Russian warplanes have begun their first airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria, with President Putin saying he is concerned about the continued ISIS takeover of the region, and fear that ISIS forces might threaten European countries, including Russia, if they weren’t stopped.
A statement from the Syrian state media says President Bashar al-Assad formally requested help from Russia in the ongoing civil war, and that the airstrikes began in response to that. US officials slammed the move, saying Assad has to be removed from power.
The first Russian strikes targeted western Homs Province, with the Russian Defense Ministry saying they believe the positions hit belong to ISIS. Another rebel faction, however, claimed they were the ones that were hit, and also claimed Russia deliberately targeted civilians in the area.
According to US officials, Russia gave them an hour’s notice on the airstrikes, and advised them to remove US and coalition warplanes from Syrian airspace during the bombing run. There was no confirmation, however, if the US actually did this.
The Guardian claims the rebel faction hit "…is thought to be one of a small number of opposition groups to have been vetted by US defence teams in Turkey." We've recently seen how effective US "vetting" is, with US equipment being immediately captured by or turned over to al-Nusra.
yeah, they are the other al qaida extremists who only cut arms off instead of heads; hence, why they call them moderate rebels.
The Russian bear is in the house!!!
More correctly, he's in the quagmire!
There isn't going to be a Syria left when all of them are done with it. Russia is protecting their asset. Lets hope World War III isn't started over the skies of Syria. Haven't they learned from Afghanistan and the US failure everywhere?
Putin is absurdly vain. He thinks he's smarter than anyone else. He wants to show that he can win where everyone else has lost. That'll probably be his undoing. So much the better!
He is modest and up front with clear goals and supporting the right side
So yes he is smarter with his decisions everyday Americans see that and don't in their Govt
Tonight I watched a most interesting interview on PBS. Margaret Warner interviewed the President of Iraq. His message was stark: you Americans can no longer order us that we cannot ask the Russians or anyone else to help us. The president of Iraq was not concerned with reports that the Russian had not bombed Daesh targets. The Russians have promised us to battle Daesh he said.
So much the better. Support from Iraq will bog Putin down even more in the quagmire. As the old saying goes, it couldn't happen to a nicer fellow!
It is funny and very interesting to see ISIS just never go away and gets stronger even after U.S. bombs them month after month. Makes one wonders what it is trying to accomplish.
I can already see were this is going. The demented media demanding to know why the US is "letting" Russia kill American allies/friends/whatever they are. Next they are going to say that Russia killed some of those US trained terrorists, and again demand action. They'll ask where the "red line" ™ is. We've seen the script before. And it's the one the media will replay every time some government official appears in front of them.
You're probably right. So much the better. The sooner Putin goes the better for everybody.
"US officials slammed the move, saying Assad has to be removed from power." Really? When did US officials become the owners of Syria? No US Officials, your friends called radical Jihadists need to be removed from Syria and sent back to Saudi Arabia.
Uncle Sam became Syria's "owner" the first time he hired them to torture on his behalf. Once you agree to do a job for a gangster, you don't get to resign.
Obama and what is called "bombing allies" never intended to bomb ISIS military positions but rather for prolonging this war they just bombed to prolong it. They been bombing ISIS for a year now, if their bombing ever were précis, ISIS would have vaporized by the first month of the bombing campaign.
Turkish Erdogan regime doing the same, his regime bombing Kurdish people that are fighting ISIS, this is yet another part of this inhuman war brought upon Syrian, Kurdish and Iraqi people by the fake democracy from King of Sweden to Italian-French mafia to what is USG.
It is one of those Al-Qaeda groups that General Petraeus suggested US arms to fight ISIS. What he should have said is — those that we already armed — let us make it public. Those groups all participated in the most vicious crimes against civilians, and Syrian's know it. And since US has about SIX people left out of those that they trained — what is the problem with hitting all those groups regardless of what they call themselves. Really, this is getting highly entertaining. Let's see. Obama wants Assad to go. OK. So, Syria is to start the election campaign in between being hit by terrorists, and while the refugees are still streaming into the capital. I think Obama would ask ISIS if they would kindly allow for ballot boxed to be placed in areas they occupied. Oh, that is not what Obama has in mind? He would like to handpick the new government — like he did in Ukraine — and all will be well. Except that none of these would be the residents of Syria, and will not know the names of Syrian Army brass. At which point, Army may just toss them aside, and name one of their own to run the country, or they may cut a deal with ISIS, and let them take over. Is there any other outcome possible for a country in war to change the head of the state. But here is the problem — CIA has already determined that Assad is popular, and so is their Army. And the Army is multi-national, and multi-confessional, hence, there is no chance of falling apart easily. So, when ISIS is defeated — as it will be once Russia puts an end to their arms supply, ammunition and weapons dumps, vehicle fleets, funding and telecom — Assad will be reelected if he ever wanted to run again. So, that's is why "Assad has to go", like in "now". But that brings us back to the problem of logistics. Since nobody in the world thinks it is possible to run an election, or has an appetite for another US handpicked government — US and the collective West are facing some poor choices. Like being forced to talk to all regional stakeholders, not just Israel.
