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Early on Friday, the US Navy launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a military airbase operated by the Syrian Air Force near the city of Homs.
The launch were made by US warships stationed in the Mediterranean Sea. The missiles hit the military airfield in Ash Sha’irat 38 kilometers southeast of the city of Homs. The missiles delivered a damage to the aircraft and infrastructure, including the runway. Air defense systems and fuel depots were also hit, according to reports. The number of casualties among Syrian military personnel and civilians is now unclear.
Following the strikes, US President Donald Trump accused the Syrian government of using nerve gas that killed civilians in Idlib’s Khan Sheikhoun. So, the strikes were his response to this.
Few countries including Russia were notified in advance of the strike, according to the Pentagon. Pentagon also said that the US did not target the sections of the airbase where Russian forces were believed to be present. Trump’s national security advisor Herbert McMaster said that the United States has gone out of its way to minimize Russian casualties during the strikes, but there are no guarantees.
President Putin called the move an “aggression against a sovereign nation” through his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Moscow also demanded an urgent UN Security Council meeting on the issue.
There are no doubts that these strikes will contrinbute to operations of various terrorist groups (like ISIS and Hayat Tahrir al-Sha) in the provinces of Homs and Hama. The Ash Sha’irat airfield played an important role in providing an air suppor to Syrian troops combating terrorists on the ground.
ISIS terrorists already took an upper hand on this situation and launched an attack against government forces near the important town of Al-Furqalas in Homs province.
And what have I said previously here?
As long as Syria holds Palmyra and Deir ez zur the blocks the Empire’s objectives in Syria.
Look where there Cruise missiles struck: Ash Sha’irat
This airfield plays a critical role in supporting Palmyra and Deir ez zur
I told you the Empire will not stop, they will not stopping pursuing this until you hit them and stop them. Rule of Law, International norms? There is no such thing anymore. Mercenary armies fighting for their shadow owners rule today.
No stated threat is enough to dissuade them because they do not care about law, life and loss of others. You need to hit the ones that stand to profit from the objective. Short of that you lose. There is no “chess game” out of it.
Absolutely right. They only thing that has ever stopped such psychopathic rulers is the guillotine.
Or, nowadays, maybe drones. How about some civilian drone or nerve-agent attacks on their private islands, gated communities, penthouse condos, corporate boardrooms, think-tanks…? Their names are known, after all…
So long as they believe they have a monopoly on death they will continue unabated. They may not have a conscience or sense of shame, but they do understand fear and self-preservation. Is it worth taking them out one-by-one to try to protect the species and the planet?
My thoughts exactly! They need Deir ez zur for the pipeline from Qatar to Turkey.
As ineffective as this strike was in the US&allies support of their ‘terrorists’ to remake the ME and the wider world in the Israeli/US image, at least it brought out into the light all the white ants in places as ‘friendly’ as um, Turkey, Israel, Saudi, UK, France and all the usual suspect toadies.
So congrats must go to the Donald whether he knows what he has done or not. Maybe just maybe he does know in his difficult neo environment at the top, but his ultra capitalist policies suggest otherwise.
Another POV I find fun to read – http://johnhelmer.net/fwitz-crak-god-click-donald-trumps-brain-compared-to-ronald-reagans-brain-in-cognitive-scientists-slide-samples-of-the-war-synapse/
According to the Syrian military, this airbase was more a decommissioning/scrap/repair depot for older aircraft and equipment than a full-on active base.
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/04/only-23-out-of-59-us-missiles-hit.html
What *is* significant is that the run/taxi-ways were left intact… this may indicate the US may have been planning on taking this base for their own purposes when they invade. I would expect S-400’s and anti-cruise-missile batteries to be placed here for strategic protection of this base within days (hours?). Ditto for other lower priority bases.
The US/NATO no longer has any flyover rights, and the agreement with Russia to coordinate same has been suspended. It remains to be seen if Trump is idiotic enough to send in more cruise missiles, aircraft or even troops. The MSM here in Canada is quite unconvincingly playing the same old “chemical weapons, dead children are Assad’s fault” BS.
I think Trump overestimates the willingness of the US public to directly engage in another Iraq or Afghanistan. Let alone another Vietnam, where the Russia-backed Viet Cong drove the US military into the ocean. Let alone actually facing Russian troops and air/naval power. The US can’t beat an army anymore powerful than the Grenada police force.
It’s one thing to send money/weapons via the Saudis/Qatar/Israel to ISIS/Al Qaeda/Kurds/etc. Incorporated, but another thing to begin the stream of dead US military boys/girls again.
Nerve gas? At least they’ve stopped saying it was sarin, etc., as the “rescuing ” White Helmets and the multitudes of bystanders rushing in would have also been disabled/killed by it… so probably the same basic-chemical-based crap found in the “moderate terrorist” caches in Aleppo. All those precursors were sourced from EU companies… so perhaps the “attack” on the terrorist chem-lab was a US black-ops, done to hide the tangible evidence of US/NATO backing of ISIS Incorporated.
Yankees go home.
Another thought or two to add… The Zionist/US/NATO/EU “coalition” needs to keep as many Syrian/Russian military resources as possible tied up in western Syria, away from the “coalition”‘s attempts to create a de facto Kurdistan in the eastern Syria/Iraq hinterlands. Erdogan has likely been bought off with US promises that this Kurd homeland will not extend to Turkey. And then The Sultan-wanna-be can drive all the Kurds there, out of Turkey. (Wasn’t it supposed to be a Wahabbist ISIS(L?) Caliphate in the first neo-Sykes-Picot draft? Are the Saudi royals being punished for the low-oil-price gambit, tanking the US shale/fracking scam?)
