Russia has deployed state-of-the-art air defense system S-300V4 Antey-2500 in Syria (NATO reporting name SA-23 Gladiator), Fox News reported citing three sources in the US administration. According to the sources of the agency, Moscow continues increasing its military presence in Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad.
The US administration finds its difficult to explain the motive behind Moscow's latest move in Syria. US officials say that the S-300V4 system is potentially capable of intercepting any kind of US cruise missiles in the event of an attack in Syria.
The system was delivered to the Russian naval base in the Syrian Tartous during the weekend, US officials said. It was also reported that it was the first time when Russia deployed the S-300V4 system outside its territory.
As long as terrorist groups operating in Syria do not have either cruise missiles or military aircraft, the sources said that Russia takes measures to defend itself against a possible missile attack by the United States or its allies.
The S-300V4 Antey-2500 can destroy targets at a distance of up to 250 km. The system is designed to strike modern tactical and strategic aircraft, medium-range ballistic missiles, tactical missiles, aeroballistic and cruise missiles, radar surveillance and guidance aircraft and reconnaissance complexes.
Earlier, Russia had deployed an S-400 anti-aircraft missile system S-400 in Syria after the Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down by the Turkish Air Force in November 2015. With the advent of the S-400, the US immediately became more cautious in the coverage area of the Russian system.
On 3 October 2016, the US State Department officially announced the suspension of talks with Russia on achieving a ceasefire in Syria. Department spokesman John Kirby said that the US ran out of patience. At the same time, however, Washington will maintain military contacts with Moscow in order to avoid incidents in the skies over Syria.
Against whom did Russia deploy the S-300V4 air defense system if it works against aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles? What does Russia's latest move in Syria mean? Pravda.Ru asked these questions to expert at the Association of Military Political Scientists, Head of Department of Political Science and Sociology named after Plekhanov, Andrey Koshkin.
"It is up to military specialists to make decisions about the deployment of such complexes. They evaluate the level of security of troops at a particular theater of operations and assess the real geopolitical situation," Andrey Koshkin told Pravda. Ru.
Tensions around Syria are not only of military, but also of political nature. Therefore, to ensure the safety of our troops and military equipment, such decisions are made. To this end, additional forces and resources are deployed, the political scientist added.
"We say that we do not want the incident with the shutdown of the Russian Su-24 to repeat. Are the Americans our adversaries? For the time being, we do not say that the Americans are ready to come into a direct confrontation with Russia. They like to wage proxy wars. Yet, Russia has announced that it will not be waiting to be stabbed in the back again. Those who want to test the security of Russian troops in Syria, should not be doing it, because Russia's response that will follow in this case will never make those people try to do it again," Andrei Koshkin said in an interview with Pravda.Ru.
Russia is reportedly preparing its citizens for a full blown nuclear war against the West. The country’s officials and its media have claimed that the West, led by the United States of America, is planning to launch a nuclear attack against Russia, Mirror reports.
Russian officials are now trying to prove that they are ready for whatever is to come, as they announced on Friday that Moscow already has enough underground shelters for its 12 million people and the rest of the nation will soon follow in its footsteps. Zvezda, a channel of the country’s defense ministry, had released a headline last week that said “Schizophrenics from America are sharpening nuclear weapons for Moscow.”
Also as part of their preparation for war, the country’s officials have announced that a staggering 40 million of its citizens are set to take part in a nuclear disaster drill between October 4 and 7. That is almost a third of Russia’s population. Along with them, almost 200,000 specialists from the “emergency rescue divisions” with 50,000 different equipment are set to be involved in the four-day drill.
The Russian Ministry of Civil Defense made the announcement via its official website and has called the 4-day long program a “civil defense, emergency evacuation and disaster preparedness drill”. Russian Officials have announced that the country is prepared for a nuclear strike by the west. [Image by Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images] There have been severe tensions between the United States and Russia over the Russian military’s intervention in Syria. Putin’s officials had previously announced that they had foreseen an attack by the U.S. right after the two nations break off their faltering talks over the Syrian conflict. And in an alarming development, that has just happened.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had announced earlier that the U.S. was “on the verge” of ceasing talks with Russia following weeks of severe air strikes by the Russian military on Aleppo. The United States Government released an official statement on Monday, delivered by U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby, saying that they had officially suspended all talks with Russia.
“The United States is suspending its participation in bilateral channels with Russia that were established to sustain the cessation of hostilities.
“This is not a decision that was taken lightly.”
Only hours before the U.S. government confirmed that they had ceased talks with Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed a decree to suspend Russia’s agreements with the U.S. over the disposition of weapons-grade plutonium. The decree had cited “unfriendly acts” by the United States Government. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. [Image by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/AP Images] Russia’s foreign ministry released its own statement saying that it regretted suspending talks with the US and explaining their side of the story.
“Washington simply did not fulfil the key condition of the agreement to improve the humanitarian condition around Aleppo. After failing to fulfil the agreements that they themselves worked out, they are trying to shift responsibility on to someone else”.
In the statement, the ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova also added that Russia had in fact made serious efforts in fulfilling the ceasefire deal with the U.S. in the past few days. She also explained what ultimately led to the failure of the deal.
“It all essentially came down to a simple question – who are Jabhat al-Nusra, who is behind them, and why can’t Washington fulfil its promise to divide the terrorists from the so-called moderate opposition.”
A former White House expert on Russia, Andrew S. Weiss, commented on the suspension of negotiations between the two superpowers and what this could mean for their futures.
“Cooperation over Syria was the Obama administration’s last and best shot for arresting the downward spiral in the bilateral relationship with Russia. The mistrust and hostility toward the United States by the Russian leadership is real and growing. It is going to be the driving force behind Russian external behavior for many years to come.”
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After more than five years of turmoil and bloody war, a new reality is emerging in the Middle East that could have far reaching consequences for the rest of the world and Israel in particular.
Developments in Syria and to a lesser degree in Iraq make clear that the United States is further losing control over the situation in both countries.
In Iraq the Obama administration is helping the Shiite dominated Iranian-backed central government in Baghdad to change the balance of power in favor of the Iranian axis that wants to turn Iraq into a proxy state based on the Lebanese model.
Iranian-backed Shiite militias that operate under the name Hashd al-Sha’abi (the Popular Mobilization Forces) and the Shiite-dominated Iraqi army work together with Kurdish militias of which Peshmerga is the strongest force to drive the Islamic state out of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city.
The odd alliance receives air-support and other forms of military backing from the U.S. Army, which has just sent another 600 troops to Iraq to help liberate Mosul.
The Obama Administration announced last week that it had authorized a new reinforcement of U.S. ground forces six years after it pledged to pull all American soldiers out of Iraq.
The U.S. now has more than 5,000 Special Forces in Iraq.
The parties involved in the preparations for the liberation of Mosul have a totally different view about what needs to be done after ISIS is defeated.
While the Obama Administration agrees with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that Mosul needs to be returned to central government control after the removal of the Islamic State, the Kurds are determined to use the capture of Mosul as a stage in the establishment of an independent Kurdish state.
The president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, Barzani, has already announced a referendum about independence to be held in the near future.
The Sunni tribes in the Nineveh Province complain that they, as a majority in Mosul and the Nineveh region are being left out of the preparations for the battle against ISIS in the city.
They fear the Hashd al-Sha’abi militia not only for their cruelties against Sunnis but also for their ties with Iran which wants to create a corridor leading from the Iranian border west of Mosul, through Syria to southern Lebanon and the Syrian Golan Heights.
