“They are fighting using what they call the strategy of ‘hornets.’ In the beginning of their attacks, they send a small number of militants to attack army sites or cities, etc. After that, they come in waves, wave after wave until they capture the city or get what they want.”
“Everybody heard that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are planning to attack Raqqa, and there were some meetings between the Americans and the SDF to arrange for that attack.”
“Suddenly, all the plans to attack Raqqa have been stopped, and ISIS (Daesh) has been given the green light to attack Palmyra. Somebody in American or regional military intelligence told them that Raqqa shouldn’t be attacked. This allowed the terrorist group to send a vast number, 4,000 – 5,000 militants, and hundreds of tanks to attack Palmyra.”
“This couldn’t have happened before, everybody knows that the airplanes of the US coalition are close to Raqqa and there is reconnaissance and surveillance etc. How ISIS (Daesh) could escape all of that, I am sure there is a kind of co-ordination between ISIS (Daesh) and the CIA and other regional intelligence services,” Ibrahim said.”
A month or so ago ,there were many stories about the US pushing 9,000 terrorists from Mosul in Iraq into Syria. I think we know now,those stories were true.They are now in Syria,they weren’t intercepted by Russian airstrikes as many people advised. So now they, and the regular in Syria already terrorists need to be destroyed.The failure to prevent the terrorists from getting into Syria,was bad enough.But once they got in,the failure to destroy them until now is inexcusable.Heads need to roll in both the Syrian and Russian military involved it that fiasco.And if it comes out that this was the result of “another” idiotic deal made with the US. Then prison terms or the firing squad needs to be the fate of those “deal makers”. Too many people in Syria have been killed over these years for “mistakes” like that to be forgiven or overlooked.
I just read an article on the Duran by Alexander Mercouris that echo’s what I posted. It seems the Russian military is very upset with those attempts to “deal” with the US. And is even making their displeasure known:
“The Russian military has in fact made perfectly clear that it places the major blame for the fall of Palmyra on something quite different: the prolongation of the siege of Aleppo as a result of the repeated ‘humanitarian pauses’, which left the Syrian army defending Palmyra dangerously short of troops, and with those who were there of lesser quality.
Since the ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Aleppo were imposed on the Syrian and Russian militaries as a result of Russia’s diplomatic strategy, blaming them for the fall of Palmyra is an implicit criticism by the Russian military of the political strategy of Russia’s political leadership.
General Konashenkov all but said as much, though as a serving officer he chose his words very carefully when he did so
“This attack has once again demonstrated that terrorists should not have the smallest chance to take a break, for they always take advantage of such respites to regroup and then carry out a sudden attack.”
Konashenkov of course knows that ISIS has never been given a “break’, whether by the Russians or by the Syrians. His words about “terrorists not being given the smallest chance to take a break” were therefore clearly intended to refer to the repeated ‘humanitarian pauses’ in the fighting in Aleppo.
Where Konashenkov as a serving soldier has been forced to be diplomatic, General Yury Baluyevsky, a former Chief of Staff who is now retired, and who is by all accounts someone who is very much a soldiers’ soldier, was a great deal more forthright
“I understand it is necessary to ensure the safety of the population… But when these pauses last three weeks, and these militants – who are up to their elbows in blood – can restore their strength and are allowed to keep their personal weapons – well, that I don’t understand.”
This obviously refers to the ‘humanitarian pauses’ which have repeatedly taken place in Aleppo, and specifically the very prolonged one that took place in October and November.
This is not the first time that the Russian military has made know its disagreement with the political and diplomatic strategy President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have been following in Aleppo. Back at the end of October there was a curious public spat between the Russian military and Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, during which it emerged that President Putin had refused the Russian military’s public request to resume bombing in Aleppo, which he had put on hold in order to allow for a ‘humanitarian pause’.”
You have raised so many interesting questions.
I have been clutching at straws to understand how and why all those ‘pauses’ were allowed.
The bad example of the ‘pauses’ in Ukraine being used to rearm and regroup are fresh in our faces.
The ‘straw’ I have clutched is that it was all a ruse to gather the CIA/USSD headchoppers into a Palmyra ‘cauldron’ for final annihilation. Palmyra is destroyed anyway. The restoration there needs to be from the ground up, so what if the policy that Russia would not bomb Palmyra from the air was a feint?
They will bomb Palmyra and give the USA the ‘barbaric Russians’ card while destroying some of their last assets in Syria?
If so, it will be the greatest military success since Cannae or Debaltsevo.
I’d like to believe that,but I don’t. I think what the Duran said is right. I do believe that Syrian and Russian forces will win,and take back the city. But I think serious errors were made in agreeing with the US for those “pauses”,that benefited the terrorists and their Western supporters.It frankly boils down to what I’ve talked about before (the schism in Russia). Between those that want to make deals with the West. And those that realize that deals with the West can’t be made. Unless they are deals that favor the West,and disfavor Russia.Anytime the West (in particular the US) offers a “deal”.The “first” thing Russians need to do,is check their back for knives sticking out of it.
Thank you. Yes, you are right, Russia has always had its betrayers and fifth-columnnists.
Just as the USA has its Zionist dual-citizens and their allied, subverted liberals and conservatives.
It is hard sometimes to have to realize that President Putin is not some (evil) superman, as CIANN would have people believe, but just a talented mortal with a superhuman task before him.
Very true. I think that if Putin had not assumed office in Russia. The World domination the US works for would have come about. That is the main (maybe only) reason the US elites hate him so.Though as you said he is not a “Superman”. It seems so,because of the numbers of “Lex Luther’s” in the West running those countries.
There is obviously a schism in Russia. But who are those that want to make deals with the West (that favor the West and disfavor Russia)? Form the deals made so far it is Lavrov and Putin. No one else. I wonder on whose side those two are or are they trying to sit on two chairs. Are they still harboring the insane idea of becoming invited to the club?
While the “humanitarian pauses” do come at significant cost to SAA and Russian positions, they are useful diplomatic tools to show the world that the US/NATO/Saudi/Israeli-backed “moderate terrorists” are in fact just terrorists, which are justifiably not to be spared in any future military actions or even during local pauses. The humanitarian Iraq and Syrian policy of allowing “former moderate terrorists” to leave large cities for parts unknown on a promise not to fight for ISIS-etc. again will probably also soon end, as they just keep getting re-armed and re-deployed by the US-backed anti-Assad/pro-ME-balkanization consortium. But this deliberate US-policy had to be demonstrated beyond any doubt.
To this point, Syrian and Russian air support has concentrated on precision strikes, to avoid “civilian” casualties, given the inflated numbers floated in the US/NATO MSM. As the main cities are liberated from the US military (sorry, “ISIS”), logic dictates the only “civilians” who moved with the “moderate terrorists” are the families or supporters of ISIS… so more generalized bombing can occur where the US tells their “moderate terrorists” to congregate. It was OK to do to Saddam’s army forces and camp followers leaving Kuwait, so why niot against proven terrorists and their supporters? It may be that eastern Syria will be liberated by completely wiping some small high%-terrorist enclaves off the map. Funny how a population will stop hiding terrorists among them when those terrorists are the ones attracting certain death and destruction for no discernible gain.
The mapping presented doesn’t seem to lend itself to a deliberate “drawing of ISIS into a caldron” attempt, quite the opposite. It appears ISIS was trying to trap Syrian forces. Given most of the Palmyra citizens have been evacuated, the US “moderate terrorists” may find the hardware and land gained will be of little use if Syria/Russia decides enough is enough.
The trouble with the ‘showing the world’ excuse is that the whole world knows how evil the West is, except the West. Since their media does not carry any of these diplomatic and clever machinations by Lavrov, why bother with them at all? Are the lost lives and materiel really worth it if the old riddle: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it really fall?” prevails by the simple act of CIANN not reporting the news?
As the defeat of Hillary Clinton shows, even the 0.001% can be convinced to pull unquestioning support IF the trail of deceit and destruction via the US military/covert/economic war machine becomes impossible to hide even from the US/NATO public. The 0.001% depend on remaining cloaked to allow free exercise of their greedy agenda… if the US Tea Party/survivalist crowd figures out they are paying taxes to further the Rothchild’s hidden empire, the civil war will be ON in the US…
I think that Russia is showing restraint in order to contain this war and not allow it to escalate too quickly into a wider conflict. The loss of Aleppo is a major blow to the US plans for the ME, on which their future grip on hegemony depends. They are cornered and desperate and need careful handling, like any enraged and cornered creature, to minimise a greater bloodbath.
Exactly. Strategically, policy-wise, Putin is playing 5-level Star Trek chess and the US/NATO is playing a brutal version of tiddly winks. Unfortunately people die and societies are destroyed as the US refuses to comprehend it’s place in the world.
Again – making criticisms and assessments we must never lose sight of the fact that we are woefully ill informed. We have no Diplomatic, Military, Agencies Intel – Putin and Lavrov do. We have no idea what other issues they know Russia was under threat from by America. We cannot lose sight of the fact that this is NOT some petty civil war, it is NOT ISIS alone against Russia, – it is Russia on it’s own against all of America’s might and leverage.
Putin’s first job, first, foremost and above all else, is to ensure the safety of Russia and her people. He has to incorporate this into every foreign action.
