U.S. Allies 'Volunteer' To Share (Implausible) Blame For Deir Ezzor Attack
The U.S. is trying to distribute the blame for its air support of ISIS against the Syrian Arab Army in Deir Ezzor.
The facts, not put into doubt by any U.S. statement, via the Russian military report after Saturday's incident:
"Today at 17:00-17:50 Moscow time, international anti-Daesh coalition (two F-16 and two A-10 jets) carried out four strikes on Syrian government forces' units encirled by Daesh near Deir ez-Zor airport. The coalition's aircraft entered Syrian airspace from the side of the Iraqi border," Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.
...
As a result of the attack, 62 Syrian soldiers were killed and some 100 others were injured, according to information received from the Syrian command in Deir ez-Zor, he said.
The Syrian government now says some 82 soldiers were killed in the attack which also destroyed 3 T-72 tanks, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun and at least 4 mortars. Following the attack the Islamic State troops stormed the Syrian government position on the Jabal Thardeh hill. They are now able to harass the airport of Deir Ezzor, the only supply line for the ISIS besieged city and the 150,000+ civilians living there under government protection.
We note that this was not the first U.S. attack on Syrian government forces in Deir Ezzor. Back in December 3 Syrian soldiers were killed in an air raid. In June a U.S. air attack on Manbij killed some 100 civilians. No U.S. attack on any ISIS target in Syria ever came near such casualty numbers.
It is very doubtful that this was not an intended attack. Even Human Rights Watch recognized Saturday's mass murder as "signal" to the Syrian government (before deleting its tweet).
Now the blame has to be spread.
Early Sunday Australia jumped in claiming its jets had taken part in the attack:
Australian aircraft were involved in a US-led coalition operation which killed dozens of Syrian soldiers stationed near Eastern ISIS stronghold city of Deir Ezzor, the Australia's Defense Department confirmed.
...
"Australian aircraft were among a number of international aircraft taking part in this Coalition operation," the Defense Department said in a statement.
Late Sunday the Danes followed:
"Two Danish F-16 [fighter aircraft] participated in these attacks along with the aircraft of other nations. The strikes had been stopped immediately after the Russian side reported that the positions of the Syrian servicemen had been hit," the military command authority of the Danish Armed Forces said in a statement issued Sunday.
This morning, the BBC defense correspondent says, the UK also claimed guilty:
Jonathan Beale @bealejonathanBBC understands @RoyalAirForce jets might have been involved in #Syria Airstrikes that killed 60 + Syrian soldiers.
Four planes attacked and four airforces claim to have been part of it? That is neither plausible nor realistic.
Only the U.S. operates A-10 ground attack planes. Neither the U.K nor Australia own or operate F-16 fighters. While the Danish airforce deployed F-16s to the Middle East theater, those planes were send to only operated in Iraq, not in Syria:
Denmark will send seven F-16 fighter jets to help combat IS militants in Iraq, Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said on Friday."I am very pleased that there now is a broad coalition, including countries in the region who want to... contribute," she said at a press conference, adding that the Danish fighter jets would not join US planes in bombing targets in Syria.
Additionally the Syrian military said that the planes came from Erbil in the Kurdish ruled northern part of Iraq. No other nation but the U.S. is known to use the Erbil facilities for fighter flights.
The drones which had kept surveillance over the area were also U.S. ones:
The strike began in the early evening, when planes attacked a group of vehicles that American surveillance aircraft had been watching for several days, according to a Centcom official ..
Obviously someone in a U.S. command phoned up U.S. allies and asked them to please share the blame for the "mistaken" U.S. air support for the ISIS ground attack: "If all are guilty, no one is guilty and no one can be punished."
A famous book and movie is the template for such play:
As Poirot pursues his investigation, he discovers that everyone in the coach had a connection to the Armstrong family and, therefore, had a motive to kill Cassetti. Poirot proposes two possible solutions ... The first solution is that a stranger boarded the train and murdered Cassetti. The second one is that all 13 people in the coach were complicit in the murder, seeking the justice that Cassetti had escaped in the United States. He concedes Countess Helena Andrenyi didn't take part, so the murderers numbered 12, resembling a self-appointed jury. Mrs. Hubbard .. confesses that the second solution is the correct one.
The U.S. says some 67 nations have joined its "coalition" against ISIS. Eight more U.S. allies will soon be found who's planes took also part in the raid: "What about that PA-18 from Luxembourg?"
With many parties claiming the crime the one real culprit can not be convicted. This new Murder on the Orient Express will stay unpunished.
The ceasefire in Syria is breaking down. The U.S. did not fulfill its promise to separate its "moderate rebel" proxy forces from al-Qaeda. No smokescreen of lamenting about humanitarian access can change that fact.
The Russian and Syrian airforce will soon go back to work. Any soldiers of the U.S. "coalition" in Syria should watch out for those planes. If the U.S. and its allies can make "mistakes" like in Deir Ezzor, others may also show imperfections in their operations.
Posted by b on September 19, 2016 at 13:44 UTC | Permalink
next page »The problem is that the Australia has denied the use of the planes in question:
"The Russian military earlier said two F-16s and two A-10 jets that flew into Syrian airspace from neighbouring Iraq carried out the actual attack. Neither type is listed as being in operation with the RAAF."
Posted by: Les | Sep 19 2016 14:02 utc | 2
If I remember correctly, after the previous by US forces on Syrian military forces, the Russians bombed a US Base on the Jordanian border. Tit for tat. Not only is the US way out of line but this is a very dangerous situation.
Posted by: papillonweb | Sep 19 2016 14:05 utc | 3
Probably old news for most MoA readers, but this was posted last night at Fort Russ. The Russian government finds the US works with ISIS.
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/09/major-development-russia-affirms-us.html
Posted by: Michael | Sep 19 2016 14:15 utc | 4
The Brits are now saying they were using Reapers (Guardian), and the same may have been true of the Ozzies.
But I quite agree about the sharing the blame bit. The Brits would have revealed earlier if it was a genuine event. It obviously took time for the Yanks to convince the Brits.
Posted by: Laguerre | Sep 19 2016 14:22 utc | 5
Sounds like the Brits, Aussies, and Danes are admitting that they are merely surrogates for the US ... kinda like ISIS and Nusra?
The irony is that we say we bombed, not really, our allies bombed, well maybe we can blame the Russians? Let's keep the focus shifting.
And the so-called "American People" are oblivious and ignorant ... just the way we like them. Maybe a WWIII scenario would cleanse the world of stupidity ... the rest of living things are not stupid, just don't have an even playing field for fighting back. So, it is up to us to put a stop to us.
Posted by: rg the lg | Sep 19 2016 14:36 utc | 6
It's a 193-member-states-Party.
From 20 november 2015 till all of Syria is destroyed.
