In early September, the Kurdish YPG launched an offensive against a pair of towns in northeastern Syria termed the “last” ISIS-held territory. Officials claim 211 ISIS and 113 Kurds have been killed since then.
US Marines are now being sent into the area to join the ground offensive. Previously, the US was offering only air support. This is the first ground troop deployment of this latest military push.
Most ISIS fighters in Syria are not in these remaining towns, around Hajin. Rather, the vast majority are operating in the deserts around Deir Ezzor Province. This allows them to move around at will, avoiding airstrikes, and to ambush patrols as an opportunity presents itself.
ISIS lost all of its towns and cities along the Euphrates River over the past year, but have moved around, taking occasional control of more remote towns. Even if this offensive is successful, it probably won’t be an enduring loss for ISIS forces in Syria.
Eastern Syria was the goal all along. Damascus would have been a bonus. This is the slice of land it needs to build the pipe from Iraq/Syria to Turkey into Europe offsetting Russia’s dominance of European supply. Now that troops are on the ground “fighting Isis” this is the final stand to not let the Syrian State push to take it. I see the treaty now… Turkey has also played the “unhappy” card but that’s just disinformation. This was the price Turkey had to pay to enter the EU to the masters. They were told to choose a side, and they did, but to need to save face in such a hostile geo-position. This has been the goal since the Early 90s’ when the Saudis and Bush Sr, and Cheney built the plan. Saudi Arabia gave it’s blessed son, and his band of rebels, US gave the military and now the mission is almost complete. US/Saudi vs. Iran/Russia is always the game of Oil.
Turkey won’t be allowed to join. They are not reliable. Unreliability is Turkey’s strength to keep the West in check when they don’t get what they want.
That makes sense, but I think the US has played that card, to protect this area at all costs. Even the Turks driving toward protecting the southeast is a chess match to call each others bluff. The Americans will not give up any area once troops his the ground. They are not looking to secure it either – they too want to make Turkey second guess. But Indeed they are the wildcard.
An American pipeline in Syria. Not going to happen, way too much ordinance floating around to blow up the pipeline and pipeline workers. Ever see a mountain lion get treed by a pack of dogs(Turkey, Russia, Iran, Lebanon, Syria.) All the dogs live by the planned pipeline. Russia has bases in Syria with the approval of the Syrian government. The USA and Saudia Arabia and Iraq do not.
I can agree to this position. To build on it, Turkey is pretending to be in the pack, and the pipeline with not be in Syria, it will be in the “dead zone” East of the Euphrates that we’ve created. This is conveniently where American troops are on the ground, and that accidental bombing of Russian contractors (mercenaries) happened. So I think the Mountain lion is sending in Hyena first and creating a environment ripe for the “need” to always protect it. So yes, I think its’ under constant pressure from the pack, but the chaos is what justifies the protection. There is a strategy East of the river that is yet to be revealed but chaos serves the military mighty, and gives them higher ground over time. Just like Palestine, Kabul, Yemen, Mosul, “dead-zones” work to this advantage. It gives permission to operate in a once sovereign area, so do we really want it fixed – hell no.
I suspect the Marines are only providing indirect fire, as against Raqqa.
Marines fire an 81 mm mortar during training in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Hajin, Syria, Aug. 4, 2018.
https://media.defense.gov/2018/Sep/18/2002041881/1088/820/0/180804-F-ZU607-0172.JPG
I would like to see a more complete report of this, including how many and what they are doing.
The Senate might like to know also.
They should. But really they could know if they wanted to know, and they don’t. They care about other things, donor money and what they must do to get it, and no much else.
Not quite, one of trump’s platforms, was secret plans, like his promise to destroy ISIS in 60 days. The administration stopped reporting to the Armed Forces Senate committee after the inauguration.