank destroyed in vicinity of Ma'an yesterday:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMISIRhDt7A#
…
That's one impressive cook-off.

[OUTLAW 09]

Russian Syrian Express.....



Alligator landing ship "Nikolay Filchenkov" passed İstanbul Strait en route to #tartus #syria (6:00 pm local time)

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad Amb to #UN recycles a claim that #ahraralsham will stage a chemical attack in #Syria ignoring evidence regime used CW on civilians

[OUTLAW 09]

Sberbank spends ~$25m a year on cybersecurity (JPMorgan spends ~$600m). And that's at Russia's biggest bank #infosec
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-09-25/sberbank-proposes-shielding-skeptical-russia-rivals-from-hackers#
…
IMPORTANT #German intelligence chief warns political parties about RU cyber atacks in run-up Bundestag election.
http://www.dw.com/en/hackers-lurking-parliamentarians-told/a-19564630#
…

[OUTLAW 09]

Samantha Power at UNSC on Russia's actions in Aleppo: What you can be sure Russia will not do is tell the truth

S.Power on RUS bombing Aleppo: What you can be sure that Russia will not do today or any day is accept any responsibility for its actions


SO exactly WHY has Kerry and Obama attempted time and again to treat Russia as a "partner that can be trusted" by continuously talking to them thus giving the world a perception that Russia is an equal super power worthy of being on the same table WHEN they are not.....

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria 600+ have been killed by Russia & Assad in the last week including 122 children & 94 women. Over half were killed in #Aleppo alone

UN, US & Friends of #Syria have allowed Russia & Assad to breach every humanitarian law in existence w/ total impunity. They are complicit.

Report
124 civilians were killed by #AssadPutin on Sunday, incl. "dozens of" children.
92 of the victims died in and around #Aleppo.
- LCC

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria 85 killed & 320 wounded by airstrikes in #Aleppo at sunday
315 dead at weekend #genocide continues

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Night airstrikes with cluster bombs on al-Farahaniah/ #Talbisah in northern #Homs

Another #Russian cluster bomb attack also hit a bus in #Aleppo today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jheYl59fRuI#…

Seems from this video Russia backs SDF/YPG offensives near Efrin, but no official confirmation
Russian air strike/drone video.....
https://youtu.be/efk2LYKG8Uk

Video from @Daretezzamedia showing a cluster bomb strike. Reportedly in Daret Izza, 18 miles northwest of #Aleppo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob86Nneklt4#…

Footage
More incendiary attacks on rural #Aleppo tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyniu3nhog8#…

Footage
#Assad's Su-22 bombed northern #Homs province today.
Both, the dictator and #Russia want more blood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkdBmXXQBGU#…

Syrien heute.
So nutzt #Russland seinen "Einfluss" auf das #Assad-Regime, Herr FM #Steinmeier ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTqx62gOOK0#…

Very graphic. Severely injured child after the #AssadPutin air strikes on #Aleppo today.
Dozens dies again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmxd3uRER8I#…

Footage
Several air strikes on besieged #Homs province today.
Locals call them "Russian".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrXS2Ley5n4#…

Footage
#Putin's killers dropped more incendiary bombs on #Aleppo CITY this afternoon!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl6dhzVIlKs#…

BreakingFootage
Darat Izza near #Aleppo right now.
Night time #ClusterBomb attacks on the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob86Nneklt4#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Operation Euphrates Shield must move further south in Syria, says FM avuşoğlu

http://www.dailysabah.com/war-on-terror/2016/09/25/operation-euphrates-shield-must-move-further-south-in-syria-says-fm-cavusoglu


Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlt avuşoğlu commented on the current Euphrates Shield military operation and said Turkey may move a further 45 kilometers in northern Syria amid efforts to establish a de facto safe zone, during an interview given to France 24 television channel on Saturday. "Initially, we [Turkey] may move at least 45 kilometers down and we must move further down in order to seal off the Manbij region. Then, a 5,000 kilometer de facto safe zone can be established," Foreign Minister avuşoğlu said.
Continuing on to reaffirm that the PKK's Syrian offshoot the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in Syria is a terrorist group affiliated with the PKK, avuşoğlu said U.S. cooperation with the PYD is unacceptable for Turkey. While Turkish officials met with U.S. officials in New York during the U.N. Summit, Minister avuşoğlu stated that all evidence on U.S.-based Glenist Terror Group (FET) leader Fethullah Glen has been submitted to American officials as the Turkish minister stated that "Turkey now awaits the extradition of Glen."
As the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) joint operation with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in northern Syria enters its 32nd day, the forces have hit 51 Daesh targets as one bombed vehicle was annihilated. With debates as to whether Turkey would be willing to take part in a possible cross-border operation to liberate Raqqa under Operation Euphrates Shield, Minister avuşoğlu said military officials are discussing the matter while he noted that the date of the operation is yet to be decided. Reiterating that Turkey fights against Daesh in Syria, the foreign minister underlined that once local forces completely recapture Jarablus, the proposed safe zone could be protected by those same forces. He also added that a no-fly zone for the same region [of Jarablus] would be significantly beneficial for the region to remain as a safe zone.
'US cooperates with PYD terrorists that attack Turkey'
Commenting on the U.S.'s direct weaponry support to the PKK-affiliate PYD, Minister avuşoğlu once more reaffirmed that the PYD does not represent the Kurds as it is a terrorist group. Ankara has long criticized the U.S. for providing arms to the PYD and Turkish authorities called on Washington to stop supporting terrorism as it joins forces with "terrorists." In this respect, avuşoğlu said, "the U.S. always fights terrorism; however, with this incident [the U.S. arming the PYD] the U.S. is, unfortunately, cooperating with a terrorist group that attacks Turkey. The weapons of the two suicide bombers in Ankara had obtained them from the camps that the U.S. supports and that is unacceptable." As Foreign Minister avuşoğlu further noted that Turkey's aim is to defeat DAESH, he stressed that if Turkey wanted to directly combat against the PYD then it would've entered Syria from Kobani or elsewhere. avuşoğlu added that the PYD must withdraw to West of the Euphrates River as promised by the U.S., stressing that the terrorist group remains in the area. In regards to the recent airstrike against the U.N. aid convoy delivering food to the pounded opposition-held parts of Syria around Aleppo, avuşoğlu urged for a transparent investigation on the attack as he noted that "it is clear that the [Assad] regime and his supporters have attacked the U.N. convoy."