The Shiite militias are in some cases embedded with Iraqi army units and are trained by Iran and receive American weapons via the central Iraqi government in Baghdad.
To complicate things further, the Sunnis have now established their own militia under the name of Hashd al-Watani which receives help from the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.
The militia is led by former officers of Saddam’s Hussein’s army that was disbanded after the U.S. invasion in Iraq in 2003 and receives its training from the Turkish army which also wants a part in the liberation of Mosul.
Both the Kurds and the Sunnis want to get rid of the central government in Baghdad and prefer to split up Iraq in separate independent states along sectarian lines.
Iran is likely going to be the big winner in this emerging new conflict since it has a powerful ally in Russia and is in fact helped by the Obama Administration which apparently still believes that with the defeat of the Islamic State, war in Iraq will end.
In Syria the situation is even more disastrous.
Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest attempt to restart negotiations about a political solution to the conflict backfired and has led to a serious conflict with the Russians.
After he issued a meaningless ultimatum about the termination of Russian-American coordination in Syria that came on the heels of a new failed ceasefire, Putin seems to have adopted a strategy of total war.
Over the weekend it has become clear that Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city will fall and probably soon.
The Russians are bombing rebel positions in Eastern Aleppo relentlessly and Assad’s army together with Hezbollah and Iranian-backed Shiite forces are gearing up for the final battle that aims to drive the Fatah Halab (Conquest of Aleppo) Islamist coalition out of the city.
When this happens, the Russian-Iranian backed pro-Assad coalition will have achieved victory over the rebels in western Syria where the major Syrian population centers are located.
Those population centers are slowly emptied of the Sunni population by using siege and heavy aerial bombardments.
The goal of the Iranians is the same as in Iraq; Syria needs to become an Iranian proxy state led by an Iranian puppet, Assad.
Assad is for his survival totally dependent on Iran and Russia and he knows that he has to pay a heavy price for clinging on to power.
So after the “liberation” of Aleppo, the Islamic Republic will turn Syria into a proxy state as well and will finally have achieved its goal of creating the corridor that will connect Iran to Israel’s northeastern border.
As for the Russians, they will most likely achieve their goal as well.
Putin has discovered that the Obama administration will do nothing substantial to stop the decline of America’s power in the Middle East and just plays cat and mouse with the Administration in Geneva where Kerry dreamed to create a new Syria via diplomacy.
Putin has transformed Syria into a Russian base and now not only controls Syrian airspace but the eastern Mediterranean Sea as well.
Last month he received a Syrian “invitation” to set up a permanent air base in Khmeimim close to Latakia International Airport in western Syria. This enables the Russian air force to check the power of the Israeli navy and the U.S. Navy sixth fleet in the Mediterranean.
For Israel, the Obama administration’s failure to intervene in Syria at a moment that it was still possible to stem the Iranian imperial aspirations in the region will have dire consequences as well.
The Russian deployment of the S-300 missile air defense system in Syria has virtually cancelled Israel’s military edge in the area north and east of the country.
As a result, the Israeli air force is now suddenly limited in its ability to take preventive action against Iranian military build-up in Syria and Lebanon.
Some commentators now advise Israel to deploy military trainers to anti-Iranian forces such as the Kurdish Peshmerga militia in northern Iraq and the YPG in Syria.
But it seems too late.
Obama envisioned that Iran would become a “very successful regional power” when he pursued the nuclear agreement with the Mullah’s in Tehran.
The president really thought that by reaching out to the Islamist regime in Tehran he could moderate Iran’s aggressive behavior and turn it in an ally that could be trusted to take over America’s role in the region.
Now at the end of Obama’s presidency we see that part of this vision is becoming reality before our eyes albeit in a way that the president apparently never expected.
Iran will control events in Iraq and Syria in the way it does in Lebanon via Hezbollah.
It will form an ever increasing threat to Israel’s security as soon as the corridor from Mosul to Kuneitra on the Syrian Golan Heights has been established.
At the same time Israel will have to cope with Russia’s take-over as the regional super power and its role as protector of the Iranian axis that already tries to set up camp next to its border with Syria.
“Normalization” in the relationship between Iran and the U.S. would enhance regional stability, Obama always claimed.
Three years later the Middle East has become an even harsher place than it already was and the rise of Iran and Russia in the region could spark wars that will make the Syrian war look like child’s play.
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Nikita Khrushchev:"We will bury you"
"Your grandchildren will live under communism."
“You Americans are so gullible.
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All jokes aside, #Russia will take every defensive measure necessary to protect its personnel stationed in #Syria from terrorist threat. pic.twitter.com/6vc4X9lGyT
Russia: ANY aircraft attacking Syrian military positions will be instantly shot down
Major General Igor Konashenkov also said that any missile or air strike
on the territories controlled by the Syrian government, would pose clear threat
to Russian military personnel. Operators of Russian air defense systems won't have
time to identify the origin of airstrikes, and the response will be immediate.
Any illusions about "invisible" jets will inevitably be crushed by disappointing reality."
Russia Warns US Not to Intervene in Syria,
Threatens to Shoot Down Any Airstrike Attempts
Russia has warned the United States not to intervene militarily in Syria
against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, threatening that it may
shoot down any aircraft attempting to launch strikes.
In a bluntly worded statement, a spokesman for Russia’s defense ministry
warned that Russia and the Syrian government had deployed sufficient
air defenses to block any potential attacks.
It follows rumbling in Washington that the White House may be considering
launching strikes against some Syrian regime military targets as an
alternative option for moving forward in the Syrian conflict after
the collapse of U.S.-Russian cease-fire negotiations.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the Pentagon
was presenting the Obama administration with the option of strikes
at meetings this week. The strikes would be intended to increase
the pressure on the Assad regime and Moscow to halt assaults on
civilians and to return to possible peace negotiations.
The strikes are now back on the table but President Obama is still
very unlikely to approve them, experts have said.
Major-General Igor Konashekov, the Russian defense ministry
spokesman, directly addressed the reports in a briefing on Monday,
when he warned the U.S. against trying to intervene.
Although Konashenkov did not directly say Russia would shoot down
American aircraft attacking Syrian government forces, his tone was clear.
“I would recommend our colleagues in Washington to thoroughly consider
the possible consequences of the realization of such plans,” Konashenkov
said.
“It follows to really be conscious that there will hardly be time in the
calculations of the Russian air-defense units to clarify on the “direct line”
the precise flight-plan of missiles and who they belong to,” Konashenkov
said, referring to the hotline already established by the U.S. and Russia
to prevent clashes between their aircraft conducting strikes in Syria.
Konshenkov warned that Russia had deployed advanced S-300 and S-400
anti-aircraft missiles to its bases in Syria, noting that their range “can be
a surprise for any unidentified flying objects.”
The ministry spokesman added: “The illusions of dilettantes about
existence of 'stealth' aircraft may encounter a disappointing reality.”
Konashenkov referred again to a strike on Sept. 17, when U.S. military
aircraft killed dozens of Syrian government troops accidentally.
The Pentagon has said the strike was a mistake, but Konashenkov said
Russia was prepared to prevent “any similar ‘mistakes’” against Russian
troops.
The White House has been examining so-called “kinetic” options since
a cease-fire deal brokered by the U.S. and Russia collapsed amid mutual
recriminations and Russian and Syrian government aircraft launched
a ferocious air assault on the besieged city of Aleppo.