So far Putin’s cautious chess playing judo moves have been successful. Slowly, slowly, but surely, like trying to turn the Titanic around in a gale, Russia is winning hearts and minds, gaining allies, gaining markets, strengthening her home security in all spheres – and helping Syria hold her ground.
Putin may well have seen this as a possible, knowing the Americans as he does, once they started liberating ISIS from Mosul – which is all they have done – and had to wait and see, and hold his hand.
Whatever, it’s likely to short lived and hopefully there will be 5000 less ISIS head chopping demons left at the end.
I’ve read The Art of War – I have downloaded copy on a currently “off sick” PC.
I’ve also read histories, – some of WWII and Churchill’s policies, the many many things people were never told. Like the fact he knew Coventry was going to be bombed, and did nothing to alert the citizens. Why? Because he had “5th columnists” pushing him to work for Germany, a sort of equivalent to the daft things I see written here? No — because the only way they could have known was by de-crypting The Enigma Machine, and Germany would have known they were able to de-crypt it. They had to save the information they got from it for uses which didn’t point back to where the info came from
I also read this from V. Putin’s Autobiography about his early days as PM in 1999 and his plans to fight the Chechnian terrorists ” The first thing I had to do was over-come the disarray among the ministries. The army didn’t understand what the Interior Ministry was doing, and the FSB was criticising everyone and not taking responsibility for a single thing. We had to become one team, one single organism, Only then would we be successful. ”
He took all this on his own shoulders.
I can just hear now, the typical “western armchair warriors” of back then, considering Chechnya.
“Putin needs to kick out the 5th columnists;, he needs to realise he had to get rid of the Chechnyan bandits; Putin needs to do this, that the other.”
He had information no one from outside could see. And he knew exactly what he had to do – and he couldn’t explain it to anyone outside either.
I wish people could see this more often.
Anyone can read the Art of War. To fully understand the Art of War one must first read and understand the Dao De Ching. To understand the Dao takes a lifetime of study.
The best copies of the Art have the annotated comments of the greatest Chinese strategists and even they interpret the works differently.
The Art of War – Sun Tzu was on line for a long time ago.
You can download all the book 160 pages in PDF at: http://www.puppetpress.com/classics/ArtofWarbySunTzu.pdf
Or, if you do not have time to read all 160 pages, then you can get a shorten version of 38 pages PDF at: http://www.artofwarsuntzu.com/Art%20of%20War%20PDF.pdf
No mater that I was exposed to this book since 1970, many thins have changed, and now we are dealing with a new situation based on an invisible entity of money power and Invisible armies, of money power with unlimited, capitals, weaponry and manpower.
On 1990 in the Eastern Europe strange things happens. Looks like we were living in Unreal Times. I asked a friend of mine “what is going on”. He answered do not worry. This is a very detailed plan sitting on the shelf for a long time, and now it is the right time to execute it.
It took two more years, and I found much information that was hard to Understand.
First a friend of mine borrowed me a book.
“En Route to Global Occupation”
Book by Gary Kah
And this book directed me at Club of Rome: http://www2.ministries-online.org/biometrics/rome.html
In 1973, the Club of Rome released a report entitled “Limits to Growth”, which dealt with the problem of overpopulation.
So the plan was sitting on the shelf for more than 10 years, and was executed on 1990, and is going on non-stop.
The Global Elite is very concerned, because they know that our planet is very sick, and humankind is getting out of control, with very dangerous consequences after 2030.
And what they know is “The Limits to Growth”
You can download all the book 211 pages PDF at: http://www.donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Limits-to-Growth-digital-scan-version.pdf
I cannot see a problem for Russia, because the have scarce population, but if something would happen the China and India would be in the “Chopping Wood”.
You ought also – if you have not – to read the classics to understand the other side – the model of UK US imperialism. Tacitus’ Agricola and Germania and Heroditus history of the greek and persian war. The game play and fundamental pillars of western foreign policy and tactics are built from these. A few name changes and passages in these easily read like a script for today.
We do not have intel, although some do, but it looks like general Konashenkov does not have intel either. Isn’t this strange? Or he does and made correct analysis and plans but was not listened to.
Konashenkov may have had all the intel, he may also have had some on a need to know basis.
He doesn’t sit on the Security Council I think – pretty sure – so he wont have it all.
Bob, and everyone else criticising inaction by Russia. Calm down.
The bomb that Russia and syria must not set off before the end of Obama is the prospect of hitting a US plane or asset and widening the war. Follows thus:
ISIS etc are the US’s mercenaries. Everybody has known that from the outset. They have been using retarded Saudi inbreds like this for decades.
US assets lie right along side them in support, as in the bloodbath of friendly fire against the Iraqis in Mosul and in every other way imaginable.
Every western government, shill and institution is calling for intervention in Syria. They need a 1st rate justification. You want to hear them on the BBC today laying the public groundwork for exactly this.
Palmyra etc are taunts. Gauntlets thrown down. No more or less.
If Russia and SDF pick up the revolvers that the US repeatedly throw at their feet, they will get shot in the back of the head.
This is above all a tactical game of one rook and a queen against half a field. Small, well worked tactical victories and avoiding traps is the order of the day. Not fighting every inch of a chess board all the time.
More than the small tactical gain of Aleppo, the west fears Russia’s ability to play to win with almost no pieces.
Not for one minute do I think the Russians are thumping themselves in the leg and shouting ‘darn those humanitarian corridors, we darn gawn lost Palymira agin cos of them’. The risk after the UN convoy false flag in Aleppo was an international declaration of a US no fly zone and forced ceasefire. The US nearly got it too, and it would have been game over Syria. The queen was forced back into her trenches, but has come out and taken a knight, and its rook is only in a temporary fix. No drama.
Would appear the ‘gates were opened in Mosul ‘ to allow the Jihadis a road into Syria. The Jihadis are now in limbo, between Russia/Syrian forces and wide open desert. They were driven out before, this time they are ripe for a Russian style cauldron and will be eliminated.
Maybe this is not a withdrawal of Syrian forces, but a trap, that ISIS walked into.
The question is why would they go and attack Palmyra in such force? The answer is to take away world’s attention from almost liberated Aleppo. This is just another step by US in their way of waging hybrid wars against Russia. And I agree with comments above from Bob, Russian military have every right to be angry with its government negotiating with US and allowing terrorists to regroup during those ‘humanitarian breaks’. Aleppo could be liberated weeks ago and thousands of SAA and allies forces should be already deployed elsewhere is Syria if not for those ‘humanitarian breaks’.
No one else is to blame but Russian leaders.
Sure, if the Russians wanted to bomb Aleppo flat. The US would then bring on total economic sanctions for ‘war crimes’ which we saw being set up a while back. That would mean destruction of the RUssian economy, a total end to Russian operations in Syrian and allow the Ukrainians to go full on against the Novorossian as ‘agents of the Russian war criminal state’.
Geez, the armchair generals are so keen for Russia to do exactly what the US wants it to do. God help Russia if these dimwits get into power.
“Geez, the armchair generals are so keen for Russia to do exactly what the US wants it to do. God help Russia if these dimwits get into power.”
Well, I doubt any of them live in Russia, so a slim chance of the latter. ; The former, yeah, its tedious. Also its amazing how many people after reading some articles and looking at a google map of the region can know so much about how to proceed in a military campaign.
Thank you for some words of common sense.
It still amazes me that Americans can only see the world through American lenses.
As you say, doing what these “armchair generals” are advocating would be to behave exactly as America behaves. And doing that would get Russia destroyed.
Russia has to run her own race, make her own rules, and do what suits her. That way – she wins.
Thankfully these armchair generals fade away eventually – they never do get to put their damn fool ideas into practice, for which we should be grateful.
Contrary to what most people believe, common sense is not “the most fairly distributed thing in the world”.
I want to believe that your antipodean journeys have somehow contributed to make you an exception.
well even ‘Armchairs generals’ can see that what is happening in Palmyra is an embarrassment.
After liberation and massive PR stunt, concert,etc…Palmyra has fallen back in hands of terrorists in a couple of days. I guess this is another judo move or chess game. Call it what you want but it is an embarrassment in my eyes.
No its what happens in war–which is not the nice orderly progression towards victory that Hollywood portrays–its often two steps forward and one step back with no guarantee ever of the eventual outcome. A bit like life really.
In the last 15 years the US has brought Brazil to heel, crushed Venuzuela, broken the rise of Turkey, drowned S Africa’s rise, ripped the head off Libya, Iraq, Afganistan, planted its troops in 46 out of 52 African nations since 2001, locked down W African oil fields under the guise of ebola, with Britain has economically strangled and flooded Europe, drowned Ukraine, sucked a further Lord knows how many nations into NATO, has subjugated Japan, bought off Australia and Canada and ringed China with drones and military, have 3 illegal bases on the Syrian oil fields alone, has ‘persued’ ISIS into 6 new countries etc etc etc. Trump is just about to go for China in a big way.
Russia, over the same period, has lost all E Europe loyalty and has won the Donbas, Crimea and Aleppo.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a butterfly-causes-hurricane moment. But Russia has two pieces on the board. It can’t really go throwing pieces at such an opponent.
