ALL OUT WAR: Iranian Troops To Conduct Ground Attacks In Syria

Lebanese Hezbollah troops and Iraqis will also join the offensive


by Steve Watson | Infowars.com | October 1, 2015

Iran has dispatched hundreds of ground troops to syria to fight alongside the forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

A full scale war is unfolding in Syria, with a ground offensive being planned to coincide with Russian air strikes, according to Lebanese sources.

“The (Russian) air strikes will in the near future be accompanied by ground advances by the Syrian army and its allies,” one of the sources told Reuters.

“It is possible that the coming land operations will be focused in the Idlib and Hama countryside,” the source added.

Lebanese Hezbollah troops will also join the Iranian forces, the sources note, as well as Iraqis.

The goal is to retake areas in northwestern Syria that fell to Western backed rebels earlier in the year.

“The vanguard of Iranian ground forces began arriving in Syria: soldiers and officers specifically to participate in this battle. They are not advisors … we mean hundreds with equipment and weapons. They will be followed by more,” the second source said.

The addition of Iranian troops into the fray is sure to rile Israel. Israeli Likud Minister Yuval Steinitz reportedly warned the United States, Russia and other world powers that Israel will not tolerate Iranian forces near its border, the Jerusalem Times reported on Tuesday.

In August it was reported that Israel is preparing for a possible ground invasion of Syria.

The Israelis began large division-scale training in the occupied Golan Heights in mid-August under the pretext ISIS may invade and also citing the presence of Hezbollah fighters in Syria.

Russian airstrikes began in Syria on Wednesday after their parliament approved the military action.

Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter, told the media a visit by a Russian General an hour prior to the bombing in Syria was “unprofessional.”

The Russian General informed the U.S. the Russian military would begin bombing in an hour.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that it struck eight Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) targets in Syria, adding that “civilian infrastructure” was avoided during the operations.

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Iran, Hezbollah, Syrian Army Prepare to Launch Offensive Against CIA Proxies

Senator McCain admits Russians targeting CIA mercenaries


by Kurt Nimmo | Infowars.com | October 1, 2015

Backed by Russian air strikes, the Syrian military, including Iranian and Lebanese Hezbollah troops, are preparing to take back the Idlib and Hama countryside from the CIA’s jihadist mercenaries.

“The (Russian) air strikes will in the near future be accompanied by ground advances by the Syrian army and its allies,” a source in Lebanon told Reuters.

“The vanguard of Iranian ground forces began arriving in Syria: soldiers and officers specifically to participate in this battle. They are not advisors … we mean hundreds with equipment and weapons. They will be followed by more,” the source added.

Iraqis will also participate, the source said.

In May the al-Qaeda aligned jihadist group that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, al-Nusra, and Jaish al-Fatah captured the last Syrian government held area in Idlib.

In March Jaish al-Fatah (the Army of Conquest) captured the provincial capital and the following month took Jisr al-Shughur. It also took al-Mastumah, a large military base in the area.

More recently al-Nusra, Ahrar al Sham, Jund al Aqsa, and the Turkistan Islamic Party targeted shiite villages in the Idlib province.

Jaish al-Fatah launched an offensive in July to take neighboring Latakia and Hama provinces. Latakia is home to the al-Assad family. The Tartus province lies south of Latakia. The Russians have a naval facility on the Mediterranean in the province’s capitol city.

Jaish al-Fatah has also fought to take the Sahl al-Ghab, a strategic area that lies between Latakia, Hama and Idlib provinces. Joureen in Sahl al-Ghab is a supply line for the Syrian Army.

Factions involved in the offensive included al-Nusra, al-Haq Brigade, Jund al-Aqsa, al-Sunna Army, the Islamic Ahrar Movement and others.
Russia Targets CIA Proxies

On Wednesday, after Russia conducted air strikes in Syria, the United States said CIA proxy groups were hit.

“U.S. officials said it was unclear if Moscow directly targeted a location held by the CIA-backed fighters in western Syria because of their association with the U.S.’s covert program to fund, arm and train the rebels,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

The Pentagon did not specify which groups were targeted, nor did it mention the close association between the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the Syrian Revolutionaries Front (SRF) and Harakat al-Hazm and al-Nusra and the Islamic State.

John McCain, the senator from Arizona, said Russia had in fact targeted CIA mercenaries.

“Their initial strikes were against the individuals and the groups that have been funded and trained by our CIA, in a credible flaunting of any kind of cooperation or effort to conceal what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s priority is — and that is, of course, to prop up (Syrian President) Bashar Assad,” McCain said Thursday.

