Thx, JMA. See below for more.

And J,
few days back I started writing quite a long reply to your post.

Frankly, sometimes my English is not enough to follow all of what you say, or I understand the context only. But, what I do understand (especially that about 'preoccuppied') sounds strangely similar to something I've heard already back in 2004 or so.

Eventually decided neither to complete nor to post what I started writing. Repeating myself for xth time with explaining at least the 'tip of iceberg' of problems caused by the lack of expertise (and purposed ignorance) in the USA is not only not making any sense to me any more, but distracting from the actual topic too.

Therefore, you'll get only my recommendation to read these two OPEDs:

- In the case of this one - Russia Experts See Thinning Ranks’ Effect on U.S. Policy - please replace 'Russia' with 'Syria' to understand what I mean, and

- in the case of this one - The Ukraine crisis: A Middle East perspective - try your luck by connecting dots on your own (especially if you might be able to connect the dots between that report, the one I linked above, and then recent reports about Abdullah sacking Bandar, the SNC/SMC sacking Idriss etc., etc., etc.).

***********

On the battlefields of Syria...

Maj Gen Suleimani's offensive against the northern side of insurgent-held Qalamoun Range (running parallel to the central part of Lebanese-Syrian border) is reaching its culmination. His forces have encircled the town of Yabroud from three sides, have secured most of Rima Farms and the Industrial Zone on the NE side of Yabroud, and are shelling the place to smitherness. Yabroud is under near constant artillery- and MLRS-barrage, and insurgent sources have counted five air strikes by SyAAF fighter bombers and ten by SyAAF helicopters two days ago.

There appear to be no new videos of insurgents deploying (Saudi supplied) ATGMs to knock out regime MBTs since a few days, which is probably indicating that the fighting is now joined at close quarters.

What is interesting in this battle is the - meanwhile 'characteristical' - composition of regime forces. There should be one Hezbollah brigade still involved (about 1,500-2,000 combatants; the other was withdrawn about a week ago, apparently due to exhaustion and losses); one armoured or mechanized brigade of the 8th 'Najaf' Armoured Division IRGC (driving T-72AVs and T-72 TURMS-T MBTs, and BMP-2s of the RGD), probably reinforced by one of Iraqi Shi'a militia brigades; then there should be three 'task forces' of the regime's NDF (each about battalion in size, each consisting of one armoured or mechanized company from the 4th AD, plus a company or two each from the former 3rd, 7th, and 10th Divisions); the 155th Artillery Brigade (equipped with BM-21s, Failaq-2 and similar MLRS'); plus one of four SSNP brigades (predominantly Christian 'Syrian Socialist National Party', with ideology similar to that of German Nazis from the 1930s-1940s). That's about 10,000-12,000 'regime combatants' in total.

They're facing about 2,000 insurgents (my assessment) that are still inside Yabroud, primarily consisting of groups alledging alliance with the FSyA, and the IF: the JAN has had its local 'Emir' injured in fighting, two days ago, and seems to be withdrawing from (what is left of) the town.