And with all the warmongering you list, the US/NATO has fallen into the oldest problem Empires create for themselves… being overextended and dependent on amoral, hated paid puppets/proxies/mercenaries to make that “last grasp” at “world” domination. How much “moar” US$/Euro debt-cash can be conjured into being by central banks? The $200trillion debt the US/NATO carries from all its post-WW2 adventures cannot be kept hidden nor maintained much longer… so we get the “fake news” urgency to incite WW3…
But the 0.001% doesn’t care which side “wins”. All they care about is that the debt they are “owed” is traded in for increased power and control. Making all transactions digital seems to be the latest game, the final puzzle piece in being able to track all human activity and take a piece of each transaction. Mere military/spying and covert gov’t/economic control is not enough it seems.
Russia only has two pieces on the board? THAT is delusional. Russia is working in concert with China, literally billions of rubles/yuan in trade and military cooperation. They have set up an alternative system to the Bretton Woods/World bank/Etc. US$-reserve-currency system. Countries are walking away from US-vassalhood and no longer putting up with “ya got a nice country there, shame somthin’ would happen to it” mafia-style protection blackmail created by US-backed mercenary thugs like Boko Haram. The countries leaders also see graphically how being a “staunch ally” of the US is at best a temporary and dangerous deal with the most evil and duplicitous people on the planet. As psychotic Hillary cackled, “We came, we saw, he died.” Insert dead or deposed leader of your choice… Castro, Erdogan and Assad dodged those bullets, and all leaders where the US/0.001% wants “regime change of else” knows who worked hardest to prevent it. Russia.
So when the 0.01% enabler class begins to shift allegiances as we see, the Empire should recognize their usefulness to the 0.001% is ebbing. Is Trump smart enough to comprehend that Pax Americana will NEVER be allowed full world domination, as the 0.001% now depends on industrial-scale continental wars to ensure power and profits? The US will be goaded by the 0.001% tip the war-debt/bankruptcy scale and the Disaster Capitalism cycle will begin anew. Or Trump can actually negotiate with Russia/China/etc. like the sagacious businessman he claims to be? Or will he also drive the US into bankruptcy like his own businesses… but there is no clever court/accounting machinations sufficient to hide the historic train wreck US economy will be. 1929 and 2008 were picnics by comparison to the impending crash. And the longer they extend and pretend, the worse it gets.
“Obviously it would’ve been impossible without the help of their sponsors from countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States. Such a large number of militants (over four thousand) simply couldn’t have slipped from Mosul to Syria undetected by US military aircraft. Clearly, by halting its operation in the vicinity of Raqqa the US-led international coalition allowed the militants to prepare to move their forces from Mosul to Syria. This entire operation was conducted in accord with the United States and certain powers in the region,” Zanganeh surmised.”
A very interesting (and very troubling) part of that article was this :
“”The European coalition insisted on keeping part of Aleppo under the control of the ‘moderate’ (according to them) opposition, namely Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, in order to impose their country partition plan worked out during the talks in Geneva led by Staffan de Mistura,” he said.”
Has the UN been conniving behind the Syrian government’s back to partition Syria? And did/does the Russian government “know” and secretly agree to that plan. If the answer to those questions is ,yes. Then that is a very serious problem. And if the answer is ,no. Then something quickly needs to be done about that.
Back when Russia entered this war, the question of Syrian partition was discussed. Russia did not rule it out as a possibility and rebuked Assad when he got too gung-ho with claiming Syria would be entirely liberated. At the time that sounded to me like a wise position, given that nobody knew how this war would play out. Caution seemed the best option, loose lips sink ships and all that.
The US is in the process of currently being defeated by its own hubris. That’s not a mistake that Mr Putin or Mr Lavrov will make, but they seem content to allow the US to continue to self-sabotage.
There is a great quote attributed to Napoleon who understood a bit about strategy, though he also committed some fatal howlers out of hubris: ‘Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake’
“I do not rule out that this is just another attempt to rebrand al-Nusra Front and shield it from righteous retaliation,” he said.
“As I have already mentioned, according to our intelligence,…practically all armed opposition groups in eastern Aleppo report to al-Nusra Front. Nusra has some 1,500 militants there, while other groups under its command have up to 6,000 militants,” Lavrov stressed.
“Unfortunately, for more than half a year the talks are being blocked by those who, in violation of the UNSC resolution, put forward ultimatums in the form of an absolute precondition to oust President Assad, which is, certainly, unacceptable, because these demands are not part of the concluded agreements,” Lavrov told reporters.”
Lavrov: Washington Might Be Protecting al-Nusra Front as Tool to Oust Assad
“There is a slew of examples showing that al-Nusra Front somehow evaded the US-led coalition’s actions. There were and are solid reasons to believe it was being protected as the most efficient and combat-capable anti-government force on the ground so that it could be used in future to topple the legitimate leadership of Syria,” Lavrov said.”
So far, trump has followed through with his campaign promise to end american involvement against Syria. In fact he has stated he will not be doing regime changes. Personally, I think this is why the zionazi crazies panicked and have gone to such extreme lengths to prevent him taking office. They realise he won’t be carrying out their particular (and peculiar, to put it mildly) strategy to dominate the planet.
I’m going to speculate that when trump and Putin chatted on the phone, they came to an agreement on Syria which entailed the usa dropping their support for the terrorists there. And the zionazs fully understand what is coming after 20 Jan. This is why they are going all out now to especially provoke Russia into doing things their assets in the USA can use against trump.
The Russians knowing this are holding back to give trump’s domestic enemies as little ammunition as possible. Also by holding back, they continue to further draw out the zionazis and expose their role running these terrorist mercs. As the enemies of trump further expose themselves as terror sponsors, this will strengthen trump domestically to fight off their attacks and perhaps even shut the treasonous sods down and begin prosecuting them.
Remember, Putin is a judo practioner, not a boxer.
Excellent political points re Trump. I had not thought of that. Thank you.
The whole Syrian war has become a fight between a boxer and a Judo wrestler.
It appears the SAA has learnt from the masters when to retreat (absorb the attack) until the opponent’s energy is spent and their forces off balance then strike back hard and fast.
Remember there are no civilians to worry about in Palmyra anymore.
And now the Takfiris are no longer spread out in attacking waves but concentrated in a well-known pocket they have lost the impetus of their ‘blow’ and are exposed to air strikes.
The next step will likely be a blistering air campaign supported by cruise missiles before the SAA waltzes in to clean up any remaining rats who somehow survive. My guess is this will occur when Aleppo is finally rat-free and the last Jihadi there is enjoying his 72 virginians.
The CIA/MOSSAD planners saw an opportunity with the weather and took it, but in doing so they have made a grave mistake and concentrated a large force into a very vulnerable position without any civilians to act as shields. IMHO
This article provides further details about the israeli-american attack. It is quite clear the Americans provided free passage to daesh almost right up to the outskirts of Palmyra.
New ISIS offensive on Palmyra proves terrorists should not be given chance to regroup – Russian MoD
Sorry to say this but lavrov is to blame
War is fought by soldiers not diplomats
Every time lavrov appears things go wrong it is time to retire and get a new policy
The USA is the enemy and should be approached as such
Instead lavrov makes excuses for john Kerry
Kerry manages to con lavrov
Lavrov has got in the way of what is happening on the ground
Bullshit. Lavrov caused the bad weather? Lavrov blew up the telecommunications towers inhibiting SAA communications? Lavrov secretly moved masses of takfiris in from Iraq?
The Russians are playing a clever game. Read Isabella’s post above.
Inevitably, some mistakes are made, sometimes even small strategic blunders. (if that is indeed what this is)
Please bear in mind though, that on a score card of whom has made the by far biggest number of strategic misjudgments and failures in this conflict, the US (and the West in general) are leading by staggering and almost incomprehensible numbers.
I’m not going to repeat the differences in toolboxes and their contents here (Hammer and Nail concept).
US coalition is going to find it hard to have anymore “ceasefires”. Note SAA & Russians pulled out most of the citizens – so they were aware and didn’t want another “Aleppo”/citizens held hostage. US/allies scum bags also chose Palmyra due to artifacts and stop planes attacking…..all planned – but it didn’t divert the victory in Aleppo.
Good analysis–also one needs to be humble enough to admit when one blows it.
So Battle of the Bulge begins in Central Syria? It has always been the strategy of the Islamists in Syria to open up a new front when they lose on an old front.
Why did everyone figured they would just sit around in Raqqa, when the clock is ticking on Jan 20th? And if they start getting eliminated in and around Palmyra, expect the Israelis to do something nasty. ( Trump is their shabbat goy, so they have no worry about him).
Or the US will declare an Independent State of Raqqa with Palmyra as its capital and put in place a no-fly zone while sponsoring the “rebels” for membership in the UN. Ridiculous? Just watch what they are trying to do in the USA interfering in domestic politics openly these days.
40 days is a long time and a traditional time for incubation of a major change.
The takfiris are now densely concentrated a long way from control centers with long supply routes. If the weather holds clear, it will be open season for the Mi-28s.
Now that Allepo is almost 100% liberated and the civillians are emerging to thank the government of Bashar al Assad and curse and denounce the Western- backed terrorists who held them captive, guess what?
The MSM is not interested!
The MSM will have none of it.
They are not interested in hearing these tales of horrors if Moscow and Damascus are not the villians.
