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Thread: Syria in 2016 (October onwards)

  1. #41
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    Kyle W. Orton ‏@KyleWOrton
    US needs to back an alternate rebel structure, stop trying to put Arabs in PYD-dominated SDF, to liberate Raqqa.


    http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/co...syria-and-iraq


    The fight against ISIL is approaching a new milestone with Syrian rebels backed by Turkey and the United States-led coalition closing in on Dabiq, a town in rural Aleppo, which is central to the group’s propaganda.
    The battle to liberate the town is expected to begin this week. Dabiq’s takeover would not just serve as a symbolic blow to the group’s core claims, but it would be a fitting win before the major battles to retake Mosul and Raqqa, ISIL’s two capitals in Iraq and Syria.

    The battle to retake the areas the group controlled in Syria in 2014 is still in its early stages, unlike the one in Iraq, where the extremist group has lost more than 50 per cent of its territory. So, Washington’s next moves will shape the direction of the battle in Syria, where only 25 per cent of ISIL-controlled areas have been liberated.

    The Syrian battle is further complicated by the absence of a central government with which the US can coordinate. The lack of a friendly government partner also means that one ISIL-controlled province, namely Deir Ezzor, will require special treatment because of the regime’s presence there. Sources say that the US has even shelved any plan for an offensive in Deir Ezzor altogether as a result, especially after the erroneous strike on regime soldiers there on September 17.

    Given this reality, the chances for the campaign in Syria hinge on Washington’s ability to organise the various forces fighting the group. In theory, the anti-ISIL battles should be straightforward in Syria. The operation to clear up the pockets the group controls in rural Aleppo will pave the way for an offensive to retake Raqqa starting from the northern parts.
    But the problem is that the US approach has a number of flaws that American officials do not seem to grasp. One that has near-term implications centres on the collaboration with Turkey, which is far more critical to the anti-ISIL fight there than it is in Iraq.

    More importantly, American officials still fail to come up with a formula for a Kurdish-Arab cooperation that does not involve the support of one side’s political agenda at the expense of the other. This failure has often led to a cart before the horse situation, with US officials complaining that rebel forces were not serious about fighting ISIL, even though the US policy had led to such disinclination.

    American officials often complain that Turkey has demonstrably failed to provide adequate rebel forces to fight against ISIL despite promises. Officials wonder that if Turkey could not get large numbers to fight under its own banner, how could it help recruit approximately 13,000 fighters to fight in Raqqa? This situation further reinforced Washington’s desire to work with the Kurds, including to retake Raqqa.

    But rebels say America’s refusal to support a full-fledged Arab force to fight against ISIL is the cause of this hurdle. This force should not be limited to fighting, but it should also have a political umbrella that can operate and govern under the support of the US-backed coalition, as does the Kurdish Democratic Union Party.

    The US has shown no commitment to such a project, which rebels believe should not be beholden or part of a Kurdish ambition in any way. American officials fail to grasp this factor and continue to push for Arab representation within the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces. A stand-alone Arab coalition will signal to the rebels that they have a sustainable stake in heavier involvement in the fight against ISIL, which operates in their areas after it expelled them in 2014.

  2. #42
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    The White Helmets
    ‏@SyriaCivilDef
    #BreakingNews Chlorine bombs dropped in Hama 2 Oct 16. Clearly marked as Chlorine (CL2).

    Chlorine bombs in Syria now in literal chlorine containers

    The chemical weapons "deal" in 2013 never disarmed #Assad of even his worst chemical weapons, and chlorine attacks have spiked since then.

    CW deal allowed #Assad to get away with mass murder, our allies were demoralised and discredited, jihadists stormed ahead: all for nothing.

    BTW...chlorine is in fact a listed CW...in whatever form.......
    Attached Images Attached Images

  3. #43
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    Samantha Power
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    ‏@AmbassadorPower
    Medical workers are not terrorists. Bread sellers are not terrorists. Schoolkids are not terrorists. Yet Russia/#Syria regime keep hitting them


    BUT WAIT did not Putin in front of the UNGA actually state he is in Syria to attack and destroy IS....so just how did non IS hospitals and bakeries get on his deliberate target list....AND the WEST still remains silent does it not????

