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Title: Putin signs decree drafting 150,000 conscripts into the Russian military... as Iran and Hezbollah prepare major ground offensive in Syria with air support from Moscow's bombers
Source:
Daily Mail
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... SIS-forces-fighting-Assad.html
Published: Oct 1, 2015
Author: By Will Stewart and Simon Tomlinson
Post Date: 2015-10-01 16:17:08 by redleghunter
Ping List: *Islamic caliphate expansion* Subscribe to *Islamic caliphate expansion*
Keywords: None
Views: 12424
Comments: 58
Vladimir Putin has conscripted 150,000 new troops into the Russian army as the country unleashed a new wave of airstrikes in Syria - while and Iran and Islamist group Hezbollah prepare for a major ground offensive. Hundreds of Iranian troops have arrived in Syria over the last ten days, backed by the country's Lebanese allies, Hezbollah, and rebel fighters from Iraq and Afghanistan, two Lebanese sources claimed today. One of the sources said the Iranian ground forces were 'soldiers and officers', not advisers, adding: 'We mean hundreds with equipment and weapons. They will be followed by more.' They are being supported by Russia's warplanes who bombed camps of rebel fighters trained by the CIA, one of the group's commanders claimed. The White House said Russia's airstrikes in Syria were 'indiscriminate' and claimed its actions risk prolonging the conflict 'indefinitely'. The comments were made after the first in a series of discussions between US and Russian leaders aimed at 'de-conflicting' operations in the country. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the decree to conscript hundreds of thousands of new troops was not related to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Dmitry Peskov, who said Russia is targeting ISIS and other extremist groups, told Sputnik News: 'This is a regular document which the president signs twice a year.' It came as Moscow claimed to have attacked 12 ISIS targets including a command centre in Hama and ammunition depots in Idlib on the second day of the aerial campaign. The area targeted is largely made up of rebel insurgents which, unlike Islamic State, are supported by United States allies such as the Arab states and Turkey. A Syrian security source said bombs were dropped on a coalition of Islamist rebels including Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, the so-called Army of Conquest which fiercely opposes ISIS. The head of another rebel group, Liwa Suqour al-Jabal, which is part of the Free Syrian Army, said 20 missiles struck their Idlib base in two separate raids His fighters were trained by the CIA in Qatar and Saudi Arabia as part of a programme Washington said was aimed at supporting groups that oppose ISIS and President Assad. But Syria's ambassador to Moscow, Riyad Hadded, claimed the strikes were 'carried out exclusively against the positions of ISIS'. He added: 'The positions of Al-Qaeda are positions of ISIS. Carrying out strikes against these positions is natural and logical, they are dictated by the fact that these strikes are aimed also against other terrorist groups that support ISIS.' Meanwhile Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has challenged the United States to prove that Russia's operation was not targeting 'terrorists'. Today, Russia admitted the list of bombing targets were drawn up by the Syrian Defence Ministry, while it also used its own military satellites to obtain 'intelligence' to pinpoint targets . Moscow acknowledged it had moved marines to the war-torn country as the West fears more land forces are on the way. Putin denied allegations that his pilots left a trail of death among civilians, claiming this was 'information warfare' by the West. French President Francois Hollande said today that air strikes in Syria should only target ISIS, not other groups. However, the Army of Conquest, which controls Idlib province, said on Twitter that 'Russian pigs' had flattened a mosque in Jisr al-Shughur. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also joined the condemnation of Russian attacks by reporting US-backed rebel group Tajamu Alezzah was hit today and on Wednesday. The conflict could escalate even more with the arrival of hundreds of Iranian troops, who have arrived in Syria to join a major ground offensive on behalf of President Bashar al-Assad's government. They are backed by Assad's Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah and by Shi'ite fighters from Iraq and Afghanistan, while the Russians would provide air support. Hollande will discuss the crisis with Putin on the sidelines of the Normandy Quartet meeting tomorrow, a source in the Palace of Elysee told Sputnik News.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 28.
#1. To: redleghunter (#0)
Looks like Iran is going to put that quick $50 billion in cash to good use in Syria. Barry and Lurch must be so proud. And now maybe Trump knows why it was important to know who General Suleimani is and why it was important that he, the Ayatollah's personal envoy and top commmander, met with Putin last month. And why it is no coincidence that the Russians moved in with the Iranians joining them just as Vlad made his first trip to the U.N. in a decade. Not. A. Coincidence. Russia and Iran are gonna have a big party in Syria with that $50 billion we handed to them.
Nice image here: Let me know if it comes up at your end.
note that Russians have yet to hit a target in the Islamic State controlled regions .On the other post on Russia's Syrian intervention I postulated that Russia may become over extended ;being bogged down in Ukraine ,and opening a new front in Syria.
The Russians are also using cluster munitions. Something they railed against the Ukrainians using. All those unexploded ordnance among civilians.
All those unexploded ordnance among civilians. yes and other 'dumb' munitions . Doubt if they have adequate spotters on the ground to access accuracy of their campaign. Wondering where the outrage will come from regarding collateral damage . Doubt the Russians will be held to such high standards as US and Israelis are subject to .
Yes, where are all the usual peaceniks who rail on drone strikes etc.