Much is being made of the fact Russia was “informed” of the cruise missile attack, most probably this was a US attempt to ensure no Russian military were killed. Russia also does not want to be forced into direct conflict with the US forces. Killing Russian personnel would tip the Russian public attitude from being patient with the US-child-gov’t, to insisting on a severe caning and the US/NATO being sent to bed with no dinner.
The US/Zionists/Rothschilds know their endless proxy-war game is over if Russia/China are forced to directly engage. The current Rothschilds may rue the day Baron Walter Rothschild pushed Balfour to put pen to paper and formalize the greedy, vicious intent of the Zionist movement. Palestinians should very publicly be suing the Rothschilds in the ICC (or any court for that matter) for planning/inciting/facilitating international terrorism and crimes against humanity.
I would expect S-400’s and anti-cruise-missile batteries to be placed here for strategic protection of this base within days (hours?). Ditto for other lower priority bases.
Why?
Does this air base have any strategic value?
Why was just one relatively insignificant base attacked? Why not take out many more available targets? 59 cruise missiles spread across several locations would be far more damaging to Syrian military infrastructure and especially to moral.
When I first read the headline my heart sank but I’ve learned to step back. I am much too cynical to believe anything reported by anyone anymore. Whether the strike occurred or not it is still no more than a message. The end is not nigh.
By now everyone who cares understands Assad has no reason to use chemical weapons. It would be the single most stupid thing he could possibly do, and he is regarded as stupid by no one. The specific selection of an already discredited narrative to justify this attack should tell you something is amiss. Nothing is as it appears and Trump’s minders are perfectly aware of the negative reaction this will cause amongst the very people who supported his candidacy in the first place.
I will say it again: Trump is an actor. He is playing the role of Tsar Nicholas exactly 100 years after the Bolshevik Revolution. The United States must be dismantled because it is the only remaining entity which can challenge oligarchical power and the UN-NWO agenda, no matter who controls it at present. Everyone take a deep breath. If I am wrong it does not matter because all of us are dead already.
And I would very much like to ask, where is our beloved ghost of Christmas future, Ms. Tulsi Gabbard? Didn’t she recently make a trip to Damascus to deliver a message from the new administration direct to Assad?
You’d think she’d have something to say now after all her fine rhetoric, wouldn’t you?
Oh glorious Saturday morning, internet abuzz with manufactured b.s.
AA
No need to whinge. You could try her official website. It’s not hard to find, just put her name in your favourite search engine. That’s what I did yesterday and posted her response to the cowardly attacks on an earlier blog post here. This is a repost of her response:
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Trump’s Military Strikes in Syria Are Reckless and Short-Sighted
https://gabbard.house.gov/news/press-releases/rep-tulsi-gabbard-trump-s-military-strikes-syria-are-reckless-and-short-sighted
“It angers and saddens me that President Trump has taken the advice of war hawks and escalated our illegal regime change war to overthrow the Syrian government. This escalation is short-sighted and will lead to more dead civilians, more refugees, the strengthening of al-Qaeda and other terrorists, and a direct confrontation between the United States and Russia—which could lead to nuclear war.
“This Administration has acted recklessly without care or consideration of the dire consequences of the United States attack on Syria without waiting for the collection of evidence from the scene of the chemical poisoning. If President Assad is indeed guilty of this horrible chemical attack on innocent civilians, I will be the first to call for his prosecution and execution by the International Criminal Court. However, because of our attack on Syria, this investigation may now not even be possible. And without such evidence, a successful prosecution will be much harder.”
Yes vot tak. I did that already.
Please re read the statement and tell me if this sounds like genuine criticism. I realize this is subjective but you are much too experienced not to know the difference between striking hard against utterly stupid behaviour and carefully worded politician baloney. And it sure took a while to produce, didn’t it?
@ AlfaAlfalfa: Any airbase/military installation in Syria is “strategic”, more or less depending upon the facts on the ground. Otherwise it never would have been built where it is. If the US *was* to invade, they would prefer to have an land airstrip close to Damascus which bypasses other outer Syrian defense infrastructure.
Additionally, the optics of having the US military operating out of Israeli bases, and physically moving US troops/equipment across the Israeli/Syria border is something the Zionist/Deep State will not allow, showing just how complicit the US is carrying out the Zionist agenda. It is imperative that Israeli hands remain clean, to maintain the illusion of victim-hood.
Erdogan is proving too unreliable, so Incirlik is out as a staging area for a US invasion of Syria.
So the US would need an depopulated but otherwise intact western depot in Syria to land heavy air-shipped cargo.
I don’t get the fixation on currently fashionable hanging of the Bolshevic label hither thither and yon. So the Zionists are Bolshevics? How about the Rothschilds? The Bilderbergs? They all constitute the NWO/Globalists. How anyone can make the jump from Communists in Russia 100 years ago to Zionists today is beyond logic. I’m sure you’ll launch into an endless exposition to dispel my “ignorance”. Spare your typing fingers and cut/paste click, it is my experience that no two Marxist “experts” agree on what Marx meant, let alone how he would analyze current scenarios.
Trump is becoming a very easily directed Zionist/NWO puppet, but he was not their first choice. That was Killary. George W. Bush proved stupid will do in the Oval Office if blind savagery is not available. Trump was selected as the candidate the Clinton Crime Cabal could most easily defeat. Sanders or Bush III would have trounced Clinton or Trump in a fair primary/election.
Gabbard has been told her political career (if not her life) is over if she persists. I wouldn’t doubt if she is also very disappointed that the US public has not risen up and demanded Trump abide by his campaign promises to pull out of the Bush/Obama wars and not get involved in any new ones. Even Obomber and George W. Stupid knew better than to skate this close to direct war with Russia/China. But not Dumb Donald…
Zionism, Bolshevism, Nazism, James Bond and Brexit, to name but 5, are carefully fashioned products of an identical consciousness. Do the research because unless you live under a rock, it’s apparent to anyone who has ever attempted to discern the nature and identity of those who rule over us. I’ll spare you the cut and paste but I’m sure you’ll be suprised by what you find.