The corporate media has reported numerous instances of supposedly “vetted” CIA mercenaries cooperating with ISIS and other jihadist groups:

In May The Wall Street Journal reported SRF had joined al-Qaeda in the Golan.
In July Al Jazeera reported an ISIS leader as saying he purchases weapons from the FSA.
In August 2014 The Washington Post said al-Nusra worked with unnamed CIA-backed rebel groups to capture the Quneitra border crossing with Israel and abduct a large number of Fijian peacekeepers.
Last September Harakat Hazm reportedly fought alongside al-Qaeda in Aleppo, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The same month, the SRF declared a peace truce with the Islamic State and the following month SRF members defected to ISIS.
In November a number of FSA members also defected to the Islamic State and condemned US airstrikes.
In December a German journalist embedded with the Islamic State told France 24 the group receives U.S. arms from the FSA.
Also in December, The New York Times admitted the FSA is under the control of ISIS.
In April, Reuters reported the U.S.-armed FSA is allied with al-Nusra in northern Syria.

The Russians are targeting jihadists in Syria and most are supported directly and indirectly by the United States.

The U.S. will continue to insist the threat in Syria is limited to ISIS and Bashar al-Assad and will argue, despite a large amount of evidence to the contrary, that the proxy war in Syria is a radical Islamist operation and there are virtually no moderate “rebels” involved in the fighting.


http://www.infowars.com/russian-air...ver-50-planes-choppers-defense-ministry/

http://www.infowars.com/this-is-how...-moscow-releases-video-of-syria-strikes/

So many things could go wrong here...

Lets see American Combat Aircraft and Russian Combat Aircraft operating in close proximity.

Russian Airmen targeting Syrian Freedom Fighters who the United States is Supporting.

Iranian Troops Operating in close Proximity to the Israeli Border.

Israeli Leadership not willing to put up with Iranian Troops operating close to Israeli Border.

What could possibility go wrong, the possibilities are many.

A military confrontation between Iranian Troops and Israeli troops has a high probability of happening.

And a direct military confrontation between Russia and the United States has a too high probability of happening.

But is this really a bad thing?

I believe it is just more evidence that the Prophesies of the Bible including the Book of Revelation is getting close to happening and what a joyous day it will be when our Savior Returns.

I have no fear of death because I will only be going Home.

In the gaming world, we call that a free for all. Nothing like a seven or eight sided conflict to make a deployment really really interesting, but that's the way it rolled in Beirut in the 1980s.

Just my opinion, this one is on a much larger scale. Perhaps it is the dark,side ifmthenforce tugging at my psyche, but man, do I see some serious business opportunities in that game for those with the balls to play, not to mention some serious individualistic hero shit like rescuing pockets of Chistian refugees.

Psalms 83 and Ezekiel 38 in the making.

Palestinian flag flies over U.N. as hurricane brews in Atlantic
http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/palestinian-flag-flies-over-u-n-as-hurricane-brews-in-atlantic/

Netanyahu stuns with 'silent' protest at U.N.
http://www.wnd.com/2015/10/netanyahu-stuns-with-silent-protest-at-u-n/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ays-nato-secretary-general-a6681611.html


Russian jets hit 12 ISIS targets in Syria, cause panic among extremists – Defense Ministry
Su-34s, Su-24Ms and Su-25s strike ISIS


by RT | October 6, 2015

Russian jets hit 12 Islamic State targets in the course of nearly 20 combat flights carried out in Syria on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said.

Command centers and training camps were destroyed in the attacks which threw the extremists into panic.

“Su-34, Su-24M and Su-25 have launched air strikes on 12 objects of logistic infrastructure, command posts, training camps and facilities of militants belonging to terrorist groups allied with Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL],” Igor Konashenkov, Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Russian jets destroyed an Islamic State army munitions plant outside Damascus as well as two command centers in Deir ez-Zor, according to the ministry’s statement. In the Idlib Governorate, a training camp for IS militants was eliminated, while several IS strongholds came under attack where ammunition depots were blown up.

Russia’s Su-34 fighters attacked an Islamic State stronghold near the Gmam settlement in Latakia, where “militants’ fortifications were completely destroyed,” according to Konashenkov, who also reported “numerous blazes caused by the detonation of ammunition and fuel supplies.”

Russia’s targeted airstrikes have caused “panic” among the militants, Konashenkov said, also stressing that the attacks are not conducted in residential areas or places containing landmarks.

Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry does not rule out the possibility of Islamic State preparing provocative acts in Palmyra and other Syrian cities, such as bomb attacks on mosques, to put the blame for it on Russian aviation, Konashenkov said.

The ministry published a fresh video said to show extremists positioning their hardware near a mosque.

Hmeymim airbase has been used by the Russian Air Force since Moscow launched its anti-IS operation last Wednesday, following a request from Syria’s President Bashar Assad.

The Russian combat unit is comprised of over 50 aircraft and helicopters, as well as space surveillance equipment and drones.

Moscow began carrying out airstrikes supporting the Syrian army’s ground operations on September 30. On Tuesday, Russia offered to resume talks with the US to avoid any misunderstandings concerning its air operations. A US-led air campaign started in Syria a year ago.

The Russian Defense Ministry doesn’t rule out the possibility of Islamic State preparing provocative acts in Palmyra and other Syrian cities, such as bomb attacks on mosques, to put the blame on the Russian air operations, Konashenkov said.

Russia began carrying out airstrikes supporting the Syrian army’s ground operations on September 30. On Tuesday, Moscow offered to resume talks with the US to avoid any misunderstandings concerning its airstrike operations. A US-led air campaign started in Syria a year ago.

Yeah well, they were declaring victory all during their own decade in Afghanistan too...

The IS people have managed to steal a few Abrams tanks from the Iraqi military over the last few years. I am curious how they will fare against the newer top shelf Russian hardware. Not like I would be rooting for either side, but I am really curious from a tactical education standpoint how it will play out.

We would assume that a few Iraqis have training on the Abrams switched sides at some point, or veterans of the Egyptian military which has used the export model of the M1 will be able to provide or train nominally competent crew for the tanks.

Russian missiles 'hit IS in Syria from Caspian Sea'

7 October 2015


Russia says it has launched rocket strikes on Islamic State group targets in Syria from warships in the Caspian Sea - about 1,500km (930 miles) away.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said four warships fired 26 sea-based cruise missiles at 11 targets, destroying them and causing no civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, Syrian ground troops have launched an offensive under Russian air cover, Syrian officials say.

Russia denies claims that its week of strikes have mainly hit non-IS targets.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported "the most intense fighting in months" in Hama and Idlib provinces. The clashes followed a wave of Russian air strikes in the same areas, it said.

It appears to be the first co-ordinated offensive since the air campaign by Russia - a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - began on 30 September.

Russia says it is targeting "all terrorists", but at least some of its air strikes have reportedly hit civilians and Western-backed rebels.

In a separate development, Russia's foreign ministry has said Moscow is willing to establish contact with a Western-backed rebel group, the Free Syrian Army, to discuss fighting IS "and other terrorist groups", and "preparing the ground for a political settlement in Syria".

US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said that coalition forces fighting IS in Syria would not co-operate with Russia.

"We believe Russia has the wrong strategy," he said. "They continue to hit targets that are not IS. We believe this is a fundamental mistake."

Pentagon officials later revealed they had had to carry out at least one "safe separation" manoeuvre to avoid a US jet coming too close to a Russian aircraft over Syria. They said this happened after 1 October, without giving a specific date.

Russia's decision to attack what it claims to be IS targets in Syria with cruise missiles fired from warships in the Caspian Sea represents a new twist to Moscow's growing involvement in the crisis.

It is not clear yet why these particular weapons were chosen in preference to air strikes - but the missiles would have had to fly a considerable distance over Iran and then Iraq to reach Syria.

Sea-launched cruise missiles have long been a weapon of choice in US interventions overseas, so there may be an element of Russia demonstrating that it has the full military panoply of any other "superpower".

But it adds yet a further complication to the air campaign in the skies over Syria. Of more significance may be early signs of Syrian government counter-offensives - aided by their allies - which could be linked to the Russian air campaign.

More from Jonathan Marcus:

High-stakes gamble - Russia's two Turkish incursions highlight the risk of a potential clash

What can Russia's military achieve? Why should Russia do any better than the US-led coalition?
Turkish warning

During a televised meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Shoigu said the cruise missiles had destroyed all targets - including command-and-control centres and ammunition depots - and that there had been no damage to civilian installations.

The Kalibr-Nk terrain-following missiles were fired overnight from the south-western Caspian, and approached their targets at the altitude of up to 50m (160ft) over an "uninhabited area", the defence ministry said.

The Russian defence ministry's Twitter feed showed footage of cruise missiles being launched, saying they "successfully hit all assigned #ISIS [IS] targets with high accuracy".

