Yep. "Trump's ISIS Plan, as Described by Tillerson, Sounds Like Obama's"
http://nyti.ms/2oh0lQi
After rejecting Obama's #RaqqaOp plan, Trump appears to have adopted it. Sending Apaches to "SDF" before Turkish referendum should be fun …
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Yep. "Trump's ISIS Plan, as Described by Tillerson, Sounds Like Obama's"
http://nyti.ms/2oh0lQi
After rejecting Obama's #RaqqaOp plan, Trump appears to have adopted it. Sending Apaches to "SDF" before Turkish referendum should be fun …
al-Qaeda in #Syria has never been more suspected nor had more influence over the rebellion.
https://www.thecipherbrief.com/artic...civil-war-1089
Situation in Greater Idlib as it stands pretty well vindicates @AcrossTheBay's reading in February 2016.
http://thebea.st/1Lfp4xJ
Idlib has "transformed into a free-fire zone attacked by nearly every actor":
More brutal air strikes on #Jobar (#Damascus city) by the #AssadPutin air force this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTPGgRQXpoI#
YPG Sipan Hemo said in front of a free Syria flag "We work with US + Russia if needed be we may go to Idlib to eradicate the terror threat"
HTS also has its own D-30 artillery piece plus fresh ammo at the #Hama front.
Different from the #FSA's one, used today.
HTS (Syrian al-Qaeda) with another TOW attack in #Hama.
Still spoils from #FSA or s.o. supplying them to them?! ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7vIVt-4Rcg#…
Bundeswehr gave the coordinates for the bombed school in Mansoura, Raqqa, where at least 33 refugees were killed via their recce Tornado's. http://m.bild.de/politik/inland/bund...dMobile.html#…
Charles Lister
Good by @colebunzel, on how #HTS’s formation (& #JFS before it) represented change & sparked intra-jihadi tensions:
http://www.jihadica.com/diluting-jihad/
I’ve spoken of #JFS’s formation as “Jolani’s gamble” for months; a gamble based on promised unity that failed to come from the rebrand.
It was also clear prior to #JFS’s public announcement that the rebrand was seen by some Nusra leaders as a dangerous “slippery slope."
AQ’s senior command *did* bless #JFS’s formation, but based on Jolani’s promise of a resulting unity initiative, which then failed.
[Unverified] reports that #HTS may have received $30 million for agreeing to recent “4 towns” evacuation deal:
BUT FROM WHO...not stated as of yet...
The White Helmets @SyriaCivilDef
Volunteer Samir Al Ghanoush, killed today in a double tap strike in Zamalka, Damascus. 170th to give his life.
Hama Battle (updated situation): while NW front stalling, pro-Regime forces seized back Arzeh close to #Khattab and Point 50 NW of #Qomhana
Hama Battle: #Russia|n ships in #Tartus fired several cruise missiles towards #Hama/#Idlib.
Raqqa: New #US airstrike north of #Raqqa has killed 3 civilians today. Many more were wounded.
"The U.S is deepening involvement in complex wars in the MidEast that lack clear endgames"
https://nyti.ms/2nBCA7k
VN here we come......
Iran’s paramilitary #Basij force is playing more & more of a role in #Syria - an important overview by @majidyar:
http://www.mei.edu/content/io/increa...ce-syria-war#…
Iran-Backed Militia Group Calls for Collective Action to Reclaim Golan Heights & Destroy #Israel"
Answers to Senate why US Intel Community missed Russia election connection:
-focus on ISIS/terror
-less likely to believe "open source" info
Fmr FBI agent Watts: We missed Russian intervention because they were happening in open source, and intel community obsessed w/secret info
NOTE: I have been saying for years...80% of all intel comes from OSINT...
Hama: Rebels repelling pro-#Assad forces at #Khattab today.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...8715&z=14&m=b#
The #Assad regime has allegedly used poison gas twice: against areas of Damascus yesterday and Hama today.
http://v.aa.com.tr/784284
Assad/IRGC advanced today following several chemical attacks targeted north Hama Al-Latamenah and Zawr. 10s of suffocation cases reported.
Syrian regime strikes targets in Hama with chlorine gas
Attacks affect scores of civilian residents, local medical source tells Anadolu Agency
http://aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/syri...ine-gas/784284
Hama: Rebels repelling pro-#Assad forces at #Khattab today.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...14&m=b#…
The only news comes from Jaish Al-Nasr: "A regime attack towards #Khattab was repelled." Ahrar al-Sham and #HTS are quiet.
Hama Battle: while Majdal front still holding, pro-Regime forces are advancing towards #Khattab from S. and E. sides.
How people & media react:
100 civilians killed by 1 airstrike = no reaction
1 #Assad fighter beheaded = panic
Hama Battle: Free Idlib Army destroyed a bulldozer and damaged a 23 mm gun on Tell Sheyah firing #TOW|s. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35...z=13&m#…
Daraa: Al-Bunian Al-Marsous op. room bombed a building used by pro-Assad in W. part of Al-Manshiyah district. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=32...z=17&m#…
Clashes between #SDF/#YPG & #EuphratesShield forces near of #Azaz N #Aleppo.
US UN ambassador says Washington's focus no longer on removing Assad in Syria
Quote:
The United States is no longer making removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a focus of its policy in the war-torn country, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday.
"Our priority is no longer to sit there and focus on getting Assad out," Ambassador Nikki Haley told a small group of reporters. "Our priority is to really look at how do we get things done, who do we need to work with to really make a difference for the people in Syria."
"We can't necessarily focus on Assad the way that the previous administration did," she said.
Friends of Putin: Russia’s western elite networks
http://on.ft.com/2of8yI1
A bit of humor.....
OTD in 1867 the US illegally annexed Alaska from Russia. Our compatriots yearn to return to the Motherland and plan a referendum
Pakistani IRGC group Liwa Zeinabiyoun using South Korean 40mm and hand grenades
Not to mention this among many Hezbollah fighters (I got the same impression myself). They don't know what they're fighting for.