  4. #44
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    Charles Lister ‏@Charles_Lister
    NEW:

    “Surge, Freeze & Enforce”

    My alternative policy plan for winding down conflict in #Syria, on @WarOnTheRocks:

    http://warontherocks.com/2016/09/a-p...n-civil-war/#…

  5. #45
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    Russia's gov't-sponsored Vesti ludicrously compares civilian casualties in Aleppo to WWII bombing of Dresden, saying U.S. & UK killed more.

    WHAT is unusual about this statement is that the Russian media does actually NOT deny they are deliberately killing civilians and in large numbers.....

    BUT WAIT notice that it sidesteps the exact same destruction Russia levelled on Gronzy......


    Or the Russian shelling damages to eastern Ukrainian towns and villages...same exact mindset by the Russians....

  6. #46
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    Loyalist Syrian#women used as propaganda tool for Russians & fcoerced into providing sexual favours to army officers
    http://www.aljazeera.net/news/report...8%D8%B1%D9%8A#


    Same exact behavior in eastern Ukraine and or the Soviet Army raping of women and children across Europe in WW2....

  7. #47
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    Glasnost Gone @GlasnostGone
    #Syria: To illustrate Russian jets "pinpoint accuracy," Russian media use picture of a devastated #Aleppo. Barrel bombs aren't "gifts."


    Title page of the 500% Russian owned info war media outlet Sputnik International.....29.9.2016

    "Pinpoint accuracy of Russian jets Gifts the Syrians with firm hope of victory"


    BUT WAIT then with that "accuracy" they hit hospitals and bakeries "ALL war crimes" which Sputnik failed to mention......

  8. #48
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    Syria Regime launched counter assault in north eastern #Hama

    NE #Hama: widespread airstrikes as pro-Regime forces launched counter-attack. Ahrar Al-Sham destroyed a 57 mm cannon with a #Kornet.

    Last #ISIS pocket in North #Aleppo near #Azaz. #Syria

    EU try to send aid convoy for 130.000 people into #Syria's #Aleppo city
    BUT WAIT the US which could in fact airlift into Aleppo does absolutely nothing.......

    EuphratesShield: house to house fighting to clear Al-Ziadiyah from #ISIS (1 captured).
    http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36...z=13&m#…

    N. #Daraa: Southern Front suppressed with a #TOW a firing machine gun on Tell Qareen.
    http://wikimapia.org/#lang=ar&lat=33...z=13&m#…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVrbFQkJi4U#…

    Aleppo: fierce clashes in Bustan Pasha & Sheikh Kheder as pro-Regime forces are trying to take over Water Company.
    http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36...z=15&m#…
    ProAssad commenters claim to control all of this area BUT as usual there are two sides to the story.....
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 10-03-2016 at 08:26 AM.

  9. #49
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    Putin has somehow jumped over ColdWar 2 and gone straight to ColdWar 5...with this move......


    RT
    Verified account
    ‏@RT_com
    BREAKING: Putin signs decree suspending Russia-US deal on plutonium disposal over hostile US actions


    BUT WAIT Putin does not state that he alone has broken FIVE major International or US treaties along the way since his invasion of Crimea and eastern Ukraine....

    DOES Putin really want a war or is he trying to impress Obama in the last months and FREEZE any US actions in both eastern Ukraine and especially US actions that are potentially coming in Syria?????

    Putin suspends it due to "hostile actions of U.S". Agreement signed in 2000, ratified by Putin in 2011

  10. #50
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    Aleppo: Sultan Murad on Bustan Al-Basha frontline repelling pro-Regime forces.
    http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36...169838&z=14&m#

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzQWgSsXInA#

  11. #51
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    N. #Aleppo: Faylaq Al-Sham shelled pro-Regime forces in #Handarat Camp with Katyusha rockets.

    SW #Aleppo: Rebels repelled an Iraqi-led assault on 1070 Project after 8 hours of clashes & despite #RuAF aircover.
    http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=36...229&z=14&m=b#…

  12. #52
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    News
    Intense #Assad regime air strikes on 5+ towns in #EastGhouta today.
    Accepted by the "international community".

