In Syria

[Mr King]

Moderates

 

 

… One of the administration’s favored moderate rebel factions, Harakat Hazm, part of the Free Syrian Army alliance and a recipient of U.S. missiles and training, issued a statement Tuesday denouncing the “external intervention” — that is, the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Syria — as “an attack on the revolution.”

The group said its main goal was toppling Assad. It is demanding “unconditional arming” of the Free Syrian Army, yet its members also acknowledge fighting alongside Al Nusra Front, the official Al Qaeda force in Syria.

 

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-islamic-state-challenges-20140924-story.html

[firefly1]

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So, did the Russian technicians at the Syrian S-400 systems get any radar fixes on the F-22s ?

 

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[Josh]

Do you mean S-200? I'm not aware of S-400 systems in Syria. In any case, I think the Syrians know better than to fire on US a/c regardless of whether they can track them. They have been gifted air strikes on their enemies; shooting down US a/c just opens the door to air strikes against them as well.

[Nikolas93TS]

[crazyinsane105]

Do you mean S-200? I'm not aware of S-400 systems in Syria. In any case, I think the Syrians know better than to fire on US a/c regardless of whether they can track them. They have been gifted air strikes on their enemies; shooting down US a/c just opens the door to air strikes against them as well.

 

Their radars are on, but passively tracking the aircraft.There's no reason the Syrians will try and get a lock onto any American aircraft at this point. Why try and pick a fight against the US? What purpose will that serve?

[firefly1]

 

Do you mean S-200? I'm not aware of S-400 systems in Syria. In any case, I think the Syrians know better than to fire on US a/c regardless of whether they can track them. They have been gifted air strikes on their enemies; shooting down US a/c just opens the door to air strikes against them as well.

 

Their radars are on, but passively tracking the aircraft.There's no reason the Syrians will try and get a lock onto any American aircraft at this point. Why try and pick a fight against the US? What purpose will that serve?

 

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It gives the Russians information on what radar signatures the F-22 has in "war" configuration from various angles - rather valuable I would have thought.

[crazyinsane105]

 

 

Do you mean S-200? I'm not aware of S-400 systems in Syria. In any case, I think the Syrians know better than to fire on US a/c regardless of whether they can track them. They have been gifted air strikes on their enemies; shooting down US a/c just opens the door to air strikes against them as well.

 

Their radars are on, but passively tracking the aircraft.There's no reason the Syrians will try and get a lock onto any American aircraft at this point. Why try and pick a fight against the US? What purpose will that serve?

 

.

 

It gives the Russians information on what radar signatures the F-22 has in "war" configuration from various angles - rather valuable I would have thought.

 

 

I think a better question is: what Russian naval units are currently deployed in Syria?

[Marcello]

Moderates

 

 

… One of the administration’s favored moderate rebel factions, Harakat Hazm, part of the Free Syrian Army alliance and a recipient of U.S. missiles and training, issued a statement Tuesday denouncing the “external intervention” — that is, the U.S.-led bombing campaign in Syria — as “an attack on the revolution.”

The group said its main goal was toppling Assad. It is demanding “unconditional arming” of the Free Syrian Army, yet its members also acknowledge fighting alongside Al Nusra Front, the official Al Qaeda force in Syria.

 

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-islamic-state-challenges-20140924-story.html

 

One has to wonder if they, and their fans in the West, have thought about what their lil' Al Qaeda allies will do to them once Assad is gone.

[BansheeOne]

The things you learn. This reminds me of the Soviet War Memorial on the western side of the Brandenburg Gate during the Cold War, but in a hot war and a lot farther from the border.

 

Turkey says ISIS advancing on Syria exclave

Agence France Presse

 

ISTANBUL: Turkey on Tuesday said Islamic State (IS) militants were advancing on a tiny exclave considered Turkish territory in northern Syria, but insisted it was still in control of the land despite reports its guards there were encircled.

 

The tomb of Suleyman Shah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire Osman I, on the Euphrates river, is Turkish territory under a 1920s treaty and still guarded by a few dozen Turkish troops.

 

The pro-government Yeni Safak daily had reported earlier that the 36 Turkish soldiers guarding the tomb had been overwhelmed by a group of some 1,100 IS militants.

 

It suggested that the troops could now be held hostage by the militants.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arninc acknowledged that IS militants were advancing on the tomb but played down speculation that the situation was critical.

 

"IS militants are now very close to the tomb but our soldiers are still on duty with their equipment," he told reporters in televised comments after a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

 

He did not give further details on the condition of the troops.

 

Turkey, a NATO member, has previously warned that it would consider an attack on Suleyman Shah as an attack on its sovereign territory to which it would respond in kind.

 

The tomb is located around 25 kilometres (15 miles) south of the Turkish border in northern Syria, much of which is now under the control of IS militants.