A media outlet linked to IS published images of what it said were the remains of a Scud missile bearing Russian writing that hit the outskirts of the city of Tabqa - about 55km west of the IS-held northern city of Raqqa on Wednesday morning.

During the meeting with President Putin, Mr Shoigu said 112 targets had been hit since the Russian bombing began.

**************************************************

Some insight into the reality of this "war" slightly different from what our obamamaniamedia is programmed to report. The hardware in the region is formidable to say the very least. A full contingent of Sukhoi aircraft which provide a full-combat spectrum of capabilities. The Su-33/34/37 aircraft get much of the publicity because there is a lot of "stock" footage and The Soviet is more than happy to showcase those birds. Formidable in the context that they are all multirole fighters in the same class as the F-15 and Typhoon. Although the moniker multirole usually signifies can do everything good but nothing great this mix provides specialized capabilities where and when needed with a minimal logistics footprint as they share much commonality of parts. The workhorse in the fight is the Su-25 and she earned her legendary status in Afghanistan along with the venerable and deadly Mi-24. The Su-25 is in the same class as the A-10 and in-fact is considered to be a rough copy of the aircraft that lost the competition against it which was the Northrop A-9. Both the Su-25 and the mighty Mi-24 are currently serving with "distinction" in the Ukraine/Crimea as I write. In fact many of the units engaged there are providing the seed Pilot and Maintainers for the bases in Syria and soon Iraq - that's right - Iraq. The one airplane that is getting little coverage is the Su-24 and is arguably the most capable fighter-bomber in the region. It is in the class of the F-111 if any of you remember it's distinction above all was that The Soviet respected its capabilities so much he demanded that the F-111 be included in all SALT treaties. The Su-24 is a two-man, twin-engine, swing-wing, all weather, night, low-level, nuclear capable super-sonic machine that is on-par or better than anything the west has to offer (...in that class). Our "silver bullet" remains the F-22 and is the ONLY platform capable of countering any of these aircraft with any degree of survivability. They (the Russians) are flying with transponders OFF and are using as many "Passive" signals as possible playing the game as the "good guys". Trouble is they are playing the world for the fools they are as their primary targets are indeed "rebel" forces - but not primarily ISIL. They are securing the region for their purposes and don't give a hoot about ISIL unless the Iranian ground controllers call in a position for a specific reason.
Remember our POS stated that "he would have more flexibility once re-elected" - well here it is folks. The No-Fly Zone he imposed on us (NATO) in July was to restrict US and allow The Soviet to do just exactly what he is doing now. And for you Naval types remember there is a TYPHOON class submarine now parked off the coast of Syrian and a Chinese aircraft carrier operating J-15 fighters every day along side The Soviet. Gaining knowledge and combat experience and most of all INTEROPERABILITY with "external" forces. Remember they typically operate in their own little bubble of control so this is tremendous experience for their command structure and its future doctrine. The big An-124 and An-22's are flying daily loads of supplies un-checked by any western force. This is an extremely volatile situation and we are doing nothing to stop or impede them - I dare say our non-interference is intentional and accomplishing the goal of helping promote the effort. I know airplanes and the airplanes in the region are not there to "plink" towel-headed clowns in Toyota trucks - they are there to FIGHT and WIN whoever challenges them.

The Turks are complete and utter shitheads, the Kurds slightly better allies than the Afghans, the Iraqis proved themselves as backstabbers in the extreme although many were legitimately pissed about the behavior of many allied personnel.

We are better off enforcing a safety zone around proven allies and drilling our own oil.

I would also say use diplomatic pressure to force other countries in the region to keep those refugees relatively local, not crowd them into Europe like some sort of invading army.

There is just no way a combined war against radical or even mainstream Islam AND Orthodox Christianity works out well for the USA. Right now what is going on is secularized Islam and Orthodox Christianity are fighting against Mainstream-radical and radical in Syria. It was a gamble to support Syrian revolution and that gamble has just not worked out. I think the only answer on that one is going to be a map-redraw which leaves the Assad family in charge of the areas which already support them. Open borders up just enough that people can migrate to where their rights are protected and they fit in.

This shit in the Ukraine pushed the bear too far into the hole and the Crimea is a bridge too far on that one. I hear from locals in the region about how the Russians are dickheads and act as "Russian Supremacists" to those who speak the local dialects and all, but mass eviction is just pushing it. Compensated eviction maybe, but you cant push that large of a population without territory of their own.