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Night airstrikes with cluster bombs on al-Farahaniah/ #Talbisah in northern #Homs

Another #Russian cluster bomb attack also hit a bus in #Aleppo today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jheYl59fRuI#…

Seems from this video Russia backs SDF/YPG offensives near Efrin, but no official confirmation
Russian air strike/drone video.....
https://youtu.be/efk2LYKG8Uk

Video from @Daretezzamedia showing a cluster bomb strike. Reportedly in Daret Izza, 18 miles northwest of #Aleppo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob86Nneklt4#…

Footage
More incendiary attacks on rural #Aleppo tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyniu3nhog8#…

Footage
#Assad's Su-22 bombed northern #Homs province today.
Both, the dictator and #Russia want more blood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkdBmXXQBGU#…

Syrien heute.
So nutzt #Russland seinen "Einfluss" auf das #Assad-Regime, Herr FM #Steinmeier ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTqx62gOOK0#…

Very graphic. Severely injured child after the #AssadPutin air strikes on #Aleppo today.
Dozens dies again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmxd3uRER8I#…

Footage
Several air strikes on besieged #Homs province today.
Locals call them "Russian".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrXS2Ley5n4#…

Footage
#Putin's killers dropped more incendiary bombs on #Aleppo CITY this afternoon!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bl6dhzVIlKs#…

BreakingFootage
Darat Izza near #Aleppo right now.
Night time #ClusterBomb attacks on the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob86Nneklt4#…

Russia bombs aid convoys.
Islamist rebels let them reach regime areas.
#WhoIsTheTerrorist?!

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria south #Aleppo: #Iran lead Shiite militias try to advance on villages south of Jabal al-Arbaain
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.936320&lon=37.159538&z=14&m=b#
…
2 Syrian Docs look Rouhani in the face & question Iran's Syria policy, Show more guts than most powerful diplomats.
http://bv.ms/2cN7z8l

Airstrikes with incendiary & cluster bombs on #Aleppo's northern suburbs this morning

IS launch assault to regain Athariyah near al Rai town
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.601472&lon=37.509127&z=14&m=b#…

N. #Quneitra: Rebels foiled an attempt by pro-Regime forces to seize back Al-Hamriya hill.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=33.262087&lon=35.820923&z=13&m#…

N. #Latakia: 1st Coastal Division wiped out with a #Fagot a fortified position with 14.5 mm gun on Atirah Mount.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVfbMakYvJI#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Samantha Power: "Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/us-accuses-russia-of-barbarism-and-war-crimes-in-syria/2016/09/25/c3a00750-833d-11e6-b57d-dd49277af02f_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_syria-715pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory#
…
News
#AssadPutin air strikes killed 6 civilians in and around #Aleppo between dawn and noon.

Footage
Injured child after air strikes on #MaaratAlNuman in #Idlib province this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM34gEgjOFA#

Footage
#Assad regime air force attacks on rural #Damascus today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NOvYzgjXpo#
…
Footage
Seems like the regime withdrew all its artillery pieces and guns from #Maan before the capture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM34gEgjOFA#

Either regime troops need their artillery in other locations OR they anticipated fully losing this critical position.....

Syrian sappers in Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_zvez4sYb0&feature=youtu.be#
…

[OUTLAW 09]

Samantha Power: "Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/us-accuses-russia-of-barbarism-and-war-crimes-in-syria/2016/09/25/c3a00750-833d-11e6-b57d-dd49277af02f_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_syria-715pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory#
…
News
#AssadPutin air strikes killed 6 civilians in and around #Aleppo between dawn and noon.

Footage
Injured child after air strikes on #MaaratAlNuman in #Idlib province this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM34gEgjOFA#

Footage
#Assad regime air force attacks on rural #Damascus today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NOvYzgjXpo#
…
Footage
Seems like the regime withdrew all its artillery pieces and guns from #Maan before the capture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DM34gEgjOFA#

Either regime troops need their artillery in other locations OR they anticipated fully losing this critical position.....

Syrian sappers in Aleppo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_zvez4sYb0&feature=youtu.be#
…

Unless it is not already clear: was told a few weeks ago Russia believes Syrian govt must win Aleppo before seriously talking peace.

[OUTLAW 09]

A rare T-72M1V in Syria was spotted yesterday via a social media posting....still needs to be geo located and dated....

Syria Battle without frontlines in desert mountains in eastern Qalamoun
btw rebels & IS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Bgj1ofJjQ#

Footage
Seems like Turkish Army tanks and IFVs abandoned the #FSA battle vs. #ISIS in northern #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbZRArtvxh4#…

At the same time, the Turkish air force says, it hit 71 #ISIS targets in northern #Syria.
This could also help!

Syrian military commanders monitoring the fight in Hama from the comfort of their very own UNHCR tent

[OUTLAW 09]

The @UN has become that organization where as a war criminal you can put on a clean shirt and a tie and get to tell your murderous lies ...

[OUTLAW 09]

AND the Russian Assad ethnic cleansing just keeps on and all the UNSC did yesterday was a lot of talk and hot air...BUT in the end nothing....

Syria Regime continues deportation of rebels & their families from #Homs suburb al Waer toward northern rural #Homs

[OUTLAW 09]

SyriaExpress extreme!
Iranian proxy Harakat al Nujaba leader Sheikh al-Kaabi arrived DIRECTLY to #Aleppo airport.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCsR2B5yMFA#…

[OUTLAW 09]

From a Russian social media open source analysis team in Russia.....

CIT (en) ‏@CITeam_en

RuAF Su-25 CAS jets return to Syria after spring "withdrawal", a sign of Putin opting for military solution again
https://youtu.be/Hcc3X7sCJNI?t=70#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Syrian and Russian military consistently raising Aleppo to the ground-just like they did in Grozny, Chechnya in 1994-95.

Syria More people from #Homs suburb al-Waer arrived in rebel #Rastan-pocket/ Dar al-Kabirah (~350 civilians +100 fighters + guns till now)

Syria So far "only" 15 people killed by airstrikes/shelling in #Aleppo today

Syria Rebels shelling regime held Bashkuy in N #Aleppo with Grad rockets http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.326017&lon=37.121944&z=15&m=b …

Syria #WhiteHelmets dig out 2 babies in #Aleppo's Fardos neighborhood after airstrikes yd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmYbKVQimOI …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.186711&lon=37.148681&z=16&m=b …

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat...this is now not a sectarian war.......

