Syria in 2016 (January-March)

[OUTLAW 09]

Why does Obama worry about "messaging" in his Syrian strategy WHEN he absolutely does nothing that would indicate that he is a leader......

ONLY two comments from his DoS and Kerry about the deliberate Putin air strikes against only civilians and not a single IS fighter....AND absolutely not a single comment on the deliberate use of starvation as a tactical weapon which is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

The US dropped food supplies to Kurds BUT the "messaging" to the average Syrian civilian is "you are not worth the effort"...........

Starving Syrians in Madaya are denied aid amid political jockeying. http://nyti.ms/1Zfl0P7

Footage
Hell on earth in #Douma again ...
Giant "#Russian" bombs hit the city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5-tzjKoOyk …
pic.twitter.com/UazGqC79YB

No words to describe this ...
#Douma today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAEPpJ8j2cE …
pic.twitter.com/HJlyV6D5R3

Death toll in Russian raids on Syria's Idlib nears 100
http://dld.bz/egXtu
pic.twitter.com/y9Cj89GjnC

BTW--an accidental Twitter comment from a proAssad supporter indicated the "average accuracy" of the Russian dumb bomb to be between 1-2km from actual target point.

4 KM is not a problem as regime pilots are actually aiming with iPads at the villages/cities https://twitter.com/mario_greenly/st...24056589979648 …

[CrowBat]

...BTW--an accidental Twitter comment from a proAssad supporter indicated the "average accuracy" of the Russian dumb bomb to be between 1-2km from actual target point.

4 KM is not a problem as regime pilots are actually aiming with iPads at the villages/cities https://twitter.com/mario_greenly/st...24056589979648 …

This is something I'm 'telling' whoever is ready to 'listen' since nearly three months - and for which I'm getting attacked in all imaginable ways in return, too: fact is not only that the VKS is almost exclusively deploying 'dumb' bombs, but foremost that its aircraft lack the precision, and are flying much too high but to hit anything at all (especially in a country that is as windy as Syria is).

We all - and I mean: all serious observers of this and similar ongoing wars - are used to nearly 20 years of continuous warfare by Western militaries. Western warfare envisages tight integration between intel and combat operations with the aim of achieving greatest possible accuracy. It's not working 100%; not even 80%; so much is clear and we need not making ourselves any illusions. But, it's still really 'amazingly precise on average', especially when compared to earlier times (indeed, one can see significant improvement already in comparison to Bosnia of 1995, or Serbia/Kosovo of 1999).

Because of this we all expect a similar performance from Russians too. Actually, Russians are neither capable nor interested in delivering a comparable performance. From Moscow's POV, it's PRBS which is all that matters, and not some amazing precision or else. Why 'waste billions of bucks' when all that matters is number of sorties flown and number of bombs dropped one can claim in the public?

In turn, these numbers enable Keystone Cops in Moscow to claim 'hundreds of terrorists killed', every single day. The MSM is insta-buying this, mass of the public too, and nobody cares afterwards, no matter how much both of them - Keystone Cops and the MSM - have been proved as wrong.

While actually, 'even' Su-34s and Su-30SMs are really spraying and praying. This is more than logical, then one simply can't hit anything at all if dropping dumb bombs from 2,000m + altitude in a country as windy as Syria is.

As if eager to confirm this, Elijah J Mangier, one of biggest regime-fans online, indicated that the 'average accuracy' of Russian dumb bombs is about 1,000-2,000 metres from the actual target point; that of Assadist barrel-bomb attacks out to 4,000 metres. Curiously, he deleted that Tweet ever since, but this was saved by some others, for example here.

Final irony: wherever I tried to explain that 90% of Russian sorties are targeting civilians in insurgent-held territories and about 5% are targeting the FSyA on several other 'military' forums, I've got banned within seconds - irrespectivelly of my assessment being based on Russian and allied releases, and well-supported. Now the AJE report here is citing the SNC reports that say,

..."Nearly 94 percent of the 12,000 sorties the Russian air force has so far flown in Syria targeted civilians and the Free Syrian Army."
...

...which means: their statistics is confirming mine...

Bottom line: it's not as if 'Moscow couldn't care less when bombing civilians'. It's a part of their strategy.

However, actual fact is that they are missing even these and - to make things 'even better' - at least something like 50% of their bombs are failing to detonate.

Therefore, it's as absurd as true: Syrians can consider themselves happy Russian aiming is as piss-poor, otherwise there would be dozens of thousands of casualties already...