The bombardment has been described as intense, with Western countries
accusing Moscow of committing war crimes and prompting calls for the U.S.
to intervene more muscularly to pressure Russia and the Assad regime
to halt them and begin negotiating again.
Former State Department officials and Syria watchers have suggested
that the strikes could take the form of hitting Syrian air force facilities,
destroying aircraft that have dropped bombs on civilians and cratering
runways. Besides the strikes, the U.S. is said to be considering providing
rebels inside Syria with heavier weaponry.
It was also unclear whether Russia would actually down a U.S. plane
attacking a target in Syria, but it raised the possibility again of a serious
crisis between Russia and America, with tensions recently reaching new
highs. But the odds that the Obama administration will approve military
intervention in Syria still seem like a long shot.
“I will be very, very surprised,” Robert Ford, the last U.S. ambassador
to Syria, said in an interview this week. Ford, who left the State Department
in frustration that the U.S. was not providing greater support to the armed
Syrian opposition, said he did not believe the administration’s calculus
that U.S. intervention may bring more harm than good had changed.
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Nikita Khrushchev:"We will bury you"
"Your grandchildren will live under communism."
“You Americans are so gullible.
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We’ll so weaken your To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. like overripe fruit into our hands."
Russia has recently warned that its S-300 and S-400 air defense systems
are up and running in Syria following leaked reports on the US' intentions
to bomb Syrian airbases. As Russia’s Defense Ministry cautions the US-led
coalition against carrying out airstrikes on the Syrian army, military experts
reveal the defense capabilities of the systems.
"The S-300 appeared [in Syria] after experts close to the American
establishment started leaking information…that the US could hit Syrian
airfields with cruise missiles," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria
Zakharova said in an interview with Russia's Dozhd TV channel on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, Russia's Defense Ministry also commented on
the revelations, saying it could be a preface to real action.
"A number of Western media outlets have published "leaks" about the talks
held in the White House administration about the possibility of missile
launches and airstrikes on Syrian army positions," the ministry spokesman,
Major General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
"As history has shown, such "leaks" often prove to be a preface to
real action," he added.
The Major General also warned that Russia has S-400 and S-300
air-defense systems deployed to protect its troops stationed at the Tartus
naval supply base and the Hmeymim airbase in Syria. The effective range
of the weapons may be "a surprise" to all unidentified flying objects.
"Russian air defense system crews are unlikely to have time to determine
in a ‘straight line’ the exact flight paths of missiles and then who the
warheads belong to. And all the illusions of amateurs about the existence
of ‘invisible’ jets will face a disappointing reality," Konashenkov added.
Meanwhile, Russian military experts have revealed the defense capabilities
of Russia's air systems.
Lieutenant General Aitech Bizhev, Russian Air Force deputy
commander-in-chief said that the efficiency of the anti-aircraft missile
system depends on the size of its missile load.
"S-300, S-400 usually have three missile stockpiles. It is a lot, due to
the high probability that the target will be destroyed with the first hit.
Experience from brush-fire wars shows that if during a massive air strike
20 percent of the enemy aviation is destroyed with the first hit, it will
stop any further military activity of the enemy," he told Russia's online newspaperVzglyad.
"I highly doubt that our suggested enemies have a
kamikaze (suicide pilots) squadron within their aviation
units," the Lieutenant General added.
He also commented on the words of Russia's Defense Ministry
spokesperson about "illusions of amateurs about the existence of
"invisible’ jets".
"To be able to suppress Russia's air defense systems deployed in Syria,
there should be a whole complex of measures put in place, including one
to outflank the continuously operating radar field, thanks to which no flying
object can go unnoticed," he said.
The expert explained that any flying object is already
"seen" at 600-700 km distance from the air field.
As soon as it appears within range, the anti-aircraft
battalions are put on combat alert. These include not only
anti-aircraft missile systems, but also cannon-missile
systems, similar to well-known Panrsir.
Therefore, any unidentified targets flying in the direction
of Hmeymim airfield will be destroyed upon entering into
the air defense engagement area. "Our missile defense
systems are capable of destroying any aerial target at
any speed regardless any counter measures or jamming.
The engagement area of our air defense systems is up to
400 km," he said.
Bizhev also said that the S-300VM2 complex deployed in Syria is also
able to destroy cruise missiles.
"As we know, usually the aviation of a suggested enemy
prefers to carry out destructive missile saturation without
entering into the air defense engagement area, to be able
to open corridors by punching a hole in the aerial defense,"
he explained.
"This is exactly why S-300 VM2 has been deployed in Syria," the Lieutenant
General said confirming the warnings provided by Russia's Defense
Ministry.
He also assured that Russia's aerial group won't wait
on the air field but will disperse into the air to rebuff
the attacks.
"I don't envy those who risk flying into the engagement
area," the Lieutenant General concluded.
DWS Intel @DWSIntel29s
Project 22010 Yantar Surveillance ship
spotted off the coast of Syria by transponder.
Yantar has shadowed US Sub bases in the past
Russia Blocks French UN Security Council
Ceasefire Resolution on Syria's Aleppo
On Saturday, Russia blocked a draft UN Security Council resolution on
the cessation of hostilities in Syria's Aleppo favoring a proposal by
the UN Envoy to Syria that focuses on evicting al-Nusra terrorists (al-Qaeda)
from Eastern Aleppo.
Russia vetoed a French-drafted United Nations Security Council Resolution
on Saturday that called for the immediate end to airstrikes over Syria's
Aleppo city receiving condemnation from the West which argues that
Moscow is facilitating more war and fighting in the country.
Moscow opposed the draft because it did not adequately deal with the
problem of the rebels being interwoven with al-Nusra Front, formerly
Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate, under the umbrella group the Army of Conquest.
The UN Envoy to Syria proposed a separate plan that would allow al-Nusra
Front fighters to evacuate the area armed to make for a more tenable
situation inside of the besieged eastern side of Aleppo.
This is the fifth time that Russia has vetoed a UN resolution on Syria
during the five-year conflict, with China joining Moscow in the
previous four vetoes, but abstaining from voting on Saturday.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented that the text of the
French resolution distorted the complexity of the situation on the ground
leaving the false impression that Russia and Syria were aggressors when
in reality the conflict in East Aleppo is mixed between moderate anti-Assad
forces that have branched together with more radical al-Nusra terrorists.
The Ministry further noted that the draft resolution ignored the urgent
challenge of beginning and resolving an intra-Syrian political process
that could place the country on a path towards stability and peace.
Russian representatives further expressed their "commitment to finding
a lasting political solution to the Syrian conflict" notwithstanding
the move to veto the French draft United Nations Security Council
resolution.
Prior to the vote, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin
expressed his dismay with the French draft that he believed was poorly
postulated and designed to be vetoed by Russia for the sake of scoring
public relations points and instead expressed his desire that the United
Nations pursue the route of supporting the UN Envoy to Syria's plan.
Reiterating this point, Russia said that the authors of the French United
Nations Security Council resolution draft on Syria failed to show political
wisdom by intentionally ignoring Moscow's proposed amendments to it.
Vitaly Churkin went on to say before the vote that all of those attending
the Security Council meeting knew that neither the French nor the Russian
resolution on the Syrian crisis would be adopted.