Security Council ‘Unequivocally’ Condemns ISIL Terrorist Attacks, Unanimously Adopting Text that Determines Extremist Group Poses ‘Unprecedented’ ThreatThe Security Council determined today that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS) constituted an “unprecedented” threat to international peace and security, calling upon Member States with the requisite capacity to take “all necessary measures” to prevent and suppress its terrorist acts on territory under its control in Syria and Iraq.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2249 (2015), the Council unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks perpetrated by ISIL — also known as Da’esh — on 26 June in Sousse, on 10 October in Ankara, on 31 October over the Sinaï Peninsula, on 12 November in Beirut and on 13 November in Paris, among others. It expressed its deepest condolences to the victims and their families, as well as to the people and Governments of Tunisia, Turkey, Russian Federation, Lebanon and France.
The 15-member body condemned in the strongest terms ISIL’s gross, systematic and widespread abuses of human rights, as well as its destruction and looting of cultural heritage. Those who committed, or were otherwise responsible for, terrorist acts or human rights violations must be held accountable. By other terms, the Council urged Member States to intensify their efforts to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters into Iraq and Syria, and to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism.
Following the vote, nearly all Council members took the floor to decry the “barbaric” attacks and hateful world view espoused by ISIL, reaffirming their support in both stemming the threat and bringing perpetrators to justice. In an echo of the sentiments voiced by many around the table Spain’s representative declared: “Today, we are all French, Russian, Malian and Arab,” adding: “It is time to act with a French, Russian, Malian and Arab heart.” The Council had a duty to guarantee the values and principles of the United Nations, and all must close ranks to vanquish terrorism, he stressed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_United_Nations
Posted by: From The UN | Sep 19 2016 14:43 utc | 7
We are not oblivious and ignorant, rg the lg. We simply ignore mainstream news in this country because it is all completely bogus. That means it takes us a while to become informed - we have to look elsewhere.
This is really terrible news. What a legacy of shame for the current administration and their allies. They really are war criminals steeped in blood.
Posted by: juliania | Sep 19 2016 14:46 utc | 8
Good observations and good work to back them up. What a sorry bunch of criminals the US/NATO are.
Posted by: jfl | Sep 19 2016 14:46 utc | 9
Look for such atrocities to come more frequently upon the Borg Queen's takeover in DC.
Posted by: Morongobill | Sep 19 2016 14:58 utc | 10
US-backed SDF is seeking help from Russia, Syria against Turkey
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/reports-kurds-requesting-help-syria-russia-deal-turkey/
Posted by: Les | Sep 19 2016 14:58 utc | 11
The Russian Defense Ministry has said that "The ceasefire in Syria is nonesense when it is only being honoured by the government forces".
Hope this is the sign we've been waiting for that RF will at last blow shit out of US asset moderates - now that Turkey has got her spec ops out of there!
https://m.ria.ru/syria_chronicle/20160919/1477341224.html
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 19 2016 15:12 utc | 12
"We are not oblivious and ignorant, rg the lg. We simply ignore mainstream news in this country because it is all completely bogus. That means it takes us a while to become informed - we have to look elsewhere." Thus spake 'juliania.'
I will concede that perhaps (maybe), on a good day, about 1 or 2 percent of Americans attempt to become informed by looking beyond the mainstream news. On the other hand, the assumption that we care about anything other than our ability to buy 'stuff' at our local Wallie-World, live in ticky-tacky housing (especially the ubiquitous MacMansions), worship at sports spectaculars, and sing the racist national anthem ... I maintain that the great, grand majority couldn't give a shit about anything even when faced with Diarrhea. We live relatively well and that's what matters. What our government does is off the radar screen for the 98 to 99% who are both ignorant and blissful in their ignorance.
Posted by: rg the lg | Sep 19 2016 15:13 utc | 13
The crazy thing is: 20 november 2015 was AFTER the Russians came in to help Syria ON REQUEST.
And then came Hollande.....
He said he would meet US President Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, in the coming days to urge them to join forces in a “wide and single coalition” against Isil, saying that the international community had been “divided and incoherent” for too long.
How can the Russian memory be so short? Washington promised Gorbachev that if he permitted the reunification of Germany, NATO would not move one inch to the East. But the Clinton regime placed NATO on Russia’s border.The George W. Bush regime violated the ABM Treaty by pulling out of it, and the Obama regime is putting missile bases on Russia’s border.
The neoconservatives deep-sixed no first use of nuclear weapons and elevated them to pre-emptive first strike in US war doctrine.
The Obama regime overthrew the Ukrainian government and installed a US puppet government in a former constituent part of Russia. The puppet government launched a war against the Russian populations in Ukraine, causing secession movements that Washington has mischaracterized as “Russian invasion and annexation.”
Yet, the Russian government thinks Washington is a “partner” with whom it has common interests.
http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2016/09/19/russia-has-no-partners-in-the-west.html
Posted by: From The Hague | Sep 19 2016 15:18 utc | 14
thanks b... "If all are guilty, no one is guilty and no one can be punished." - bingo...
this is all very bad news as now it is just going to ramp up more, with more accidents from both sides and turning syria into a hell which has been the intent all along, continues unabated..
Posted by: james | Sep 19 2016 15:22 utc | 15
"In Deir Ezzor a Syrian jet involved in an operation against DAESH was shot down. Amak news agency close to Daesh announced that the plane had been brougbt down by the terrorist militias."
Other than NTV and Al Jazeera (Turkey) anyone able to corroborate this?
www.ntv.com.tr/dunya/isid-suriyeye-ait-savas-ucagini-dusurdu,vmC0g1XjAkGHLlAC0Dkg1w
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 19 2016 15:31 utc | 16
This was a message to the Russians and Syrians but its really a one (or mayb 2) off tactic. The US can't pull this stunt more than that without killing its credibility and forcing Russia, Syria and Iran to reply.
That is called desperation but it's being done by idiot neocons who know no boundaries.
The only language the neocons understand is force. Putin needs to give up the PR tactics and kit neocons where it hurts. There are many good targets that are not the US.
Posted by: Alaric | Sep 19 2016 15:34 utc | 17
My thoughts exactly when I first read Australia, and subsequently the danes, admitting complicity in this. A pretty smart, and cowardly, move by the US to spread the blame around, though they should grow a pair.
Don't think they'll be able to pull this 'bad intel' card again though so, for the sake of the jihadists on the ground, it better have tilted the scales.
Posted by: never mind | Sep 19 2016 15:36 utc | 18
I think this spreading of blame is mostly about preparing for Obama's UN speech.
Q: How many nations will walk out during Obama's speech?
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 19 2016 15:41 utc | 19
I'd say declare that the current Washington leadership are incapable of any competent leadership in any Syrian role, and that they should immediately exit the country. Target the Obama admin's competency directly with public rebukes. Not sure if it would do anything, however
Posted by: bbbb | Sep 19 2016 15:44 utc | 20
It's not surprising that Oz chimed in to share the blame for AmeriKKKa's mistake. All hi-profile Oz politicians (both Labor and Liberal) are self-declared Good Friends of Israel's thieves, liars, murderers and parasites. They also do any and every stupid thing the US Ambassador tells them to do.
The US Ambassador is Proudly Gay and lives with his male partner. So my characterisation of him/it as the King of Oz is inaccurate.