Syria: Leader of #Iraq'i Shiite al-Nujaba militia (fighting for #Assad)
declare "battle of #Aleppo" to "holy war"
https://youtu.be/g9SAhVZs81o

[OUTLAW 09]

Unprecedentedly, Russia spreads ground forces, heavy arms in Eastern Ghouta of Damascus
https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/18520.html?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=socialnetwork


Zaman AL Wasl)- Russian forces fighting by al-Assad has during the last week pushed heavy weapon, mortars and advanced artilleries missiles inside Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, which are operated by Russian soldiers and officers and commanders with ranks of lieutenant, a regime’s sources reported.

The source revealed to Zaman al-Wasl that Russian forces have situated behind the second layouts of the Syrian forces in both fronts of Hosh Nasri and Hosh Farah. The source mentioned that forces are able to easily move all over the areas of Eastern Ghouta, added to big amount of ammunitions allocated for these forces.

The regime’s sources revealed that all artillery units are movable tracked vehicles, with high capacity to manoeuvre. It has very heavy shots, and some of them have an Automatic, self-operating gun size 152 mm, mounted on a tank "t-72" which has a distance up to 70 km. besides launchers “bm-27 "- Uragan size 220 mm which is equipped with 16 launching pipes with distance up to 35 km.

The source mentioned that most Russian ammunitions are highly explosive with splitting arms, cluster bombs, burning effects with phosphorous arms. He confirmed that using these weapon would be in the next few day next week in al-Ghouta.

Some the Russian launchers are equipped with small remote-controlled planes for exploring the area before attack and shelling.

This Russian step is unprecedented, as it spreads its ground forces in the Eastern Ghouta, which indicates that the regime and allies is preparing to start a military operation in al-Ghouta, while all interest is heading to Aleppo that is witnessing heavy air Strikes by regime’s an Russian warplanes.

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Assad-forces shelling northern #Aleppo suburbs with heavy rockets
https://youtu.be/xjSUFDkFz_w

Unicef/#UN claim 100.000 children trapped in the regime siege of east #Aleppo city

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Remarkable: cease-fire between #Assad-forces & #IslamicState at their 70km frontline north & east of #Aleppo now for 6 months

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia use now "Father of All Bombs" in #Syria? with power of mini Nuke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_of_All_Bombs … …

[OUTLAW 09]

People in #Aleppo call the #RussianArmy BETAB-500 "shaky bombs" as their explosion feels like an earthquake - and causes similar damage

314 lives were physically destroyed by #AssadPutin in #Aleppo in only 4 days.

Footage
#Russian State TV films regime attack on "IS and al-Nusra" around #Talbisah ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3RV5x6A6o …

BUT WAIT FSA is only there.......

[OUTLAW 09]

Over #Saraqib today.
A #Russian Su-34 on its way to drop #BunkerBuster bombs on civilians in #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P17pi5STrSM …

Another day of #RUSSIAN (Su-34) air strikes on #Aleppo, slaughtering children in the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmYbKVQimOI …

[OUTLAW 09]

Footage
Many people gave blood for the hundreds of injured in #Aleppo today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffFFzjxCgFg …

Footage (graphic!)
Boy among injured civilians in #ClusterBomb attack on #KafrLaha near #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJVRgZSV_wc …

Powerful bombs rain down on #Anadan north of #Aleppo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjSUFDkFz_w …

Footage
The #FSA fired 6 Grad missiles vs. an #Assad position north of #Aleppo city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yrc4XsQvA4 …

Footage
Air strikes on #Rastan this afternoon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0XGNSKan_A …

Footage
Air strikes on #Rastan this afternoon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0XGNSKan_A …

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad's Speaker of the Parliament: Our Mukhabarat has intercepted calls between Americans and ISIS ahead of the Deir Ezzor attack. https://twitter.com/AlMayadeenLive/status/780357225621651456 …

US Armed Forces Apparently Do Not Obey Obama's Orders on Syria - Lavrov
https://sputniknews.com/politics/20160926/1045700703/lavrov-syria-obama.html

US Armed Forces may be disobeying President Barack Obama's orders on Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.


(Sputnik) — The US-led coalition is failing to meet its obligations on Syria, Lavrov said. "We can only guess why it was needed to gather an emergency [UN Security Council] meeting in the middle of the weekend, although it is not hard to guess. Clearly, the West, headed by the United States which leads the coalition against Daesh is not speaking about al-Nusra Front in Syria, failing to meet its obligations," Lavrov said as broadcast on the NTV channel. "The US Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama supported cooperation with Russia, as I was always assured. He himself confirmed this during a meeting with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in China. Apparently, the military does not quite obey their supreme commander." It is hard to fully trust the US-led coalition as it exclusively targets Daesh targets and avoids striking al-Nusra Front, Lavrov said. "The US anti-terrorist coalition strikes exclusively Daesh and does not strike al-Nusra Front, although [US Secretary of State] John Kerry assures me every time that al-Nusra Front presents the same terrorist threat as Daesh. But they do not touch al-Nusra Front." "I really do not know whom to believe. I definitely cannot believe them fully," Lavrov added.

'The United States wants to set additional conditions concerning the Syria deal reached with Russia beyond what has been already agreed, Lavrov said. "Thankfully, these arrangements are available to all. They have been published, so one can verify what one or the other is required to do," he added. However, it is yet too early to declare the failure of the ceasefire deal brokered by Russia and the United States in Syria, Lavrov said. "At least we are committed to these agreements that have been reached in recent months and where a final point has been set."

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad's Speaker of the Parliament: Our Mukhabarat has intercepted calls between Americans and ISIS ahead of the Deir Ezzor attack. https://twitter.com/AlMayadeenLive/status/780357225621651456 …

US Armed Forces Apparently Do Not Obey Obama's Orders on Syria - Lavrov
https://sputniknews.com/politics/20160926/1045700703/lavrov-syria-obama.html

US Armed Forces may be disobeying President Barack Obama's orders on Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.

State dept spox. Kerry has not spoken to Lavrov since Friday. "I don't want to say we've thrown in the towel but ..."

.@PressSec chided Russia for ignoring promises they only made to keep US talking, while prepping Aleppo assault.

Does he still not know?

.@PressSec: US won't apologize for "pursuing peace" - his phrase for months of failed diplomacy - while Russia loaded up for bombing Aleppo.

[OUTLAW 09]

Aleppo: Pro-#Assad forces failed to capture any territory since end of the "ceasefire" 1 week ago.