So all those who exhibited soooooooo much concern for Allepo’s besieged civillians, like the US, France, the ICRC, Human Rights Watch and numerous UN officials, have all decamped to Palmyra along with the MSM.
The new MSM obsession is now Palmyra: where the heroic, moderate opposition fighters do battle against the evil forces of the “Assad Regime” and the barbarous Russians.
Russia and Damascus must ensure as much as possible, that the civillians of Palmyra are evacuated and then they must deal with the terrorists and their sponsors with unbridled ruthlessness.
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
No more Humanitarian Pauses.
Death and destruction must rain down on the Organ Eaters and their sponsors….
I had stopped seeing this sitreps by SouthFront because since time ago I was finding them quite depressive for the Russian-Syrian side.
For those who ask why the Russians have not bombed Palmyra, perhaps you may take into account that they are trying to preserve this historical site from destruction.
I think it had no point distracting forces from Aleppo since that city is one of the largest main cities in Syria being also a communications nexus, and so, it would have been foolish risking it when everything was indicating that the victory was near.
On how the 4000 ISIS could have arrived in Palmyra in such a few time, well, Palmyra is only about some 600km from Mosul, so you can reach it in less than 5 hours driving through highway, a bit more through the desert.
With all respect to Southfront, this analysis for the failure is quite a failure. Actually they hastiliy mention the Russian command during the blamegame but for whatever they blame the Syrian command they can equally blame (or more!) the Russian command as well.
1. Recon: Apart from some forms of human intelligence (ie. agents), the Syrians have inferior means, and the ISIS invasion got the Russians completely off guard _too_. So if the Syrian command failed in recon, the Russians’ failure was epic.
2. At least one source claims that the US managed to disable the SAA radio communications in Palmyra. Actually this had been done in the past, at least during one offensive of the rebels around Damascus was possible (with temprary gains) in 2013 because the israelis disabled the SAA’s communications, so this claim may well be true. But I’m pretty sure the Russian communications weren’t disabled this time, and there were Russian troops there in adviser and trainer role. And actually the Russians should’ve supplied the Syrians at least some reliable mode of communications, ‘cos this will repeat itself again and again.
3. Regarding fortifications and mining etc.: first of all there were Russians there. We don’t know much about their role but they were supposed to be advisers, trainers, so if mining and fortifications etc. was inferior, at least partly it was them to blame. But more importantly the Syrians _repelled_ the first major wave when they got proper air support, so their defense wasn’t that bad. They only left (in an _orderly_ pullout), when they met a force 4 times theirs. This is anything _but_ a failure of fortifications and defense.
4. The equipment they left behid doesn’t look excessive but I cannot on earth understand why the Russians haven’t bombed it already. At least some equipment was in a tight group, a hastily left checkpoint or service station. It should’ve been bombed into smitherens already.
Now it turned out that the local Russian base has been left almost intact, with ammo + small arms, even credit cards were left behind. Why cannot it be bombed? As for the usual SAA-blaming, this looks increasingly like a Russian mess, sorry.
Second, and last, try to post this ( more or less, since I do not keep record of it since do not find it breaks any rule of moderation ).
I had stopped seeing these sitreps by SouthFront because I was finding them a bit depressing for the Russian-Syrian side.
For all those asking why Russia has not bombed Palmyra I would remember that they are trying to preserve this unique historical site.
For all those asking why the Syrian Army have not distributed themselves between Aleppo and Palmyra, well, I think it would have not had sense risking the already almost secure victory in Aleppo, one of the main largest city in Syria and a comunications nexus to the risk of losing both.
For all those asking how is that 4000 ISIS assets have planted themselves suddenly in Palmyra, I would remember that Mosul is only about 600km from Palmyra, what means scarce 5 hours driving through a highway and only a bit more through the desert.
This time Konashenkov has said really stupid stuff. Where was the Russian intelligence (satellites, drones, planes…)? It’ s rather not very diffiicult to notice thousands of terrorists driving with tanks, cars through a desert
But perhaps Mr Kerry friend – Mr Lavrov have agreed with him that the Russian aviation won’t be active east of Palmyra. This would explain the loss of Palmyra and the total “free hands” of Americans in that area.
I had stopped seeing this sitreps by SouthFront because i was finding them a bit depressing for the Russian-Syrian side.
For all those asking why Russia has not bombed Palmyra I would remember that they are trying to preserve this unique historical site.
For all those asking why the Syrian Army have not distributed themselves between Aleppo and Palmyra, well, I think it would have not had sense risking the already almost secure victory in Aleppo, one of the main largest city in Syria and a comunications nexus to the risk of losing both.
For all those asking how is that 4000 ISIS assets have planted themselves suddenly in Palmyra, I would remember that Mosul is only about 600km from Palmyra, what means scarce 5 hours driving through a highway and only a bit more through the desert.
@Mod: May I know what have happened to my comment posted a few times already? I have posted them all elsi. I’m sorry for the delay – but something cropped up for me at home, and I was a little while getting back.
PS
Well, sorry, but I was seeing the comment by Kent above published, which, as you can see has been posted after mine already published, as well as some others by him at least an hour before mine while mine does not appear. Of course, if one is following the feed of comments this is a bit confusing.
Added to that the numerous comments of mine lost, you can understand, I guess.
Of course, you do not need to publish the three versions of the same comment.
Thanks anyway, you do not need to apologize for being late.
“Syrian Kurds currently leading the charge against Daesh in Raqqa will receive assistance in the form of a detachment of an additional 200 US troops, supplementing the 300 American soldiers already in place, to train, advise, organize, and recruit local Syrian forces against the jihadists.
Turkey’s behavior caused the US to cut air support to Ankara forces inside of Syria, amidst fears of clashes between the two nations, alongside concerns that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad would send resources north — with help from Moscow.”
The pindo views in the article are their usual zio-gay propaganda, but there does seem to be a real fear of getting caught up in a turk vs kurd shooting match and having those sacred, exceptional american bois body bagged by turks. Also, the americans speaking are lumping the turks with Syria and Russia, IE: the sods appear to think the turks have changed over to “the dark side”.
“One doesn’t need to be a genius to guess why the US-led coalition, which has very powerful surveillance tools, failed to pick up the 4,000 ISIS jihadists making their way to Palmyra, says Peter Ford, the former UK ambassador to Syria…”
Firstly, congratulations to Syria and Russia on their success in the campaign in Aleppo. Pity about the skirmish in Palmyra though, but it is only a skirmish.
Then taken from Sun Tzu’s translation by Thomas Cleary “So there are three ways in which a civil leadership causes the military trouble. When a civil leadership unaware of the facts tells its armies to advance when is should not, or retreat when it should not, this is called tying up the armies. When the civil leadership is ignorant of military affairs but shares equally in the government of the armies, the soldiers get confused. When the civil leadership is ignorant of military manoeuvres but shares equally in the command of the armies, the soldiers hesitate. Once the armies are confused and hesitant, trouble comes from competitors. This is called taking away victory by deranging the military.”
While Putin and Lavrov are clearly deranging the military a little bit in both Ukraine and Syria, and taking away victory, it can be argued that both regions are essentially political campaigns with a slight military component, rather than outright military campaigns. Therefore the politics of the situation take precedence over the military aspects.
So the military has to wait until the war reaches Russian soil proper before they can do as they want to do, which is simply the good old tried and trusted “advance to contact, kill or be killed” or something along those lines. Always keep it simple stupid!
There is a detailed account of what happened at Palmya (in Arabic unfortunately). It seems to refer to the use of tanks to carry VBIEDs with a damage radius of 400 meters. It also seems to refer to Russian satellite information. I am not convinced of the accuracy of the description given the translation was done by machine.
Some additional info.
Syrian Army Regroups Around Palmyra After ‘Coordinated Attack From Daesh & CIA’
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048465592-syria-army-palmyra-intelligence/
“They are fighting using what they call the strategy of ‘hornets.’ In the beginning of their attacks, they send a small number of militants to attack army sites or cities, etc. After that, they come in waves, wave after wave until they capture the city or get what they want.”
“Everybody heard that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are planning to attack Raqqa, and there were some meetings between the Americans and the SDF to arrange for that attack.”
“Suddenly, all the plans to attack Raqqa have been stopped, and ISIS (Daesh) has been given the green light to attack Palmyra. Somebody in American or regional military intelligence told them that Raqqa shouldn’t be attacked. This allowed the terrorist group to send a vast number, 4,000 – 5,000 militants, and hundreds of tanks to attack Palmyra.”
“This couldn’t have happened before, everybody knows that the airplanes of the US coalition are close to Raqqa and there is reconnaissance and surveillance etc. How ISIS (Daesh) could escape all of that, I am sure there is a kind of co-ordination between ISIS (Daesh) and the CIA and other regional intelligence services,” Ibrahim said.”
A month or so ago ,there were many stories about the US pushing 9,000 terrorists from Mosul in Iraq into Syria. I think we know now,those stories were true.They are now in Syria,they weren’t intercepted by Russian airstrikes as many people advised. So now they, and the regular in Syria already terrorists need to be destroyed.The failure to prevent the terrorists from getting into Syria,was bad enough.But once they got in,the failure to destroy them until now is inexcusable.Heads need to roll in both the Syrian and Russian military involved it that fiasco.And if it comes out that this was the result of “another” idiotic deal made with the US. Then prison terms or the firing squad needs to be the fate of those “deal makers”. Too many people in Syria have been killed over these years for “mistakes” like that to be forgiven or overlooked.