APPEAL FOR NEW COMPETITORS TO JOIN THE M.I.C ARMS FAIR IN SYRIA
Can anyone else please 'intervene' in Syria? Anyone with a few spare bombs to throw at the Syrian people? It's the latest craze – $6 bowls of cereal served up by bearded hipsters are so 'out' now, but $600,000 apiece missiles that burn people alive are the new 'in'!
Lucky Syria has been chosen as the new competitive marketplace to demonstrate the world's most advanced means of delivering death and terror onto defenceless civilians! We already got the big five of the USA, Russia, France, the UK and Israel, plus upcoming second division teams from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, plus those cheeky ‘outsider’ wannabes Hezbollah, al Nusra and Islamic State… so the field's wide open for any as yet uncommitted military industrial complexes to seize the opportunity, go in, join the feeding frenzy – and make a killing!
But Syria's skies are pretty packed now, so mind your planes and drones don't collide with those of your competitors in your eagerness to display the market verve of your very own MIC's ordinances!
Hey c'mon guys, what you waiting for?
I agree. Syria is a big Gaza now. Those refugees are smart because they are running into Western Europe where they won't be bombed.
It's getting harder and harder for the USG to continue hiding from the American people the fact that they are actively supporting (intelligence, funds and weapons) al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda subcontractor working in Syria – through their proxy Israel, of course. These are the "moderates" the USG is always talking about. The Free Syrian Army doesn't exist, except in the NYT, MSNBC, and at the Pentagon – oh, and in McCain's brain.
It will be interesting when the American people figure it out that the group that has been assigned responsibility for 9/11 is being aided and abetted by their government.
The US military just sent out orders for NATO reg.small arms ammo, .50 cal and under, it seems that some of pur troop complained that even during training there was a shortage of even blank let alone real, and units supply when in country are in short supply.
The old Soviet nations are pumping out NATO spec as are several Scanfinavian Netherlands and Brit firms but even in a nation that we say war is over Iraq US troop fire between 7-10 millions of rounds per month, Afghanistan some 20mill and no one is counting how many in Africa.
What ee do know though is that the NATO bombs are still pavking the gift that keeps killing “Depleted Uranium?
Our allies¿¿¿¿?pack a broad range mostly of Soviet block weaponry, all made and their ammo in old soviet bloc balkans Poland Romania Lithuania by the tens of millions of rounds per month each all bought and paid for by US.
In Africa US gave Friendly nations AR’s so they could sell to neighboring militant groups we funded with easily hid cash just to circumvent US and International Laws of arming rebellions.
Seems we hot a laws says only defensive weapons are Legal,
I gues defending oneself when invading a nation is “legal”.
The US would rather see Syria destroyed and Assad removed than see Syria stabilized and Assad stay.
Perfect! Putin is in the quagmire. I would guess is that what Putin hoped for in Syria was that he would magnanimously "help" the US to fight ISIS and would be "rewarded" (haven't you guessed?) by being allowed to keep his ill-gotten gains in Ukraine. The US has nicely cornered him! Putin can't abandon Assad for fear of losing the naval base but if the US consented to his intervention it would look like a second capitulation to Putin and that would just encourage ISIS. Forcing him to intervene on his own account is the best possible situation. If he gets into trouble (and in the Syrian mess, he inevitably will), that will be his problem.
Whats is your problem
Aug 7, 2015 US Intelligence Confirms US Support for ISIS
A partially-declassified DIA report brings disturbing details about US support for jihadists in Syria. What kind of game is the US government playing in the Middle East?
https://youtu.be/d2WrwUM2RwI