Aleppo: 450 #Syria|n civilians were confirmed killed & 2000 injured by #Assad & #Russia|n airstrikes in #Aleppo City in the last 7 days

N. #Latakia: 1st Coastal Division blew up with a #TOW a position with 23 mm gun on Kabana front. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Incf4u7Dgu4 …

Quneitra: Rebels killed dozens of pro-#Assad forces in failed regime attempt to recapture Al-Hamriya Hill today.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.262267&lon=35.819936&z=15&m=b …

E. #Ghouta: violent clashes btwn Jaish Al-Islam & pro-Regime forces on Hawsh Nasri front as the latter tries to advance.

[OUTLAW 09]

MFA Russia
✔ @mfa_russia #Lavrov: We will demand most thorough investigation into humanitarian aid convoy last week near #Aleppo, #Syria
http://sptnkne.ws/cqqn

SO this is interesting...the Russians are going to investigate themsleves it appears....they were the only ones flying that night over the convoy.

BUT WAIT..they vetoed in the UNSC an UN investigation into their shot down of MH17......

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia knows US plan B is a bluff, now push harder for military solution while the White House "evaluating options".

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria Rebels launched assault on regime held villages NE of #Hama
Seized 2 tanks +1 BMB from regime in village

[OUTLAW 09]

Al Nujbaa headquarters at Rasm Bakru in Southern #Aleppo

Nujaba Movement a Iraqi shiite militia that emerged from the 'League of Haq' in 2013 and is led by the founder of both groups, Akram Al Kaabi

[OUTLAW 09]

Internal unrest pressures building inside Assad controlled areas.....

Syria unrest in Jableh(S.Latakia)after municipality demolished unlicensed cafes near city center,owners cut the main street there.

Shots fired heard in Jableh following the unrest,owners are furious for not demolishing cafes owned by regime officials #Syria

[OUTLAW 09]

Recapturing of #Aleppo by #Assad-regime is #Russia's "exit strategy"
from #Syria'n war? Explain why bombs getting bigger. #Putin impatient?!

IMHO...this comment is actually correct as there have been Russian commenters stating that Assad needs to win in Aleppo in order to do any kind of so called peace deal....

BUT what is far more important....Assad and Putin used the cover of the so called Kerry ceasefire to reposition troops, get more troops and supplies into positions for three major counter offensives...ALL have basically failed...EVEN that Iraqi Shia militia assault on Aleppo has gone nowhere in a bad hurry over the last three days...actually gone nowhere as the rebels knew it was coming and are After five years extremely good at urban warfare and the tactic of chopping up the opponent and delaying actions during their attacks in urban areas....

[OUTLAW 09]

Actually an interesting development of the interactions between the various Salafist groups led by Ahrar and JFS against IS and IS related Syrian Salafist groupings like JaA.....

SO who is saying the Syrians cannot figure things out between the FSA and the JFS led Salafists....

Ajnad, JFS, Fajr & Ahrar took 2 villages NE #Hama. Local activists suggest operation aim to keep Jund al-Aqsa away from IS areas to the east

They have now seized 3 villages from regime so far

Syrian rebels started storming the village of Ash Sha`ta in #Hama province.
It is 8 km east of Ma'an.

[OUTLAW 09]

IRGC Major Genral.Rahim Safavi in an Iranian TV interview: "Russian airstrikes in Aleppo are based on informations provided by IRGC advisoirs,Hezbollah,SAA."22 Sep 16

[OUTLAW 09]

DID the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH really think that after their massive and repeated failures at a ceasefire and no humanitarian aid and now the Russian deliberate destruction of Aleppo and the unlimited killing of civilian a la Gronzy THAT the Sunni Front States WOULD HONESTY NOT ACT....

DID the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH not think the photos and videos of the deliberate killing of women and children WOULD NOT HAVE AN IMPACT on the global Sunni community led by Turkey and KSA????

IF they did not then they should not be in the positions they are in.....

US officials getting more jittery that Gulf states/Turkey will start funneling MANPADS into Syria.
http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN11W2N7#
…
Gulf may arm rebels now Syria truce is dead -U.S. officials
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3808902/Gulf-arm-rebels-Syria-truce-dead-U-S-officials.html#
…
ESPECIALLY since there never was a true PLAN B.....

THERE would be no "jitters" if they would establish a NFZ over Aleppo and other key besieged locations and stopped the sheer destruction and deliberate killing of civilians...BUT THEY WILL NOT......thus the "jitters"......

[OUTLAW 09]

Syria #Damascus #Assad-forces shelling with mortars & tanks besieged #Qudsaya suburb + try to storm
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33.546223&lon=36.214757&z=15&m=b#
…

[OUTLAW 09]

Report
43 civilians were killed by #AssadPutin on Monday, incl. 13 children.
31 of the victims died in and around #Aleppo.
- LCC

[OUTLAW 09]

The @UN drops aid over #DeirEzzor, Iranian AF C130s drops aid over Fuah and Kefraya (video)...only #Aleppo keeps starving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WksjG9f7Rzs#…

[OUTLAW 09]

DID the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH really think that after their massive and repeated failures at a ceasefire and no humanitarian aid and now the Russian deliberate destruction of Aleppo and the unlimited killing of civilian a la Gronzy THAT the Sunni Front States WOULD HONESTY NOT ACT....

DID the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH not think the photos and videos of the deliberate killing of women and children WOULD NOT HAVE AN IMPACT on the global Sunni community led by Turkey and KSA????

IF they did not then they should not be in the positions they are in.....

US officials getting more jittery that Gulf states/Turkey will start funneling MANPADS into Syria.
http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN11W2N7#
…
Gulf may arm rebels now Syria truce is dead -U.S. officials
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3808902/Gulf-arm-rebels-Syria-truce-dead-U-S-officials.html#
…
ESPECIALLY since there never was a true PLAN B.....

THERE would be no "jitters" if they would establish a NFZ over Aleppo and other key besieged locations and stopped the sheer destruction and deliberate killing of civilians...BUT THEY WILL NOT......thus the "jitters"......

Rastan in #Homs today.
#Assad's Su-22 pound the city.
MANPADS could end the horror within hours ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Czk2nQ81w#…

And much more from #Huraytan.
"Artillery and helicopters" as the filmer says.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMljpHrxs5w#…

But also #Aleppo itself was hit by a couple of air strikes again, killing more than 20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqe60qx7pN4#…

Huraytan today.
What didn't rain down on #Aleppo was dropped on its suburbs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m26WB5c1iXI#…
Mosque was also targeted and hit as well in this strike

BUT WAIT....when still the Ukrainian military is facing over 700 Russian tanks, over 1200 IFVs and over 1000 artillery pieces and the TOW/Javelin would be massive defense weapons.... the Obama/Rhodes/Kerry WH argued falsely that both are "offensive weapons"...EVEN in Syria it has been used mainly in the defensive role UNLESS targeting key positions on the Assad regime front lines prior to an attack to protect the attacking forces....

