Iraq: Out of the desert into Mosul (closed)

[CrowBat]

In order of appearance...

1. you have deep experience and can tell the difference between a Pred and and Reaper at say 3500 ft?

Nope.

But then: I never said I can. On the contrary, I only want to know what kind of 'Assad AF UAVs' can you tell us are flown around ar-Raqqa?

Wherever I asked, there is no trace of anybody there - whether the SyAAF or the IRGC-QF - doing so. And, although you said this is the case, it seems you can't either.

That said, this doesn't mean that neither has UAVs. On the contrary, the IRGC-QF has deployed 'even' its Shahed-129s in Syria. It's just not flying them over ar-Raqqa.

2. why would Turkey be flying anything over Syria---not the northern Kurdish portion and northern Iraq--and since they supported IS then fly one at all?-explain that one to us

This is actually two questions, so you'll get even two replies (and, since it seems you've got a major problem with understanding what I write, I'll draw it if necessary):

a, which is my answer to your second question) Turkey is not supporting the IS; and

b, which is my answer to your first question) because Turkey has a small garrison of about 20 troops protecting a memorial for Suleiman Shah. This is an area inside Syria, about one square kilometre of soil declared as Turkish.

The ISIS is threatening to overrun this place since early this year, and the THK is not only flying UAVs over this area, but its F-16s have destroyed several ISIS vehicles there. For details, see reports like this one: Turkey threatens retaliation if historic Syria tomb attacked.

3. and your Iranian "contacts" are willing to tell you 1) they do not own drones capable of this and or 2) did they not several months ago claim to a have reengineered the R180 and are flying it?--which is it?

1.) Yup, they don't see any special problem about getting quite frank.
2.) This is not something claimed by 'my' Iranian sources, but by specific talking-heads and wannabes in Tehran.

Sorry, I'm not of sensationalist sort, so you'll not find any corresponding article of mine.

4. your Assad AF contacts are what "willing to state on record they do not neither own drones nor use drones-what about the series the Russian recently supplied to them?---that is like claiming we the Assad AF do not drop "barrel bombs" or bomb civilian positions to you not think---so what is it?

The latter is bull ####.

And regarding the former:
a) They didn't say that, and
b) I didn't ask them about that. But, again: they said they're not running any kind of UAV ops over ar-Raqqa.

EDIT
...just like at earlier times, they've provided transcriptions of original orders issued by the Ba'ath Party HQ in Damascus, for specific SyAAF units to strike civilian population in specific places.

So, now you can go on complaining they're admitting attacks on civilians, and whatever else, but are just as beasty as to refuse admitting the sensationalist idea of the SyAAF operating UAVs next to US ones over ar-Raqqa.

Works fine with me. ;P

Not wanting to rain on your parade of excellent "sources"---these photos were in fact posted to the blog sphere and roughly six individuals who look at such air identification phootos came to the same conclusion--- and in fact your claimed SU24 you hang on is in fact a Iranian drone and yes they fly them over Syria and currently Iraq as well if my "sources" are correct.

You can attempt to belittle me as much as you like.

Simple fact is that you refuse to understand that you've babbled nonsense when stating 'Assad AF...UAVs' being run parallel to US (or whatever) UAV ops over ar-Raqqa.

Now, I'm following this war since more than three years and in all of that time I haven't heard about any kind of SyAAF UAV ops over ar-Raqqa. Thus, your commentary about 'Assad AF...UAVs' took me by surprise and I asked what is the basis for it. I've checked this, and there are no 'Assad AF...UAVs' where you said there are (obviously, basing your statement on that Twitter link).

Sorry if it turns that it's your own mistake that caused this misunderstanding, and that you're now attempting to act as if you didn't cause this.

Or are you telling us there are no Iranian "contractors" or militia or Quds fighting either in Syria and or Iraq?

Come on - yourself. Where did I say anything of that kind?

BTW, when it comes to IRGC-QF, you're wrong again: it's neither 'contractors' nor 'militia'. It's regular IRGC-QF personnel. Most are from 8th Armoured Najaf Division, there is a battalion of IRGC's SFs too, and then quite a few others. Let me know if you would like to hear details. And if you're too shy to ask, wait for slightly over a month longer, then grab yourself a copy of Syrian Conflagration. Everything is nicely listed there.

CB---concerning Iranian drones not capable of the distance you claim they cannot do...

Bull #### again. I nowhere said 'they're not capable'.

I said: not operated over that part of Syria.

---what keeps them from being launched inside Syria?

Where did I say that?

And are these two Iranian long range UAVs simply non existent and the Iranians are what lying?

Where did I say they're non-existent?

But since you asked: the Shahed Aerospace Shahed-129 is presently one of most successful Iranian UAV projects (together with the shorter-ranged Shahed-123, which is an even bigger success, with at least 274 pressed into service so far), that's sure. But, indeed, Jafari is lying about the UCAV capability of the Shahed-129: they were planned to get armament in form of Sadid missiles, but the company proved unable to realize this project - for lack of necessary technology.

And Karrar is (presently) just a PR-project.

CB--you need to learn to doubt your "sources" inside the SAF. They should have known this.

You only need to learn to answer questions.

For example: what kind of evidence can you provide for your 'Assad AF...UAVs' being operated 'along' whatever other kind of UAVs over ar-Raqqa?

New screenshots coming from Syria give a better view of the Shahed 129 spotted over Damascus on Apr. 10.

Did I ever say Shahed-129s were not deployed in Syria?

So, now, 'come on Outlaw': what kind of 'Assad AF UAVs' can you show us as operated over ar-Raqqa?

Anyway, I would like to express my gratitude to you in this place: experiences of this kind with you make me start to understand (and appreciate) the meaning of 'knowledge is power'.