He's actually the Other Queen of Oz - probably outranking QEII, who pays smaller political bribes than the Yanks and "Israelis".
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Sep 19 2016 15:44 utc | 21
THE LATEST: SYRIA MILITARY DECLARES CEASE-FIRE OVER
Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 19 2016 15:45 utc | 22
The psychotic US regime are floundering in their own cess pit. This horrendous crime against the honourable, brave and dedicated SAA is hard to comprehend. despite the Russians being slated for not doing enough, I don't think the wildest imagination could have envisaged the brutal actions of Obama's bunch of screwballs. Israeli action against Syria and their allies at a similar time on Saturday indicates cooperation and reinforces the feeling that Israel has not just supplied hospital beds for the Nusra thugs.
I hope a thoughtful yet swift retribution is planned to avenge the deaths of the murdered SAA heroes, even if it's just to give their families a small sense of justice.
Posted by: duplicitousdemocracy | Sep 19 2016 15:54 utc | 23
The SAA has announced the end of the ceasefire, as I expected, https://www.rt.com/news/359892-syria-ceasefire-over-army/
Kerry says "sorry" then accuses Assad of bombing "indiscriminately," https://www.rt.com/news/359894-kerry-strike-syria-assad/
Actually, there's a significant % of citizens residing within the Outlaw US Empire that strive to find the Truth of the matter regarding innumerable subjects.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 19 2016 15:57 utc | 24
Public Broadcasting Service noon news lead story is NJ terrorist bombing suspect apprehended and the Federal Government is protecting the people from terrorists. Also a terrorist stabbing in Minnesota is linked to Allah and Isis. Russian election fraud. Ballot box stuffing, etc. Dow gains. No mention of Syria, UN or reality.
Posted by: ALberto | Sep 19 2016 16:10 utc | 25
The US: "We didn't do it, it's not our fault, it wasn't just us, and by the way, the existence of Daesh is Assad's fault, and also, barrel bombs!"
It's sad that the worst expectations of the US with regard to the cease fire and any cooperation with Russia have once again been confirmed. I think Russia's intention was to drag the US into the cease fire the US was calling for just to force the US to reveal on the international stage that the US supports Al-Nusra, and to a lesser extent, Daesh, in the battle for the sovereignty of Syria.
Posted by: WorldBLee | Sep 19 2016 16:12 utc | 26
Australian aircraft could be EA-18G Growler, electronic warfare variant of the FA-18. Very useful in blinding the enemy during an attack and disabling anti-aircraft defences. May not have shown up in attack radius - as it is a stand-off weapon. https://sputniknews.com/military/20151102/1029494340/top-5-most-advanced-aircraft-air-operation-syria.html
Posted by: Dingo | Sep 19 2016 16:17 utc | 27
Erdogan has been talking today about a 45km wide 95km deep safe zone in northern Syria. Obama agreed to this at the G20 apparently as did Putin, conditionally! (Reported on Dogan News and just found a simjlar rerport in AJ Turkey. Will check for british version.)
So, the purpose of the Firat Shield operation is coming together.
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 19 2016 16:20 utc | 28
Just found british version on RT, interestingly it makes no mention of Obama and Putin having agreed. Nor does it make any mention of Merkel's promised 10m euros to help pay for the zone as claimed by Erdogan!
https://www.rt.com/news/359859-syria-turkey-erdogan-isis/
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 19 2016 16:25 utc | 29
i am spasticus
no i am spartacus
and me
me
I am Flavius the snitch non analist from Hermidia, the guy with the funny looking chin is Sparticus!
his name is not kirk douglas
so what if he is jewish zionist
what a head
that got ahead
Posted by: charles drake | Sep 19 2016 16:34 utc | 30
Early reports had the US saying it consulted w. Russian theatre control over the targeting but received no reply. Don't see any follow-up on this angle. Could be the Russian controllers delayed before responding to guarantee embarassment for the US? Pure speculation, of course.
Instinctively, I question everything due to lack of verifiable ground truth. What is revealing is the trickling and adjusting of story by the coalition, e.g. the Kerry "who hit who when" statement and the hilarious Harvard-supremacist Sam Power outrage over being held to standards by *gasp* Russia... usw. Same sort of statements by the Hillary campaign over NY bombings, as in we don't know it was a bomb, let's let the local constables figure it out, because, you know, experience...
The US continues down the path of fondling everything with the plausible deniability glove, not realizing that even the American public doesn't buy into it anymore (not since Nixon, anyway). I do see the possibility that the US forces are thrashing around shooting at anything to keep their scorecards up in time for the coronation election, but who wants to start rumors, eh?
@1 and @3, dead on. EU taxing Apple followed by US levy against Deutsche Bank. Tit for tat. Meanwhile, Draghi joins Goldman Sacks and any US reporter who writes anything critical of Hillary gets canned. China builds nuke plant in UK while it annexes everything within an hour's flight perimeter off shore. So, regarding whoever was killed by the airborne menagerie firing on Deir Ezzor, or who did it, will Vlad take the bait?
Posted by: stumpy | Sep 19 2016 16:35 utc | 31
The last number of comment trains on B's posts always seem to be full of people calling for Russian red lines to be drawn, calling for Putin to respond an eye for an eye and meet escalation with further escalation, to use the AA equipment installed in the area, to embed SF units as a deterrent, etc. I hope that trend doesn't continue as satisfying the thought may be to some and the natural human response of meeting force with force.
I can understand how frustrating it must be to see and read about all this violence and deception at the hands of empire, especially when one is so far away and feels like they can do nothing themselves to prevent it. Hell I know it fills me with an anger that I seldom feel elsewhere in my life. The problem is the empire is in rapid decay and those who staff it's halls are very desperate and know full well how dire their situation is. However, there is no memory of WWII to counterbalance these figures' plans and aspirations anymore, plus I highly doubt they're as organized and coordinated as one would expect them to be. Given those factors the worst thing Russia can do in my eyes is make the new cold war any hotter. Jesus the American gov is just itching to see that, to confirm their propaganda, to have an excuse to inflate the mil budget further, to having reasons to launch covert (and overt) aggression directly against them without worry. Russia would be forced to play their cards and when that game starts who knows who will win, who will die, what will happen to the earth and our species as a whole... Humans have invented a doomsday weapon and we threaten each other with it everyday implicitly, which is so beyond the pale of any rational thought.
The best we can hope for, and I believe Putin is of the same mind to some degree, is that the empire will rot from the inside out, that it's actions will catch up with them, that its allies will abandon them, that the American population will begin to dissent and disapprove. Hell we see some of that already happening, this strike is indicative of that to me. Risking nuclear escalation is so frightenening on a personal level, the kind of destruction it would create would make Syria seem like paradise. Now THAT'S a situation to be avoided.
Putin has been doing what he can do. Maybe not enough in some eyes, probably not nearly enough even in my eyes either considering the extent of the manufactured evils taking place in the MENA, but I'd rather him err on the side of caution than recklessness. We already have one major power in the area working with that sort of disregard. I think it's safe to say having two crazy, aggressive, nuclear equipped militaries operating at each other's throats side by side would not end well. To think of the floodgates that would be opened as a result, it's hard to comprehend... To think of the death it would bring to people so uninvolved from this conflict... Its unfair in my eyes to make the innocent culpable due to our overzealous posture towards these, quute literally, 'doomsday' weapons.