First, we'll have to have some reporting. I don't doubt that the Russians will be much more blunt than the much more sophisticated weapons in the American/Israeli arsenal. Even so, the precision of our bombing was often overrated. We did drop, for instance, huge numbers of dumb bombs in Iraq during both Gulf Wars. Yet all the American public saw were endless loops of a (relatively rare) missile going down a chimney. If the Russians are bombing civilian areas, it should be noted and condemned. There is a big difference here however. Assad's is the legally recognized government under international law and the Russians are there as an ally to assist them in a civil war against multiple factions, the largely imaginary Free Syrian Army which is mostly now a front group for CIA aid to al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliate and the real "rebels" that we are supporting. Then there is ISIS. Iran has also entered with ground troops who will be spearheading the attacks on rebels. Since FSA/al-Nusra are the rebels closest to Assad, it is only natural the Russians would attack them and the Iranians help in mopping up these areas. You do conquer contiguous territory, not waste resources on an enemy you aren't bordering. ISIS, in this sense, is hiding behind the skirts of the "rebels" (FSA, al-Nusra/al-Qaeda). By contrast, we have no official agreement with the Assad government and we are waging war on the Islamic State, a self-declared Caliphate that is unrecognized by any government. None of our actions have even the fig leaf of U.N. sanctions or resolutions. Regime change in Syria has been on the agenda for some years. You recall when Pelosi flew there to grovel with an airliner of Dem congresscritters. A few years after that, Kerry had meetings with Assad, including elegant dining with both of their wives present. When all this effort failed to persuade Assad to commit political suicide, the Dem elite and neocon allies sought to delegitimize Assad's government and encourage attacks on it. This followed on the actions of the Qataris/Saudis/Kuwaitis/Turks to fund and provide passage for jihadi fighters from around the world to descend on Syria to knock off Assad. I find it striking how similar the efforts to topple Syria are to the same failed policies we used to topple Iraq. And with the same exact dismal outcomes our only likely reward for such efforts. And the EU migrant crisis is a direct result of these moronic policies in both Syria and Libya but with plenty of migrants also coming from Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan. Just how much more Arab Spring do we need before we rethink these disasters?
The "Arab Spring" has now become the Arab Exodus.
I notice Drudge is linking RT on Russia supposedly striking an ISIS command center. This is, of course, their propaganda line and I expect every Russian story to say that they are striking ISIS. I don't see anything in it to identify it as an ISIS training base. RT: Russian Air Force destroys ISIS command center, training camp (VIDEO) They seem to be going for a Shock & Awe™ effect with this video for the good Russian peasant patriots to view on RT. Notice they are conducting these strikes in zones 2, 3, and 7, all in northern Syria. Only the strikes in zone 7 is likely to have been against ISIS forces. An interesting Wiki media page, a big map: Cities and towns during the Syrian Civil War I think they are trying to buy Assad some breathing room on his home front but will try to close off the open north-central Turkish border. That means wiping out ISIS in northern central Syria, along the Turkish border. This will allow Syria (Russia/Iran/Hezbollah) to cut off some of the easiest resupply routes and jihadi border crossings. The Kurds have already closed off Syria's northwestern border with Turkey. Then they will proceed to mop up the rest of the "rebels", saving ISIS for last. Russian air power, Iranian crack troops, experienced and hardened Hezbollah to form the leadership cadres for the Syrian army.
Excellent maps. I believe your analysis is quite good too. We just finished an Intel week with some young officers and soldiers. Perhaps I will invite you to the next one:) Yes the ever so important 'rat line' from Turkey is key to cut off. The Kurds have been doing a good job at that (along with some air strikes from the US) on the long strip in governorate 4 and 5 and some of 3. Have to wonder what will happen when this Russo-Shia alliance encounters the Kurds. Kurds hate Persians, Arabs and especially Turks. That is why all of the above try to kill Kurds. As I said way back in March of this year. It's a messy affair over there that challenges and keeps Intel wonks awake at night.
#29. To: redleghunter, Too Conservative (#28)
interesting . Of course Vladdy has not done much to stop the flow of jihadist from Russia's southern frontier into the Syrian battlefield.
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#3. To: TooConservative (#1)
#6. To: redleghunter, Too Conservative (#3)
#11. To: tomder55 (#6)
#14. To: redleghunter (#11)
(Edited)
The Russians are also using cluster munitions. Something they railed against the Ukrainians using.
#21. To: tomder55 (#14)
Wondering where the outrage will come from regarding collateral damage . Doubt the Russians will be held to such high standards as US and Israelis are subject to .
#23. To: redleghunter (#21)
Yes, where are all the usual peaceniks who rail on drone strikes etc.
#24. To: TooConservative (#23)
Just how much more Arab Spring do we need before we rethink these disasters?
#27. To: redleghunter (#24)
(Edited)
Overnight, the Russian Air Force conducted 10 sorties and hit seven targets in Syria, Konashenkov said. Over the 24 hours the planes bombed a field camp in Aleppo province, a logistics center in Idlib province and a command point at a fortified facility in Hama province. 
#28. To: TooConservative, tomder55 (#27)
Replies to Comment # 28.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 28.
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