Syria in 2015

[OUTLAW 09]

WHY has the FSA TOW teams been targeting "bulldozers"???????

Well worth reading......

It seems every week someone is asking why bother destroying bulldozers in Syria. Here you go. ATGMs and logistics. http://www.type63.com/2015/10/but-wh...estroying.html …

Damascus Statement about #Russia'n airstrike on hospital in suburb #Douma today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9-m...ature=youtu.be …

VIDEO: Children heard crying under the ruble after #Russian airstrike on rebel held Hayan #Aleppo - @AEJKhalil

Clashes btw #Assad-forces & #IslamicState at Sheikh Helal along regime supply-route #Hama -> #Aleppo
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...05264&z=13&m=b …

Remains of #Russia'n clusterbomb that hit #Aleppo city
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlhKIiy0zy4 …

[OUTLAW 09]

Assad regime. Their supply line in Aleppo is gone. No food can enter their areas where 1 million ppl live

Syrian Rebels retake almost ALL territory Assad regime gained after Russian intervention & now on the verge of major defeat in Aleppo

Now Red Crescent are begging Rebels 2 open supply line 4 civilians in Assad held areas. Civilians who are at least safe from barrel bombs

Then Assad regime tries to advance towards Kuweires after promising for 3 weeks they'll "capture it tomorrow" instead they were not only repelled by ISIS with heavy losses but ISIS also captured Jubboul village from them

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia still claiming to be bombing ISIS in Syria while bombing areas that any person with an IQ & a map knows there is no ISIS there

For example Russia bombed Hayan virtually no ISIS presence but FSA which they claim to want to "work with"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ3Sw3uMB_4 …

Russia also conducted airstrikes against the Southern FSA in Deraa that are allies with US & secular!

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: Arab journalist unveils new Shi'ite terror group launched by Iran to take over power in Gaza armed w/sniper rifles & missiles.

Saudis say #Iran must accept #Assad exit -
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34670774 …

Footage
Terrorism against the civilian population in #Douma today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iaUPkiTekA …
pic.twitter.com/uv1OMoLQ0X

Hama Rebels seized M79 Osa in Sukayk village
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M79_Osa pic.twitter.com/1T17Ao6TVx

Hama Tour in Sukayk village- retaken by rebels yesterday
Tell still under regime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-TG...ature=youtu.be …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...71154&z=14&m=b …
Exclusive: Russia flying Iranian weapons shipments into Syria, sources say | http://fxn.ws/1RCxUE2
pic.twitter.com/XnpPffEpZE

Russian media bingo: just pick the message you prefer. Don't expect them to match or make sense. #RussiaLies
pic.twitter.com/rAdx9RP7PD

[OUTLAW 09]

BREAKING: Arab journalist unveils new Shi'ite terror group launched by Iran to take over power in Gaza armed w/sniper rifles & missiles.

Saudis say #Iran must accept #Assad exit -
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34670774 …

Footage
Terrorism against the civilian population in #Douma today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iaUPkiTekA …
pic.twitter.com/uv1OMoLQ0X

Hama Rebels seized M79 Osa in Sukayk village
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M79_Osa pic.twitter.com/1T17Ao6TVx

Hama Tour in Sukayk village- retaken by rebels yesterday
Tell still under regime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-TG...ature=youtu.be …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...71154&z=14&m=b …
Exclusive: Russia flying Iranian weapons shipments into Syria, sources say | http://fxn.ws/1RCxUE2
pic.twitter.com/XnpPffEpZE

Russian media bingo: just pick the message you prefer. Don't expect them to match or make sense. #RussiaLies
pic.twitter.com/rAdx9RP7PD

Rebels seized "RPO-A Shmel" in Sukayk village
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RPO-A_Shmel …
Russian thermobaric RPG

PHOTO: #SAA soldier with a VSK-94 suppressed sniper rifle.

Shells landed near #Russia-n embassy in #Damascus

[Azor]

We all know that Russia intends to preserve Shi'ite power in Latakia, but I am sure that even the Kremlin is aware that Assad's writ will not extend to the rest of Syria even if Russian ground forces join the fray.

It may be that Putin is "cajoling" the Free Syrian Army into accepting Assad's rump state and turning their attention instead to the Islamic State.

Basically, Putin may be offering his support, so long as they agree to leave Assad be. This is a tall order, and the US was unsuccessful in creating Syrian forces focused exclusively on IS; hence the "4 or 5" fighters.

If Putin won the support of the FSyA through the carrot and stick approach, that would be a black eye to Washington and the Gulf Arab states. The FSyA has probably had discussions about whether or not the TOWs are worth the air strikes...