[OUTLAW 09]

WOW....those members of the UNSC that called out both Russia and Syria for their genocide and targeted killing of civilians....

SIMPLY no longer know what realm the Russian FM is currently it but it is in a true parallel universe....


MFA Russia
✔
@mfa_russia
#Zakharova: What the US side is doing at the #UNSC is simply devaluating the importance of this body
http://tass.com/politics/902345

"Devaluating the UN" is what Russia does every day that it vetoes any Resolution affecting it's FP.....be it especially around Syria and now their shot down of MH17....which they even vetoed a UNSC resolution for an investigation of the shot down...

AND their air strike on the UN aid convoy...fully evidenced that it was a Russian strike...Russian response to the UN..."it ain't us"....just as the 700 Russian tanks, 1200 Russian IFVs and 1000 Russian artillery pieces "ain't us"...are in eastern Ukraine.....
#

[OUTLAW 09]

WOW....those members of the UNSC that called out both Russia and Syria for their genocide and targeted killing of civilians....

SIMPLY no longer know what realm the Russian FM is currently it but it is in a true parallel universe....


MFA Russia
✔
@mfa_russia
#Zakharova: What the US side is doing at the #UNSC is simply devaluating the importance of this body
http://tass.com/politics/902345

"Devaluating the UN" is what Russia does every day that it vetoes any Resolution affecting it's FP.....be it especially around Syria and now their shot down of MH17....which they even vetoed a UNSC resolution for an investigation of the shot down...

AND their air strike on the UN aid convoy...fully evidenced that it was a Russian strike...Russian response to the UN..."it ain't us"....just as the 700 Russian tanks, 1200 Russian IFVs and 1000 Russian artillery pieces "ain't us"...are in eastern Ukraine.....
#

There are a lot of similarities between the Russian FM statements and statements coming from Trump.....

“More than anyone else I have ever met, Trump has the ability to convince himself that whatever he is saying at any given moment is true, or sort of true, or at least ought to be true,”

THIS statement can be equally applied to anything the Russian FM Lavrov and Putin state....

The danger of this is that those in a position of responsibility with their finger on a nuclear trigger have absolutely no idea any longer WHAT is actual reality and WHAT is propaganda...especially when they have drank their "own koolaid" to often as does Trump...

[OUTLAW 09]

A tad off topic for here but the Russian non linear warfare has two key components 1) cyber warfare and 2) information warfare........

What we are facing in the consumer wave of new gadgets is the so called "Internet of Things"......IoT.....with say a smart refrigerator or TV or CCTV etc.....

This botnet with 145607 cameras/dvr (1-30Mbps per IP) is able to send >1.5Tbps DDoS. Type: tcp/ack, tcp/ack+psh, tcp/syn.

For those that do not understand this tech speak ...it was a massive really massive DDoS attack ...coming from camera's.......

The power wasn't all put into one server, it was used on multiple servers around the world, different companies ect

This is the daily "war" I deal with......and it is getting worse by the day.....

For example western MSM rarely reports on the ongoing Syrian cyber attacks against KSA, Jordan, UAE and or Kuwait almost daily these days....

Russian non linear warfare as practiced in eastern Ukraine and now in Syria has two key cornerstones in order to be successful....

1. cyber warfare
2. information warfare....

Both are continuously in use by Russia and both are targeted daily against the US and the West in general....

Today I noticed a large sustained hacking attack on both Turkey and KSA coming out of Damascus.

I might talk about the security dangers of the coming Internet of Things (IoT)....but it is serious and after the recent DDoS attack coming from over 14,000 cameras....and my recent problem concerning an attack by refrigerators...IoT is a topic that concerns even the SWJ common user now....

BTW....a not so subtle warning to the SWJ reader/commenter....double-check to make sure your service provider modem has the very last know patch/software updates and that goes for any attached WIFI self purchased equipment that usually comes with a lot of uninstalled new patches and software updates..as it has sat on the shelf before purchase for awhile.......rule of thumb.....constantly update all self purchased/service provider modems....

This is part of an article taken from a US security blog site I religiously follow for mu business as he does a lot of background research work on the dark side of the net......

His website was one of the main targets of this DDoS attack....so it has impact on the topic .....

http://krebsonsecurity.com/

21Sep 16
KrebsOnSecurity

Hit With Record DDoS


On Tuesday evening, KrebsOnSecurity.com was the target of an extremely large and unusual distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack designed to knock the site offline. The attack did not succeed thanks to the hard work of the engineers at Akamai,#the company that protects my site from such digital sieges. But according to Akamai, it was nearly double the size of the largest attack they’d seen previously, and was among the#biggest assaults the Internet has ever witnessed.

The attack began around 8 p.m. ET on Sept. 20, and initial reports put it at approximately 665 Gigabits of traffic per second. Additional analysis on the attack traffic suggests the assault was closer to 620 Gbps in size, but in any case this is many orders of magnitude more traffic than is typically needed to knock most sites offline.

Martin McKeay, Akamai’s senior security advocate, said the largest attack the company had seen previously clocked in earlier this year at 363 Gbps. But he said there was a major difference between last night’s DDoS and the previous record holder: The 363 Gpbs attack is thought to have been generated by a botnet of compromised systems using well-known techniques allowing them to “amplify” a relatively small attack into a much larger one.
In contrast, the huge#assault this week on my site appears to have been launched almost exclusively by a very large botnet of hacked devices.
The largest DDoS attacks on record tend to be#the result of a tried-and-true method known as a DNS reflection attack. In such assaults, the perpetrators are able to leverage unmanaged DNS servers on the Web to create huge traffic floods.

Ideally, DNS servers only provide services to machines within a trusted domain. But DNS reflection attacks rely on consumer and business routers and other devices equipped with DNS servers that are (mis)configured to accept queries from anywhere on the Web. Attackers can send spoofed DNS queries to these so-called “open recursive” DNS servers, forging the request so that it appears to come from the target’s network. That way, when the DNS servers respond, they reply to the spoofed (target) address.

The bad guys also can amplify#a reflective attack by crafting DNS queries so that the responses are much bigger than the requests. They do this by taking advantage of an extension to the DNS protocol that enables large DNS messages. For example, an attacker could compose a DNS request of less than 100 bytes, prompting a response that is 60-70 times as large. This “amplification” effect is especially pronounced if the perpetrators query dozens of DNS servers with these spoofed requests simultaneously.