The Russian Foreign Ministry closed by appealing to the members of
the United Nations Security Council that the world must not allow Syria
to go the way of Iraq or Libya reminding that US-led regime change
in those countries led to further instability making those nations hotbeds
for terrorism and in large part contributing to the crisis in Syria.
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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during a joint news conference with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault following their meeting in Moscow, Russia, October 6, 2016
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday he had detected increasing U.S. hostility towards Moscow and complained about what he said was a series of aggressive U.S. steps that threatened Russia's national security.
In an interview with Russian state TV likely to worsen already poor relations with Washington, Lavrov made it clear he blamed the Obama administration for what he described as a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Russia ties.
"We have witnessed a fundamental change of circumstances when it comes to the aggressive Russophobia that now lies at the heart of U.S. policy towards Russia," Lavrov told Russian state TV's First Channel.
"It's not just a rhetorical Russophobia, but aggressive steps that really hurt our national interests and pose a threat to our security."
With relations between Moscow and Washington strained over issues from Syria to Ukraine, Lavrov reeled off a long list of Russian grievances against the United States which he said helped contribute to an atmosphere of mistrust that was in some ways more dangerous and unpredictable than the Cold War.
He complained that NATO had been steadily moving military infrastructure closer to Russia's borders and lashed out at Western sanctions imposed over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis.
He also said he had heard that some policy makers in Washington were suggesting that President Barack Obama sanction the carpet bombing of the Syrian government's military air fields to ground its air force.
"This is a very dangerous game given that Russia, being in Syria at the invitation of the legitimate government of this country and having two bases there, has got air defense systems there to protect its assets," said Lavrov.
Lavrov said he hoped Obama would not agree to such a scenario.
Russia suspended a treaty with Washington on cleaning up weapons grade plutonium earlier this month in response to what it said were "unfriendly acts" by the United States.
Lavrov said both countries had the right to pull out of the treaty in the event of "a fundamental change in circumstances".
"The treaty was concluded when relations were normal, civilized, when no one ... was trying to interfere in the (other's) internal affairs. That's the fundamental change of circumstances," said Lavrov.
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Nikita Khrushchev:"We will bury you"
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“You Americans are so gullible.
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We’ll so weaken your To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. until you’ll To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 15 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. like overripe fruit into our hands."
In a previously undisclosed encounter in the skies over Syria, a Russian fighter jet flew so close to a larger American plane that its crew could feel the “jet wash,” or turbulence, from the Russian plane, a U.S. military spokesman said Friday.
The incident Oct. 17 was described Friday by Air Force Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the U.S. military coalition in Baghdad, who said the matter was immediately reported up the U.S. military chain of command and raised with Russian officers but deliberately not made public.
Dorrian said the Russian jet came within a half mile of the U.S. plane, which he described as larger than a fighter jet but declined to identify more completely. The encounter was “close enough that the jet wash from that flight was felt within the larger aircraft,” he said, adding that it was too close for comfort but not seen as posing a danger to the U.S. crew.
Asked why the close call was not made public at the time, the spokesman said “because we have a de-confliction channel to discuss these incidents with the Russians.”
He said those talks are meant to be private “to do the exact opposite of turning it into a major incident. It’s really more intended to keep the temperature down between us and the Russians in that very crowded and confused, at times, battlespace.”
Concern about the possibility of accidental collisions between Russian and American warplanes over Syria has simmered for months. The two militaries, which often target different participants in Syria’s civil war, speak by telephone daily to “de-conflict,” or maintain safe separation of, each side’s aircraft. Dorrian said that channel was used the day after the incident.
U.S. officials see no “nefarious intent” in the Russian actions on Oct. 17, Dorrian said.
A U.S. service member was killed in northern Syria on Thursday, marking the first known American combat death there in a steadily escalating campaign against the Islamic State group.
The improvised explosive attack occurred near Ayn Issa, according to the U.S. military. The town is about 35 miles north of Raqqa, the Islamic State's self-proclaimed capital. Coalition forces have focused their attention there in recent weeks, saying intelligence assessments have suggested militants in the city are actively plotting terror attacks against the U.S. and its allies.
U.S. officials have not identified the fallen American, pending family notification. It's unclear whether any other personnel were wounded in the attack. No other information was released.
"The entire counter-ISIL Coalition sends our condolences to this hero's family, friends and teammates," said Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve. "On this Thanksgiving, please be thankful that there are service members willing to take up the fight to protect our homeland from ISIL's hateful and brutal ideology."
ISIL is another name for the Islamic State group.
There are approximately 300 American troops on the ground inside Syria. The preponderance are special operations forces advising various militias also battling the Islamic State.
Backed by U.S. airstrikes, Syrian Kurdish forces began to target key areas around Raqqa earlier this month. Townsend has said the effort in Syria will involve far fewer U.S. troops overall than operations in neighboring Iraq, where about 5,000 American personnel are deployed. Many are supporting the ongoing fight to retake Mosul, another important Islamic State stronghold.
However, military analysts have said defeating the Islamic State in Raqqa will require substantial ground combat power. It's been suggested the U.S. could quietly deploy hundreds of additional special operations troops without a public announcement by categorizing them as “temporary duty” personnel.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter called Thursday's attack "a painful reminder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face around the world to keep us safe."
Summary of the tragic events so far, in which Russia’s envoy to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, has been shot dead in Ankara by a gunman in an assassination apparently linked to Moscow’s role in Syria’s civil war. Here are key facts and reaction summarized by BBG:
The Gunman shouted about Aleppo, the Syrian city where rebels were defeated this month by Russian-backed government forces, as he carried out the attack at an art exhibit, CNN- Turk television says
Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek says man who killed ambassador was a police officer
Attack comes amid reconciliation efforts between Russia, Turkey as nations seek to improve ties after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet over Syria last yr
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Russian President Vladimir Putin to share information after the assassination, NTV reports, citing Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the assassination of the Russian ambassador in Ankara a clear provocation aimed at derailing the Syrian peace negotiations.
Elena Suponina, senior analyst at the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies which advises the Kremlin, says attack “will only bring Russia and Turkey closer together” because it shows “we have a common enemy -- terrorism -- and only by joining forces can we deal with this enemy”
“While Putin is unlikely to burn bridges with Turkey, he is very likely to adopt a tougher stance in Syria against the rebels,” said Nihat Ali Ozcan, an analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation in Ankara. “Russia may still be talking to Turkey at the table but it will probably have a much more aggressive stance on the ground in Syria”
Tougher Russian stance toward Turkey could delay return of Russian tourists; lira weakened after shooting to trade 0.8% down at 3.5337/dollar at 9 pm in Istanbul
Attack highlights fragile security situation in Turkey, where dozens of security personnel have been killed in past 10 days as a conflict between govt, separatist Kurds intensifies
Incident unlikely to change development of conflict in Syria, says Ayham Kamel, director of Middle East and North Africa at Eurasia
“Broadly we’re moving toward a position in Syria where the regime will incrementally consolidate its control over the trajectory of the conflict,” Kamel says
“The Russian support for the Syrian regime will remain on track and the plan to combine a military campaign initially with support for a political solution at a later stage will not significantly change”
Live Feed from RT:
A photo of the attacker and his victim:
Update 9:Russian President Vladimir Putin said in televised comments that the “blackguard” assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey “is obviously a provocation aimed at disrupting the normalization of Russian-Turkish relations and the failure of the peace process in Syria.”“The answer to this can only be strengthening the fight against terror; bandits will feel it.”Putin says he discussed issue with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan by phone, and added that Russia will send a group of investigators to Turkey, which was agreed to on the phone call.The Russian president also ordered security at Russian embassies around the world to be stepped up, and stated that he wants to know who directed the killer's hand.Putin said he would hold a special Kremlin meeting to discuss the murder.