Posted by: FecklessLeft | Sep 19 2016 16:38 utc | 32
Russian Defense Ministry says US, Syrian opposition fail to fulfil Geneva deal
(TASS) The US and the Syrian opposition groups backed by Washington have not met any commitments under the Geneva deal on Syria, senior Russian military official Sergey Rudskoy told reporters on Monday.
"The United States and the groups of the so-called healthy opposition controlled by it have not met any of the commitments undertaken as part of the Geneva agreements. No separation of the moderate opposition and Jabhat al-Nusra has taken place," said Rudskoy, who heads the main operations department of Russia’s General Staff.
"Moreover, we see not separation but the merge of units of moderate opposition and Jabhat al-Nusra and their preparation for joint offensive," Rudskoy said.
Alexander Zorin, a Russian defense ministry’s envoy to the Geneva-based task forces on ceasefire and humanitarian issues, said since September 12 Russia’s experts have handed over to US counterparts 16 requests for providing info.
"We have to state a very low activity of the American colleagues on responding to our well-founded concerns," he said.
He reminded that the main condition of the ceasefire was separating the moderate opposition from the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group, which is outlawed in Russia. "Unfortunately, the American colleagues have not made any real steps in this direction so far," Zorin said.
During the meetings in Geneva on Sunday and Monday, the US experts tried to convince Russia that the task of separating terrorists from the opposition was very challenging and they were working hard on solving it. "Still, no practical results of this activity have been provided so far," he added.
Posted by: N | Sep 19 2016 16:41 utc | 33
@Les | 11
Ties in with Erdogan's comments today that 'he' will not allow the cantons to unify, claiming that the land belongs to Arabs - meaning, I guess that Erdogan is going to be the hero to Arabs and save their land for them by invading it? Not sure what the Arab population will say!!
I have said it many times before, the biggest threat to stability in the region is Turkey.
Speak to Syrian arabs from the Mencbil region and they never had problems with Kurds, now look where we are! Erdogan only understands division and sectarianism.
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 19 2016 16:42 utc | 34
So basically the Hegemonic alliance is now taunting Syria, Iran and Russia.
I'm sure Putin will bang a gucci shoe on a table somewhere.
Posted by: paul | Sep 19 2016 16:43 utc | 36
maybe the series of terrorist attacks over the weekend (starting Saturday night) is a local setup to focus attention on domestic treats instead of the scandal brewing at the UN, as Russia called an emergency meeting to discuss the attack on the SAA troops. MoA, can you see if there is a connection?
Posted by: PM | Sep 19 2016 16:55 utc | 37
Very interesting interview with SETA Foundation - very closely linked to Erdogan's regime. Turkey taking on US mantle maybe ... Erdogan is nothing if not ambitious!
Also, rather tellingly it pre-empts much of what erdogan has said today about further incursion into Syria.
"Commenting on the possibility of Turkey facing the YPG and the U.S. afterwards in Syria, Ulutaş said that the U.S. won't take the risk facing Turkey in Syria and added that the success of Operation Euphrates Shield could shift the balance and force the U.S. to revise its northern Syrian projects, which have already started falling apart."
Posted by: AtaBrit | Sep 19 2016 17:07 utc | 38
It's a shame that, with what has taken place, that Putin had already decided prior to not attend the UN General Assembly. Obama gets to provide his spin/ deflection on the attack or totally ignore it while making his 'legacy' speech without the one man most able to provide rebuttal being there.
It will be interesting to see how this assembly goes in light of that.
To the point of what should Putin do in response to the attacks, I think it's maybe time to quit answering the phone when the US calls. No need for tit-for-tat. Just take care of business.
Posted by: woogs | Sep 19 2016 17:10 utc | 39
new report proves what everyone already knew
http://fortunascorner.com/2016/09/15/u-s-special-forces-sabotage-white-house-policy-gone-disastrously-wrong-with-covert-ops-in-syria/
Posted by: electionthoughts | Sep 19 2016 17:10 utc | 40
It used to be that the NATO mutual defense pact only applied as far south as Cyprus, so maybe the United States government is either hoping that the Syrians will take some form of retribution north of there or else planning on using some proxy in a false flag operation that can be blamed on the Syrian, to justify more aggression against Syria.
British war planes attacking Syria fly out of RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus so to get to eastern Syria do they fly direct over western Syria or do they fly through Turkish air space before turning south?
Wikipedia claims that Reapers have a range, not combat radius, of 1850 kms. RAF Reapers are based either in Kuwait (920 kms) or on Cyprus (666 kms). So from Kuwait, they could linger over Deir Ezzor for a few minutes, from Cyprus, they would either have to fly through the Russian air defense zone or fly through Turkish airspace (920 kms) and then they could only linger over Deir Ezzor for a few minutes. If the Russians want to send a message they could do worse than take out a few Reapers, by accident, of course.
Posted by: Ghostship | Sep 19 2016 17:13 utc | 41
b and james 15. It's like they said with 9/11 accountability; it was everybody's fault and nobody's fault. And they said that about the Economic Crisis of 2008, too. That's what we in the US get these days. It's like b wrote in the other post about the non-apology apology where the US said "IF" the US did this, the US was sorry. I'm surprised the weasel word "perception" wasn't thrown in for good measure. Sickening.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 19 2016 17:27 utc | 42
... as in "we regret the perception that US forces deliberately attacked Syrian Army forces." Use the term regret and you never have to say you're sorry.
Posted by: Curtis | Sep 19 2016 17:29 utc | 43
It seems Kerry has no control over the defence establishment in US. Carter and his cronies. Obama is on his way out and the administration has little influence. Clearly the neo-cons out to prolong the misery until after the election when they hope to tell Clinton the order of the day. Crazy stuff.
Posted by: anitele'a | Sep 19 2016 18:01 utc | 44
All the "terrorist" attacks in the US are false flags to draw attention away from the US attack on Syria.
Mainstream corporate media won't carry anything but state propaganda these days, but an international event of this magnitude requires done diversionary tactics.
It's clear that the neocons think they can get away with *anything* so expect much worse to come.
Sometimes I wonder if the main reason for Putin's restraint has to do primarily with the de elo
Posted by: Perimetr | Sep 19 2016 18:17 utc | 45
Sorry. Post was truncated
I suspect Putin chooses to buy time to rearm and develop new weaponry
Posted by: Perimetr | Sep 19 2016 18:18 utc | 46
In other new, Polish special forces claim to be in Donbass
ttps://sputniknews.com/europe/20160919/1045481496/polish-forces-donbass.html
Posted by: mischi | Sep 19 2016 18:21 utc | 47
@44 Obama can stand up at the podium and declare USA's syria mission to be over rght this minute, and the military would have to comply. Obama is the commander-in-chief!