I just read an article on the Duran by Alexander Mercouris that echo’s what I posted. It seems the Russian military is very upset with those attempts to “deal” with the US. And is even making their displeasure known:
“The Russian military has in fact made perfectly clear that it places the major blame for the fall of Palmyra on something quite different: the prolongation of the siege of Aleppo as a result of the repeated ‘humanitarian pauses’, which left the Syrian army defending Palmyra dangerously short of troops, and with those who were there of lesser quality.
Since the ‘humanitarian pauses’ in Aleppo were imposed on the Syrian and Russian militaries as a result of Russia’s diplomatic strategy, blaming them for the fall of Palmyra is an implicit criticism by the Russian military of the political strategy of Russia’s political leadership.
General Konashenkov all but said as much, though as a serving officer he chose his words very carefully when he did so
“This attack has once again demonstrated that terrorists should not have the smallest chance to take a break, for they always take advantage of such respites to regroup and then carry out a sudden attack.”
Konashenkov of course knows that ISIS has never been given a “break’, whether by the Russians or by the Syrians. His words about “terrorists not being given the smallest chance to take a break” were therefore clearly intended to refer to the repeated ‘humanitarian pauses’ in the fighting in Aleppo.
Where Konashenkov as a serving soldier has been forced to be diplomatic, General Yury Baluyevsky, a former Chief of Staff who is now retired, and who is by all accounts someone who is very much a soldiers’ soldier, was a great deal more forthright
“I understand it is necessary to ensure the safety of the population… But when these pauses last three weeks, and these militants – who are up to their elbows in blood – can restore their strength and are allowed to keep their personal weapons – well, that I don’t understand.”
This obviously refers to the ‘humanitarian pauses’ which have repeatedly taken place in Aleppo, and specifically the very prolonged one that took place in October and November.
This is not the first time that the Russian military has made know its disagreement with the political and diplomatic strategy President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov have been following in Aleppo. Back at the end of October there was a curious public spat between the Russian military and Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, during which it emerged that President Putin had refused the Russian military’s public request to resume bombing in Aleppo, which he had put on hold in order to allow for a ‘humanitarian pause’.”
http://theduran.com/furious-russian-military-blame-us-humanitarian-pauses-fall-palmyra/
You have raised so many interesting questions.
I have been clutching at straws to understand how and why all those ‘pauses’ were allowed.
The bad example of the ‘pauses’ in Ukraine being used to rearm and regroup are fresh in our faces.
The ‘straw’ I have clutched is that it was all a ruse to gather the CIA/USSD headchoppers into a Palmyra ‘cauldron’ for final annihilation. Palmyra is destroyed anyway. The restoration there needs to be from the ground up, so what if the policy that Russia would not bomb Palmyra from the air was a feint?
They will bomb Palmyra and give the USA the ‘barbaric Russians’ card while destroying some of their last assets in Syria?
If so, it will be the greatest military success since Cannae or Debaltsevo.
I would love to hear what you think.
I’d like to believe that,but I don’t. I think what the Duran said is right. I do believe that Syrian and Russian forces will win,and take back the city. But I think serious errors were made in agreeing with the US for those “pauses”,that benefited the terrorists and their Western supporters.It frankly boils down to what I’ve talked about before (the schism in Russia). Between those that want to make deals with the West. And those that realize that deals with the West can’t be made. Unless they are deals that favor the West,and disfavor Russia.Anytime the West (in particular the US) offers a “deal”.The “first” thing Russians need to do,is check their back for knives sticking out of it.
Thank you. Yes, you are right, Russia has always had its betrayers and fifth-columnnists.
Just as the USA has its Zionist dual-citizens and their allied, subverted liberals and conservatives.
It is hard sometimes to have to realize that President Putin is not some (evil) superman, as CIANN would have people believe, but just a talented mortal with a superhuman task before him.
Very true. I think that if Putin had not assumed office in Russia. The World domination the US works for would have come about. That is the main (maybe only) reason the US elites hate him so.Though as you said he is not a “Superman”. It seems so,because of the numbers of “Lex Luther’s” in the West running those countries.
There is obviously a schism in Russia. But who are those that want to make deals with the West (that favor the West and disfavor Russia)? Form the deals made so far it is Lavrov and Putin. No one else. I wonder on whose side those two are or are they trying to sit on two chairs. Are they still harboring the insane idea of becoming invited to the club?
R
It’s the time for the Russian to ask the question:
Who are You Mr. Putin?
While the “humanitarian pauses” do come at significant cost to SAA and Russian positions, they are useful diplomatic tools to show the world that the US/NATO/Saudi/Israeli-backed “moderate terrorists” are in fact just terrorists, which are justifiably not to be spared in any future military actions or even during local pauses. The humanitarian Iraq and Syrian policy of allowing “former moderate terrorists” to leave large cities for parts unknown on a promise not to fight for ISIS-etc. again will probably also soon end, as they just keep getting re-armed and re-deployed by the US-backed anti-Assad/pro-ME-balkanization consortium. But this deliberate US-policy had to be demonstrated beyond any doubt.
To this point, Syrian and Russian air support has concentrated on precision strikes, to avoid “civilian” casualties, given the inflated numbers floated in the US/NATO MSM. As the main cities are liberated from the US military (sorry, “ISIS”), logic dictates the only “civilians” who moved with the “moderate terrorists” are the families or supporters of ISIS… so more generalized bombing can occur where the US tells their “moderate terrorists” to congregate. It was OK to do to Saddam’s army forces and camp followers leaving Kuwait, so why niot against proven terrorists and their supporters? It may be that eastern Syria will be liberated by completely wiping some small high%-terrorist enclaves off the map. Funny how a population will stop hiding terrorists among them when those terrorists are the ones attracting certain death and destruction for no discernible gain.
The mapping presented doesn’t seem to lend itself to a deliberate “drawing of ISIS into a caldron” attempt, quite the opposite. It appears ISIS was trying to trap Syrian forces. Given most of the Palmyra citizens have been evacuated, the US “moderate terrorists” may find the hardware and land gained will be of little use if Syria/Russia decides enough is enough.
The trouble with the ‘showing the world’ excuse is that the whole world knows how evil the West is, except the West. Since their media does not carry any of these diplomatic and clever machinations by Lavrov, why bother with them at all? Are the lost lives and materiel really worth it if the old riddle: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, did it really fall?” prevails by the simple act of CIANN not reporting the news?
As the defeat of Hillary Clinton shows, even the 0.001% can be convinced to pull unquestioning support IF the trail of deceit and destruction via the US military/covert/economic war machine becomes impossible to hide even from the US/NATO public. The 0.001% depend on remaining cloaked to allow free exercise of their greedy agenda… if the US Tea Party/survivalist crowd figures out they are paying taxes to further the Rothchild’s hidden empire, the civil war will be ON in the US…
I think that Russia is showing restraint in order to contain this war and not allow it to escalate too quickly into a wider conflict. The loss of Aleppo is a major blow to the US plans for the ME, on which their future grip on hegemony depends. They are cornered and desperate and need careful handling, like any enraged and cornered creature, to minimise a greater bloodbath.
Exactly. Strategically, policy-wise, Putin is playing 5-level Star Trek chess and the US/NATO is playing a brutal version of tiddly winks. Unfortunately people die and societies are destroyed as the US refuses to comprehend it’s place in the world.
Again – making criticisms and assessments we must never lose sight of the fact that we are woefully ill informed. We have no Diplomatic, Military, Agencies Intel – Putin and Lavrov do. We have no idea what other issues they know Russia was under threat from by America. We cannot lose sight of the fact that this is NOT some petty civil war, it is NOT ISIS alone against Russia, – it is Russia on it’s own against all of America’s might and leverage.
Putin’s first job, first, foremost and above all else, is to ensure the safety of Russia and her people. He has to incorporate this into every foreign action.
So far Putin’s cautious chess playing judo moves have been successful. Slowly, slowly, but surely, like trying to turn the Titanic around in a gale, Russia is winning hearts and minds, gaining allies, gaining markets, strengthening her home security in all spheres – and helping Syria hold her ground.
Putin may well have seen this as a possible, knowing the Americans as he does, once they started liberating ISIS from Mosul – which is all they have done – and had to wait and see, and hold his hand.
Whatever, it’s likely to short lived and hopefully there will be 5000 less ISIS head chopping demons left at the end.
Clever Lady you are indeed. I Salute you.
Like speaking out of my own mind.
You have studied “The art of War”?
Take Care
Kent
Thank you Kent.
I’ve read The Art of War – I have downloaded copy on a currently “off sick” PC.
I’ve also read histories, – some of WWII and Churchill’s policies, the many many things people were never told. Like the fact he knew Coventry was going to be bombed, and did nothing to alert the citizens. Why? Because he had “5th columnists” pushing him to work for Germany, a sort of equivalent to the daft things I see written here? No — because the only way they could have known was by de-crypting The Enigma Machine, and Germany would have known they were able to de-crypt it. They had to save the information they got from it for uses which didn’t point back to where the info came from
I also read this from V. Putin’s Autobiography about his early days as PM in 1999 and his plans to fight the Chechnian terrorists ” The first thing I had to do was over-come the disarray among the ministries. The army didn’t understand what the Interior Ministry was doing, and the FSB was criticising everyone and not taking responsibility for a single thing. We had to become one team, one single organism, Only then would we be successful. ”
He took all this on his own shoulders.