* * *Update 8:Russian President Vladimir Putin called the assassination of the Russian ambassador in Ankara a clear provocation aimed at derailing the Syrian peace negotiations.
* * *Update 7:The sister and the mother of the gunman who shot the Russian ambassador have been detained in Turkey's Aydin, CNN Turk reports
* * *Update 6:The US has said it stands "ready to offer assistance to Russia and Tukey as they investigate this despicable attack."
The Turkish embassy has offered its condolences to Russia, calling the murder of Ambassador Karlov “an inhumane tragedy”.“An inhumane tragedy occurred today with our distinguished colleague Andrey Karlov,” the Turkish embassy said, according to TASS. “There is no person in their right mind who would not condemn this evil act,” the mission said. “We grieve with all our hearts. We bring our deepest condolences to the people of Russia. This is our shared pain and loss.”The Turkish Foreign Ministry added that it won't let the attack on the ambassador to overshadow tires.The ball is now in Putin's court.Meanwhile, Twitter has circulated a picture allegedly showing the personal file of perpetrator, Melvut Mert Altintas, apparently proving he was a police officer.
* * *Update 5: And here come the accusations: according to the Ankara Mayor the Assassint was a "Gulenist", suggesting that Turkey will promptly blame the "shadow government" of the cleric Fetullah Gulen who continues to reside in rural Pennsylvania.Meanwhile the US State Department is urging US citizens to avoid the US embassy in Ankara.EU spokesman Federica Mogherini said she "Expressed to Russia FM Lavrov EU condolences for unconceivable killing of Ambassador Karlov. Also in contact with #Turkey authorities"At the same time, the Russian Federation Council, which branded the assassination a "terrorist act" said it considers the killing of Ambassador a grave failure of Turkish law enforcement.
* * *Update 4: According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia views the attack as a terrorist act and will raise the matter at a UN Security Council meeting. Furthermore, according to local Yeni Safak, the assassin is said to be a police officer. The man was an active member of the riot police force in the city, according to Turkey’s Yeni Safak newspaper, which gave the assassin’s initials as M.M.A. without naming him.The publication adds that the alleged assassin was born in 1994 in Aydin and attended police academy in Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast, Yeni Safak says.In a strange twist, eyewitness to CNN Turk said that people were checked with a metal detectors to visit photo exhibition where Russian Turkey ambassador was shot at in Ankara, suggesting there may have been coordination.The following photo has emerged of the alleged assassin M.M.A. after his shootout with the police (NSFW)
* * *Update 3: The attacker reportedly identified himself as a police officer as he entered the exhibition, a Turkish military source told Interfax.
“We have information, from one of the witnesses, that the attacker presented himself as a police officer, showing the relevant ID at the entrance. This information is being checked right now,” the source is quoted as saying.The perpetrator, who was wearing a suit and a tie, shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘God is great’ in Arabic) during the attack, AP reports, citing their own photographer. The attacker also said several words in Russian, according to the news agency, and damaged several of the photos at the expo.Turkish authorities have stepped up security at the Russian embassy in Ankara following the attack, a RIA Novosti correspondent reports.US State Dept spox issued the following statement on twitter:We have seen reports that the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov and others have been attacked by a gunman in Ankara. We condemn this act of violence, whatever its source. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families
* * *The Russian ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, has been shoot dead after an armed attack in Ankara. According to CNN Turk man opened fire in the air then fired twice at the ambassador, who was shot in the back. Turkish TRT adds that after a shootout with the police,
the gunman has been shot dead.
Russian ambassador Andrey KarlovThe Ambassador shown moments before the attack:
The attack took place at the opening of the "Russia through Turks' eyes" photo exhibition, Turkish NTV news channel reports, and adds that there is information that three other people are injured.
Karlov is reportedly getting aid at the scene of the shooting, and is said to be in critical condition."The ambassador was delivering a speech at the opening of the exhibition, and suddenly, during his speech, there was a shriek 'Allah Akbar!' — and someone started shooting," an eyewitness told RIA Novosti.
"It is likely that the attack was aimed at the Ambassador because after the shots were made the assailant let those present escape the room."An Associated Press photographer present at the shooting of the Russian Ambassador says the gunman fired multiple shots - 8 or moreIn video showing the shooting Russian Ambassador to Turkey, the gunman heard shouting "Don't forget about Aleppo, don't forget about Syria!" and shouting "Allahu Akbar"After shouting about Aleppo the gunman also shouts "So long as those places are not secure, you won't taste security yourselves."Russian Embassy in Ankara has not issued an official statement concerning the assault yet. However, soon after the news emerged, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russian Foreign Ministry would soon issue a statement.
The attack comes just a day before Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's planned visit to Moscow for Syria talks with his Russian and Iranian counterparts.Soon after the attack, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu arrived at the site.CNN Turk also adds that the man who shot the ambassador shouted about Aleppo.Sputnik reports that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the information that Russian Ambassador suffered a gunshot wound. The official statement noted that Russia is in contact with Turkish authorities regarding the attack.According to interfax, Russia has called on Turkey to protect and aid the wounder ambassador.
* * *Google translation from the latest upates via Turkish' Hurriyet:Russian Ambassador Andrey Gennadiyevich Karlov was armed at the opening of a painting exhibition in the Center for Contemporary Arts in Ankara. It was stated that the ambassador and the ambassador to whom he was attacked were still inside. Special Operations Police turned around the building, 15-20 hand guns were heard. It is stated that there is a conflict.
The attack took place during the opening of a painting exhibition in Ankara's Center for Contemporary Arts. Russia's Ankara Ambassador Andrey Karlov, who came to the floor to speak after the opening, was attacked at this time.
Hürriyet Ankara representative Deniz Zeyrek said: "We have a photograph from our Ankara buremus and we have a photograph about the incident and there was an exhibition of photographs of Çamkatka while the ambassador spoke to the air before the attacker first shot it and then the ambassador shot him from the back. The ambassador and the aggressor are still inside.Police said in the preparation for the operation that "
Hürriyet photomuhavi Ha?im K?l?ç explained the people living there: There was a photo exhibition organized by the Russian embassy. A man in a black suit was standing behind the ambassador, who we thought was our protection when the embassy was speaking. And then he fired at the air. Then the ambassador shot.
The attacker said more about Aleppo. Then he wanted people to go out. As the people went out, they fired a few more hands into the body of the ambassador. I guess one of those invites came to one of the invites. He said that the Contemporary Arts Center's security was entering by showing a police ID. There were about 100 people in the guesthouse and they were completely evacuated. As the people ran away, the ambassador fired a few more hands.
Special Operations and police teams surrounded the building. 15-20 gun shots were heard. It is stated that there is a conflict.
In the meantime, Russian officials who spoke to hurriyet.com.tr said that the attacks were carried out by radical Islamic terrorists.
The Russian ambassador to Ankara, Andrei Karlov, has been shot and seriously injured while visiting a photo gallery in the Turkish capital.
Several other people were reportedly also injured in the attack, a day after protests in Turkey over Russia’s military intervention in Syria. Mr Karlov was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries. According to Russian TV, the ambassador had been attending an exhibition called “Russia as seen by Turks”.