Our military is simply too beat up right now to take Russians on head on. These are NOT cold war patriots fresh from watching Red Dawn and a bunch of Chuck Norris movies on Showtime and the bottom line is wars are NOT won by Special operations toops. What it takes to win open conventional conflict is what we call "crack outfits", or highly competent and motivated conventional forces troops with modern upgraded equipment. Eager to fight, clever and ready to improvise, provided with the newest and best technology of their day. That's what generals want to deal with. It's not exactly what we have right now. The Marines are being rebuilt fairly well, but just don't have the numbers or logistics at this time to tangle with a major conventional force in the Middle East for no strategic reward.

Our cruise missiles don't always hit the intended target, but they usually at least hit the right country . "At least four" Russian cruise missiles have apparently hit Iran. That's two countries away from Syria.

At least they didn't hit any hospitals.

Onward and upward,
airforce

U.S. vs. Russia: What a war would look like between the world's most fearsome militaries

Vladimir Putin's brazen moves in Syria and Ukraine raise new questions about America's contingency plans

http://www.militarytimes.com/longfo...kraine-american-military-plans/73147344/

Putin's boost in battle against ISIS: China preparing to 'team up with Russia in Syria'

CHINA could be on the verge of teaming up with Russia to unleash its military might in Syria and destroy Islamic State (ISIS).

By Rob Virtue
Thu, Oct 8, 2015

Reports from Russia and the Middle East have both said China's armed forces are on the way to Syria

Russia has carried out a series of deadly airstrikes against the terrorist group over the last few days and Vladimir Putin has now sent the country's most elite special forces team into the war zone.

And speculation is heightening that offensive will be bolstered by the China's People's Liberation Army, following a number of reports of military movements in the region backed up by strong words from a senior government member at a United Nations meeting.

Reports emanating from the Middle East last week said China was planning on joining the fight against ISIS "in the coming weeks", according to a Syrian army official.

While Beijing insists it will abide by the United Nations (UN) in the region, hints of an action were backed up when it spoke strongly about a coordinated response to the rising terrorist threat.


The world cannot afford to stand by and look on with folded arms, but must also not arbitrarily interfere

Speaking of the Syrian crisis China's foreign minister Wang Yi said at the UN Security Council session in New York: “The world cannot afford to stand by and look on with folded arms, but must also not arbitrarily interfere.”

He added that nations should stand united against "violent extremist ideology".

Mr Wang and his opposite number in Russia, Sergey Lavrov met at length last week and afterwards Mr Lavrov said the two countries are in "similar positions" on many domestic and international issues.

Chinese foreign minister Wang has urged for a united front against extremism

China has also shown solidarity with Syria, joining Russia in vetoeing UN proposals against Bashar al-Assad, which are likely to prevent him being referred by the council to the International Criminal Court.

The latest actions at the UN conference have come amid reports, citing key military sources, Chinese warships have made their way to Syrian shores through the Suez Canal.

It was said China's J-15 warplanes would launch from an aircraft carrier for attacks on ISIS.

Russian media followed that up by quoting Igor Morozov, a member of the Russian Federation Committee on International Affairs, confirming Chinese aircraft carrier, Lianoning, and a guided missile cruiser were heading to the area, and adding Chinese military advisers were already in the region.

Mr Morozov said: "It is known that China has joined our military operation in Syria.

"The Chinese cruiser has already entered the Mediterranean, followed by its aircraft carrier."

These reports have not been verified by China and satellite images show the Syrian port of Tartus, currently empty.

However, China come under threat from ISIS in recent months increasing the theory an attack is in the pipeline.

Putin, pictured with Chinese president Xi Jinping last month, would welcome military support

Reports circulated the Lianoning aircraft carrier was on its way to Syria

It began last year when ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sent out a chilling threat to China over the perceived oppression of the Muslim Uighur minority in the state of Xinjiang.

Beijing claims members of the Uighur militant group, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, have been training with extremists in Syria and Iraq.

China officials also say they face a severe threat of terror attacks in Xinjiang, where hundreds have died in clashes over the past three years.

China was further angered by ISIS insurgents releasing photos last month purporting to be of a Chinese citizen who had recently gone missing in the region.

They were demanding a ransom for his return.

ISIS has also spoken of its desire to increase its presence in China and last month a document from the group revealed the country is among a list of nations it wants to seize by 2020.

China has long maintained a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states but, as well as the threat to its own country from ISIS, the situation in Syria is impacting on the Asian state's economy.

That includes the China National Petroleum Corporation being forced to abandon its oilfields in Syria.

China also has oil fields in Iraq and would suffer heavily financially if these fell into the hands of ISIS.

Any interference in the region would pit China against USA and the Asian country would be keen to avoid a confrontation with its fellow superpower.