[OUTLAW 09]

Azor--two things in response--the Russian propaganda that they have met with the FSA is false--they met with three individuals who were former Syrian Generals who had fled Syria and are residing in Paris---they have no formal contact nor rep FSA in any official capacity.

Secondly--Russia has forgotten that the FSA has been under 4.5 years of barrel bombing and regular bombing so more Russian dumb bombs is not making an impression--just causing for more civilian deaths but actually military damage has been largely null.

[OUTLAW 09]

Failed #Russia'n airstrikes killed 7 #Hezbollah militia members- fighting for #Assad-regime in #Syria
http://mobile.lebanese-forces.com/20...sian-air-raid/ …

Reports from prison outbreak in #Raqqa city (Finance Center)
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...11459&z=19&m=b …

Latakia Rebels retaken entire Kafr Dulbah south of #Salma
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...59074&z=16&m=b …

[CrowBat]

We all know that Russia intends to preserve Shi'ite power in Latakia...

Sorry, but there is no 'Shi'a power' in Lattakia.

Although often described as such, Alawis are no Shi'a. They might have descended from the 12-er branch, but they're none since centuries.

It may be that Putin is "cajoling" the Free Syrian Army into accepting Assad's rump state and turning their attention instead to the Islamic State.

Putin is actually manoeuvring to make himself appear more important than he is ever going to be.

Part of that manoeuvre is his siding with Assad's politics of forcing Syrian population that turned against Assad into making choice: Assad or Daesh.

Basically, Putin may be offering his support, so long as they agree to leave Assad be.

Putin's media says so. He's actually not doing anything, otherwise there would be TV reports and we could see who are those 'FSyA generals' he supposedly met.

This is a tall order, and the US was unsuccessful in creating Syrian forces focused exclusively on IS...

Yes, and the reason is that Syrians know (and much better than the US is ever going to know), that Assad is the core problem, and they can tackle Daesh only after Assad is gone.

If Putin won the support of the FSyA through the carrot and stick approach, that would be a black eye to Washington and the Gulf Arab states.

If that's your concern, don't worry: it's never going to happen.

The FSyA has probably had discussions about whether or not the TOWs are worth the air strikes...

Certainly not.

[Azor]

The US needs to be more "enthusiastic" in its support of the FSyA is my point. And yes Alawis are not Shias proper, but in Iran's grand strategy they might as well be.

[OUTLAW 09]

The US needs to be more "enthusiastic" in its support of the FSyA is my point. And yes Alawis are not Shias proper, but in Iran's grand strategy they might as well be.

BTW--there have been two recently Iranian issued "fatwas" declaring Assad a "Muslim" thus attempting to create the perception that Assad is Sunni leaning and CB is correct---Alawites are a descending element of the 12er Iman Shia following.

[OUTLAW 09]

Appears the so called Russian "precision targeting" is on capable of hitting town, villages, residential areas basically any civilian that Russia wants to kill wound and or maim.

Breaking
13 #RussianAirStrikes so far this morning on towns and village in besieged #Homs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obcUnZE0V9U …

Also see the boy standing on the house,only able to watch the inferno & cross his fingers next bomb doesn't hit him

[CrowBat]

The US needs to be more "enthusiastic" in its support of the FSyA is my point.

The 'problem' Oblabla - and most of US decision-makers - have with the FSyA is of following nature:

Right from the start (read: June-July 2011), original ledership of FSyA (in sense of 'franchise', i.e. a movement to which about 100,000 combatants have pledged alegiance, but which never exercised any kind of coherent control over thousands of groups controlling these combatants) stressed it's non-political and non-religious nature. Even more so, it stressed removal of Assadist regime as its priorities No. 1 - 99.

Furthermore, it stressed that only once Assadist regime would be removed, was political (and religious) future of the country to be decided.

Frankly: they said - and still say - 'we fight Assad until he's gone, then we'll sort out the rest'. That's the very essence of what most of those still fighting under the FSyA flag insist upon until today.

Starting with Turkey (in November 2011), all foreign powers that became involved in supporting insurgency have strictly conditioned their aid on political and religious declarations. Turks said 'Moslem Brotherhood only', Saudis said 'Islamists only', Kuwaitis and Qataris said 'Salafists only' etc. (I'm listing only 'major & official protagonists' to keep it simple). Such meddling caused factionalisation of insurgency and creation of various other 'umbrella' organizations (Islamic Front, Ahrar ash-Sham etc.) in competition to the FSyA, in turn weakening it, and making any kind of large-scale coordinated operations impossible.