But according to Akamai, none of the attack methods employed in Tuesday#night’s assault on KrebsOnSecurity relied on amplification or reflection. Rather, many were garbage Web attack methods that#require a legitimate connection between the attacking host and the target, including SYN, GET and POST floods.

That is, with the exception of one attack method: Preliminary analysis of the attack traffic suggests that perhaps the biggest chunk of the attack#came in the form of traffic designed to look like it was#generic routing encapsulation (GRE) data packets, a communication protocol used to establish a direct, point-to-point connection between network nodes. GRE lets two peers share data they wouldn’t be able to share over the public network itself.

“Seeing that much attack coming from GRE is really unusual,” Akamai’s McKeay said. “We’ve only started seeing that recently, but seeing it at this volume is very new.”

Continued....


THIS is what makes this attack both dangerous and totally new....


"Someone has a botnet with capabilities we haven’t seen before,” McKeay said. “We looked at the traffic coming from the attacking systems, and they weren’t just from one region of the world or from a small subset of networks — they were everywhere.”

There are some indications that this attack was launched with the help of a botnet that has enslaved a large number of#hacked so-called “Internet of Things,” (IoT) devices — routers, IP#cameras and digital video recorders (DVRs) that are exposed to the Internet and protected with weak or hard-coded passwords

[OUTLAW 09]

NewsMap
Syrian rebels captured Sana al-Tan and the attached military base with its 840 meter runway.
Nobody to supply them by air though.

Talbisah last night.
Whole family including 3 children injured in night time air strikes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orYHANZhZGA#…

Footage
"Russian" air strikes on areas south of #Damascus this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7VBrsdqnko#…

Consequence of the #Aleppo massacres?!
#JFS attacks regime positions in #Hama w/ heavy (supplied) arms & ammo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXAAYgjkbuM#…

A Syrian rebel coalition took 4 villages in northern #Hama province from #Assad. A price he seems willing to pay for #Aleppo

[OUTLAW 09]

Charles Lister
Verified account
‏@Charles_Lister
Unexploded munition found in #Aleppo looks [possibly] to be a Russian BETAB-500 bunker buster:

[OUTLAW 09]

A24 Reporter denies #Assad forces advancing in old Aleppo, local factions block severe attack by Assad forces on Farafra in old #Aleppo

[Azor]

Dianne Pfundstein Chamberlain: http://warontherocks.com/2016/09/it-is-time-to-drive-a-stake-into-the-heart-of-the-american-credibility-myth/

One of the most common criticisms of President Obama is that he has damaged American credibility. Obama’s foreign policy decisions have been thoroughly denounced by Republicans, some members of his own party, and even former members of his administration. When the United States opted not to respond with military action to the 2013 chemical weapons attacks in Syria, many people argued that failing to punish the Syrian regime would diminish U.S. credibility. Similar critiques were leveled when Russia annexed the Crimea and the United States responded with economic sanctions instead of force. “How can we expect other states to take us seriously if we fail to act in these cases?” these critics asked. In other words, tomorrow’s threats will fail if the United States does not follow through on today’s commitments...

Perhaps most surprisingly, I found that the United States does not bluff in the realm of compellence. In all crises in which the United States issued an explicit threat intended to modify a target’s ongoing behavior, it followed through if and when the target chose not to comply with U.S. demands. (Some might argue that the United States’ decision to take no action in response to the use of chemical weapons in Syria in 2013 would constitute a failure to follow through on a commitment. Because the initial “red line” threat was an effort to deter the Syrian regime, it would have been outside the scope of my analysis of U.S. compellent threats. We have direct evidence, however, that Putin saw this inaction as prudent and did not conclude that Obama was weak as a result.) In terms of the reputation theory, this strongly suggests that U.S. compellent threats should be extremely effective, and that they should become more effective over time as this reputation becomes more consistent and impressive.

When we look at the record of U.S. compellence, however, we find that the opposite is true: America’s compellent threats have been both more frequent and less effective on average since 1990 than they were during the Cold War. The target conceded to U.S. demands in 55 percent of Cold War crises in which the United States issued a compellent threat and in only 25 percent of crises in the post-Cold War period. In other words, despite the fact that the United States has demonstrated that it always follows through on its compellent threats, these threats have become less effective over time. This is the exact opposite of what we would expect given the logic of those who argue that U.S. inaction in Ukraine emboldened Putin to intervene in Syria and that inaction in Syria will similarly embolden him to invade the Baltics.

Cases of Coercion: Iraq and Libya

Will the willingness to bomb a dictator today persuade the same leader to concede to American demands tomorrow? It turns out that the answer is no. When we look at cases in which the United States has attempted to coerce the same target state over time, we find that the willingness to execute past threats — even those involving the use of considerable military force — does not translate into an increased likelihood that the target will concede to the United States’ demands in subsequent crises. Consider the most obvious and perhaps most consequential of these targets: Iraq. The United States attempted to coerce Iraq with compellent threats before both the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion, and several times during the 1990s. Despite its willingness to launch Operation Desert Storm, the United States still failed to use threats to compel Iraq to admit weapons inspectors in the 1990s (a relatively modest set of demands in the realm of interstate coercion) and failed to convince Saddam Hussein to concede before the 2003 invasion.

We also know from interrogations of Saddam after his capture and from recordings and transcripts seized after the invasion that he resisted Washington’s 2003 threat not because he thought it lacked credibility, but because he had survived U.S. efforts to coerce him in the past and doubted that the United States had the resolve to employ the means necessary to overthrow him. These beliefs turned out to be incorrect, but that does not change the fact that Saddam’s decision to resist the United States in 2003 did not hinge on credibility (as the reputation theory would dictate) but on his beliefs about U.S. resolve to stay the course after the initial launch of military action.

Another prominent example that spans several presidential administrations is Libya. The United States attempted to coerce Qaddafi several times over several decades on issues ranging from the support of terrorism to the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. The United States famously bombed Libya in 1986 and clashed with Libyan forces off the coast several times in the 1980s. In March 2011, President Obama issued an explicit threat to the dictator demanding that his forces halt their advance on the rebel-held city of Benghazi. Despite its record of launching military action against the Libyan dictator, the United States was unable to successfully coerce Qaddafi before the launch of the NATO no-fly zone. Instead, Qaddafi remained steadfastly defiant over months of intensifying air strikes. He was ultimately hunted down and captured but only by forces on the ground that NATO had been explicitly unwilling to provide. Although NATO may have eventually reached its goal of overthrowing the Libyan dictator — a goal that Obama and his administration were not openly advancing in early 2011 but which came to define the mission — the effort to coerce Qaddafi was a complete failure.