Like they always say, we get the leaders we deserve, or you do anyway.
Yes, indeed. The US needs a good airfield for expanded deployment and supply; NATO, jihadist or otherwise. Tell me, will the Russians or Syrians finally begin vociferous objections or will they continue to issue oh-so carefully worded statements to what is an already months long US-NATO build up? Actually, the expansion of the war effort began in the immediate aftermath of a visit by Tulsi, that too pretty gal with a generic name most likely invented by the same brain trust which imagined the persona of Barrack Obama into existense.
And lastly, I have news for you: the Zionist/Deep State has had Zero problem moving all manner of supplies and terrorists across the Israel-Syria border, not to mention returning hundreds of ISIS warriors for Zionism back to the battlefield after they’ve recieved the very best medical treament the Zionist Entity can provide — better than what would ever be offered free of charge to an impoverished Israeli-Jew, although I suppose they do get a number of useful organs from those that don’t make it.
Your tone and some of your comments to other commenters are not acceptable. Please respect the moderation policy of this site. Thx. Mod
.
My moniker? It refers to posters like you, “trying it on” here at Saker. There is too much tangled logic and half-fact to bother addressing, other than this:
Israel has NEVER served as a major staging area for US-military Middle East operations. Why would Incirlik, Greece or Diego Garcia be more suitable for hitting Syria or even Iraq? Israel is closer by a long shot. Some of the US-backed terrorists/munitions go through Israel, but far less than via Saudi Arabia, or even Turkey. The Saudi royals and Erdogan can be cast as bad-guys in the US/EU MSM as required, but not holy Israel…
Israel contains the largest stockpile of US weapons outside the United States, by far. Those weapons are in full rotation within the US military-industrial supply system. Whether someone chooses to call Israel a ‘staging’ area is only relevant in so far as perceptions are being managed. Clearly this is your primary concern, with regards to Ms. Gabbard as well.
What are these pics? Floating on the web purporting to be binary agents at the base in Syria.
https://informnapalm.org/en/syria-containers-chemical-weapons-found-shayrat-air-base/
Make no sense to me at all.
Go to
/syria-us-missile-strike-naval-brief-nb-0517-april-08-2017-by-ledahu/
and scroll down, video explains these are general purpose containers, the Zionists are just lying again.
thanks
Twelve innocent people were killed in that raid, and the off target missiles hitting nearby sleeping civilians. Including women and at least one child.I’m maybe to old fashioned for today’s World I suppose. But the murder of innocent civilians still horrifies and disgusts me. I see them as individual people not collateral damage pawns in politics (which is why I get so enraged over Donbass being attacked). And I’m old fashioned enough to know when a bully hits you.You have two choices.Do nothing and pray he will stop hitting you (almost never works). Or punch him back hard in the face (mostly works.Not always,but better stats on that than on choice one).
I’m not advocating a direct military response (at present) by Russia. But a firm warning in private needs to be delivered by the Russian MOD to the US military. That if they try that again,and “one” Russian is harmed or killed the ships firing the missiles will be sunk on the spot.And the cutoff of any resources that could be “dual use” to the US should be implemented at once.No more selling goods that can be used for the US military machine.Those engines people have talked about recently,and titanium,would be a good first start.
I was interested by the so called “moral outrage” over the use of heinous chemicals. But if one wants to think morally, what is the morality of blockading a country that imports 90% of it food (Yemen. Oh I forgot that that place doesn’t exist, otherwise CNN, Fox et al. would’ve said something already.) https://www.schillerinstitute.org/food_for_peace/kiss_nssm_jb_1995.html
I am also concerned with the innocent Syrian military people who were, after all, doing their duty in fighting terrorists, and not at war with the US and posed no threat to the US. How much more innocent do we need?
I collapsed into bed for a few hours and am way behind in trying to follow this already, but I have come across a few good links that may be interesting — not sure if they have already been posted. I’m still hovering around trying to find solid ground to light on, trying to understand exactly what went down and where it is going.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2017/04/07/the-impending-clash-between-the-u-s-and-russia/
April 7, 2017
The Impending Clash Between the U.S. and Russia
by Mike Whitney
http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12117678%40egNews
07.04.2017 (12:52)
Statement of the Russian Defence Ministry spokesman on the missile strike carried out by the US Navy against the Shayrat Air Base in Syria
https://scotthorton.org/interviews/4617-philip-giraldi-says-ic-military-doubt-assad-gas-narrative/
4/6/17 Philip Giraldi says IC-Military Doubt Assad Gas Narrative
Philip Giraldi, former CIA officer and Director of the Council for the National Interest, says that “military and intelligence personnel,” “intimately familiar” with the intelligence, say that the narrative that Assad or Russia did it is a “sham,” instead endorsing the Russian narrative that Assad’s forces had bombed a storage facility. Giraldi’s intelligence sources are “astonished” about the government and media narrative and are considering going public out of concern over the danger of worse war there. Giraldi also observes that the Assad regime had no motive to do such a thing at this time.
[link to 14 minute podcast http://dissentradio.com/radio/17_04_06_giraldi.mp3 ]
Russia has excellent weapons, but they don’t have enough capitals to put them in mass production.
US (NATO) can overwhelm them with massive fire, destroy the Russian systems, and after conquer.
That’s the reason why Russians try to avoid a head on conflict with NATO, especially far from the Russian’s borders.
@ Anonymous: Russia/China do not want to collapse the current international system, economically or militarily. There is no potential benefit to the people of their countries/allies to do so, and most notably, not for the PEOPLE of the US/EU/allies either.
Do Putin and Xi want positive change? Absolutely. Over-reacting to the US’s little $100million fireworks display is of no value.