In reality he is the rectal puppet™ in chief. I don't know who coerced him - maybe it was the constant haranguing by all the agenda-laden academics that are constantly around him. Maybe he was threatened by some spooks either with death or with the revealing of something controversial (homosexual acts maybe?)
Perhaps Obama just sold out to the limousine liberals long ago. Who knows!
Regardless, he is the Commander-in-Chief and could end USA's campaign of meddling and warfare in Syria today with a press conference and direct orders
Posted by: bbbb | Sep 19 2016 18:22 utc | 48
@fecklessleft #32
Agree totally. Luckily these are calculating heads at work.
The only issue is that the empire plays that game of chicken and seems willing to take the risks; letting them creep up, slippery slope to a new reality is something that is not desireable.
Otoh, if a shadow government is indeed at work here, this might be a provocation hoping for such reactions.
Posted by: Slekkus | Sep 19 2016 18:23 utc | 49
OK folks, I don't get this.
After investing so much in the cease fire, we (in the eyes of the world) are the ones who break it?
Making Kerry (and by extension, Obama) look like a moron?
The explanations I can see (all of which are scary) are A) that our government isn't unified on Syria - and that things are not really under tight control (is someone in the DoD freelancing?). B) we really don't know what the hell is going on in Syria (epic intelligence failure) C)gross incompetence (I believe this about the administration, but not the armed forces).
Help me out on this - can someone explain this mess to me?
Posted by: ian | Sep 19 2016 18:25 utc | 50
Agree with 32. IMHO The longer we put off wwIII the greater the chance it will not happen or at least it will be apparent to more people who started it! If the economy collapses before war becomes official we can stop the fireworks and concentrate on humanity instead of destruction. As an older American its proven, the coup happened a long time ago! Finally it is becoming obvious. The military has been in charge for decades, they are so full of hate, their only solution is destruction, it's all they know or want. Put down the guns! Smash your TV. Learn to see the good in people but identify and restrain all psychopaths, they have no good!
Posted by: frankly | Sep 19 2016 18:35 utc | 51
Clearly it was deliberate, and this is the message it sent. We have through electronic spoofing, whatever, degraded your air defense capabilities and we can bomb at will. Your S400 is crap. You have nothing comparable to our F-22 Raptor. We own the skies over Syria. We picked a location where the Syrian Arab Army has been besieged by Daesh for years with no "moderate" headchoppers anywhere around. We did this as a demonstration to make sure that you could not possibly think it was a mistake. Unless you come around and follow our agenda to turn Syria into an Islamic State, we will continue to destroy the secular multiconfessional Syrian State, first with its soldiers on the ground, and next its air force.
Putin will do nothing until he fully evaluates his air defenses.
Posted by: Will | Sep 19 2016 18:35 utc | 52
ian @50--
I suggest you begin at the beginning by reading this, http://www.politico.eu/article/why-the-arabs-dont-want-us-in-syria-mideast-conflict-oil-intervention/
Then you need to know that the #1 policy of the Outlaw US Empire is to attain Full Spectrum Dominance over the planet and its people by ANY means necessary, and as such it cannot abide ANY nation to become a challenger to its dominance.
Then perhaps you'll be able to see that the current "mess" is all about trying to fulfill the policy "mess" that's been ongoing since 1943, which was when the #1 policy goal was adopted.
Posted by: karlof1 | Sep 19 2016 18:39 utc | 53
A US Navy reconnaissance plane was spotted flying a few kilometers away from Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in Syria.
Observers believe that the US spy planes have recently increased their flights over Syria to gather intelligence on the Syrian army and the Russian forces' moves in the region.
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950628001004
It seems that Russian patience is infinite.
Posted by: ppl | Sep 19 2016 18:42 utc | 54
bbbb @48
A bit OT, but to explain Obama's current motivation - BHO is actively pursuing his post-Preznit wealth strategy for the Obama Foundation. On the assumption that HRC is the next Preznit, Barack only gets leftovers from Mil/Pharma/WallSt, so he needs to secure his main revenue sources elsewhere, hence Obama stakes out a Silicon Payday for his revenue goals.
The Clintons did not invent this, does anyone remember the Carlyle Group?
Posted by: Enrico Malatesta | Sep 19 2016 18:45 utc | 55
@51 Unless the rapturists, sore losers, "we made 'em so lets use em!" types, foreign-born instigator-agents and loony-tune academics that believe we can win WW3 or have some moral advantage to start or respond with WW3 are voted out or purged from their posts in and around Washington, the threat of WW3 will continue to be a clear and present danger.
I believe the drumbeat for it will get ever louder as resource depletion, economic malaise, societal degradation continue their trajectory here in the states
Posted by: bbbb | Sep 19 2016 18:53 utc | 56
@55 Good point. The post-presidential cash-in probably has some 'leadership' requirements.
I wonder if Michell Obama will run in 2020 against Kanye?
Posted by: bbbb | Sep 19 2016 18:56 utc | 57
The Syrian gov abruptly gave up on the ceasefire. The reasons are obvious but I don't remember them doing that before. I wonder if the goal here was to get intel on where the Jihadists were regrouping so that Syria and Russia could attack them at those positions. I hope so. That would be intelligent.
Posted by: Alaric | Sep 19 2016 18:57 utc | 58
new report proves what everyone already knew
Posted by: electionthoughts | Sep 19, 2016 1:10:25 PM | 40-
This article is a long read but it is full of detail I've never read elsewhere. For those of us in the U.S. who are earnestly attempting to understand and sort through the DOD/CIA/ State/WH ground game in Syria I recommend this article.
Here's a snippet -
"The YPG could offer a long-term solution to ISIS, but would also present a long-term strategic disaster to the United States in the context of future conflicts with Russia and Iran if Turkey begins to lean further East toward Russia and China.""For the time being, the Special Forces soldiers assigned to carry out Title 10 programs feel as if they have to make it look like they are doing their job while actually doing nothing. With their hands tied behind their backs, options are few and far between. Many are actively sabotaging the programs by stalling and doing nothing, knowing that the supposedly secular rebels they are expected to train are actually al-Nusra terrorists."
“It was like winning didn’t matter anymore,” a former CIA officer said. “It was more of the two-year rotation: Just make it though and leave, and maybe if you blow the right senior [officer] you get promoted.” A Green Beret associated with the programs added, “No one on the ground believes in this mission or this effort, and they know we are just training the next generation of jihadis, so they are sabotaging it by saying, ‘Fuck it, who cares?'”
sorry, i can't look thru all 300 billion quotes on the previous thread to see if anyone else covered this:
p. 3, item E, p. 4, B, p. 5, D, again p. 5, (8) C, : note the mention of Der Zor (wiki says it’s the same as Deir Ezzor, google maps confirms).
nice "murder on the O.E." accident my ass.
Posted by: jason | Sep 19 2016 19:06 utc | 60
Syrian Army command declares ceasefire over
The Syrian Arab Army's High Command announced that the nationwide ceasefire is over after a 7 day period.
According to the Syrian Arab Army's High Command, the nationwide ceasefire expires today, per the Russo-American agreement that was put in place 10 days ago.