Now, contrary to Libyans, genuine Syrian insurgent leaders are aware of their diversity. Contrary to Assadists, who stress 'Assad and Alawis above everybody else', they've grown up in a country with population that's very diverse. They're accustomed to such situation, and accustomed to respect other people's religion and political standpoints. That's why none of them ever attempted to claim for himself to represent all of the insurgency. Those who did so (and there were dozens of them) are exclusively Syrians living in exile since 20+ years, without any kind of political basis inside the country, and very little religious basis too (as seen by actually minimal expansion of such groups like JAN, or even the IF and Ahrar).

This stands in stark contrast to Libya, where there was that provisional council in Benghazi that declared itself for 'in charge of insurgency', was then deftly credited by the West and used as 'invitation point' for NATO intervention - only to become a victim of Turkey/Qatar-supported bribery that caused the civil war.

...add to this that the Western media was fast in catching extremist agendas and in over-reporting these, creating a completely wrong picture of the insurgency as an 'uprising of al-Qaida'. Reason for this is that for the media 'moderates' are 'no story' - regardless if more numerous (though disunited too).

Bottom line was: the West concluded it has 'no allies to support' - although this is obvious hogwash, then otherwise Assadists, IRGC and Hezbollah would've won already years ago (simply because such 'extremists' between insurgents like the JAN are too few and do not enjoy widespread support in the population).

In the case of the USA, the problem was (and remains) even bigger. Namely, whenever USA approach such bodies they expect to hear political and religious declarations - such like 'democracy', 'free elections', blahblahblah - and also the other party to make concessions in US' interest.

In the case of Syria, such concession is either a recognition of Israel, or fight against the Daesh (and, preferrably: both).

While majority of so many different Syrian insurgent leaders (even many of those from the JAN) can at least 'accept' most of other ideas, and make plenty of concessions, nobody there is ready to do something like 'recognize Israel', because that would be his own 'suicide'. Namely, there is no way Syrians might make peace with Israel without Israel returning the Golan Heights.

...and in regards of fighting the Daesh: all of insurgents (bar few vetted groups from Dayr az-Zawr and Raqqa areas, longing to avenge what Daesh did to their tribes), understand the situation 100+ times better than the USA, and therefore see that Assadist regime is the core reason for a) wholesale destruction of Syria, b) death of hundreds of thousands of Syrians, and c) emergence of the Daesh. Therefore, they insist on continuing to fight down that regime before, first and foremost, before tackling the Daesh.

...while Oblabla is taking the Daesh issue out of context and insisting on fighting it only, because he's comparing Assadist regime with that of Saddam, and thinks that Syria would turn into an anarchy if Assad would fall - while ignoring the fact that Assad has alredy destroyed most of the country, de-populated more than 70% of it, and enabled extremists to flourish (on his own side too)... i.e. that Assad has already turned the country into an anarchy...

And thus, there are no common interests between the USA and insurgents, and no serious cooperation is possible either, and this means that there is no way anybody there in the DC can openly show his 'enthusiastic support for the FSyA'.

[OUTLAW 09]

It is still not clear, if #Russia or its ally #Assad bombed the #Douma market today.
45 dead, 200 injured confirmed.

News
Ongoing Russian airstrikes on #Rastan in besieged #Homs province.
Many casualties.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiatnAYz9o …

Footage
No #Assad army recapture attempts of #Sukayk in #Idlib province
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kavti5ijPiE …

News
Another 4 civilians killed, 10 injured, in #RussianAirStrike on rural #Idlib village
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WkWClpnFlg …

See the power (shock wave) of a Russian bomb, dropped on civilians in #Rastan shortly ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxjjnyGMsg …
The screams that follow. Horrendous.

[OUTLAW 09]

News
Russian airstrike targets #Aleppo city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmgFrjYZJUY …

Footage
Also today, Russian war planes (Su-34) circle over al-Harra, 10 km from #Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHsKc5Jv98M …

Bombs now!
Target is Tel Harra, exactly 12 km away from Israeli settlement Alonei HaBashan & #IDF CP Tel Hazeka.

Footage
Syrian rebels target regime jeep in Al-Qarassi, S of #Aleppo, with the AT-3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7ACTHHY7Es …

Aleppo Heavy clashes continues at southern Sheikh Sa'eed front
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUU4Ig3V_ZE …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...52994&z=16&m=b …

Rebels take out tank in western #Aleppo' Zahra artillery base----TOW hit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyKiJTK0ijM …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...83020&z=16&m=b …

FSA destroyed tank in #Atashan
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=35...23168&z=14&m=b …

Aleppo Airstrikes on market in al-Bab town killed 7 people & injured dozens

ISIS enters the village of Nafel for 1st. time. It is on the road between al-Safira and Defense Factories!

