Syrian Revolution News & Discussions

[Lieutenant]

It has become a lost game now unless Jordan and Saudi jump in.

 

[Falcon29]

It has become a lost game now unless Jordan and Saudi jump in.

The general morale of general Arab population is devastated. We are also very tired of conflict. Not to mention, afraid. The truth is, right now, we can't project power. Nobody knows what Arab intervention would be for or what it would accomplish. The agenda right now is focused around internal security + external security(from Iranian threat). It will remain that way. Iran won't outplay itself, I believe it too is confused and doesn't see a reason to take this any farther. Saudi Arabia won't be in any danger.

What will see is the remaining Arab influence die down. At this point, we are part of the past. Any major changes or initiatives taken in the Muslim + Arab world is going to be done by non-Arabs. Look at Indonesians, Turks, Pakistani's, Iranians, etc .... They gonna have influence on terms of general population scale, Arab governments will remain intact but there will be no Arab initiative not organized nor general.

Which I personally welcome? It saddens me how hard Arab situation has become, not just in damaged countries, but even in Gulf and Saudi Arabia, they citizens are not all well off, they are struggling too. I think this upcoming multinational Muslim future will be beautiful and interesting. They will be effective. Not us, but our kids.

 

[Lieutenant]

The general morale of general Arab population is devastated. We are also very tired of conflict. Not to mention, afraid. The truth is, right now, we can't project power. Nobody knows what Arab intervention would be for or what it would accomplish. The agenda right now is focused around internal security + external security(from Iranian threat). It will remain that way. Iran won't outplay itself, I believe it too is confused and doesn't see a reason to take this any farther. Saudi Arabia won't be in any danger.

What will see is the remaining Arab influence die down. At this point, we are part of the past. Any major changes or initiatives taken in the Muslim + Arab world is going to be done by non-Arabs. Look at Indonesians, Turks, Pakistani's, Iranians, etc .... They gonna have influence on terms of general population scale, Arab governments will remain intact but there will be no Arab initiative not organized nor general.

Which I personally welcome? It saddens me how hard Arab situation has become, not just in damaged countries, but even in Gulf and Saudi Arabia, they citizens are not all well off, they are struggling too. I think this upcoming multinational Muslim future will be beautiful and interesting. They will be effective. Not us, but our kids.

If Turkey alongside with the Saudis and the Jordanians decided to take that with their own hands they will succeed. Egypt on the other hand can stand still in case something goes wrong. These three countries carry their weight and can change the current status quo.

 

[Falcon29]

If Turkey alongside with the Saudis and the Jordanians decided to take that with their own hands they will succeed. Egypt on the other hand can stand still in case something goes wrong. These three countries carry their weight and can change the current status quo.

No one wants to directly intervene, to costly from all aspects. It would disrupt UN and international efforts to try keeping this thing a stalemate. The best option is an anti-ISIS operation, maxed out, with a trained force supported by these three nations. Of course Kurdish and Syrian forces would need to be targeted in that case as well, since they will instantly divest resources to the same operation. US will react against Turkey, along with Russia. Nothing serious, but they will target Turkish or Turkish supported armed forces. It will get serious if they actually try to liberate all ISIS held territory in Syria. I would take the risk personally, since there is buildup on ground of Kurdish, US, Russian and Syrian forces, the sooner, the less complicated it would be.

 

[Lieutenant]

No one wants to directly intervene, to costly from all aspects. It would disrupt UN and international efforts to try keeping this thing a stalemate. The best option is an anti-ISIS operation, maxed out, with a trained force supported by these three nations. Of course Kurdish and Syrian forces would need to be targeted in that case as well, since they will instantly divest resources to the same operation. US will react against Turkey, along with Russia. Nothing serious, but they will target Turkish or Turkish supported armed forces. It will get serious if they actually try to liberate all ISIS held territory in Syria. I would take the risk personally, since there is buildup on ground of Kurdish, US, Russian and Syrian forces, the sooner, the less complicated it would be.

Agreed, but there will be a payback to any Russia/US aggression taken against those three countries don't you think? You see the US/Russia cant have it all-all the time. There must be a way to put an end to this madness once and for all. If the US or and Russian try to undermine this then both will jeopardize their relations with the Turkey, Jordan and GCC. The future is now with the emerging economy that of the Asian countries mainly China, Japan and South Korea. Not to mention Africa. I can tell that there is a huge shift from the western pole to the eastern one.

 

[Falcon29]

Agreed, but there will be a payback to any Russia/US aggression taken against those three countries don't you think? You see the US/Russia cant have it all-all the time. There must be a way to put an end to this madness once and for all. If the US or and Russian try to undermine this then both will jeopardize their relations with the Turkey, Jordan and GCC. The future is now with the emerging economy that of the Asian countries mainly China, Japan and South Korea. Not to mention Africa. I can tell that there is a huge shift from the western pole to the eastern one.