I can just hear now, the typical “western armchair warriors” of back then, considering Chechnya.
“Putin needs to kick out the 5th columnists;, he needs to realise he had to get rid of the Chechnyan bandits; Putin needs to do this, that the other.”
He had information no one from outside could see. And he knew exactly what he had to do – and he couldn’t explain it to anyone outside either.
I wish people could see this more often.
I published “The Art of War” a while back as an online publication. Has it’s own search engine upper right.
Made in Flash, IPAD’s and most smartphones cannot display this. Most computers can.
I will eventually publish it in html5, in order for easier access for all devices.
Enjoy.
http://fotovision.no/PublicationsNew/ArtofWar/
Take Care
Kent
Anyone can read the Art of War. To fully understand the Art of War one must first read and understand the Dao De Ching. To understand the Dao takes a lifetime of study.
The best copies of the Art have the annotated comments of the greatest Chinese strategists and even they interpret the works differently.
The Art of War – Sun Tzu was on line for a long time ago.
You can download all the book 160 pages in PDF at:
http://www.puppetpress.com/classics/ArtofWarbySunTzu.pdf
Or, if you do not have time to read all 160 pages, then you can get a shorten version of 38 pages PDF at:
http://www.artofwarsuntzu.com/Art%20of%20War%20PDF.pdf
No mater that I was exposed to this book since 1970, many thins have changed, and now we are dealing with a new situation based on an invisible entity of money power and Invisible armies, of money power with unlimited, capitals, weaponry and manpower.
On 1990 in the Eastern Europe strange things happens. Looks like we were living in Unreal Times. I asked a friend of mine “what is going on”. He answered do not worry. This is a very detailed plan sitting on the shelf for a long time, and now it is the right time to execute it.
It took two more years, and I found much information that was hard to Understand.
First a friend of mine borrowed me a book.
“En Route to Global Occupation”
Book by Gary Kah
And this book directed me at Club of Rome:
http://www2.ministries-online.org/biometrics/rome.html
In 1973, the Club of Rome released a report entitled “Limits to Growth”, which dealt with the problem of overpopulation.
So the plan was sitting on the shelf for more than 10 years, and was executed on 1990, and is going on non-stop.
The Global Elite is very concerned, because they know that our planet is very sick, and humankind is getting out of control, with very dangerous consequences after 2030.
And what they know is “The Limits to Growth”
You can download all the book 211 pages PDF at:
http://www.donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Limits-to-Growth-digital-scan-version.pdf
I cannot see a problem for Russia, because the have scarce population, but if something would happen the China and India would be in the “Chopping Wood”.
You ought also – if you have not – to read the classics to understand the other side – the model of UK US imperialism. Tacitus’ Agricola and Germania and Heroditus history of the greek and persian war. The game play and fundamental pillars of western foreign policy and tactics are built from these. A few name changes and passages in these easily read like a script for today.
We do not have intel, although some do, but it looks like general Konashenkov does not have intel either. Isn’t this strange? Or he does and made correct analysis and plans but was not listened to.
R
Konashenkov may have had all the intel, he may also have had some on a need to know basis.
He doesn’t sit on the Security Council I think – pretty sure – so he wont have it all.
Bob, and everyone else criticising inaction by Russia. Calm down.
The bomb that Russia and syria must not set off before the end of Obama is the prospect of hitting a US plane or asset and widening the war. Follows thus:
ISIS etc are the US’s mercenaries. Everybody has known that from the outset. They have been using retarded Saudi inbreds like this for decades.
US assets lie right along side them in support, as in the bloodbath of friendly fire against the Iraqis in Mosul and in every other way imaginable.
Every western government, shill and institution is calling for intervention in Syria. They need a 1st rate justification. You want to hear them on the BBC today laying the public groundwork for exactly this.
Palmyra etc are taunts. Gauntlets thrown down. No more or less.
If Russia and SDF pick up the revolvers that the US repeatedly throw at their feet, they will get shot in the back of the head.
This is above all a tactical game of one rook and a queen against half a field. Small, well worked tactical victories and avoiding traps is the order of the day. Not fighting every inch of a chess board all the time.
More than the small tactical gain of Aleppo, the west fears Russia’s ability to play to win with almost no pieces.
Not for one minute do I think the Russians are thumping themselves in the leg and shouting ‘darn those humanitarian corridors, we darn gawn lost Palymira agin cos of them’. The risk after the UN convoy false flag in Aleppo was an international declaration of a US no fly zone and forced ceasefire. The US nearly got it too, and it would have been game over Syria. The queen was forced back into her trenches, but has come out and taken a knight, and its rook is only in a temporary fix. No drama.
So, calm down.
Would appear the ‘gates were opened in Mosul ‘ to allow the Jihadis a road into Syria. The Jihadis are now in limbo, between Russia/Syrian forces and wide open desert. They were driven out before, this time they are ripe for a Russian style cauldron and will be eliminated.
Maybe this is not a withdrawal of Syrian forces, but a trap, that ISIS walked into.
The question is why would they go and attack Palmyra in such force? The answer is to take away world’s attention from almost liberated Aleppo. This is just another step by US in their way of waging hybrid wars against Russia. And I agree with comments above from Bob, Russian military have every right to be angry with its government negotiating with US and allowing terrorists to regroup during those ‘humanitarian breaks’. Aleppo could be liberated weeks ago and thousands of SAA and allies forces should be already deployed elsewhere is Syria if not for those ‘humanitarian breaks’.
No one else is to blame but Russian leaders.
Sure, if the Russians wanted to bomb Aleppo flat. The US would then bring on total economic sanctions for ‘war crimes’ which we saw being set up a while back. That would mean destruction of the RUssian economy, a total end to Russian operations in Syrian and allow the Ukrainians to go full on against the Novorossian as ‘agents of the Russian war criminal state’.
Geez, the armchair generals are so keen for Russia to do exactly what the US wants it to do. God help Russia if these dimwits get into power.
A 11:33
“Geez, the armchair generals are so keen for Russia to do exactly what the US wants it to do. God help Russia if these dimwits get into power.”
Well, I doubt any of them live in Russia, so a slim chance of the latter. ; The former, yeah, its tedious. Also its amazing how many people after reading some articles and looking at a google map of the region can know so much about how to proceed in a military campaign.
Thank you for some words of common sense.
It still amazes me that Americans can only see the world through American lenses.
As you say, doing what these “armchair generals” are advocating would be to behave exactly as America behaves. And doing that would get Russia destroyed.
Russia has to run her own race, make her own rules, and do what suits her. That way – she wins.
Thankfully these armchair generals fade away eventually – they never do get to put their damn fool ideas into practice, for which we should be grateful.
Good on you Isabella,
Contrary to what most people believe, common sense is not “the most fairly distributed thing in the world”.
I want to believe that your antipodean journeys have somehow contributed to make you an exception.
well even ‘Armchairs generals’ can see that what is happening in Palmyra is an embarrassment.
After liberation and massive PR stunt, concert,etc…Palmyra has fallen back in hands of terrorists in a couple of days. I guess this is another judo move or chess game. Call it what you want but it is an embarrassment in my eyes.
No its what happens in war–which is not the nice orderly progression towards victory that Hollywood portrays–its often two steps forward and one step back with no guarantee ever of the eventual outcome. A bit like life really.
In the last 15 years the US has brought Brazil to heel, crushed Venuzuela, broken the rise of Turkey, drowned S Africa’s rise, ripped the head off Libya, Iraq, Afganistan, planted its troops in 46 out of 52 African nations since 2001, locked down W African oil fields under the guise of ebola, with Britain has economically strangled and flooded Europe, drowned Ukraine, sucked a further Lord knows how many nations into NATO, has subjugated Japan, bought off Australia and Canada and ringed China with drones and military, have 3 illegal bases on the Syrian oil fields alone, has ‘persued’ ISIS into 6 new countries etc etc etc. Trump is just about to go for China in a big way.
Russia, over the same period, has lost all E Europe loyalty and has won the Donbas, Crimea and Aleppo.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a butterfly-causes-hurricane moment. But Russia has two pieces on the board. It can’t really go throwing pieces at such an opponent.
And with all the warmongering you list, the US/NATO has fallen into the oldest problem Empires create for themselves… being overextended and dependent on amoral, hated paid puppets/proxies/mercenaries to make that “last grasp” at “world” domination. How much “moar” US$/Euro debt-cash can be conjured into being by central banks? The $200trillion debt the US/NATO carries from all its post-WW2 adventures cannot be kept hidden nor maintained much longer… so we get the “fake news” urgency to incite WW3…
But the 0.001% doesn’t care which side “wins”. All they care about is that the debt they are “owed” is traded in for increased power and control. Making all transactions digital seems to be the latest game, the final puzzle piece in being able to track all human activity and take a piece of each transaction. Mere military/spying and covert gov’t/economic control is not enough it seems.