Update:
Alleged shooter, who supposedly shouted things about Aleppo:
[Warning shows assassination] Video of the alleged shooting, attacker shouting ‘Allahu Akbar!” “Do not forget Aleppo, Do not forget Syria”. He also is doing the jihadist index finger to the sky signal:
Because this was a media event at which the Ambassador was about to speak everything was caught on camera. Imagine if you are the photographer facing this:
Update: That’s the killer behind him.
Update: Shooter was allegedly shot to death by police.
Update: The AP said that NTV also reported that three others were wounded in the attack.
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BREAKING: Putin Goes to War… Tells Terrorists, You’re About “to Feel It”
Much of the world was shocked and perhaps even a bit fearful as reports began coming in Monday of the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey while delivering remarks at an art museum in Ankara, with some no doubt recalling the similarities of the incident to the one that sparked World War I.
Fears of a broader world war being touched off by the horrible murder appear to have been quelled for the moment though, as Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan over the phone shortly after the assassination, according to Reuters.
That, however, doesn’t mean that Putin and Russia will not retaliate for what Putin described as a deliberate provocation designed to disrupt the uneasy Russian-Turkish relationship and derail efforts to wind down the civil war in Syria.
http://conservativetribune.com/putin-war-tells-terrorists-hide/
Reading from partly prepared remarks, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin spoke briefly to state media in advance of a meeting with key officials of the Russian government.
Worth noting is how, within the remarks, President Putin verbally places Turkey between Russia and Iran regarding the Syrian conflict. Structurally, this is not accidental.
(TRANSCRIPT) “News came today from Turkey where the ambassador of Russia was cowardly killed, Karlov Andrea Genadievich.
First of all I would like to give my sincere condolences to the family and friends of our fallen comrade. I request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to award him posthumous and offer proposals for making a memorial. He died on duty.
He was a brilliant diplomat, who was widely respected in the country where he was posted. He had a good relationship, both with the Turkish government as well as other political forces. He was respected among them.
Andrey Genadievich was also a very intelligent and gentle man – kind. I know this first-hand because I knew him personally, and during my last trip to Turkey in the autumn of this year he was accompanying me during the whole trip.
This murder is clearly a provocation aimed at derailing the normalization of Russo-Turkish relationship, and also the peace in Syria, which is actively promoted by Russia, Turkey, Iran and other countries interested in peace settlement of the Syrian conflict.
There could only be one response, escalation of war on terror; and the bandits will feel this.
The Investigative Committee of Russia has already launched an investigation into the murder.
They are tasked with forming a work group which shall immediately leave for Ankara to take part, along with Turkish partners, an investigation of this crime.
This agreement has been reached just now in a phone call with the Turkish President. We must know who guided the hand of the killer. We must reinforce the security of the diplomatic missions and consulates of Russia in Turkey.
Also, we must get guarantees from the Turkish side about the security of Russian diplomatic missions in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. And I request you to present your coordinated offers for strengthening the security measures of Russian diplomatic missions abroad”. (end transcript)
A man who opened fire with a shotgun outside the US embassy in Ankara - just hours after a Russian ambassador was shot dead in a nearby art gallery - has been arrested.
The man, who was named 'Sahir S' in the Turkish state press, approached the Embassy at around 4:30am local time. The building is just a block away from where the ambassador was assassinated.
The suspect fired the shotgun into the air eight or nine times before being detained, reports say. As he was taken away, he shouted 'Don't play with us,' according to RT.
Arrested: This man was arrested outside the US Embassy in the Turkish capital of Ankara after he reportedly fired a shotgun 8-9 times, and shouted 'Don't play with us'
Embassy: The embassy was on temporary lockdown after the incident, which occurred at around 4:30am local time. The man was reportedly identified as 'Sahir S' in state media
FOOTAGE: Police arrest the gunman outside the US Embassy in Ankara. He swears and says "don't play with us" pic.twitter.com/ZmFzYR2kq0— DAILY SABAH (@DailySabah) December 20, 2016
It's not known whether anyone was hurt by the suspect, who was identified in state media as 'Sahir S', according to RT.
Photographs show him being led away, apparently uninjured. He appears to be in his forties or fifties.
In video footage he can be heard shouting 'Don't play with us' as he pushes against the group of police officers guiding him to a van.
The lockdown was ended and staff were given permission to leave the compound, although the US Embassy advised citizens to avoid the area until Tuesday morning.
A gunman fires 8-9 times in the air outside the US Embassy in Ankara. Police detained the gunman, increased security around the embassy.
— Mahir Zeynalov (@MahirZeynalov) December 20, 2016
The dramatic events follow the shocking murder earlier today of Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov, 62, who was shot dead in an Ankara art gallery just a block away from the US Embassy.
Karlov was killed by Mevlüt Mert Altintas, 22, an off-duty member of the Ankara special forces police department, while speaking at the opening of an exhibition at the Çankaya Municipality Contemporary Arts Center.
Footage of the scene shows the man saying in Arabic: 'We are the descendants of those who supported the Prophet Muhammad for jihad.'
According to local media, his words are similar to the unofficial anthem of Al Nusra, the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda.
In Turkish, Altintas adds: 'Don’t forget about Aleppo. Don’t forget about Syria. As long as our lands are not safe, you will not taste safety … Only death will take me out of here. Anyone who has a role in this oppression, they will all die one by one.'
Altintas also opened fire on hostages, injuring three. He was shot dead after a 15-minute standoff with police.
The US Embassy was also placed on lockdown after that shooting.
The US State Department has advised Americans to 'avoid travel to southeast Turkey and carefully consider the risks of travel to and throughout the country'.
Assassinated: Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov (center) moments before he was shot dead by Mevlüt Mert Altintas (left), an off-duty cop, in an Ankara art gallery
Gunman: Altintas also opened fire on others in the gallery, injuring three. He was shot dead himself after a 15-minute stand-off
Trump also tweeted: “Today there were terror attacks in Turkey, Switzerland and Germany – and it is only getting worse. The civilized world must change thinking!” Indeed it must, and it looks as if, as he becomes President, it will begin to do so. Imagine: the incoming President of the United States referred to “the […]
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Russia: Mass Graves Full Of Tortured Civilians Discovered In Aleppo
Via TheAntiMedia.org,
Russian military forces have discovered mass graves in eastern parts of the Syrian city of Aleppo, with many of the bodies reportedly showing signs of torture.
Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for the Russian defense ministry, announced the horrifying discovery on Monday. “Many of the corpses were found with missing body parts, and most had gunshot wounds to the head,” he said, according to RT, a Russian state-owned news network.
Until recently, the eastern portion of Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city and industrial and financial center, was under the control of so-called “moderate” rebels, many of whom have received both intelligence and material support from the United States and its allies in the Middle East.
Last week, Russian and Syrian military forces oversaw the evacuation of civilians from eastern Aleppo. Prior to that, the rebel-held portion of the city had been controlled by two main factions, Jabhat al-Nusra, a terrorist group with ties to al-Qaeda also known as the Nusra Front, and Ahrar al-Sham, another extremist group that receives U.S. support despite being designated a terrorist organization.
WikiLeaks’ archive of diplomatic cables reveals that the United States, Israel, and Saudi Arabia have sought to overthrow the government of Syrian leader Bashar Assad since at least 2006, and support for extremist fighters remains a key part of that strategy.