"Rebel forces committed more than 300 violations by targeting residents and the Syrian military around the country," the High Command added.
Several civilians and military personnel were killed as a result of these ceasefire violations committed by the Syrian opposition forces.
"Jihadist groups took advantage of this ceasefire so that they could regroup and attack the Syrian military's positions, which led to the death of tens of personnel and civilians."
"These kind of acts prove the jihadist groups are linked to foreign countries that have no interest in stopping this war."
"We (Syrian Army) have tried to implement the truce with the highest degree of professionalism, restraining ourselves at times from responding to rebel aggression."
"Eventually, we had to respond and retaliate to these provocations against our armed forces."
"We are determined to keep fighting against these terrorists and reestablish security and stability inside Syria."
The ceasefire is officially set to expire at 7:00 P.M. (Damascus Time).
Posted by: F | Sep 19 2016 19:06 utc | 61
Both sides have reason to believe they were "gamed" ... Syria agreed "in good faith" to abide by the limits it placed on Syria's freedom to act based on Russia's decision to accept the agreement. That "good faith" was broken by the US, but it also affects Syria's relationship with Russia as its "proxy" negotiator. It's too early to know how things will shake out, imho.
The USA is generously offering to extend the COH despite Syrian violations ... and the failure of aid to pass to needy areas which they blame entirely on Syria (and the Russians for not "making" Syria abide)... virtually no mention of rebels ... it's pathetic, but it will play in Peoria ... it's all for the domestic market.
Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 19 2016 19:07 utc | 62
This article is a long read but it is full of detail I've never read elsewhere. For those of us in the U.S. who are earnestly attempting to understand and sort through the DOD/CIA/ State/WH ground game in Syria I recommend this article.
Here's a snippet -
"The YPG could offer a long-term solution to ISIS, but would also present a long-term strategic disaster to the United States in the context of future conflicts with Russia and Iran if Turkey begins to lean further East toward Russia and China."
"For the time being, the Special Forces soldiers assigned to carry out Title 10 programs feel as if they have to make it look like they are doing their job while actually doing nothing. With their hands tied behind their backs, options are few and far between. Many are actively sabotaging the programs by stalling and doing nothing, knowing that the supposedly secular rebels they are expected to train are actually al-Nusra terrorists."
“It was like winning didn’t matter anymore,” a former CIA officer said. “It was more of the two-year rotation: Just make it though and leave, and maybe if you blow the right senior [officer] you get promoted.” A Green Beret associated with the programs added, “No one on the ground believes in this mission or this effort, and they know we are just training the next generation of jihadis, so they are sabotaging it by saying, ‘Fuck it, who cares?'”
Posted by: h | Sep 19, 2016 3:02:42 PM | 59
Yes its pretty long, but proves what a disaster US foreign policy is. We now know there are 300 special forces units in Syria, and we now know they basically sit on their hands waiting for the order to come through to start hitting SAA to oust Assad. Sources also said that basically everyone the US trains is a terrorist, and that they don't care. No wonder the US doesn't want to defeat ISIS, they know the NSA will align with Assad and fuck up the fsa. There's no way this attack on the SAA was an accident. It was planned and coordinated by special forces on the ground
Posted by: electionthoughts | Sep 19 2016 19:20 utc | 64
Obama gets booed and jilted in other countries. USA gets booed at Olympics. The rest of the world knows that the USA is the aggressor. But the average US citizen clings to the John Wayne Mickey Mouse hero stereotype. Though half of them dislike Obama (for the wrong reasons), they're conflicted about the way the President is treated by foreigners.
Trump is gonna make America tougher.
Hillary says D and R need to work together. That generates a gag reflex.
Posted by: fast freddy | Sep 19 2016 19:23 utc | 65
@64 A little OT: Around 10 years back I met some Green Berets, and they were some really cool guys with good attitudes. I guess you sortof sign your life away to an extent when you join the military, but I would not be surprised if they are sandbagging like hell, since Syria ops must be the ultimate in duplicity to advertised American values
Posted by: bbbb | Sep 19 2016 19:27 utc | 66
Btw, I recommend the article @59 for any and all to read.
Now, here's a question that never gets answered about the U.S. military role in Syria, that is where is the authorization for war from the U.S. Congress? The neocons tell us the 2001 authorization covers it but it doesn't.
Tim Kaine has stumped the state of Virginia for years now insisting the need for an authorization for war against the Islamic State. His most recent address on this subject was at VMI's 2016 graduation ceremony - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VepVwTfKBoI
His address starts around 56 mins into the vid. His focus is on the U.S. Constitution, the need for an authorization for war in Syria against the Islamic State and why such authorization is necessary.
Now, when/if you read the Special Forces report @59 you'll learn where the CIA is getting its legal authorization from and how, but it's silent on the military legal authorization b/c there is none.
Therefore, it is reasonable to draw the conclusion that, not only was the U.S. Air Force hit on Syrian troops purposeful, intentional and deliberate, but it was illegal as in the U.S. Military has no legal authorization to even have a foot on Syrian territory let alone its weapons/arsenal.
This fact always, always, always gets lost when there is any discussion on the U.S. military's presence in Syria.
Thus, this latest spin out of DC about the Danes, Brits and Australians being involved may also be giving legal cover, albeit totally flimsy, to the fact the U.S. military, as in pilots and planes and arsenal, fired on the Syrian Army illegally.
This is an act of war. Which means, if I'm reading all of these pieces right, the U.S. military is baiting Syria/Russia with this latest attack to attack a U.S. position/compound or U.S. asset in Syria. If they take the bait, Obama takes the Kaine et al. authorization for war to the U.S. Congress and they add the Syrian Army/assets/State/Allies to it and it passes, well my friends, we're off to war.
And yes, the hawk will be elected, that is if she can stay awake long enough and then when she finally succumbs to whatever her ailments are, Mr. Kaine will take the lead.
@frankly #51
Excellent point. The economic collapse should come before war hysteria hits fever pitch -- and also before the election to put onus on OUR collective problems with bankers and not get side tracked by the zionist agenda for war and distraction.
Putin can do it today. Close the IMF temple of Baal in Moscow then sit back and watch as the Rothschild finance system implodes on the spot.
C'mon Vald, take the initiative, now that you know what your 'partners' are up to, beyond any reasonable doubt.
Posted by: C I eh? | Sep 19 2016 19:49 utc | 69
Posted ian @50
Making Kerry (and by extension, Obama) look like a moron?The explanations I can see ...
A) that our government isn't unified ...Obama apologist or another Kool-Aid drinker? What this option:B) we really don't know what the hell is going on in Syria (epic intelligence failure) ...
C)gross incompetence (I believe this about the administration, but not the armed forces).
D) Obama and Kerry play along. They know their place and what is expected of them. Obama's 11-dimensional chess failures, concern for his legacy, etc. are all part of the charade (aka his job)."Obama lost control" or 'factions' vie for control, are just excuses. We've seen this play too many times before.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 19 2016 19:55 utc | 70
From #32
The last number of comment trains on B's posts always seem to be full of people calling for Russian red lines to be drawn, calling for Putin to respond an eye for an eye and meet escalation with further escalation, to use the AA equipment installed in the area, to embed SF units as a deterrent, etc. I hope that trend doesn't continue as satisfying the thought may be to some and the natural human response of meeting force with force.