Russia/China’s armaments are less expensive, easier to produce, and proven more effective than US ones, so raw numbers or $$ don’t make a rational comparison. Saker has also explained that in the past. The US might be able to drop drones on undefended “terrorists” (but most often on civilian targets) em masse, but the days of WW2/Vietnam bomber squadrons or masses of conventional missiles/artillery being unchallenged is long over. Even launching 59 Tomahawks and getting more than half of them on target was beyond US capability.
US conventional forces are no match for a combined Russia/China military.
If the US military was all that superior, the war would have already begun and been finished.
We know the casualties, we know that Russia was forewarned (contrary to the site rep), we know that the air strip is undamaged (minor pot holes) as shown by Russia video, we know that the airbase is still operational and the Russians or Syrians are moving mobile radar into that area. All reported by RT, live.
Also a very weird thing has happened on the lie making machine known as the BBC: they gave unfettered airtime to bouthaina Shabaan -the Syrian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, to clearly and openly state that the West was supporting Islamic terrorists, that it was the western sponsored terrorists that possessed the Sarin gas, and that it was amazingly hypocritical for the West to pretend to show concern for Syrian civilians when it is the West that is supporting the terrorists, it was the West that instigated and fueled this civil war, it is the West that is deliberately fueling the murder of Syrian civilians and turning them into refugees.
Not once did they interrupt her. What is going on? Did someone in the BBC want to get fired or is this gloating and hubris? It is always astonishing and rare to ever get to hear the truth out that evil British network.
When the BBC gives this kind of ‘access’ to the opposition, it is always because they know the decision to ***exterminate*** the opposition has already been made. The BBC was originally created (in early radio days) to be the PR arm of Britain’s secret services- a propaganda mouthpiece for Britain’s Deep State.
It is a deeply sick and distressing fact that the British were denied alternatives to the repugnant BBC both in radio and TV stations for the longest time, and then a ***very*** limited number of ‘independent’ commercial stations were added to British listening/viewing ‘choice’ when extreme zionists formed the collective know as ‘ITV’ with hyper-racist zionists forming the ‘independent’ ‘news’ service known as ITN that provided the propaganda broadcasts on these channels. Few Britons know that the non-BBC/non-Sky news programs in the UK are all made by ITN (including Channel 4 ‘news’). For most of my early life, radio and TV ended broadcasting well before 12 o’clock to ‘encourage’ British slaves to get to bed early.
Anyway, it is far from unusual to hear the ‘truth’ on the BBC- indeed the BBC delights in allowing the soon to be mass murdered a chance to hopelessly put their truthful case, from Yugoslavia to Gaza to Iraq to Libya to Syria. It is a sick joke the Deep State demons love to play- and the Demon Rule is that the sheeple must have an opportunity to hear the unvarnished truth anyway. This is why Tony Blair’s key election had national posters showing Blair’s true Demon form (go google this fact if you don’t belive me).
Britain is the centre of the Demonic spiderweb that covers our planet, and London is the centre of the centre. The false flag of 9/11 was conceived and planned in Britain by Blair’s inner circle, for instance- and post 9/11 it was Tony Blair who travelled the globe preaching the NWO response, not any American.
The Demon Game is not a simple matter of brainwashing the simple-minded. It is far more predicated on despair and hopelessness- where people know the truth but go along with evil in the belief that their is no option. And the BBC is at the forefront of rubbing people’s faces in the Demonic ‘excrement’.
@Twilight
Thank you for your very astute posting. You’d be surprised to note that I had the exact same thought that you conveyed in your posting right after I committed my posting. But I didn’t have the level knowledge you did on this aspect of the slime that oozes from London: I wondered if Bouthaina was being subjected to Baghdad bob treatment or the CBS news dan rather of Sadaam Hussein interview where he laid out all the facts that he did not have weapons of mass destruction. I. E. exactly as you had put in, had they arrogantly made the decision that “you and the rest of the Assad government are going to die anyway (because we’ve managed to get our slave America to take you out), so let’s watch your feeble pleadings to our livestock while we gloat and smirk in your face” to bouthaina.
There is only one difference I may have with your posting, I don’t think these evil lowlives have means to carried their murderous malice on the Syrian power structure. I think that this might be the time where they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.
Daily mail uk had article by Peter Online seems you genuinely being very sceptical of western version of events….most unusual for this xenophobic rag.
The tuppence scum never miss an opportunity to attack Russia for their israeli massas:
US Refuses to Recognize Results of Upcoming South Ossetia Elections
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201704081052433687-usa-refuses-recognize-ossetia-elections/
Well, you could say that the US has refused to accept the result of its own 2016 presidential election!
Hence the internal “deep state” conflict….
The protests, the “not my president” meme and the continued trope of Hillary winning the “popular” vote…
Oh, not to mention six months of “Russian hackers ate my election” from the controlled CIA media…
A mockery of a CIA engineered false flag ‘chemical weapons attack’ followed by an almost cartoonish Tomahawk missile attack targeting an empty airfield. “We hit the cafeteria – mission completed!”
2017. The year of the clowns. This is what happens when all grown ups have been from all position of influence and responsibility and the Jews remaining get down to some unsavory circle jerk masturbation games. It is called the death spiral and leads nowhere in no time.
On a side note:
If some agency wanted to destabilize the Zionists by outplaying them at their who-can-create-most-havoc-in-the-most-idiotic-way competition, this double blunder would have been a stroke of genius.
More nihilism, depravity and perversion expected any second now. Yawn.
It’s a sad day. The US has gone mad. It has shown his real face and it ain’t nice.
Why is Lavrov still meeting with Tilerson ?
This will end up being an event when the US indulge in grandstanding
He is already making threats and talking about regime change
What is the point of people meeting who
Have a negative agenda?
still
Perhaps the meeting is still tasking place so that the adults in the room can explain things to the whippersnappers. Who knows what kind of message Lavrov will deliver but I am hoping it will be a warning of sorts. Tillerson is (as most of Trump’s picks) out of his league when it comes to diplomacy. Karma will get her desserts in the end I fear and then we will all pay the piper.