However, it would be a major boost to the Russian war strategy in Syria.

At least we're not the only superpower foolish enough to get involved in middle east wars.

Onward and upward,
airforce

What is now happening in Syria is Biblical.

While we worried about what was going to happen in September and didn't, something far more important was and is happening in Syria.

There are opinions and then there are truths.

So what are the truths.

The United States is Involved in Syria.

Russia is now Involved in Syria.

Russia is Friends with Iran.

And now it seems that China is going to be Involved in Syria.
And the Probability is fairly high and I believe it is more then Probable, it is a near Certainty that Iran's Ground Troops will be where Israel has stated they will not be permitted to be, on the Syrian Border with Israel.

It is written in the Bible what is going to happen in the End Time and I believe that what is now happening in Syria is what must and will happen and I also believe that what has been happening for a long time is all a part of the End Time that has been Prophesied.

We know from the Bible that there will be an Large Attack on Israel by many Nations and it is also believed that Russia will be leading this Attack, so it is logical for me to believe that what is now happening is a precursor for the Attack on Israel where God will destroy the Attackers.

What I believe is going to happen is, if Iranian ground troops do mass on Israel's Border there is a High Probability that Israel will take Military action against the Iranian troops and since Iran is buddies with Russia, there is a High Probability that there will be a confrontation between Israeli and Russian Forces and either Israel shoots down a Russian Aircraft or Russia shoots down a Israeli Aircraft and the War Begins.

Vader, what happened in Sept was a harbinger. One of them is always a sign of war.

Turkey is now crying for assistance and NATO has said they may step in as well to defend them.

The U.S. will stop training ISIS. Er, I mean, we will stop training Sytrians to fight ISIS. That's good.

ANSWER: It would be best if we stayed the hell out of it.

Onward and upward,
airforce

ISIS In “Retreat” As Russia Destroys 32 Targets While Putin Trolls Obama As “Weak With No Strategy”

This is more than just Moscow betting it could support Assad and Washington would simply move out of the way


by Zero Hedge | October 16, 2015


Perhaps the most amusing thing about Russia’s intervention in Syria is the degree to which it made the world wake up and question the West’s “anti-ISIS” strategy.

While everyone has been quick to characterize Moscow’s actions as the latest and perhaps greatest example of Vladimir Putin calling Washington’s bluff, it’s important to understand exactly why that’s an accurate characterization here. That is, this is more than just Moscow betting it could support Assad and Washington would simply move out of the way.

This was Russia and Iran realizing that the only reason the US and its regional allies have been able to keep up appearances in the eyes of the public with regard to the “campaign” against ISIS, is because the public has never seen what happens when someone powerful makes a serious effort to eradicate the group. Once Russia moved in, gave the superpower greenlight for Iran to abandon all pretense that it isn’t also directly involved, and began racking up gains in a matter of days, the Western public was left to wonder why the US couldn’t accomplish in 13 months what Russia appeared to have accomplished in a matter of (literally) 72 hours.

Then, just in case anyone was tempted to write off the discrepancy as a lack of US resolve or (gasp) diminishing American military capability, Moscow very publicly asked the US to join Russia in striking terrorist targets. Putin effectively said this: “You’re obviously no good at this, but that’s ok because we’re all in this together, so come help us.”

Of course that’s not what The Kremlin really meant – that was just the line fed to the public. What Moscow was really saying was this: “Checkmate, Washington. Either i) admit to the public you’re more concerned about ousting Assad than you are about eliminating the group who you’ve held up to the media as the scourge of humanity that must be eliminated at all costs, or ii) tell us you’re sorry and help us bomb the very same groups you helped create on the way to restoring the very same regime you created those groups to oust, or iii) pack up, turn tail, and get the hell out of the way.”

This put Washington into panic mode.

There was no explaining it to the public without somehow trying to convince everyone that Putin and Assad are worse than the white basketball shoe-wearing, black flag-waving, sword-wielding desert bandits that until recently were cutting people’s heads off and burning people alive on the nightly news in slickly-produced videos complete with eerie-sounding (at least to a Western viewer) music in the background.

And so, the US is now hoping to muddle through with this excuse: “Russia’s actions will only make things worse.”

Needless to say, even the clueless Western public is beginning to smell a rat here.

Meanwhile, Putin continues to rub it in by making near daily speeches asking (rhetorically of course) why no one wants to help Russia kill terrorists, why it seems like the US has no strategy, and, hilariously, why everyone but Russia and Iran seem to have “oatmeal” for brains.