Russia only has two pieces on the board? THAT is delusional. Russia is working in concert with China, literally billions of rubles/yuan in trade and military cooperation. They have set up an alternative system to the Bretton Woods/World bank/Etc. US$-reserve-currency system. Countries are walking away from US-vassalhood and no longer putting up with “ya got a nice country there, shame somthin’ would happen to it” mafia-style protection blackmail created by US-backed mercenary thugs like Boko Haram. The countries leaders also see graphically how being a “staunch ally” of the US is at best a temporary and dangerous deal with the most evil and duplicitous people on the planet. As psychotic Hillary cackled, “We came, we saw, he died.” Insert dead or deposed leader of your choice… Castro, Erdogan and Assad dodged those bullets, and all leaders where the US/0.001% wants “regime change of else” knows who worked hardest to prevent it. Russia.
So when the 0.01% enabler class begins to shift allegiances as we see, the Empire should recognize their usefulness to the 0.001% is ebbing. Is Trump smart enough to comprehend that Pax Americana will NEVER be allowed full world domination, as the 0.001% now depends on industrial-scale continental wars to ensure power and profits? The US will be goaded by the 0.001% tip the war-debt/bankruptcy scale and the Disaster Capitalism cycle will begin anew. Or Trump can actually negotiate with Russia/China/etc. like the sagacious businessman he claims to be? Or will he also drive the US into bankruptcy like his own businesses… but there is no clever court/accounting machinations sufficient to hide the historic train wreck US economy will be. 1929 and 2008 were picnics by comparison to the impending crash. And the longer they extend and pretend, the worse it gets.
Bitter Lessons: The True Sponsors of Daesh’s Latest Assault on Palmyra
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048475496-palmyra-offensive-troop-movements/
“Obviously it would’ve been impossible without the help of their sponsors from countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States. Such a large number of militants (over four thousand) simply couldn’t have slipped from Mosul to Syria undetected by US military aircraft. Clearly, by halting its operation in the vicinity of Raqqa the US-led international coalition allowed the militants to prepare to move their forces from Mosul to Syria. This entire operation was conducted in accord with the United States and certain powers in the region,” Zanganeh surmised.”
A very interesting (and very troubling) part of that article was this :
“”The European coalition insisted on keeping part of Aleppo under the control of the ‘moderate’ (according to them) opposition, namely Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, in order to impose their country partition plan worked out during the talks in Geneva led by Staffan de Mistura,” he said.”
Has the UN been conniving behind the Syrian government’s back to partition Syria? And did/does the Russian government “know” and secretly agree to that plan. If the answer to those questions is ,yes. Then that is a very serious problem. And if the answer is ,no. Then something quickly needs to be done about that.
Uncle Bob 1,
Back when Russia entered this war, the question of Syrian partition was discussed. Russia did not rule it out as a possibility and rebuked Assad when he got too gung-ho with claiming Syria would be entirely liberated. At the time that sounded to me like a wise position, given that nobody knew how this war would play out. Caution seemed the best option, loose lips sink ships and all that.
The US is in the process of currently being defeated by its own hubris. That’s not a mistake that Mr Putin or Mr Lavrov will make, but they seem content to allow the US to continue to self-sabotage.
There is a great quote attributed to Napoleon who understood a bit about strategy, though he also committed some fatal howlers out of hubris: ‘Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake’
Lavrov: Creation of ‘Army of Aleppo’ Could Just Be Rebranding of al-Nusra Front
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612021048098576-army-of-aleppo-nusra-front/
“I do not rule out that this is just another attempt to rebrand al-Nusra Front and shield it from righteous retaliation,” he said.
“As I have already mentioned, according to our intelligence,…practically all armed opposition groups in eastern Aleppo report to al-Nusra Front. Nusra has some 1,500 militants there, while other groups under its command have up to 6,000 militants,” Lavrov stressed.
“Unfortunately, for more than half a year the talks are being blocked by those who, in violation of the UNSC resolution, put forward ultimatums in the form of an absolute precondition to oust President Assad, which is, certainly, unacceptable, because these demands are not part of the concluded agreements,” Lavrov told reporters.”
Lavrov: Washington Might Be Protecting al-Nusra Front as Tool to Oust Assad
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612121048471590-lavrov-us-nusra-front-assad/
“There is a slew of examples showing that al-Nusra Front somehow evaded the US-led coalition’s actions. There were and are solid reasons to believe it was being protected as the most efficient and combat-capable anti-government force on the ground so that it could be used in future to topple the legitimate leadership of Syria,” Lavrov said.”
So far, trump has followed through with his campaign promise to end american involvement against Syria. In fact he has stated he will not be doing regime changes. Personally, I think this is why the zionazi crazies panicked and have gone to such extreme lengths to prevent him taking office. They realise he won’t be carrying out their particular (and peculiar, to put it mildly) strategy to dominate the planet.
I’m going to speculate that when trump and Putin chatted on the phone, they came to an agreement on Syria which entailed the usa dropping their support for the terrorists there. And the zionazs fully understand what is coming after 20 Jan. This is why they are going all out now to especially provoke Russia into doing things their assets in the USA can use against trump.
The Russians knowing this are holding back to give trump’s domestic enemies as little ammunition as possible. Also by holding back, they continue to further draw out the zionazis and expose their role running these terrorist mercs. As the enemies of trump further expose themselves as terror sponsors, this will strengthen trump domestically to fight off their attacks and perhaps even shut the treasonous sods down and begin prosecuting them.
Remember, Putin is a judo practioner, not a boxer.
Excellent political points re Trump. I had not thought of that. Thank you.
The whole Syrian war has become a fight between a boxer and a Judo wrestler.
It appears the SAA has learnt from the masters when to retreat (absorb the attack) until the opponent’s energy is spent and their forces off balance then strike back hard and fast.
Remember there are no civilians to worry about in Palmyra anymore.
And now the Takfiris are no longer spread out in attacking waves but concentrated in a well-known pocket they have lost the impetus of their ‘blow’ and are exposed to air strikes.
The next step will likely be a blistering air campaign supported by cruise missiles before the SAA waltzes in to clean up any remaining rats who somehow survive. My guess is this will occur when Aleppo is finally rat-free and the last Jihadi there is enjoying his 72 virginians.
The CIA/MOSSAD planners saw an opportunity with the weather and took it, but in doing so they have made a grave mistake and concentrated a large force into a very vulnerable position without any civilians to act as shields. IMHO
This article provides further details about the israeli-american attack. It is quite clear the Americans provided free passage to daesh almost right up to the outskirts of Palmyra.
New ISIS offensive on Palmyra proves terrorists should not be given chance to regroup – Russian MoD
https://www.rt.com/news/370019-isis-palmyra-new-offensive/
Sorry to say this but lavrov is to blame
War is fought by soldiers not diplomats
Every time lavrov appears things go wrong it is time to retire and get a new policy
The USA is the enemy and should be approached as such
Instead lavrov makes excuses for john Kerry
Kerry manages to con lavrov
Lavrov has got in the way of what is happening on the ground
Bullshit. Lavrov caused the bad weather? Lavrov blew up the telecommunications towers inhibiting SAA communications? Lavrov secretly moved masses of takfiris in from Iraq?
“Kerry manages to con lavrov”
Give me a break, not in a million years.
The Russians are playing a clever game. Read Isabella’s post above.
Inevitably, some mistakes are made, sometimes even small strategic blunders. (if that is indeed what this is)
Please bear in mind though, that on a score card of whom has made the by far biggest number of strategic misjudgments and failures in this conflict, the US (and the West in general) are leading by staggering and almost incomprehensible numbers.
I’m not going to repeat the differences in toolboxes and their contents here (Hammer and Nail concept).
Take Care
Kent
Aleppo is won – SAA declares victory:
https://sputniknews.com/world/201612121048476601-syria-army-calls-victory-aleppo/
In regard to @ James Lake at 9.43pm
Here is what Lavrov had to say – maybe all these pauses were to smoke out the truth and show it to the world.
https://www.rt.com/news/370074-palymra-offensive-aleppo-respite-lavrov/
US coalition is going to find it hard to have anymore “ceasefires”. Note SAA & Russians pulled out most of the citizens – so they were aware and didn’t want another “Aleppo”/citizens held hostage. US/allies scum bags also chose Palmyra due to artifacts and stop planes attacking…..all planned – but it didn’t divert the victory in Aleppo.
Photo essay on the liberation of Aleppo from Colonel Cassad. It’s party time in Aleppo tonight.
https://z5h64q92x9.net/proxy_u/ru-en.en/colonelcassad.livejournal.com/3124394.html
Good analysis–also one needs to be humble enough to admit when one blows it.
So Battle of the Bulge begins in Central Syria? It has always been the strategy of the Islamists in Syria to open up a new front when they lose on an old front.
Why did everyone figured they would just sit around in Raqqa, when the clock is ticking on Jan 20th? And if they start getting eliminated in and around Palmyra, expect the Israelis to do something nasty. ( Trump is their shabbat goy, so they have no worry about him).
Or the US will declare an Independent State of Raqqa with Palmyra as its capital and put in place a no-fly zone while sponsoring the “rebels” for membership in the UN. Ridiculous? Just watch what they are trying to do in the USA interfering in domestic politics openly these days.