The West is still on top in every regard, and that won't change for another 50 years at least. We need them and they need us. However, it seems to be difficult to find common ground with the US on the ME conflicts/future. This problem needs to be resolved. US is better ally than Russia or China and has more to offer, and is more interested in the Middle East than others. What needs to occur first is a change in governance in the Arab world. Elections don't change much if it remains theocratic and authoritarian form of governance across the region. I can make an exception for Saudi Arabia, since the government plays different role there. Much of the say is up to the locals and clerics, and the main role it plays is to secure the holy sites and provide religious services to Muslims year round, as well as keep the country stable.

Which the royal family is doing, and it should be kept that way. I'd rather that not see direct Saudi role in certain regional conflicts. It should play different form of role and allow Turkey for example to take political lead in Syria. Saudi should play mediator role to make peace between certain players in Syria and if possible in Egypt and elsewhere.

I am not sure what Turkey is up to lately, the operation has resumed and now they're near regime held territory. What will happen from there, nobody knows.

Maybe @T-123456 can give his input.

 

[T-123456]

The West is still on top in every regard, and that won't change for another 50 years at least. We need them and they need us. However, it seems to be difficult to find common ground with the US on the ME conflicts/future. This problem needs to be resolved. US is better ally than Russia or China and has more to offer, and is more interested in the Middle East than others. What needs to occur first is a change in governance in the Arab world. Elections don't change much if it remains theocratic and authoritarian form of governance across the region. I can make an exception for Saudi Arabia, since the government plays different role there. Much of the say is up to the locals and clerics, and the main role it plays is to secure the holy sites and provide religious services to Muslims year round, as well as keep the country stable.

Which the royal family is doing, and it should be kept that way. I'd rather that not see direct Saudi role in certain regional conflicts. It should play different form of role and allow Turkey for example to take political lead in Syria. Saudi should play mediator role to make peace between certain players in Syria and if possible in Egypt and elsewhere.

I am not sure what Turkey is up to lately, the operation has resumed and now they're near regime held territory. What will happen from there, nobody knows.

Maybe @T-123456 can give his input.

Things are complicated right now,nobody knows what will happen,the coming days will show us more.

 

[Scorpion]

Things are complicated right now,nobody knows what will happen,the coming days will show us more.

What will happen to the Syrian pilot landed inside Turkey two days ago? Is he going to be handed back to Assad?

 

[T-123456]

What will happen to the Syrian pilot landed inside Turkey two days ago? Is he going to be handed back to Assad?

They handed him over to Assad(so they say).

 

[Scorpion]

They handed him over to Assad(so they say).

Im not sure if this is true. I hope not. That SOB deserve his head to be chopped off.

 

[Lieutenant]

The West is still on top in every regard, and that won't change for another 50 years at least. We need them and they need us. However, it seems to be difficult to find common ground with the US on the ME conflicts/future. This problem needs to be resolved. US is better ally than Russia or China and has more to offer, and is more interested in the Middle East than others. What needs to occur first is a change in governance in the Arab world. Elections don't change much if it remains theocratic and authoritarian form of governance across the region. I can make an exception for Saudi Arabia, since the government plays different role there. Much of the say is up to the locals and clerics, and the main role it plays is to secure the holy sites and provide religious services to Muslims year round, as well as keep the country stable.

Which the royal family is doing, and it should be kept that way. I'd rather that not see direct Saudi role in certain regional conflicts. It should play different form of role and allow Turkey for example to take political lead in Syria. Saudi should play mediator role to make peace between certain players in Syria and if possible in Egypt and elsewhere.

I am not sure what Turkey is up to lately, the operation has resumed and now they're near regime held territory. What will happen from there, nobody knows.

Maybe @T-123456 can give his input.

Well get back to your post later.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

 

[Scorpion]

The rebels are on the offensive mode now.

 

[Khafee]

Terrorists Shot Down Russian Su-25 in Idlib, Russia Airstrikes Attack Zone - MoD
03.02.2018

© Photo: Russian Defense Ministry



The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the country's air forces conducted a high-precision group strike in the area controlled by Jabhat Fatah al-Sham militants in Idlib, from where a missile that downed Russian Su-25 aircraft was launched.
"A group strike using precision weapons has been conducted in the area controlled by the Jabhat al-Nusra [Jabhat Fatah al-Sham] terrorist group in Idlib province, from where the missile was launched against the [downed] Russian Su-25 airplane. According to radio intercepts, as a result of the strike, more than 30 militants of Jabhat al-Nusra were destroyed," the report by the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The strike followed the downing of a Russian Su-25 aircraft in the area.
"The plane was flying over the Idlib de-escalation zone," the military stated.