  13. #53
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    2-3 suicide bombings in #Hama city today; multiple casualties reported.
    Comes amid continued opposition offensive, now 4km from city limits


    Given some similarities to #Idlib 2015, it’s worth noting that several armed groups now [reportedly] have “sleeper cells” inside #Hama.

  14. #54
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    Trump's company rented space to Iranian bank that helped send $100M+ to a military unit that sponsored terrorism
    http://bit.ly/2dDqxUl

  15. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09 View Post
    Putin has somehow jumped over ColdWar 2 and gone straight to ColdWar 5...with this move......

    BTW....a sign that Putin is setting himself up to deal with Clinton and not Obama in three months.....


    RT
    Verified account
    ‏@RT_com
    BREAKING: Putin signs decree suspending Russia-US deal on plutonium disposal over hostile US actions


    BUT WAIT Putin does not state that he alone has broken FIVE major International or US treaties along the way since his invasion of Crimea and eastern Ukraine....

    DOES Putin really want a war or is he trying to impress Obama in the last months and FREEZE any US actions in both eastern Ukraine and especially US actions that are potentially coming in Syria?????

    Putin suspends it due to "hostile actions of U.S". Agreement signed in 2000, ratified by Putin in 2011
    Also Russia wants U.S to reduce troops from NATO countries to resume plutonium agreement
    http://liveuamap.com/en/2016/3-octob...reduce#…

    Russia also wants U.S to cancel Ukraine-linked sanctions against Russia

  16. #56
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    BREAKING: Contacts between Russian and US military on Syria suspended: diplomat - TASS
    http://tass.com/politics/903761

    Attacks on civilian infrastructure facilities
    According to Gatilov, allegations made against Russia holding it responsible for attacks on civilian infrastructure facilities in Syria are absolutely groundless as it is terrorists who use civilians as a human shield.
    "Allegations made against Russia that it delivers strikes on hospitals and schools are absolutely ungrounded," he told the reporters.
    In his words, terrorists in Syria are using the tactic of human shield hiding in civil infrastructure facilities and thus exposing civilians to fatal danger.

  17. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09 View Post
    Also Russia wants U.S to reduce troops from NATO countries to resume plutonium agreement
    http://liveuamap.com/en/2016/3-octob...reduce#…

    Russia also wants U.S to cancel Ukraine-linked sanctions against Russia
    HECK they even want US compensation for the sanctions against them for their militay annexation of Crimea, harassment/arrests/disappearances of Crimea Tartars, and the invasion of eastern Ukraine???????

    I'm not sure the "we are basically nearly at war with America" rhetoric has been this direct for a while.
    https://sputniknews.com/politics/201...greement.html#
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 10-03-2016 at 04:53 PM.

  18. #58
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    'Syria is now Obama's Rwanda'

  19. #59
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    NE #Hama: Free Idlib Army destroyed with a #TOW a BMP near Khafseen.

    NE #Hama: #JFS involvement to repel the Regime counter-attack on positions recently seized by Rebels.

    NW. #Hama: Jaish Al-Izza shelled Regime in Salhab with Gvozdika & Grad rockets. http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=35...86032&z=11&m#…
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUQwDTpu-zs#…

    Interesting as this would indicate a cooperation between IS and JFS in attacking Hama proper.....
    Hama: #ISIS claims responsability of 3 suicide attacks (with explosive vests) targeting Baath Party & Police inside #Hama-city.


    Egyptian AQ veteran and JFS senior leader Abu Faraj reportedly killed in a drone strike

    Satellite imagery shows no signs of Su-25s at Hmeymim on 26/09/16 (с) CNES / Airbus Defence and Space (via Jane's, bmpd)

    Air Force Freak ‏@AlRFORCEFREAK Oct 2
    #RUAF strategic aviation Tu-22Ms deployed 01OCT16 to Mozdok once again???

  20. #60
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    MORE evidence that the US Kurdish proxy YPG/SDF/PKK is fighting with the Assad regime and Putin against FSA NOT AGAINST IS.......

    N. #Aleppo: clashes between #FSA & #SDF/#YPG trying to advance towards KalJibrin likely in a bid to cut off #Marea from #Azaz pocket.


    Aleppo: #YPG militias trying to capture #Kaljibrin village from #FSA rebels. Heavy fighting now.
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 10-03-2016 at 05:01 PM.

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