As a (hopefully) mild grumbler, I feel the need to reply.
Your post is completely correct of course. Putin has to employ the tactics of a featherweight boxer stuck in the ring with a heavyweight bruiser. Agility, a successive series of minor blows, and the eventual exhaustion of his opponent, are the featherweight's only hope, and by no means assured . Whatever the oath of office sworn to by the Russian Federation's president, we know without even a cursory glance that Syria, or the rest of the world for that matter, are scarcely mentioned. Every nation and leader has to act within the limits inherited or imposed from whatever reigning circumstances happen to permit.
I can't speak for anyone else surely, but for me, the decades after after 9/11 have been a nightmare, watching fascism slowly take root, crushing hopes, ideals, and sanity slowly, oh so slowly. So yes, at the risk of being labeled a 'cruise-missile-liberal', I admit to indulging what amounts to dark fantasies involving swarms of kalibrs and lots of ships burning in the Persian Gulf. It's a cheap, sad, back-alley fix.
A fix is still a fix though, and I'll take 'em where I can get' em.
Posted by: wwinsti | Sep 19 2016 20:02 utc | 71
h @68:
... the U.S. Military has no legal authorization to even have a foot on Syrian territoryThey have UNSC resolution 2249 - essentially blanket authorization for any UM Member to fight against ISIS.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 19 2016 20:02 utc | 72
MSM reporter
@WilliamsJon
Official confirms to @ABC #UN convoy carrying aid to 78,000 people in #Aleppo attacked - not clear if air strike, IED or by whom. #Syria
2h2 hours ago
US "prepared to extend cessation of hostilities" in #Syria. Problem is not clear anyone else prepared to!
Posted by: fast freddy | Sep 19 2016 20:06 utc | 74
But I remember Putin bots saying originally that when Russia military entered Syria, that it would be all over in four months, and Russia's missile systems would keep out the Turks, US, and other invaders.
Now they are excusing Russian leadership incompetent weakness by extreme claims of starting world War 3.
There are more clowns then just at circuses.
Posted by: tom | Sep 19 2016 20:15 utc | 75
I beg to differ, Jackrabbit @72. Authorization for war can only come from the U.S. Congress. That is the law, or at least it used to be. UN Resolutions do not super cede the powers given to congress under the U.S. Constitution. Of course there are those who would argue otherwise, which you may wish to do, but the UN does not wield said authority.
I invite you to watch Kaine's 20 minute keynote I provided a link to above. He spells it all out in his address to the military cadets.
Why would the USA who is responsible for the death of millions of non-americans in the middle east with its vicious foreign policy be spared of the blow back inside the country?
Posted by: virgile | Sep 19 2016 20:28 utc | 77
Why? Just a guess, virgile @77, because if Syria did take said bait they may very well be opening what is now a proxy war into a wider WWIII scenario many here discuss daily. And if war was to escalate in that direction, well my friend, all hell would break lose.
The US attempt to spread the blame shows what a serious problem this is. If they hadn't done that, we might have been inclined to accept the event as as a mistake. Now we can't. It's a deliberate attack.
I doubt that that was what the US wanted. They've got themselves in big shit.
Posted by: Laguerre | Sep 19 2016 20:39 utc | 79
Denmark, huh? Well, when Syrian refugees start flooding into Europe again, Europeans should ask Denmark to accept most of them.
Posted by: telescope | Sep 19 2016 20:45 utc | 80
@70 wwinsti - yes, I've noted your despair.
Take an alternative to your fix and to your "featherweight" analogy, and reflect on the great Muhammad Ali - specifically the heavyweight title fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire on Oct. 30, 1974. The so-called "Rumble in the Jungle" is enshrined as one of the great sports events of the century, as said in the preamble to this Roger Ebert review of the Oscar-nominated documentary of that fight.
Ebert questions in his review whether Ali's legendary "rope a dope" strategy was planned in advance or invented in Round 1 as Ali realized he was outgunned by a more formidable fighter. But if you can manage to watch the actual footage, you will see in Round 8 that when Ali suddenly springs out of his hypnotic magic act, he is fresh, and powerful, and ready to destroy Foreman, which he immediately does.
Foreman, they say, was psychologically crushed for a couple of years before he could rebuild his psyche into the lovable TV personality he apparently is today. At the time, he was utterly fearsome. No one in the world believed Ali could beat him.
Ali is Russia, in case you haven't guessed the point. And it will take the US sometime to rebuild its own psyche when Russia takes it down. But we all have to wait until Round 8. Meanwhile it may look like Russia is taking some punishment on the ropes. But boxers know that this kind of punching isn't anywhere as bad as it looks.
See the documentary if you can. The first 57 minutes are on the Web but you'll either have to pay or search diligently to find the entire film to download. Whatever you have to do is worth it to see Round 8. Or you could simply look at this photo:
http://documentary-movie.com/wp-content/uploads/when-we-were-kings.jpg
This is not an exhausted, lightweight fighter dancing over Foreman on the ground. This is man whose plan just worked.
Posted by: Grieved | Sep 19 2016 20:49 utc | 81
these guys say sometime in 2012, nothing more specific. a stupid daily beast article (no link from me) notes same general time frame as do globalresearch.ca, zerohedge and RT.
how close 2012 is to 2011! I think it's fair to say the DIA is not endorsing or rejecting the policies it describes but simply pointing out the likely consequences of those policies. it's the obama admin (& CIA and etc.) that's to blame.
Posted by: jason | Sep 19 2016 20:50 utc | 82
@79, Laquerre
I doubt that that was what the US wanted. They've got themselves in big shit.
There is no such thing as "US" anymore. US can not be viewed as a cohesive structure. In foreign policy it is a collection of ethnic mafias and of military-industrial complex lobbyists. One can only negotiate with one or another faction within the pseudo-nation which begins to disintegrate. It was always like this to a certain degree, but under Obama it reached its peak, or rather--bottom. Most likely Pentagon, headed by Ash Carter who hates Russian guts made a "mistake". Russian press, actually, gives Kerry a pass on this one. But here we are entering a discussion of much larger issues than just failure (predictable) of COH in Syria. The situation is damn serious not in Syria, it is in US where things are beginning to go off rails completely. All signs are out there now.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Sep 19 2016 21:17 utc | 83
http://en.alalam.ir/news/1862919
ISIS launched attacks on Syrian army positions in Deir Ezzor only 7 minutes after the US-led coalition's airstrikes on Saturday, a military source said, adding that the air and ground assault were highly coordinated, According to FNA report.
The source said after the coalition's pounding of the Syrian army near Deir Ezzor airbase, ISIS could take full control of al-Tharda mountain and then Deir Ezzor military base, adding that the army and national defense forces deployed near the airbase immediately won it back from the terrorists by launching a counterattack.