Konashenkov promised a full investigation into the war crimes of rebel forces in Aleppo, suggesting in his statement that the results would surprise many people who receive their news from Western mainstream media sources. He said:
“The completion of a uniquely large-scale humanitarian operation by the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Aleppo will destroy many of the myths that have been fed to the world by Western politicians. The results of only an initial survey of Aleppo neighborhoods abandoned by the so-called ‘opposition’ will shock many.”
Russian forces also found massive stockpiles of weaponry abandoned by fleeing rebel groups. “In one small area, three tanks, two cannons, two multiple rocket launchers and numerous homemade mortars were found,” reported RT.
False news about Syria has continued to proliferate in recent days, including reports of genocide carried out by the Syrian government that featured fake or recycled photos.
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Those big armored fighting vehicles are not inconspicuous—and that appears to have been the point
March 6, 2017
Last weekend, US Stryker armored fighting vehicles appeared seemingly out of nowhere in Syria and descended onto the Kurdish-held town of Manbij. Their arrival was anything but inconspicuous, as the convoy of multiple Strykers, in various configurations, along with tricked-out Humvees rolled across the Euphrates river in broad daylight, with giant American flags whipping in the air above them. After we reported on the story, the vehicles appeared to have made it to Manbij, and proceeded to move all around the vicinity of the city and its outlying villages, making their presence known. For US special operations teams, who have kept an incredibly low profile in the war-torn country for a couple years now, the show of force was something totally new, and it was clearly a signal to America's enemies and friends alike.
The Pentagon, commenting on the arrival of the vehicles in northern Syria, stated that the convoy was a "visible symbol that the enemy is cleared out of Manbij." The spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve also tweeted the reasoning behind the Strykers' high-profile arrival in the flashpoint city:
.@CJTFOIR has taken this deliberate action to reassure Coaltion mbrs & partner forces, deter aggression and keep focus on defeating #ISIShttps://t.co/ThPFlJem5s
As we discussed this weekend, Manbij could turn into a standoff between US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces which are dominated by Kurdish fighters aligned with the PKK—Turkey's bitter enemy—and Turkish-backed forces that have sacked the city of al Bab to the west. Turkey has since said made it clear that they are ready to push east toward the ISIS stronghold of al Raqqa. The only problem is that Turkey has also stated that all Kurdish forces need to retreat east of the Euphrates River as this was one of the key goals of Operation Euphrates Shield. This operation, launched by Turkey last summer and ongoing to this very day, is aimed at ISIS as well as pushing back Kurdish forces from the towns they had seized west of the Euphrates during bloody battles with Islamic State fighters. Manbij is one of these cities. Kurdish fighters sacked it last August, something that the Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman also underlined in a tweet:
.@CJTFOIR has been active in and around Manbij since Summer of 16, when the city was liberated fr/#daesh
So basically America's flag-waving increase in visibility around Manbij, as well as their upgrade in armor that has rumbled its way all around the town and its nearby villages, seems to serve a couple purposes. First off, it tells Turkish, Syrian and Russian forces that Americans are operating openly in the strategically located city and by traveling all around its outskirts in a blazon manner, literally acting as bait, they have shown that ISIS has been neutralized in the area. As such, any attack on Kurdish or US forces by Turkish, Syrian or Russian-backed forces could not be "confused" for one against ISIS. As such, there is no excuse for Russian or Syrian jets to bomb locations in or around the city, and no reason for Syrian forces to be there at all at this time. The operation also serves as a warning to Turkey in particular, that any move against the town could not only endanger US forces, but it would see two NATO allies pitted against one another.
The thing is that the main highway that linked al Bab to al Raqqa was blocked by Syrian troops recently, leaving Turkey with few options to easily access the Islamic State stronghold. The road through Manbij is one of a handful left that can take Turkish-backed forces from al Bab to al Raqqa in a round-about way, and the others go through towns that are also held by Kurdish and SDF forces. This has pushed Turkish forces and their proxies in a corner of sorts.
In yet another tweet made over the weekend, the OIR spokesman said something somewhat peculiar:
.@CJTFOIR increased force presence in, around Manbij to deter hostile acts, enhance governance & ensure there's no persistent YPG presence https://t.co/TDIRsXimRH
It could be that the US plans to drastically increase its presence in Manbij so that Kurdish YPG rebels could drastically decrease their presence there, and thus making it possible for Turkish troops to traverse the city on their way to al Raqqa without a major battle erupting. So what seems to be happening here is that the US has executed a fairly brilliant but also risky play—a grand blocking maneuver of sorts. The up-armored vehicles and Strykers are there because of the increased risk to US soldiers for taking on a high profile and to make a big footprint in the sand. Now it seems by the tweet above that the US may open the road through the city to Turkish soldiers if Americans are in control of that road and Kurdish fighters are largely playing a secondary support role, if they have not vacated the city in total. Basically it forces all sides to concentrate on taking out ISIS, not on slugging it out amongst themselves.
In the end, if this proves to the US strategy in play, it puts the most pressure on Islamic State because it keeps Turkey in the game, as well as Syria, Russia and the US and its allies, and it bypasses a potential all-out battle between the Kurds and the Turkish military and their proxies. The risk comes into play in that now US troops have taken up a much heavier rolel in the stability of at least one city in Syria, and they also have a much higher profile in the region. And they may be the thin green line that stands between a full-out brawl between Turkish and Kurdish forces. Considering the US is a NATO ally of Turkey, if anything goes wrong the repercussions could be massive on a geopolitical scale.
The other alternative is that the US does not open up Manbij or another route that runs through a Kurdish-controlled town to Turkey, although doing so could have even worse repercussions, and a higher probability of those repercussions actually occurring. Turkey could just decide to push through anyway, or take another route from the Turkish-Syrian border in the western part of county, which is largely controlled by the Kurds and SDF as well. Turkey could also be forced into Assad's arms, and could work out a deal with him and Russia to open up access to al Raqqa. Such a move would not be a welcome outcome for the US which has maintained an anti-Assad policy since the Syrian civil war began.
We will have to wait and see what happens next, but there is a good chance that Turkey and the US military are talking right now about what it would take for their forces and proxy fighters to move through Kurdish territory without shots being fired. Above all else, the Strykers' appearance in Syria signal a new bolder policy in the region, one that we have seen other hints of since President Trump was inaugurated six weeks ago.
UPDATE: 3:35pm PST- It seems that these are "double V-hulled" Strykers, giving them similar resistance to IEDs as MRAPs, and they do indeed belong to the 75th Ranger Regiment.
A combat operation that legends are made of just occurred under the cover of darkness on March 21-22 as US Special Operations troops and elite Kurdish special forces parachuted deep into deep into ISIS-held ground while other US-backed SDF troops made an amphibious assault that succeeded in retaking the Tabqa Dam from the Islamic State who were caught by surprise.
Some of the following information is unconfirmed but comes from our trusted sources and will give a more in depth look at what happened beyond the “official” CJTF-OIR statement.
The airborne troops jumped from at least a half dozen rotary-wing aircraft into at least two different drop zones onto a peninsula west of Raqqa near Abu Asi. There are even rumors of a high altitude jump taking place. The Syrian democratic Forces (SDF) have proven to be the top indigenous fighting force in the region, without a doubt.