“Within a year, the incident below in Ghouta had killed 1300 Syrians and the US was ready to take out Assad. As you can read below, two Turkish members of parliament came forward and ratted out Erdogan for his part in the plot with Israel against Syria which led to the Ghouta massacre.
This story has been buried and is ignored by the maintream media, forgotten by Russia and even Syria. It was not brought up at the UNSC today when it should have, an oversight by Russia that is unforgivable. ”
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2017/04/07/proof-turkey-did-2013-sarin-attack-and-did-this-one-too/
By Coleen Rowley Special Agent, FBI (ret)
(Co-written with and signed by fourteen other VIPS listed below)
MEMORANDUM FOR: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, and Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov
FOR THE STEERING GROUP, VETERAN INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS FOR SANITY
Graham E. Fuller, Vice-Chair, National Intelligence Council (ret.)
Philip Giraldi, CIA, Operations Officer (ret.)
Larry Johnson, CIA & State Department (ret.)
John Kiriakou, Former CIA Counterterrorism Officer
Edward Loomis, NSA, Cryptologic Computer Scientist (ret.)
David MacMichael, National Intelligence Council (ret.)
Ray McGovern, former US Army infantry/intelligence officer & CIA analyst (ret.)
Elizabeth Murray, Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East, National Intelligence Council (ret)
Todd E. Pierce, MAJ, US Army Judge Advocate (Ret.)
Scott Ritter, former Maj., USMC, former UN Weapon Inspector, Iraq
Coleen Rowley, FBI Special Agent and former Minneapolis Division Legal Counsel (ret.)
Robert David Steele, former CIA Operations Officer
Peter Van Buren, U.S. Department of State, Foreign Service Officer (ret.) (associate VIPS)
Kirk Wiebe, former Senior Analyst, SIGINT Automation Research Center, NSA
Ann Wright, Col., US Army (ret.); Foreign Service Officer (resigned)
Coleen Rowley Former FBI Special Agent
We have yet to see the air defence systems in action…
They have not deterred neither Israel nor the US on multiple occasions…
Do they actually work?
(serious question, no sarcasm intended, I am genuinely baffled)
From Tass: http://tass.com/defense/940239
Syrian air defenses cover strategic resources – there is no country-wide defense. Likewise what Russia has deployed protects potential targets of interest to them and some strategic areas. Sounds like they have plans to increase the defensible areas by deploying more resources but this still won’t amount to closing the airspace completely.
Also. Syria in2015 invited RF in to assist with repulsing the ISIL Salafist terrorists.
Unlike US “mission creep” the RF has stayed extremely close to the original proposition.
As the Salafists were land-based terrorists – and were not a sovereign state – they didn’t have an airforce – so it was not necessary to protect Syrian airbases. (Although some protection was in place according to RF MoD – pantsir)
Now the Demons unmasked themselves. Now it is obvious the US is the ISIS air cover.
Recall the incident in September 2016 when the US “accidentally” bombed the Syrian airfield at Deir ez ezzor – murdering 60 SAA soldiers. Simultaneously with this bombing ISIS advanced and almost took the airbase.
Now with trumps cruise missile imbroglio – again, coincidentally, ISUS advanced.
Given the US is unashamedly attacking and waging undeclared war on Syria – now it’s airfields must be fully protected.
Ok. Here is the full extract / explanation from TASS.:
MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS
Military & Defense April 08, 2:43 UTC+3
Syria unable to repel US air strike at Shayrat airbase — Russian expert
The Syrian air defense system covers separate facilities and, possibly, the Syrians did not have air defense missile systems around that base, Igor Korotchenko said
The Syrian Army could not repel the U.S. missile strike at the Shayrat airbase in the early hours of Friday, as the Syrian air defense system covers separate facilities and, quite possibly, the Syrians did not have air defense missile systems around that base, Igor Korotchenko, the editor-in-chief of the Moscow-based National Defense magazine told TASS.
“In the first place, the Syrians have island-like air defenses,” he said.
“This means that the units and weaponry systems cover separate facilities. They don’t have an integrated air defense net and I don’t rule out there were no air defenses around that base at all.”
“Secondly, apart from Pantsyr (a surface-to-air and antitank missile system all other systems are outdated because they were manufactured back during the Soviet era and they stand in need of upgrading,” Korotchenko said.
“That’s why the Syrians couldn’t rebuff the strike meaningfully.”
He voiced the confidence that more strikes might follow, saying: “America has unsealed Pandora’s box and has demonstrated once again its thinking in the categories of a global policeman. This line of logic may prompt Trump to make new ill-conceived steps.”
Viktor Murakhovsky, the editor-in-chief of Arsenal Otechestva (the Arsenal of the Homeland) magazine, also does not rule out a possibility of more missile strike. The next volley of missiles will likely target the facilities where, according to U.S. surmising, the Syrians store chemical weapons.
“In the first place, these are airbases and the bases of permanent deployment controlled by the Syrian government forces,” he said.
Korotchenko believes the launch of 59 Tomahawk missiles from aboard to destroyers might be a signal Trump was sending to China. “At the moment of the attack, Trump was hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping and this was clearly a graphic demonstration of force to China, since Trump said earlier China was among the apparent political contenders of the U.S.”
Murakhovsky said on his part the Pentagon had warned the Russian side about the forthcoming strike. “Our commanders at Hmeymim (airbase) received a notification two hours prior to the strike that is was coming up because the Americans had the apprehensions that Russian servicemen might turn out on the Shayrat base.”
“Now that we’ve suspended effectuation of the Russian-U.S. memorandum on prevention of dangerous incidents in Syrian airspace, we won’t be receiving any notifications from the Americans and that’s a strong signal to them that they should behave reasonably,” he said.