The Defense Ministry revealed that according to preliminary information as to the possible cause of the downing, the plane may have been shot down by a man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD).

The Russian Defense Ministry stated that the pilot managed to eject from the aircraft and survive, but was killed during a subsequent battle with terrorists.
"The pilot reported on a bailout in an area controlled by rebels Jabhat Fatah al-Sham [previously known as al-Nusra Front]. When conducting a fight with terrorists, the pilot died," the Defense Ministry said.

According to the ministry, Russia and Turkey, peace guarantors in Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone, are undertaking all possible efforts to return the body of the killed pilot.
During the two-year-long military operation in Syria, Russia has lost four airplanes and four helicopters. According to Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov, modernized Su-25SM ground attack aircraft are being used in Syria.

The Su-25 attack aircraft is designed to destroy small-size mobile and fixed ground objects, as well as low-speed air targets.
The incident took place on the territory controlled by the Jabhat Fatah al-Sham terror group amid an ongoing military operation against them conducted by Syrian forces.

Among various terror groups operating in the area, there is also Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an umbrella terrorist group spearheaded this year by the former Al-Nusra Front. While some countries, such as the United States, have flagged HTS as a terrorist group, Russian officials continue to refer to the Salafist jihadist terrorist organization by its former Al-Nusra moniker. Al-Nusra was the official Syrian branch of al-Qaeda until 2016, when it ostensibly split from the world's most well-known terrorist network.

https://sptnkne.ws/gCHa

 

[Khafee]

US MQ-9 Reaper Drone Takes Out Russian T-72 Tank in Syria
13 Feb 2018
By Oriana Pawlyk

DoD video shows a U.S Air Force Reaper strike on a Russia-made T-72 tank. (Screen shot of DoD video)

A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone took out a Soviet-made T-72 tank in eastern Syria on Saturday in a "self-defense" strike after pro-regime forces fired on U.S. advisers and allied Syrian fighters.

Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, head of Air Forces Central Command, acknowledged Tuesday that the battlespace in Syria is becoming increasingly contested as more operators move into the area, making response decisions ever more complicated.

"... We rely upon our folks who are on the ground to make that decision, primarily the ground force commander," Harrigian told reporters from the Combined Air Operations Center at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, during a video teleconference briefing.

"What happened in that particular scenario is the tank that fired was within an effective range to target our SDF and advisers on the ground, which clearly provides [the ground commander] the ability to defend himself. And he made that decision, appropriately so, and that was the result," he said.

Harrigian would not speculate on who was operating the tank -- Russian forces or those belonging to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He said he was not aware of any other provocations against the coalition that day.

The MQ-9 mission occurred the same day an Iranian drone was downed over Israel. Israel launched a counterattack "on Iranian targets" in Syria in response to the drone's intrusion, during which an Israeli F-16 was targeted and crash landed back in Israeli territory.

"We fully support Israel's right to defense themselves, particularly against threats to their territory and their people," Harrigian said.
The attacks come days after pro-Assad forces attacked the Syrian Defense Forces in Deir el-Zour Province. The U.S. on Feb. 7 launched significant air and firepower in response to protect coalition service members working with the SDF in an advise, assist and accompany capacity.

Video: https://www.military.com/daily-news...ussian-t-72-tank-syria.html?ESRC=eb_180214.nl

The U.S. sent up F-22A Raptor advanced stealth fighters, along with MQ-9 drones, to watch as a three-hour battle began Feb. 7, while "a variety of joint aircraft and ground-based artillery responded in defense of our SDF partners, including F-15E Strike Eagles," Lt. Col. Damien Pickart, AfCent spokesman, told Military.com last week.

Harrigian on Tuesday says officials are still assessing how many pro-regime forces were killed as a result but estimates it was approximately 100. Other reports suggest that more than 200 were killed, with a number of news outlets saying the militants were made
up of Russian mercenaries.

Harrigian would not comment on the makeup of the forces.

"What we saw coming at us was approximately a battalion-sized unit," he said. "We continue to look at what those forces were composed of … and it's going to take some time to fully understand who was down there … and there's a fair number of groups involved with this, and it's always difficult to sort that out."

He added, "This is executed as self- defense, and we are going to defend ourselves. We all need to be crystal clear about that. We're going to do that first -- defend ourselves appropriately -- and then … we've got to work through exactly who it was to understand [the threat]."

U.S. forces will continue to watch the area, but Harrigian noted the goal "is to get back to fighting" the Islamic State.

"It clearly is a very complicated and complex environment," he said. "For both our forces on the ground and ... for our forces in the air, this environment requires the professionalism and discipline of a force that's able to manage and understand the environment in such that we can make timely decisions and understand how were going to protect ourselves, and get after the ISIS fight."

https://www.military.com/daily-news...ussian-t-72-tank-syria.html?ESRC=eb_180214.nl