[CrowBat]

...and if anybody is curious to read the following (and feel free to call it 'another rant'), here a reason more to think (and very hard at it!) about what are Russians actually doing in Syria...

Elijah J Mangier, one of two major English-language mouthpieces of Assadist regime that is online, attempted to explain why is Assad (and Putler too) so insistent on bombing civilians and FSyA - instead of fighting the Daesh (which is what all the West not only expects, but also thinks they are doing): For Assad defeating al-Qaeda and its allies, rather than ISIS, is a top priority: ISIS is a “marionette”

The piece is actually typical PRBS from Assadists. However, one can't simply discard it as such and ignore it. Instead, some careful 'reading between the lines' reveals plenty of details. Just concentrate on crucial statements:

...Nonetheless, the Syrian Army’ command, and now its allies, has avoided clashing with ISIS in many occasions, when unnecessary, on several fronts. In few words, ISIS is said to be “much easier and less urgent to defeat than al-Qaeda in Syria”.

Means: yes stupids, we're NOT fighting Daesh.

...
The answer to such a strategy comes from one of the highest decision maker of the joint operations room in Damascus that includes Russia, Syria, Iran and Hezbollah Lebanon (3+1 which is different from the one in Baghdad, called 4+1 as it includes Iraq).
...
Moreover, ISIS does not exist in areas considered vital and rich like Idlib, Homs and the suburbs where the population is against the regime and supports the rebels.
...
From our side, we want to establish a demarcation line with ISIS and will refrain from carrying out large military operations against the group to spare our forces (the military engagement) for other more strategic fronts.
...

There follows plenty of outright idiotic babbling, like 'ISIS has no regional or international political horizont... no political cover up or umbrella... is no longer directly financed by any country or organization...', like 'al-Qaida in Syria' being in control of Ahrar ash-Sham, 'all the Jihadists' etc., being used by USA and allies etc. Of course, FSyA is not mentioned with a single word - as if nearly 100,000 of its combatants neither exist nor matter.

What is this all important, you might wonder?

Well, pay attention:
- Not only is this an outright - and then 'official' & 'public' - admission that Keystone Cops in Moscow are lying all the time about 'bombing Daesh' (because Elijah is, right next to al-Masdar, something like 'spokesperson' of that '3+1' HQ in Damascus). It's an admission that, 'the Daesh did not manage to integrate itself among the population in Syria' - which, dear quasi-anti-Imperialists, Neo-Nazis etc. in the West, means that it is idiotic to say 'Syrians are all terrorists'.

- It also means that Assaidsts and Russians know they are NOT bombing Daesh, and are intentionally bombing insurgent-held area because insurgents ARE integrated among the population.

- Less important, but still a matter of fact, it means that Assadists and Russians are now openly lying about attacking 'al-Qaida in Syria': the JAN was barely hit so far. What they are attacking are primarily civilians in areas controlled by the FSyA, IF and Ahrar.

Another important fact: the source in question further babbles (citate), "Officially, Russia has declared al-Qaeda, Ahrar al-sham and all the salafist jihadists as terrorists, rejecting any presence of these groups at the negotiating table. This is exactly what Mr Assad declared throughout the years of war."

This is another lie, then Assad refused to talk with anybody from the FSyA, first and foremost. He's not going to change this now, as can be seen from Putler's insistence on declaring the FSyA, IF, and AAS for 'terrorists'.

Finally, what levels of absurdity such standpoints represent can at best be read in closing statements of that piece:

...ISIS is exhausting Iran’s finance that is injected to support Syria with oil and cash to pay salaries and keep the various institutions standing and functioning. For the second time since the Iranian revolution in 1979, Iran is sending troops abroad to fight in thousands and not only a limited number of tens or hundreds of advisors.

So, if it is ISIS that is 'exhausting' Iran...which is the party that is paying practically everything that's left of the Assadist regime: then why to hell don't they fight the ISIS, but explain that it's 'no priority'?!?

[OUTLAW 09]

AND this is now another in the unceasing line of Obama successes in Syrian...BUT WAIT the DoS did bring up only twice the excessive killing of civilians by the Russian and Assad AF directly with Putin...AND the shinning success was what again....ZERO....