More:
http://tass.com/defense/940239
Why Terror Attack in Russia May Be ‘Part of Hybrid War’
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201704081052444527-turkey-russia-terror/
“Mentioning Monday’s terrorist attack in St. Petersburg, Turkish security expert Mete Yarar said that could have been a message to President Vladimir Putin who was in St. Petersburg meeting with his Belarusian colleague Alexander Lukashenko to discuss bilateral issues and also the situation in Ukraine.
“The terrorist attacks that we have seen happening the past few years are part of a hybrid war. Some countries now use terrorist groups as an instrument against other countries. I think Monday’s attack is part of the ‘fourth generation war,’ which includes terrorist provocations, economic embargoes and psychological pressure,” Mete Yarar said.
“The attack in St. Petersburg should be seen as an element of a long chain of events that preceded it and that could happen in the future,” he warned.”
I’ve no doubts that the St. Petersburg terror attack was israeloamerican orchestrated and very much connected to the zionazi war against Syria.
US Missile Strike in Syria Marks ‘U-Turn in Trump’s Policy Towards Assad’
https://sputniknews.com/world/201704081052445743-us-trump-syria/
“In an interview with Sputnik Turkey, former Turkish Ambassador to the US Faruk Logoglu said that Ankara’s support for Washington’s actions in Syria is a mistake. He also said that having attacked the Syrian air base, the US dealt a serious blow to the Syrian settlement.
“Some days ago the US said that only the Syrian people can decide Assad’s future. Washington has made a U-turn with its hostile move against Assad. This will only aggravate the chaos in Syria. Terrorists, first of all Daesh, will strengthen due to the political vacuum and the ongoing instability. This move creates the risk of breaching the ceasefire in Syria. Having attacked the Syrian air base, the US dealt a serious blow to the Syrian negotiating process,” Logoglu said.
He added that the fact that Ankara supported the missile strike adds to Turkey’s erroneous policy toward Syria.
“The Turkish policy in Syria is mistaken. Washington’s aggression will inspire Syrian rebel forces and they could withdraw from the Geneva talks,” the diplomat concluded.”
The previous tuppence regime conciliatory words towards Assad and Syria were obviously a cover for their continuance of the israeloamerican war against Syria. Now that they have their phony pretext of a chem weapon attack, they dropped the mask and have resumed the war openly, like what was practiced during the Obama regime. The support by erdogan was probably cemented during his recent meet with exxon valdiz (tillerson). Apparently, erdogan decided it was time to drop his mask, again, as well.
The events leading up to, and now surrounding, the cowardly pindo missile attack, and how these have been used to further the zionazi war against Syria (and Russia), make it clear this attack was not just an act by a split regime to appease trump detractors, but part of a revamped, much wider strategy of continuance of the war.
The evidence of israeloamerican use of daesh is fairly overwhelming, and this was seriously hurting the zionazi “managed perception” of their proxy wars for greater israel. The tuppence regime lies about getting away from regime change wars and concentrating on anti terrorism were psywar intended to distance themselves from the recent exposure of israeloamerican use of terrorist proxies in their wars. Simply an attempt to nullify the prevalent image of israel’s colonials as terrorist sponsors and facilitators.
That interlude in the main theme being done, now, the zionazis are back to their standard propaganda tripes for their wars.
Ron Paul apparently doesn’t think of trump as being separate from the neocons, his criticism here is quite frank.
‘They’re terrified that peace was going to break out’ – Ron Paul on US Syria strike
https://www.rt.com/usa/384021-ron-paul-syria-strike/
“I don’t think the evidence is there, at least it hasn’t been presented, and they need a so-called excuse, they worked real hard, our government and their coalition.”
“If any of this was true, I don’t know why they couldn’t wait and take a look at it. In 2013, there were similar stories that didn’t go anywhere, because with a little bit of a pause, there was a resistance to it built in our Congress and in the American people. They thought that it was a fraud and nothing like that was happening, and right now, I just can’t think of how it could conceivably be what they claim, because it’s helping ISIS, because it’s helping Al-Qaeda.”
A factor that contributed to the speedy reaction was of course the US president, the politician told RT.
“I have no idea what his purpose was. Maybe he just didn’t want to hear the debate, because the last time they debated it, they lost. And this time, it was necessary for them to jump onto this, before people came to know what was really going on.”
The Syrian situation now is “a victory for neo-conservatives, who’ve been looking for Assad to go,” Paul said.
“They want to get rid of him, and you have to look for who is involved in that. Unfortunately, they are the ones who are winning out on this, and the radicals, too! There is a bit of hypocrisy going on here, because at one minute we say, well, maybe Assad has to stay, the next day he has to go, and we’re there fighting ISIS and Al-Qaeda. At the same time, what we end up doing is we actually strengthen them! It is a mess.
“The peace talks have ended now. They’re terrified that peace was going to break out! Al-Qaeda was on the run, peace talks were happening, and all of a sudden, they had to change, and this changes things dramatically! I don’t expect peace talks anytime soon or in the distant future.”
“I was wondering about the fact that the announcement came when Trump was talking to Xi [Jinping, the Chinese president]. And of course, [North] Korea’s high on the list of targets for our president and our administration. It might be a warning: this is what’s going to happen to you if you don’t do what we tell you. I just don’t like us being involved in so many countries, in their internal affairs; I think it’s so detrimental.”
“The Syrian situation now is “a victory for neo-conservatives, who’ve been looking for Assad to go,” Paul said.”
A victory? What did they win? A new clown in their camp, and one who is not very manageable, at that, who is capricious, a target, and with almost respect, support, or credibility from anyone. Trump is no prize, and Assad is no closer to going than ever. Caligula did as well with his supposed hoard of sea shells from Britannia.