We will probably never know exactly why Qaddafi chose to resist in the face of this U.S.-NATO threat in 2011, but one thing is clear: Carrying out military action against Libya in the past did not enable the United States to threaten Qaddafi successfully in 2011. In other words, even if the United States had bombed Putin’s forces in the Crimea or provided direct military support to Kiev, this would not translate into an ability to deter a future invasion of Estonia.

Dispelling the Myths of Credibility

These are relatively easy tests, and the reputation theory has failed at both. We have looked for and failed to find two obvious patterns in the evidence from actual cases in which the United States tried to use threats to convince a target state to change its behavior. Even when we set the bar low, the reputation theory cannot clear it.

Although there is little evidence to support the theory that following through on threats today is necessary to make threats effective tomorrow, arguments about American “credibility” are likely to continue to surface in the national debate. To some extent, these arguments about reputation are relics of the Cold War debate about how to contain the spread of communism. Senior officials in the foreign policy establishment may retain these frameworks for understanding the world today. More importantly, the reputation theory holds sway in American debates about security policy because it is a useful and versatile weapon on the policy making battlefield. Want to criticize your political opponent’s decision not to endorse a particular policy? Just argue that she is destroying America’s reputation abroad! Want to sell an overseas intervention to a war-weary public? Just argue that the operation is necessary to preserve America’s credibility! The reputation theory is a useful tool for selling a favored policy both within the Beltway and to the broader American public.

As critics fret about Washington’s ability to both work with Moscow on Syria and deter it from advancing into the Baltics, one thing should be clear: The world simply does not operate in the way that proponents of the reputation theory argue it does. This is good news, because it means that the United States is not constrained by the need to intervene in places of questionable strategic interest or else lose its ability to influence outcomes in world politics. On the other hand, we should not expect that the willingness to bomb a rogue state today will guarantee the United States the ability to get its way tomorrow. If only the world were so simple.


Dianne Pfundstein Chamberlain, PhD, is an Associate Research Fellow with the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University. She was formerly an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the International Security Program at the Belfer Center for International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School. She is the author of Cheap Threats: Why the United States Struggles to Coerce Weak States (Georgetown University Press, 2016).

[OUTLAW 09]

GENOCIDE continues to be the main intent of Assad and Putin AND notice just how quiet it has gone after the UNSC meeting.....absolutely being ignored by Obama and company...


Charles Lister
✔
@Charles_Lister
Overnight, regime &/or #Russia jets bombed 2 largest hospitals in besieged E #Aleppo (both supported by @sams_usa); both now out of service.

[OUTLAW 09]

Crazy!
Few #JaF men w/ 2 tanks, 2 BMPs storm Ash Sha`ta.
30 #Assad forces run away, leave 3 tanks,1 BMP,1 gun behind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh6dAomjf6s&feature=youtu.be#
Drone video footage again from JaF.......
…
Footage
Rebels also use D-30 artillery pieces in their offensive in #Hama province.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWOKV8LI12U#…

47 civilians were killed by #AssadPutin on Tuesday in #Syria, incl. 14 children.
32 od the victims died in and around #Aleppo.
- LCC

Syrian rebel TOW attack on the position before it was taken over.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1mzwxGWMv8#…

German Journalist Jurgen Todenhofer fabricates Nusra Front's interview
https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/18589.html#

More footage from #Huraytan.
DOZENS of bombs rained down on the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9chTCWnviU#…

Footage
Multiple bombs were dropped by #AssadPutin or #Huraytan, north of #Aleppo today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCR2eZ4OvlI#…

Footage
More air strikes hit the northern suburbs of #Aleppo yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff2rjvYQLDg#…

War planes dropped bombs on #JisrAlShughur and #Saraqib tonight.
#Idlib #Syria

NE #Hama: Central Division destroyed with a #TOW an ammo truck on Tulaysiyah front.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5qgmlsKrx8#…

E. #Ghouta: pro-Regime forces inching closer (~3 km) to #Douma after takeover of Signal (Ishara) Base from Jaish Al-Islam.

NE. #Hama: Central Division shelled pro-Regime forces in Tulaysiyah with a 122 mm gun.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35.366516&lon=36.914063&z=13&m#…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKcXTa1kyEU#…

NE. #Hama: Jaish Al-Izza fired a #TOW vs a T-72 in Sadou checkpoint. Unclear if hit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1mzwxGWMv8#…

Assad loyalists claim regime-forces took Farafira in #Aleppo old town
#FSA & opposition groups denies this advance
No confirming photos or videos

[OUTLAW 09]

N. #Daraa: Rebels downed this drone over Dael likely used to coordinate/monitor SyAF airstrikes on the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQeopWkeYfw#…

NE. #Hama: dozens of pro-Regime forces fleeing even before Rebels reached the fortification leaving tanks/BMP behind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh6dAomjf6s#…

N. #Aleppo: Free Idlib Army fired a massive barrage of Grad rockets on #Handarat (village). 1st time with 2 BM-21s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFq07xxPW5k#…

NE. #Hama: Rebels seized four locations this morning inching closer to Tulaysiyah as several new groups entered #Hama offensive.

NE #Hama: Faylaq Al-Sham destroyed with an #ATGM a second tank.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7qb9mpSZLI#…

Faylaq Al-Sham officially entered #Hama offensive by destroying with an #ATGM a tank & a 23 mm gun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiqBXx9UJcE#…

Hama offensive seeing the first involvement of newly formed Free Idlib Army. Participation of #FSA Central Division also confirmed.

N. #Aleppo: Al-Safwah Battalions shelled fortified base of Bashkuy with Grad rockets.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36.324807&lon=37.120399&z=12&m#…

[OUTLAW 09]

Golan-based Syrian FSA rebels to Israel radio: We can not stand idly by as Hezbollah deploys artillery to (Druze border village of) Hadr.

Rebel source says they have plead with Druze leaders of the village to remain neutral.
Village leaders claim they are being targeted.

This is a common strategy of pro-Regime forces to shell Rebels w/ artillery inside locations w/ minorities trying 2 feed sectarian spillover

[OUTLAW 09]

MORE evidence that BM21 GRAD MRLSs are arriving for the anti Assad opposition forces.....

Another BM-21 emerged in #FSA hands in #Latakia province.
Salvo vs. regime position near #Rabia, filmed from a drone.

Interesting that the cab of the BM21 had large white squares painted on the hood and on the two doors for friendly recognition by CAS.......