 

Details of Turkey's control of the tomb are kept mostly secret and it is not clear how Ankara keeps the guards resupplied or how its troops are moved in and and out for their patrol missions.

 

The 1921 treaty stipulating the tomb remains Turkish territory was signed between Turkey and France, which was then the colonial power in Syria.

 

Turkish authorities at the time recognised France's then mandate for control of Syrian territory in return for recognition of its own borders.

 

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2014/Sep-30/272528-turkey-says-is-advancing-on-syria-exclave.ashx#ixzz3EpbQiexj

[swerve]

Bloody hell! I had no idea that existed.

[Panzermann]

It gets even weirder. The tomb was moved in the mid 1970ies because it had to make way for a water dam project and was moved 100 km north iirc. Ironically his cause of death was drowning in the Euphrate river. And this Süleiman Shah that is said to be still buried there is maybe, maybe not the grandfather of Osman. Some historians think someone else was the grandfather. So the turkish soldiers guard a tomb that is not the original, with maybe not the real grandpa.

 

 

Wikipedia says turkey sent a convoy of about 300 soldiers and some AFVs to strengthen the guard post. But if so called IS was so dumb as to really attack the tomb Erdogan has got his opportunity he longs for. See the leaked false flag plans and phone calls...

[Marcello]

The face of moderation

 

 

With "moderate rebels" like this who needs extremists?

[DADI]

This looks like a highly sensible investment...

[Paul G.]

This looks like a highly sensible investment...

 

An investment corner the US Government has painted itself into.

[DB]

Interesting developments in Turkey - strong hints on the Radio 4 news that they will be pushing very hard for a Kurdish "buffer state", which is quite a turnaround from a few years ago.

[Nobu]

The face of a millionaire-to-be after Shahabuddin's group skims the U.S. aid it receives.

 

The purchase of a good pair of shoes might be in order.

[Nobu]

This looks like Shahabuddin's first experience with a cup.

[firefly1]

Interesting developments in Turkey - strong hints on the Radio 4 news that they will be pushing very hard for a Kurdish "buffer state", which is quite a turnaround from a few years ago.

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I really can't believe that that will be a long term solution for Turkey.

[Mr King]

The face of a millionaire-to-be after Shahabuddin's group skims the U.S. aid it receives.

 

The purchase of a good pair of shoes might be in order.

 

Maybe he will spring for a pedicure too. Looks like the old boy has been walking around barefoot in goat shit.

[Colin]

 

Interesting developments in Turkey - strong hints on the Radio 4 news that they will be pushing very hard for a Kurdish "buffer state", which is quite a turnaround from a few years ago.

.

 

I really can't believe that that will be a long term solution for Turkey.

 

the Iraq Kurds are willing to accept the bird in the hand then to dream of the bush, the Syrian Kurds (PPK) still hold onto the dream.

[Simon Tan]

Syrian Kurds are YPK. I know...very confusing. I have been invited to visit Kurdistan.......

[Marcello]

 

This looks like a highly sensible investment...

 

An investment corner the US Government has painted itself into.

 

 

The sensible, if cynical, thing was leaving Assad and his russian pals deal with his own problems with their resources.Yes, maybe the qatari, saudi & co would have complained; hope they enjoy it when the beheaders show up at the front door and start to work them with dull blades . Even if we had jumped in right away and delivered Syria to the "good guys" it would have been most likely a re-run of Libya: with the syrian army smashed by western bombings and government in disarray how long the perfumed exiles types would have lasted against guys like the above? Safe bet they would have been screaming for western troops to save them from the "not so moderate" islamists very soon.

It will not be long before ISIS and Assad are the only game in town anyway. Unless the turks invade en masse of course but I cannot help being cynical about Erdogan motives.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Marcello

[swerve]

Syrian Kurds are YPK. I know...very confusing. I have been invited to visit Kurdistan.......

I once went without an invitation. But the Turkish side of the border was fairly peaceful then, as long as one avoided the most remote rural parts.

[DB]

The woman on the radio referred to "PYD". I don't remember what she did for a living, but she was slightly more useful than the "bookseller and his son" that they also spoke to, who eewre firmly of the opinion that Turkey should be killing Kurds, not dealing with them (to paraphrase a bit).

 

The overall claim was that (Turkey's) relations with Syrian Kurds were OK, with Iraqi Kurds not awful, and improving with their own.

[NickM]

 

Interesting developments in Turkey - strong hints on the Radio 4 news that they will be pushing very hard for a Kurdish "buffer state", which is quite a turnaround from a few years ago.

.

 

I really can't believe that that will be a long term solution for Turkey.

 

I have even heard that Turkish Kurdish Terrorist/Militant leader Abdullah Ocalan has threatened to intervene if IS massacres Kurds.