Toll of barrel bombs dropped by the Syrian Regime air-force in 2015
According to @snhr , @KreaseChan @TheSyriaCmpgn
pic.twitter.com/7YTVBs2Y9P

[OUTLAW 09]

UNICEF MENA @UNICEFmena

Workers at @UNICEF warehouse near #Damascus prepare nutrition&medical supplies for delivery 2 besieged area #Madaya

Aid convoys expected to leave today for Madaya where 5 people died of starvation yesterday
http://ow.ly/WSOax
pic.twitter.com/bgZqcwTALQ

A Russian airstrike has hit a school in Syria
http://ind.pn/1TP6g8c
pic.twitter.com/X6WJBQ3ktc

One of the schools #Putin thugs targeted and destroyed in #Aleppo countryside.
https://youtu.be/AXFue5ruD1M
pic.twitter.com/lSkhCLqCtu

Putin pilots continue targeting schools and civil institutes across #Aleppo countryside - @5595Sad
pic.twitter.com/OXzPUuluoA

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING
#WFP AID Trucks arrived in the Gates of #Madaya, but didn't enter so far inside the town
#Syria JAN 11

Surrounded by Hezbollah and the SAA and the IRC wants to see if it is safe...come on...??

Stupid #RedCross delegation in #Madaya,"inspecting" to see if is"safe" BEFORE receive @WFP AID TRUCKS
#Syria JAN11

[OUTLAW 09]

UNICEF MENA @UNICEFmena

Workers at @UNICEF warehouse near #Damascus prepare nutrition&medical supplies for delivery 2 besieged area #Madaya

Aid convoys expected to leave today for Madaya where 5 people died of starvation yesterday
http://ow.ly/WSOax
pic.twitter.com/bgZqcwTALQ

A Russian airstrike has hit a school in Syria
http://ind.pn/1TP6g8c
pic.twitter.com/X6WJBQ3ktc

One of the schools #Putin thugs targeted and destroyed in #Aleppo countryside.
https://youtu.be/AXFue5ruD1M
pic.twitter.com/lSkhCLqCtu

Putin pilots continue targeting schools and civil institutes across #Aleppo countryside - @5595Sad
pic.twitter.com/OXzPUuluoA

Russia's warplanes target schools area in the town of #Anjarah in rural #Aleppo #Syria leaving 35 dead

[OUTLAW 09]

Little girl wounded on her head w/ Shrapnel from #SAA Mortars shelling on #Saqba @SyriaCivilDef
#Syria JAN11

SAA terrorists shelling mortars on #Saqba
#Damascus cs #Syria JAN 11

Unexploded "rusted" #SAA missile fell on #Harasta
E #Ghouta #Damascus cs #Syria JAN 11

SAA Helicopters dropping barrel bombs on #Teir_Maela
#Homs #Syria JAN 11
(Look the "ring" that form b4 explosion)

FSA @forsanalhaq1 (North Div) try to target #Russia warplanes in the sky of #Maarat_al_Nouman
#Idlib #Syria JAN 11

Moment #Russia warplanes carried out airstrikes on #Sheikh_Meskin
#Daraa #Syria JAN 11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDtw-Rm1XAU …

SCD HERO Mohammed Omar, lost his life, victim of #Russia airstrikes on #Maarat_Alortiq
#Aleppo cs #Syria JAN 11

And the #Russia CLUSTER BOMBS don't stop..
Our HEROES #SCD collecting Cluster Bombs in Kafr_Zeta
#Hama #Syria JAN 11

Aftermath #Russia airstrikes on civilians houses of #Howr neighborhood
#ALeppo cs #SYria JAN 11

17children,1 teacher killed by #Russia in #Anjarah
#Syria JAN11
Educational Complex
https://goo.gl/nuw9i4

BREAKING
@SyriaCivilDef ENTIRE FAMILY UNDER RUBBLE AFTERMATH #RUSSIA AIRSTRIKES ON #ANJARAH
#ALEPPO CS #SYRIA JAN11

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia's warplanes target schools area in the town of #Anjarah in rural #Aleppo #Syria leaving 35 dead

Spoke to another source in Turkey who told me the jet that bombed the #Anjarah schools today came straight from the #RuAF base in Latakia.

Don't ask me how they know but I guess you can imagine.

#Anjarah precision bomb came through the roof,floor wall&went straight into the class room.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWnTmyHCTpE …

GRAPHIC #footage
The #AnjarahSchoolMassacre:
Children tell what happened to their schools.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4P240oTILs …

Anjarah is possibly the best location to kill as many pupils as possible with a few bombs.
All 3 schools close-by.