Turkish Party Holds Protest Near US Embassy Against US Missile Attack in Syria
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201704081052447668-turkey-protests-us-strike-syria/
“A rally organized by the Turkish Patriotic Party (Vatan) against the US missile strike on the Syrian airbase was held Saturday near the US Embassy in Ankara.
The rally took place without any incidents.
“In order to resolve the Syrian crisis, it is necessary to resume contacts with the legitimate Syrian President Bashar Assad, to protect its territorial integrity, and to fight terrorism. Our party opposes interference in Syria’s affairs of any imperialist forces including the United States,” Vatan’s head Utku Reyhan said during the rally.”
Anti war protests have been held in several u.s. cities since the cowardly tuppence regime attack on Syria, the protest in Jacksonville was apparently attacked by the usual zionazi pindo brownshirt scum.
Six Arrested, 1 Injured in Clashes at Jacksonville Protest Over US Syria Strike
https://sputniknews.com/us/201704081052449444-us-florida-protest-arrest/
“The peaceful demonstration late on Friday against the country’s military actions in war-torn Syria erupted into clashes with the opposing sides, which ended up in arrests of six people, the Florida Times newspaper reported.”
‘Emergency’ protests across US demand ‘Hands off Syria’ (VIDEOS, PHOTOS)
https://www.rt.com/usa/383998-emergency-hands-off-syria-protests/
Cancellation of Johnson’s Visit to Russia ‘Clumsy Attempted Demarche’ – Lawmaker
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201704081052450096-russia-uk-johnson-opinion/
“It is a clumsy attempted demarche, which is ridiculous in terms of big diplomacy,” Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the upper house of the Russian parliament’s international affairs committee, said.
The parliamentarian added that “serious politicians” do not act like this.
“As for the [Johnson’s] words that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will deliver a coordinated position on Syria to Russia, thereby Boris Johnson confirms that the United Kingdom does not consider itself an independent power,” Kosachev emphasized.
Earlier in the day, chairman of the Russian State Duma International Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky said that the cancellation of Johnson’s visit would not have a negative impact on the bilateral relations, as “they already are at quite a low level.”
From what the johnson baboon said, it sounds like exxon valdiz (tillerson) will offer the usual israeloamerican threats instead of serious negotiations.
April 8th from fortruss via almanar
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/04/confirmed-syrian-army-attacks-us.html
If true, is this casus belli for the Russian Federation?
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/04/500-islamist-radicals-arrive-in.html
Trump has burned his bridges with Russia, and, I think, Moscow will not take him seriously any more. Of course, the Russians will talk and keep the diplomatic channels open, after all, they did that with the incompetent and hostile Obama administration and they will do it with Trump.
I think that this attack will have more consequences on the US itself, and only a limited effect on the Syrian Civil War. Trump has now basically given in to basic Empire demands: confrontation with Russia and China. The Empire will be ready to forgive him his other transgressions, ie, anti-immigration policies. Anyway, the Empire can temporarily sacrifice some of its cultural agenda in exchange for a consensus on foreign policy.
What’s evident is that Trump is a weak and irresolute President. Only time will show, but he may turn out to be worse than Obama.
As for the ME and Syria, I think that the time for U.S. involvement there has passed. The U.S. has been pushed out of the equation and Syria and is losing influence there due to the strategic alignment of Russia, Iran and other regional factors. A few missiles won’t change that.
The goal here was to sabotage the possibility of a successful peace process and give a moral boost to ISIS and other Jihadists.
But it’s not a time for desperation. The Empire is flexing its muscles, but its strength it’s not what it’s been. Far from it. They can no longer sell another war by bogus reports of chemical attacks. Their media propaganda is also no longer effective as it was.
All they did with this attack is to demonstrate to Russia and China: We’re still in the saddle.
No one here should think that having completed the criminal attack on the Syrian airbase that will be the end of the attacks. No,the neo-cons have the “whip hand” over Trump and NATO now. And they intent to use it. Today,Boris Johnson,the Israeli stooge pretending to be Britain’s FM,at the last minute canceled his planned trip to Moscow. Actually,having such a repulsive figure not coming to Moscow is not a bad thing.But its the “reason” he isn’t coming that is the problem. After “talking” (i.e. getting his orders from) Tillerson,he decided to cancel the trip. And “confer” instead with the G7 over Russia’s support for Syria. And they then send a “message to the Russians” over it.I suspect that “message” will be more sanctions against Russia.Now that Trump has caved to the neo-cons they are trying to “drive the dagger home” into any chance of better relations with Russia. They hoped that Clinton would be their “tool” against Russia. And were worried Trump wouldn’t be their “boy”. But in less that 3 months,they gained control of him. And now they intent to “run with it”. There are some that think Syria isn’t important for Russia. So why not give in and leave. What they don’t see is that Syria is the “Spain” of the 1930’s,moved to the 2000’s. Just as in Spain,the failure to stop the fascists there,led directly to WWII. Giving in to the West in Syria will lead directly to Ukraine,Iran,etc,probably including Crimea at some point. The “empire” needs to be stopped in Syria,or they will have to be fought at Russia’s borders or inside Russia itself.The time is rapidly arriving where Russia will need to make “the” choice,”be independent,or be the West’s stooge”.Russia has only those two choices,there is no third one available.
Choice number one,means realizing that the West is going to do everything they can to destroy you.They will try and destroy the economy.Team with traitors for “color revolution”. Spawn terrorism throughout Russia.Try and blacken Russia’s name Worldwide.Everything they are doing today,times 10.Before Napoleon’s invasion of Russia.Russia tried to appease him,while keeping her independence.And living as a friendly “equal” with Napoleon’s Empire. But that wasn’t good enough for Napoleon.The very existence of an independent strong Russia was considered a threat to his control of Europe.So when Russia refused “total” obedience he invaded.Fast track to WWII. Again,the USSR tried to be independent from total control by Hitler’s Europe.Maintain equal relations with Hitler.And not be his stooge.That wasn’t good enough for Hitler. The USSR’s very existence as a strong independent power was seen by him as a threat. The result of that was Barbarossa.Today,we see the same scenario unfolding before our eyes.The “new” Russia,by its very existence as an independent great power is considered a threat to the “empire’s” World domination.So to their thinking Russia must be destroyed. Which brings us to choice two.