The point here is that Putin knows damn well what the “strategy” is for the West and its Mid-East allies, but he knows that the public isn’t yet fully aware that standard operating procedure is to use Sunni extremists to destabilize governments. He has now gone all-in on waking the entire world up.

The latest episode of the Putin show finds the President speaking to reporters in Astana, Kazakhstan. Here’s Bloomberg:

Russian President Vladimir Putin continued a war of words with the U.S. over Syria, calling its policy weak and lacking in objectives as his air force carried out fresh bombing raids in support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

“I don’t really understand how the U.S. can criticize Russia’s actions in Syria if they refuse to have direct dialogue,” Putin told reporters Thursday during a visit to Astana, Kazakhstan. “The basic weakness of the American position is that they don’t have an agenda, though we’re keeping the door open” for high-level discussions with Washington, he said.

Amid growing friction over the Russian intervention in Syria that began Sept. 30, the U.S. rejected Putin’s offer to send a delegation led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to Washington to explain the campaign against Islamic State and other militants, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday. Putin accused some states of having “oatmeal in their heads” on Tuesday for failing to understand that Russia’s airstrikes seek to defeat terrorism. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed “regret” on Wednesday over the American rejection of high-level talks.

“We’ve said that we’re not interested in doing that as long as Russia is not willing to make a constructive contribution to our counter-ISIL effort,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Wednesday, using an acronym for Islamic State. “Russia has their own agenda and it’s an agenda right now that they’re pursuing on their own.”

Yes, they sure are “pursuing it on their own” – well, with Iran – and the reason that’s the case is because that agenda involves restoring Assad and the US agenda involves ousting Assad. The “terrorists” are simply caught in the middle.

If it’s up to the US, the rebel groups get to fight on to overthrow Assad even if the Pentagon and CIA know that those groups are largely comprised of fighters with, how should we say, “questionable” intentions (e.g. establishing a medieval caliphate).

If it’s up to Russia, those same rebels die now.

The problem for Washington and its various proxy armies: it looks like it’s up to Russia.

Back to Bloomberg:

Russian airstrikes and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia are aiding government offensives against rebel groups near the western cities of Homs and Aleppo, according to the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Assad’s troops have also made major advances in Hama and Latakia, Rami Abdurrahman, the group’s head, said by phone on Thursday.

“It looks like they are seeking to regain control of the road linking Damascus to Homs and then Aleppo,” said Abdurrahman, whose organization tracks the war through a network of activists. Islamic State has taken territory near Aleppo in recent days and repelled government attacks in areas it already holds, he said.

And because we know what you really came to see are Russian bombers and strike fighters laying waste to something, we’ll leave you with the latestfrom RT who says ISIS is “in retreat”:

Russian warplanes have destroyed a surface-to-air missile launcher that the Islamic State terrorist group previously captured from the Syrian Army, the Russian Defense Ministry reports. The bombing campaign in Syria is forcing the jihadists to flee.

The 9K33 Osa short-range air defense launcher was destroyed by a Sukhoi Su-34 bomber in Eastern Douma near Damascus, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told the media in his Thursday daily briefing.

The launcher was destroyed during one of 33 combat missions that Russia conducted in Syria over the day. A total of 32 targets in the provinces Idlib, Hama, Damascus, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor were hit, Konashenkov said.

The general added that terrorist forces appear to be abandoning their positions and are pulling back.

Turkey Blockades Russian Shipping, Black Sea Fleet Completely Cut off

Turkey is authorized to close the Straits to all foreign warships in wartime or when it was threatened by aggression

Turkey has begun a defacto blockade of Russian naval vessels, preventing transit through the Dardanelles and the Strait of Bosporus, between the Black Sea and Mediterranean.

According to the AIS tracking system for the movement of maritime vessels, only Turkish vessels are moving along the Bosphorus, and in the Dardanelles there is no movement of any shipping at all.

At the same time, both from the Black Sea, and from the Mediterranean Sea, there is a small cluster of ships under the Russian flag, just sitting and waiting.

The image below shows the situation with the ships using the GPS transponder onboard each vessel:

In addition, shipping inside the Black Sea from Novorossiisk and Sevastopol in the direction of the Bosphorus, no Russian vessels are moving. This indirectly confirms the a CNN statement that Turkey may have blocked the movement of Russian ships on the Dardanelles and the Strait of Bosporus.

There is a Treaty specifically covering the use of these waterways by nations of the world. That Treaty is the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits.