[OUTLAW 09]

It is still not clear, if #Russia or its ally #Assad bombed the #Douma market today.
45 dead, 200 injured confirmed.

News
Ongoing Russian airstrikes on #Rastan in besieged #Homs province.
Many casualties.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiatnAYz9o …

Footage
No #Assad army recapture attempts of #Sukayk in #Idlib province
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kavti5ijPiE …

News
Another 4 civilians killed, 10 injured, in #RussianAirStrike on rural #Idlib village
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WkWClpnFlg …

See the power (shock wave) of a Russian bomb, dropped on civilians in #Rastan shortly ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxjjnyGMsg …
The screams that follow. Horrendous.

Assad underlines his, #Russia´s and #Iran's insistence to block any peace process by deliberately killing civilians

Fifty killed & 200 injured in deliberate attack by #Syria regime on civilians in #Douma while #ViennaTalks ongoing
http://on.wsj.com/1jWwHx5

[OUTLAW 09]

It is still not clear, if #Russia or its ally #Assad bombed the #Douma market today.
45 dead, 200 injured confirmed.

News
Ongoing Russian airstrikes on #Rastan in besieged #Homs province.
Many casualties.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfiatnAYz9o …

Footage
No #Assad army recapture attempts of #Sukayk in #Idlib province
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kavti5ijPiE …

News
Another 4 civilians killed, 10 injured, in #RussianAirStrike on rural #Idlib village
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WkWClpnFlg …

See the power (shock wave) of a Russian bomb, dropped on civilians in #Rastan shortly ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjxjjnyGMsg …
The screams that follow. Horrendous.

Its the second terroristic act (by regime) that target this market in 2015
-no accident-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douma_...cre_%282015%29 …

BreakingNews
Entire neighbourhood in #Aleppo flattened by missile strike.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CheuepGkvQ …

Iraq Foreign Minister: #Vienna peace talks for #Syria have failed..

Update Syria civilian deaths in October due to airstrikes (via VDC data)
Russia 242
Syria Air Force 165
US coalition 10

[OUTLAW 09]

Russia'n airstrikes hit Fardous neighborhood near #Aleppo city center in northern #Syria https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgXw0fvTdww …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=36...48831&z=16&m=b …

More #Russia'n airstrikes on mountain fortress "Tell Harra" in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbneP_wOWx0 …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33...88679&z=15&m=b …

Russia'n airstrikes hit #Harra city in southern #Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYO0L3FbnoI …
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=de&lat=33...05502&z=15&m=b …

Notice, that NOT only #Russian planes bomb free #Homs province, but also #Assad's Su-22.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ13eRpKUwU …

[OUTLAW 09]

This was the first strike on this market place on 16 August 2015 that was a massacre of civilians and today the second strike against the same market place occurred again conducted either by the Syrian AF and or the RuAF.

AND all the West does is talk and talk and talk....AND the genocide just keeps on occurring and Obama looks away from it--these are is the actions of a "Nobel Peace Prize Winner"?????

After #Assad's slaughter, resistance remains in #Douma #Syria:
http://youtu.be/HYkGRCMPyHM

WAS not the Russian involvement actually to be for the targeting and destruction of the Islamic State NOT the Syrian civil society?

NOW there is a serious question that should be raised and yet DC does not--WHEN does a nation state committing "terrorist acts against unarmed civilians" BECOME a "rouge state".

AND coupled with that question is then if it is a "rouge state" does it have the right to a veto seat on the UNSC??????

[OUTLAW 09]

Does anyone here at SWJ notice the similarity between the current Vienna talks and the Vienna Conference of 1815??????

Putin talks a lot about a new Yalta and has been able to "globalize" what basically was a regional dispute and sets Russia as the chief negotiator and leader of these talks---he is half way to a new Yalta and no one in the West especially Obama sees this coming??

Nothing are going to come out of these talks just as nothing really came out of the constant Normandy Four talks and Minsk 2 agreements as UAF troops are still being killed and or wounded in a renewal of "Russian attacks" during a so called "ceasefire".

BREAKING: Major powers to meet again on #Syria in two weeks: France - @AFP

Superpowers and regional players trying to resolve what basically is an internal Syrian civil society rebellion without them involved is starting to look like "the 1815 imperialist nations" making decisions again just as they did when setting the boundaries of Syria and Iraq.

Some point out there was no need for the rebels to be present as the Syrian government was not present--BUT they were there--the two powers providing troops, aircraft, money and supplies-- Iran and Russia were there.

So why do two major war participants attend yet the rebels have no voice in their own future they have rebelled for in the first place....??

Does that make sense to anyone?????