Choice two, means in the short run,a return to Yeltsin’s Russia. The economy being sold to the West.The 5th column having control of Russia’s government.The military being starved and funds and dismantled. The end to any thought of Russia being an independent state. But as bad as that is,its not good enough. Its the empire’s “longer game” that is the worse problem. The West has seen that there is the “possibility” of Russia rising back under a strong government. To Russia recovering her independence again.So in their eyes that must be prevented.Hence we see the West’s encouragement of “regionalism” in Russia.The thinking is to break Russia apart into much smaller states.Which would be easier for them to control.The “Yugoslav” option would be their dream come true.Give the “republic’s” independence as national states. Give Crimea and probably some other border areas to a stooge “Ukraine”.Strip away the Caucasus,and Siberia.Leaving a “rump” Russia safely controlled by the West’s 5th column minions.
All in all,the two choice’s couldn’t be clearer.Once you remove the propaganda from them.The West’s propaganda will portray Russia’s independence as an “aggressive” threat to the “World Community” (i.e. them). And their actions as one of “self-defense” against Putin “the new Hitler”. They will portray the break-up of Russia as “liberating” those regions from the “evil Moskal’s”. So,Russia and Russians must make the choice. Is independence,unity,and freedom important enough to them to “suffer harshly” for it. Even if it means war.Or do they choice to return to the West’s control.And see a new breakup more tragic and destructive than the one in 1991.We will have to see shortly which choice they make.There are only those two. Hopefully they make the correct one. Because there is no return from the decision. Certainly,no return from the second choice.
With all due respect, what you write about Napoleon and Hitler and their invasions of Russia is ahistorical. The motives were far from same, and so were the circumstances.
The war against Napoleon was as much the war of the revolutionary and conservative Europe. Yet, Napoleon was a pragmatist.
Russia didn’t want to join his blockade of Britain, which was one of the main causes for his invasion of Russia, as Britain was his chief enemy. All facts indicate Napoleon wanted Russia as an ally, and only invaded to force the Russians to another treaty.
About Hitler, neither did the USSR tried to be independent from Hitler’s Europe, not they tried to have equal relations with them. The alliance between them was a thing of necessity, and both countries remained firm ideological enemies.
If you know historical facts, you will realize Hitler only waited for the right opportunity to strike the USSR, since war with Bolshevism was main and defining point of his ideology.
All of this does not change the fact that Europe sees Russia as an enemy and that European powers sought to drive Russia from Europe. Russophobia is, after all, a European invention.
I agree with you about options for Russia, at least for the moment.
But we can also see things from another angle: Russian civilization and culture is not in decline, and, most importantly, it remains rathere homogenous and self-aware, despite identity problems that arose during Soviet times and afterwards. The base of Russian culture is healthy, although still contaminated by remnants of Bolshevism and its ramifications.
On the other hand, the West is in decline, its economic base is stagnating and founded on monetary machinations, demographically, the autochthonous Western population is declining, the people are losing faith in their political elites which are losing credibility.
There is a deep, ongoing identity crisis and traditional values are being dissolved.
Russia has time, but it faces many challenges. Economically speaking, Russia has a lot to improve, but this is possible with the political will, and we need to remember that there is a new world emerging, the world of BRICS, the world of real economic growth. This is the world China is building, but we have to think long-term.
In that world, Russia has a place to be a major technological, cultural and military power. That’s why it’s important to withstand the pressure from the West. And while I often disagree with Putin, and even dislike him personally, his policies have to be lauded as strategical, calculated and based in reality.
Russia cannot take the Empire alone. But it can bid its time and work with China for the future where the Empire inevitably implodes on its own hubris. The basic task for both Russia and China is to offer alternative to the globalist materialist ideology of the Empire, to show those who would oppose the Empire that there is another way.
And this other way is the multi-polar world where cultures are respected and appreciated, where each culture has its own model of development and place in the world according to its own values.
We should not either underestimate or overestimate Russia. But I believe that Russians as a people have enough historical experience to see things in the right way.
http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/04/confirmed-syrian-army-attacks-us.html
Confirmed: Syrian Army attacks US aircraft
April 8th, 2017 – Fort Russ News –
Almasdar News – by Inessa Sinchougova
Al-Masdar News in Syria has confirmed that a Syrian Special Forces unit targeted a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft flying over their positions in northeastern Syria.
The U.S. reconnaissance aircraft was reportedly hovering over the Syrian Army’s Regiment 54 Base in Al-Qamishli, when the personnel at the installation opened fire on the plane.
The aircraft fled the area around the base after it came in contact with the Syrian Arab Army on Saturday evening, the military source added.
JiM Stone :
There is a spurious report that America has entered Syria from Jordan with 20 tanks. This is not confirmed. However, It all starts like this.
BY THE WAY, Armageddon is a region, not a myth. And it is very close in proximity to where America entered.
OK, so this is a huge jump here, but we are coming up on the 100th anniversary of Fatima. There are some accounts that stated that satan was given rule of the earth (unbound) for a century after the Fatima miracle. On May 16/17 according to some, Satan’s time of great power will be over. He’ll still be around, but will not be so powerful. If that be the case, we probably gained victory over the mark of the beast and we are now at the battle of Armageddon. This is pure speculation, but if it is the case the next month is going to be VERY INTERESTING.
I am trying to get details on whether or not America actually entered Syria. But if America did, TS will truly and duly HTF.