It is a 1936 agreement that gives Turkey control over the Bosporus Straitsand the Dardanelles and regulates the transit of naval warships. The Convention gives Turkey full control over the Straits and guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels in peacetime. It restricts the passage of naval ships not belonging to Black Sea states. The terms of the convention have been the source of controversy over the years, most notably concerning theSoviet Union‘s military access to the Mediterranean Sea.

Signed on 20 July 1936 at the Montreux Palace in Switzerland, it permitted Turkey to remilitarise the Straits. It went into effect on 9 November 1936 and was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on 11 December 1936. It is still in force today, with some amendments.

The Convention consists of 29 Articles, four annexes and one protocol. Articles 2–7 consider the passage of merchant ships. Articles 8–22 consider the passage of war vessels. The key principle of freedom of passage and navigation is stated in articles 1 and 2. Article 1 provides that “The High Contracting Parties recognize and affirm the principle of freedom of passage and navigation by sea in the Straits”. Article 2 states that “In time of peace, merchant vessels shall enjoy complete freedom of passage and navigation in the Straits, by day and by night, under any flag with any kind of cargo.”

The International Straits Commission was abolished, authorizing the full resumption of Turkish military control over the Straits and the refortification of the Dardanelles. Turkey was authorized to close the Straits to all foreign warships in wartime or when it was threatened by aggression; additionally, it was authorized to refuse transit from merchant ships belonging to countries at war with Turkey.

Turkey has now invoked its power, but has not publicly stated whether they are blocking Russian Naval Vessels because Turkey is “threatened with aggression” or whether Turkey considers itself to be “at war.” Last week, Turkey shot down a Russian military jet over Syria and this has caused a major rift between the two nations.

This latest development of blockading Russian naval vessels is a massive and terrifyingly dangerous development. Blockading Russia and preventing its Black Sea fleet from traveling to the rest of the world, or back to its home port, is something that will not sit well with the Russians.

Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of 150,000 Russian troops and equipment into Syria, but then ALSO ordered the deployment of 7,000 additional Russian Troops, tanks, rocket launchers and artillery, to the Russian Border of Turkey at Armenia, with orders to be “fully combat ready.”

It is important to note two things:

1) Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as is the United States and most of Europe, AND;

2) Turkey took the first shot at Russia when they intentionally shot down a Russian jet last week.

It is important to remember these facts because, as a NATO member, Turkey can invoke Article 5 of the NATO Treaty which requires all NATO members to come to its defense if Turkey is “attacked.” So if Russia decides to fight back against Turkey downing its military jet, the Turks might call NATO and claim they’ve been “attacked” thereby calling-up NATO forces to go to war against Russia.

It bears remembering, however, that Turkey shot first. Turkey was the nation which “attacked.”

Before NATO and the world get dragged into a war between Russia and Turkey, the citizens of the world must be ready to remind our leaders that Turkey Shot First.

Why did the Turks shoot? Because Turkey has been allowing the terrorist group ISIS to sell the oil it has stolen from countries it is conquering. The oil is transported from the wells in countries where ISIS has seized power, is taken by truck to Turkey, and is then sold at cheap prices on the black market.

This black market selling results in over 1 Million dollars per DAY flowing into ISIS to keep it equipped and supplied for its ongoing terrorist activities. Only a fool would think that all this is going on through Turkey, without some Turkish officials having their hands out for money from the illegal oil sales. Put simply, Turkey appears to be in business with ISIS and Russia is harming that by attacking ISIS in Syria.

So Turkey shot down one of the Russian planes that was attacking ISIS. Russia is quite furious; with the Russian President stating the shoot down was “a stab in the back of Russia” and was carried out by “accomplices to terrorism.”

It would be shocking if NATO were to defend Turkey under such circumstances because by its actions, Turkey is providing material support to the terrorist group ISIS. For NATO to defend that would make all of us accomplices to terrorism.

Editor’s note: Information on the closure the Bosphorus, aka the Istanbul Strait, is up on the Turkish Straits website. The providers of information to TurkishStraits.com are the following companies:

Düzgit Vapur Hizmetleri Tic. A.Ş. – Strait of İstanbul Northern Entrance – established 1966
Denizciler Düzgit Gemi Acenteliği Tic. Ltd. Şti. – Strait of Çanakkale – established 1984
GEMTAC – S.S. Gemi Tali Acenteleri Deniz Motorlu Taşıyıcılar Kooperatifi
– Strait of İstanbul Southern Entrance – established 2005

Two senators want to send 20,000 troops into Syria and Iraq. Can you guess which two?

Yep. John McCain and Lindsey Graham.

Onward and upward,
airforce