Search:

Thankyou Outlaw 09, as it is unlikely another will post this thread I shall close now before I go out to party. Minus fireworks!:)

To the others who post here thank you, anyone who follows this...

A 'long read' in the New Statesman by Sir John Jenkins, a recently retired British diplomat; which I thought I had posted when published on the 6th December. The full title is: No one knows what...

I suppose that these weapons are just another tool in the Assadist tactical menu. From my armchair it looks like one strategic aim is to deny the opposition anything beyond basic first aid medical...

A WINEP article worth reading as the IDF's air strikes in Syria do at times seem at odds with the interests of Assad's...

Even allowing for diplomacy and the Montreux Treaty on passage through the Dardenelles, I do wonder if Turkey will suddenly discover obstacles and restrict the flow of Russian ships? That would make...

Some interesting footage of Russian bombing, which look like being all "iron" or "dumb" bombs; plus an opening salvo of cruise missiles launched from the Caspian sea...

Thanks to Mark Pyruz's comment on a SWJ article for this link, which I have only scanned quickly. Here are two choice...

Hardly new, the cited article is from 2013. Numerous reviews here, mainly pro:http://www.amazon.com/Disinformation-Undermining-Attacking-Promoting-Terrorism/dp/1936488604

Released this week is a new volume 'The Syrian Jihad: Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the Evolution of an Insurgency' by Charles Lister and with several good reviews - on the publisher's...

I refer to Post 2407 in part:

From my "armchair" this appears to be an almost random collection of small units, who may not have worked together before. Plus many are from Siberia.

The more I read here the parallels with the Spanish Civil War seem clear. Maybe even Mexico during the US Civil War.

IIRC each started as a local civil war and attracted external intervention by...

I thought this article and map were interesting:http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2015/10/map-only-state-of-play-of-the-current-saa-ground-offensive-in-nw-syria.html

What struck...

I do wonder if the is symbolic, rather than operational. Wiki has this:
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_aircraft_carrier_Liaoning

This unknown website shows the last sea trial was in...

Citing a small part of Post 568 by Outlaw09:

IIRC the activities of PLAN in the Indian Ocean, off the Somali coast, have been reported by the MSM, hence a number of posts on the Somali piracy...

Cited in part:

Awhile ago now there was a post that the Chinese Navy on their last visit to the Mediterranean, did not visit Syria, they visited Israel. T'is an odd world. The visit was in 2013...

An under-reported aspect of the conflict, excluding the trade in oil and oil products:http://soufangroup.com/tsg-intelbrief-the-sustainability-of-syrias-war/

A timely article, using in country and external quotes:http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/21/irans-shadowy-influence-in-syrias-maelstrom-fuels-paranoia-and-wariness

Over at WoTR an assessment of the Russain role, in summary:
Link:http://warontherocks.com/2015/09/how-russias-gambit-in-syria-changes-the-game/?

I still think the Russian deployment now...

Outlaw09 you refer to:

Nowhere have I seen anyone else cite such large numbers. 20k in support roles would be a significant part of the Assad forces.

The latest map from ISW, also in PDF:http://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/posture-syrian-regime-and-allies-september-14-2015

Today cut & paste does not work.

Crowbat,

Thank you for providing the last post, placing the latest Russian deployments to Syria in context and with a comparison to their Ethiopian air bridge long ago (the Ogaden War IIRC).

From my armchair I do wonder what role Russia envisages for its new expanded "boots on the ground" presence in Syria, alongside some form of air cover (fixed wing and armed helicopters).

The civil...

A comprehensive overview of the political and military situation in Syria, with an emphasis on why Russia has now choosen to intervene - as an advisory mission to the Syrian Army...

One potential aspect of increasing overt Russian support for the Assad regime, ostensibly to fight only ISIS, is the chance of "green" on "blue". The "green" being Russian combat forces, especially...

A longer article in The Daily Beast by Michael Weiss, who assmbles all the open source clues on Russian...