Yet, a very very small population within the ranks of the SDF is airborne qualified, and there were indeed Kurdish troops on the jump. This means that the Kurdish Counter Terror Group (CTG) from northern Iraq was definitely there leading the way. It’s also possible, and even likely, that the CTG’s Syrian counterpart, the Syrian Kurdish Anti-Terror Forces Command (HAT) were also in on the Airborne operation, considering the high echelon of their training. The key strategic ground now held on the Western flank cuts off the main ISIS supply route flowing from Aleppo to Raqqa.
Meanwhile, a massive amphibious mission was underway. The SDF’s Kurdish YPG and Syrian Arab Coalition fighters led by Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) boarded Zodiac watercraft and whatever boats they could find, and made a more direct assault onto the dam itself, east of the airborne drop zone. The dam was being used as an ISIS headquarters, a prison for high value individuals, and a training camp. They were successful in taking the dam.
As the footholds across the Euphrates were confirmed, bridge boats were loaded with combat vehicles, supply trucks, and command and control vehicles, and they made their way for the beach heads to reinforce the initial shock troops who were carrying very little water, ammo, and supplies in order to stay highly mobile.
According to our reports, the fighting was intense, but somewhat brief, as Islamic State forces were caught of guard, most likely overconfident after the coalition’s recent failed attempt to take the dam.
ISIS had also most likely pushed a good portion of their force to fortify the east of Raqqa after a recent night of successful raids by these same elite SDF troops and US commandos. Some ISIS fighters were killed, while most panicked and retreated into the actual town of Tabqa. Reports on twitter say that IS is now pushing troops to reinforce and entrench Tabqa for a fight.
While airborne and amphibious assaults were happening, ISIS was taking an absolute beating from the skies. AH-64 Apache helicopters rocked enemy fighting positions and scattering fighters. The newly arrived Marine artillery unit pounded IS targets all night. Fighter jets continuously stayed on station scorching through the sky in order to keep enemy heads down while the ground forces could set up shop.
US-SDF forces now have Raqqa blocked on three sides and hold some critical high ground. The coalition forces are wasting no time and have now initiated airstrikes and clearing operations to purge the tactically useless, but necessary, town of Tabqa and will also be conquering the strategic Tabqa airfield to the south.
Another important aspect of retaking this ground, the airfield, and getting Raqqa completely surrounded has just as much to do with our competitors as it does with the Islamic State. Russian and Syrian regime forces have been steadily making their way toward Raqqa from Homs and Palmyra to the south. They’re too late. This latest successful operation has all but blocked Syrian and Russian forces from meddling in the Raqqa operation and the rest that will follow in the region.
ISIS is on their last leg in Raqqa, and while they will undoubtedly fight wildly like a cornered, desperate animal, using seemingly unlimited SVBIEDs, booby trapping every house and street, and fighting from hidden tunnels below the city… they are dead men walking. It’s over, but they just don’t know it yet.
The following video shows SDF troops prepping for the amphibious assault as well as the follow-on bridging operations to reinforce and resupply the newly held ground.
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DEVELOPING – The United States launched nearly five dozen cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield early Friday in response to a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians, the first direct assault on the Damascus government since the beginning of that country's bloody civil war in 2011.
"It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons," President Donald Trump said in a statement. "Tonight I call on all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria, and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types."
Fifty-nine Tomahawk missiles targeted an airbase at Shayrat, located outside Homs. The missiles targeted the base's airstrips, hangars, control tower and ammunition areas, officials said.
Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said initial indications were that the strike "had "severely damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure and equipment ... reducing the Syrian Government's ability to deliver chemical weapons."
Trump said the base was used as the staging point for Tuesday's chemical weapons attack on rebel-held territory, which killed as many as 72 civilians, including women and children.
"Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children," Trump said from Mar-a-Lago, Fla. "Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should ever suffer such horror."
The U.S. missiles hit at 8:45 p.m. Eastern time, 3:45 a.m. Friday morning in Syria. Syrian state TV reported a U.S. missile attack on a number of military targets and called the attack an "aggression."
U.S. military officials said they informed their Russian counterparts of the impending attack in an effort to avoid any accident involving Russian forces. Nevertheless, Russia's Deputy U.N. ambassador Vladimir Safronkov warned that any negative consequences from the strikes would be on the "shoulders of those who initiated such a doubtful and tragic enterprise."
Davis, the Pentagon spokesman, confirmed that "there are Russians at the base," but said they had been warned "multiple times" to leave. He did not know whether Russian aircraft were at the base when the missiles hit.
The U.S. also notified its partner countries in the region prior to launching the strikes.
U.S. defense officials tell Fox that two warships based in the eastern Mediterranean, the USS Porter and the USS Ross, have been training for the past two days to execute this mission.
“Our forward deployed ships give us the capability to quickly respond to threats," said a Navy official. "These strikes in Syria are a perfect example - this is why we're there."
The original plans called for two targets, the airbase and a chemical weapons storage facility. However, Pentagon planners decided late Thursday to target just the airbase.
As a candidate, Trump warned against against the U.S. getting pulled into the Syrian civil war. But the president earlier in the week appeared moved by the photos of children killed in the chemical attack.
"I think what happened in Syria is one of the truly egregious crimes and shouldn't have happened and it shouldn't be allowed to happen," Trump told reporters traveling on Air Force One to Florida earlier , where he was holding a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Late Thursday, a U.S. government official told Fox News that the intelligence community has high confidence that the attack was carried out by Syrian government aircraft. The official said the analysis was consistent with eyewitness reports that fixed-wing aircraft launched the strike.
The official described the use of sarin gas in the attack as a watershed. The Assad government had agreed to disband its chemical weapons capability by 2014 under an agreement coordinated with the Obama administration and Russia. Tuesday's attack was considered a breach of that agreement.
The Turkish ministry of health says the preliminary results show the use of sarin gas. Sarin is a colorless, odorless liquid and is highly volatile moving easily from liquid to a gas, that unlike chlorine which the Assad government has used on a regular basis, does not dissipate quickly. This explains the high number of fatalities. The victims in Syria and Turkey show all the hallmarks of a sarin attack – including twitching, jerking and foaming at the mouth.
Trump's decision to attack Syria came three-and-a-half years after President Barack Obama threatened Assad with military action after an earlier chemical weapons attack killed hundreds outside of Damascus. Obama had declared the use of such weapons a "red line." At the time, several American ships in the Mediterranean were poised to launch missiles, only for Obama to abruptly pull back after key U.S. ally Britain and the U.S. Congress balked at his plan.
He opted instead for the Russian-backed plan that was supposed to remove and eliminate Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles.
The world learned of the chemical attack earlier in the week in footage that showed people dying in the streets and bodies of children stacked in piles.
The U.S. show of force in Syria raises legal questions. It's unclear what authority Trump is relying on to attack another government. When Obama intervened in Libya in 2011, he used a U.N. Security Council mandate and NATO's overall leadership of the mission to argue that he had legal authority — arguments that many Republicans opposed. Trump can't rely on either justification here.
Unclear also is whether Trump is adopting any broader effort to combat Assad. Under Obama, the United States largely pulled back from its support for so-called "moderate" rebels when Russia's military intervention in September 2015 led them to suffer a series of battlefield defeats. Instead, Obama sought to work with Russia on a negotiated transition.
Trump and his top aides had acknowledged in recent days the "reality" of Assad being in power, saying his ouster was no longer a priority. But the chemical weapons attack seemed to spur a rethink. In Florida on Thursday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said of Assad: "There's no role for him to govern the Syrian people."
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