Posted by: fast freddy | Sep 19 2016 21:24 utc | 84
I see no problem for FSALNUSRANATO Allies volunteering to take blame for the intentional attacks on SAA in support of their beloved DAESH ninjas.
The way I see it is that they've just unfortunately added the following civilian centers to the Countervalue MIRV attack plan:
Sydney (over and above the Wolloomooloo base and that facility in Western Shire)
Melbourne
Brisbane
Perth (city and airport, not just the navy base down south)
Aarhus
Kobenhavn
My sincerest Mazel Tovs to all the new members of the extinction club as well as the best of luck to all other keen applicants
Posted by: Quadriad | Sep 19 2016 21:37 utc | 86
Jason @82 - Thanks for tracking down the year. Your effort is most appreciated. Also, after reading the SOFREP report linked to above, and knowing congress has to date steadfastly refused to authorize military assets in Syria, I'm slowly coming around to having a much greater understanding of CIA's covert operations on the ground. Of course I've known they were on the ground and engaged all along, but I had little understanding to what depth.
As electionthoughts @64 succinctly stated 'what a disaster US foreign policy is' which we witness daily with the chaotic nature of it all. How many times have we said 'what in the world is going on?' over the last six or so years re Syria. The CIA is a bureaucratic agency. It is not a military.
Since when did they get into the business of launching and fighting six-year wars? Seriously. Sure they do coups, and all kinds of other nefarious crap, but facilitating and managing six-year long covert wars? Is there another example out there that is remotely similar to Syria? I can't think of any, maybe Honduras, maybe, but then again, I'm not a CIA wonk. I have no use for them.
A Syrian Red Crescent aid convoy was destroyed in western Aleppo province a few hours ago. "Activists say" the convoy was hit by either Syrian or Russian jets.
Many people are mixing up this convoy with a UN convoy to Aleppo that was supposed to enter from Turkey. AP says the destroyed convoy was coming from Aleppo city and thus moving west.
The Latest: Airstrikes hit aid convoy in Aleppo provinceThe aid convoy was part of a routine dispatch from government-held Aleppo to rural rebel-held parts of the province. There was no immediate comment from the government.
I do not know why the Syrian government or the Red Crescent would send aid to rebel-held areas in Aleppo, unless the convoy was headed for Kafarya and al-Fu'ah.
Elizabeth Tsurkov @Elizrael tweets:
The trucks left regime-held areas. Their exit was coordinated with the regime. Russian drones w cameras followed the convoy's movements.
We do not really know what destroyed the convoy. All we have is photographs and video.
Posted by: Petri Krohn | Sep 19 2016 21:50 utc | 88
#75 Tomo
Hey Tomo Shlomo. Whatever my Hasbari buddy.
But do remember, when the hot war starts, it is Yerushalaim that gets vaporized first. The Temple dome becomes the Temple BOOOOM.
I'd be reverse-aliying with my close ones right now if I were you.
I hear that Mauritius is lovely this time of the year. Only -2c down in a major Nuclear Winter I understand, for that one. And IT jobs as abundant as in Petah Tikva.
Posted by: Quadriad | Sep 19 2016 21:54 utc | 89
stumpy | Sep 19, 2016 12:35:02 PM | 31
There was a newspaper article late Saturday where the air force spokesman claimed that they'd mentioned it to the Russians but only in general terms, that is with no specific location mentioned. I had a look for it again today but couldn't find it. If anyone know where it is please let me know.
Posted by: Ghostship | Sep 19 2016 21:58 utc | 90
And now another Al Nusra offensive AFTER Russia agrees to a ceasefire with the lying United States. Every time they do this, it just gives the United State's pet terrorists a chance to regroup and re-arm. What's the definition of insanity again? -- doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? To President Putin -- the U.S. lies, they NEVER deal in good faith. NEVER.
Posted by: rcentros | Sep 19 2016 21:59 utc | 91
What does the US intend to do about the Russian Navy base at Tartus?
Posted by: fast freddy | Sep 19 2016 22:06 utc | 92
@91 When the Assad government is gone the US will tell Al Nusrah not to renew the lease. If that doesn't work they will accidentally bonb it.
Posted by: dh | Sep 19 2016 22:15 utc | 93
#91
Fast Freddy -
They plan to nuke it. Just like everything else.
But the trouble is, he who nukes first, nukes best. He who nukes second... meh.
Posted by: Quadriad | Sep 19 2016 22:17 utc | 94
@93 I doubt they want Tartus radioactive. They want a naval base/oil terminal.
Posted by: dh | Sep 19 2016 23:01 utc | 95
@62 suzie, 'The USA is generously offering to extend the COH despite Syrian violations ... virtually no mention of rebels ... it's pathetic, but it will play in Peoria ... it's all for the domestic market.'
No mention of the USAF's, now the ISAF's, direct attack on Syrian forces and their murder of 82 Syrians and wounding of 100 more in coordination with their IS comrades on the ground. Now they're suggesting a 'renewal' of the 'cessation' of hostilities under cloak of which this openly allied act took place? Will it play in Peoria? Hell no. Not even in Peoria. The lying, murdering, war-criminal USA has openly allied itself with 'the devil'.
Posted by: jfl | Sep 19 2016 23:15 utc | 96
@95 Well it seems the soldiers killed at Der Ezor were just a bunch of prisoners forced to join the army.
A one-star US general is investigating.
Posted by: dh | Sep 19 2016 23:22 utc | 97
#94
ALQAIDANATO already have all the oil terminals and naval bases they need. They have dozens of local Quisling governments bending over backwards to please the Empire.
It's all about denying comparable facilities to the opponent.
Why else would a tiny useless armpit of an Ex-Yu country like Montenegro be pulled into NATO headlong?
My take: Coastal rock formations provide great SSN shelter if one digs deep enough, and the strait of Otranto is plenty deep and wide.
Posted by: Quadriad | Sep 19 2016 23:24 utc | 98
tartus
no nukes please gentlemen
this sacred land is after all as written in the torah and talmud israel mighty.
this land will be cleansed and settled with 666 giant farms selling sweet citrus fresh from the Kibbutzim.
the refugee from syria in denmark,norway,london and paris and all the other george soros and barbera lerner spector multicultural regions can all go to the jewish supermarkets and buy a taste of once home.
oded yinon moves forward.
the land must be cleansed of history a khazarian year zero so in years to come bbc and simon sharma can write the new old jewish history of the place that always was israel.
leviathan endless oil and gas income streams worth the ethnic cleansing
the spilt blood food for kosher masonic saturn ritual
no nukes for tartus unless you want to pay tel aviv 100 years of compensation for loss and damage of nuttyahoo"s property
Posted by: charles drake | Sep 19 2016 23:28 utc | 99
@97 Oh I think if the US gets a strong hold on Syria they might just turn Tartus into some kind of base if only to rub salt in the wound. Crimea was the big one of course but that's gone for good.
Posted by: dh | Sep 19 2016 23:28 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
Danke b
To the Russian & Syrian AFs... green light to take out ANY militant, and learn how to say "oops" in several languages
Posted by: xLemming | Sep 19 2016 13:55 utc | 1