[OUTLAW 09]

Looking through terrible images from east Aleppo yesterday, this one stopped me in my tracks. Taken in aftermath of airstrike on al-Shaer.

EVER notice that western MSM is simply ignoring the death and destruction of genocide and one wonders why the Holocaust occurred?????

[OUTLAW 09]

AND the genocide just keeps on rolling on.....

Syria Airstrikes hit queue of people in front of bakery near #Aleppo city center ~ 20 dead

DELIBERATE and targeted killing of civilians....NOT a SINGLE bomb dropped by either Assad and or Putin on IS in this latest bombing campaign...

Assad shares over 75kms of front lines with IS and yet there is a total peace and quiet all along that front line AND western MSM has not picked up on that at all....

[OUTLAW 09]

Iraqi children recruited / kidnapped & trained by #Iran to fight & kill for #Assad in #Syria

Syria #Damascus Footages from besieged #Qudsaya suburb
-Heavy clashes today-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6Ptg1zaEP0#…

[OUTLAW 09]

I will be posting again later this afternoon, a customer of ours in the manufacturing side had a serious hacking problem affecting his PLCs ...source is somewhere in western Russian and I have been massively side tracked because of this event.

Yes Russian cyber warfare either via Russian criminal gangs or state sponsored goes on all the time....

One thing is sure even with a break the Assad/Putin AF is still bombing, killing civilians, supporting starvation and basically acting like war criminals and the WEST still is basically silent.....so even with a break nothing really changes.

[OUTLAW 09]

A telling development out of the US that I think the US Congress has not thoroughly thought through BUT still they slow stepped themselves off the cliff and ONE time I actually agree with Obama....

The new law passed allowing civilians to sue an sovereign state in US Courts has exposed now all US military, State Department, CIA, FBI and common American citizens to being arrested and charged in foreign courts...remember the Italians have charged and have wanted former CIA operatives who work the extra rendition in Italy. they have been shield by the State Department and have not left the US..BUT now who knows if the Italians file charges in a US court of law quoting this new law...

IF one thinks it through those US drone pilots and CAs pilots that hit the IS convoy near Ramadi and in Manbij the IDP building which verifiably killed over 100 civilians could actually under this new US law be charged with war crimes and arrested if they ever left the States...BUT wait they could even be charged in US Courts...

Secondly, I do not believe those in congress actually took the KSA threat seriously when they stated they will pull out their US investments in US Treasury Bonds valued at over 900B USD PLUS....other investments in order to protect them from Court decisions...which the Us cannot expect now foreign investors not to do....

THIS explicit threat was also passed directly to Obama on his last visit to KSA face to face......

NOW this can of worms has been opened...can one also now haul US citizens who supported the IRA with covert funding for over 30 years if the Brits file charges against a US citizen in US Courts...or can Germany now formally charge those sitting in Nebraska who fully fund those neo Nazi movements here in Germany with money and propaganda literature?

This is a international relations nightmare.....

CAN even KSA diplomats be hauled into court to testify against they own government OR can vice versa US diplomats be also questioned????

[OUTLAW 09]

EuphratesShield3 #FSA declares Suran-Dabeq-Ahtimilat and Akhtareen Turkman Bareh military zones.

Euphrates Shield Forces captured Uwaylin and Ghurur from IS and are less than 5 km away from Akhtarin.

Syria #Russia'n airstrikes with Bunker Buster bombs on #Idlib city now

Syria #FSA took today Ziyadiyah, Ghurur & Uwaylin from #IS in northern #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36.554741&lon=37.383299&z=14&m=b#…

Activist reporting city of #Idlib struck for the first time with several parachute retarded bombs. "Bunker buster" type like #Aleppo?

#FSA destroyed an #ISIS car bomb S. of Al-Rai.

Hama: reports Regime sent this morning a large convoy of reinforcements with ~50 vehicles from #Aleppo towards #Hama using Khanasser road.

Reports large parts of #Handarat Camp seized by pro-Regime forces.

N. #Aleppo: pro-Regime forces storming again #Handarat Camp after wide shelling & many airstrikes.

Hama JaF stormed Junaynah (yesterday)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOp6wt5Kfyc&feature=youtu.be#…
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.345900&lon=36.917067&z=15&m=b#…

Rebels approaching on Tayyibat al Ism in NE #Hama after taken over
Qarah & Khafseen villages + several CP
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35.319327&lon=36.866255&z=14&m=b#…

JFS storming barriers S. of Shatah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABh7PbM5FbQ#…

Areas rebels captured since morning :

- Qarah village
- Khafseen village
- Bayt Sa'du CP
- Al-Khazan CP
- Al-Shylka CP
- Al-Tafteesh CP

What rebels captured today since morning :

- 4 tanks
- 2 BMPs
- Shilka vehicle
- 2 cars with ammunitions
- Light and Medium weapons

[OUTLAW 09]

Intervention skeptics’ most common “veto” is that doing so => WW3 with #Russia.

Let’s flip it…

- Why on earth would #Moscow *want* WW3?

[CrowBat]

Addition of several AAS units - including the artillery-equipped Liwa Houriya Islami - appears to have added plenty of impetus to this insurgent offensive into northern Hama.

The AAS has stormed Junaynah, two days ago, then captured Qarah and Khafseen, and approached Tayyibat al-Ism, yesterday. That seems to have collapsed the defence of SSNP, NDF, IRGC and whatever other gangs are present in this area: Bayt Sa'adu (with a major command post for this area), al-Khazan, al-Shylka, and at-Tafteesh were captured during the morning together with 4 MBTs, 2 BMPs, 1 ZSU-23-4, two trucks loaded with ammo, and plenty of small arms.

Jund al-Aqsa (and the JFS-ex-JAN, which is a late-comer into this operation) is still primarily active on the eastern side of this advance - which regime fans hope might be stopped by (much announced) re-deployment of the Liwa Suqour ad-Daher (https://twitter.com/IvanSidorenko1/status/781713880703758336)

Rumour has it that the regime is actually just trying to buy time until defences in northern and western outskirts of Hama (city) are constructed: supposedly, they have de-facto abandoned the idea to defending the countryside north of the city.

This is particularly interesting considering Hama was so far protected either by loyalists or Russians, i.e. it saw relatively minor presence of the IRGC and various of its surrogates. Surely enough, the IRGC has deployed already two contingents of its own troops there, but these seem not to have had any kind of serious impact upon fighting.

My estimate is that unless the IRGC deploys major troop contingents there, the situation is not going to improve: Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are currently hauling every ounce of supplies they only can get into Idlib.