40 days is a long time and a traditional time for incubation of a major change.
The takfiris are now densely concentrated a long way from control centers with long supply routes. If the weather holds clear, it will be open season for the Mi-28s.
Now that Allepo is almost 100% liberated and the civillians are emerging to thank the government of Bashar al Assad and curse and denounce the Western- backed terrorists who held them captive, guess what?
The MSM is not interested!
The MSM will have none of it.
They are not interested in hearing these tales of horrors if Moscow and Damascus are not the villians.
So all those who exhibited soooooooo much concern for Allepo’s besieged civillians, like the US, France, the ICRC, Human Rights Watch and numerous UN officials, have all decamped to Palmyra along with the MSM.
The new MSM obsession is now Palmyra: where the heroic, moderate opposition fighters do battle against the evil forces of the “Assad Regime” and the barbarous Russians.
Russia and Damascus must ensure as much as possible, that the civillians of Palmyra are evacuated and then they must deal with the terrorists and their sponsors with unbridled ruthlessness.
No more Mr. Nice Guy.
No more Humanitarian Pauses.
Death and destruction must rain down on the Organ Eaters and their sponsors….
I had stopped seeing this sitreps by SouthFront because since time ago I was finding them quite depressive for the Russian-Syrian side.
For those who ask why the Russians have not bombed Palmyra, perhaps you may take into account that they are trying to preserve this historical site from destruction.
I think it had no point distracting forces from Aleppo since that city is one of the largest main cities in Syria being also a communications nexus, and so, it would have been foolish risking it when everything was indicating that the victory was near.
On how the 4000 ISIS could have arrived in Palmyra in such a few time, well, Palmyra is only about some 600km from Mosul, so you can reach it in less than 5 hours driving through highway, a bit more through the desert.
With all respect to Southfront, this analysis for the failure is quite a failure. Actually they hastiliy mention the Russian command during the blamegame but for whatever they blame the Syrian command they can equally blame (or more!) the Russian command as well.
1. Recon: Apart from some forms of human intelligence (ie. agents), the Syrians have inferior means, and the ISIS invasion got the Russians completely off guard _too_. So if the Syrian command failed in recon, the Russians’ failure was epic.
2. At least one source claims that the US managed to disable the SAA radio communications in Palmyra. Actually this had been done in the past, at least during one offensive of the rebels around Damascus was possible (with temprary gains) in 2013 because the israelis disabled the SAA’s communications, so this claim may well be true. But I’m pretty sure the Russian communications weren’t disabled this time, and there were Russian troops there in adviser and trainer role. And actually the Russians should’ve supplied the Syrians at least some reliable mode of communications, ‘cos this will repeat itself again and again.
3. Regarding fortifications and mining etc.: first of all there were Russians there. We don’t know much about their role but they were supposed to be advisers, trainers, so if mining and fortifications etc. was inferior, at least partly it was them to blame. But more importantly the Syrians _repelled_ the first major wave when they got proper air support, so their defense wasn’t that bad. They only left (in an _orderly_ pullout), when they met a force 4 times theirs. This is anything _but_ a failure of fortifications and defense.
4. The equipment they left behid doesn’t look excessive but I cannot on earth understand why the Russians haven’t bombed it already. At least some equipment was in a tight group, a hastily left checkpoint or service station. It should’ve been bombed into smitherens already.
The report sounds like ‘Black propaganda’.
Now it turned out that the local Russian base has been left almost intact, with ammo + small arms, even credit cards were left behind. Why cannot it be bombed? As for the usual SAA-blaming, this looks increasingly like a Russian mess, sorry.
Saker, could you please comment on this aspect?
I have posted celebration pictures and and Videos from Aleppo today on this thread.
/moveable-feast-cafe-2016-12-12/#comment-303229
Take Care
Kent
Second, and last, try to post this ( more or less, since I do not keep record of it since do not find it breaks any rule of moderation ).
I had stopped seeing these sitreps by SouthFront because I was finding them a bit depressing for the Russian-Syrian side.
For all those asking why Russia has not bombed Palmyra I would remember that they are trying to preserve this unique historical site.
For all those asking why the Syrian Army have not distributed themselves between Aleppo and Palmyra, well, I think it would have not had sense risking the already almost secure victory in Aleppo, one of the main largest city in Syria and a comunications nexus to the risk of losing both.
For all those asking how is that 4000 ISIS assets have planted themselves suddenly in Palmyra, I would remember that Mosul is only about 600km from Palmyra, what means scarce 5 hours driving through a highway and only a bit more through the desert.
This time Konashenkov has said really stupid stuff. Where was the Russian intelligence (satellites, drones, planes…)? It’ s rather not very diffiicult to notice thousands of terrorists driving with tanks, cars through a desert
But perhaps Mr Kerry friend – Mr Lavrov have agreed with him that the Russian aviation won’t be active east of Palmyra. This would explain the loss of Palmyra and the total “free hands” of Americans in that area.
I had stopped seeing this sitreps by SouthFront because i was finding them a bit depressing for the Russian-Syrian side.
For all those asking why Russia has not bombed Palmyra I would remember that they are trying to preserve this unique historical site.
For all those asking why the Syrian Army have not distributed themselves between Aleppo and Palmyra, well, I think it would have not had sense risking the already almost secure victory in Aleppo, one of the main largest city in Syria and a comunications nexus to the risk of losing both.
For all those asking how is that 4000 ISIS assets have planted themselves suddenly in Palmyra, I would remember that Mosul is only about 600km from Palmyra, what means scarce 5 hours driving through a highway and only a bit more through the desert.
@Mod: May I know what have happened to my comment posted a few times already?
I have posted them all elsi. I’m sorry for the delay – but something cropped up for me at home, and I was a little while getting back.
PS
Well, sorry, but I was seeing the comment by Kent above published, which, as you can see has been posted after mine already published, as well as some others by him at least an hour before mine while mine does not appear. Of course, if one is following the feed of comments this is a bit confusing.
Added to that the numerous comments of mine lost, you can understand, I guess.
Of course, you do not need to publish the three versions of the same comment.
Thanks anyway, you do not need to apologize for being late.
Will turkey and israel’s turkey start shooting at each other? If they do, who should [g]ato side with and go to war against?
US Military Official: Washington ‘Riding to Raqqa’ With 200 More Troops
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201612131048477958-two-hundred-more-troops-raqqa/
“Syrian Kurds currently leading the charge against Daesh in Raqqa will receive assistance in the form of a detachment of an additional 200 US troops, supplementing the 300 American soldiers already in place, to train, advise, organize, and recruit local Syrian forces against the jihadists.
Turkey’s behavior caused the US to cut air support to Ankara forces inside of Syria, amidst fears of clashes between the two nations, alongside concerns that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad would send resources north — with help from Moscow.”
The pindo views in the article are their usual zio-gay propaganda, but there does seem to be a real fear of getting caught up in a turk vs kurd shooting match and having those sacred, exceptional american bois body bagged by turks. Also, the americans speaking are lumping the turks with Syria and Russia, IE: the sods appear to think the turks have changed over to “the dark side”.
The israeli-american support for daesh has become so obvious, even a brit ambassador is talking about it.
‘Decamped from Mosul ISIS fighters in Syria perfect for US narrative’
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/370050-syria-isis-palmyra-mosul/
“One doesn’t need to be a genius to guess why the US-led coalition, which has very powerful surveillance tools, failed to pick up the 4,000 ISIS jihadists making their way to Palmyra, says Peter Ford, the former UK ambassador to Syria…”
No mention of this at all in the British press though.
This guy has consistently been on Uk Rt with trustworthy analysis and opinion regarding Syria ..no wonder neocons want RT noted as propoganda………..
Firstly, congratulations to Syria and Russia on their success in the campaign in Aleppo. Pity about the skirmish in Palmyra though, but it is only a skirmish.
Then taken from Sun Tzu’s translation by Thomas Cleary “So there are three ways in which a civil leadership causes the military trouble. When a civil leadership unaware of the facts tells its armies to advance when is should not, or retreat when it should not, this is called tying up the armies. When the civil leadership is ignorant of military affairs but shares equally in the government of the armies, the soldiers get confused. When the civil leadership is ignorant of military manoeuvres but shares equally in the command of the armies, the soldiers hesitate. Once the armies are confused and hesitant, trouble comes from competitors. This is called taking away victory by deranging the military.”
While Putin and Lavrov are clearly deranging the military a little bit in both Ukraine and Syria, and taking away victory, it can be argued that both regions are essentially political campaigns with a slight military component, rather than outright military campaigns. Therefore the politics of the situation take precedence over the military aspects.
So the military has to wait until the war reaches Russian soil proper before they can do as they want to do, which is simply the good old tried and trusted “advance to contact, kill or be killed” or something along those lines. Always keep it simple stupid!
There is a detailed account of what happened at Palmya (in Arabic unfortunately). It seems to refer to the use of tanks to carry VBIEDs with a damage radius of 400 meters. It also seems to refer to Russian satellite information. I am not convinced of the accuracy of the description given the translation was done by machine.
https://z5h64q92x9.net/proxy_u/ar-en.en/https/m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1111519355627384&id=100003079907992
If any Arabic speaker wants to check:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1111519355627384&id=100003079907992