Sure, a few of those missiles launched last weekend did actually arrive at their intended destinations, but when the best that today's Western military tech can offer is a strike ratio of barely 30% (32/103), moreso against a country with 30-year old anti-missile tech (Russian air defenses weren't activated), then words like pin prick or even bitch slap seem somewhat more appropriate and even more so when many missiles were directed against abandoned (undefended) facilities & with zero human casualties!
Indeed, so worried were Western military heads about Russian retaliation, a result that would lead to a feared escalation which might quickly spiral out of control into a potentially nuclear confrontation, that they delayed the strike by 48 or 72 hours as feverish negotiations took place behind closed doors with their Russian counterparts in order to arrive at an acceptable list of targets - a list that was then passed on by the Russians to the Syrians, giving them the opportunity to reposition men and matériel! Unfortunately for the Western Triad, however, the heads-up allowed Assad's men the necessary time to position their aging missile defenses to intercept the incoming missiles - which, at an average cost of US$1.55M, will clearly result in some key defense contractors being more than happy to resupply!
So when the American president refers to the missile strikes as 'perfect', his actual meaning may have nothing to do with either the dismal strike rate or the lack of destruction of soldiers & military assets. Rather, it may be all about having achieved its real intended purpose, namely to provide a perception on the world stage of America & its allies standing up to 'Animal Assad', while maneuvering to avoid the very dangerous specter of escalation due to Russian retaliation, whilst still managing to save face! The strikes were also 'perfect' in terms of timing, in using the fake chemical attacks as an alibi --- launching them before the newly arrived OPCW team had been able to finish its work and prove the gas attacks a complete lie - thereby removing the very basis under which the strikes were carried out!
Perhaps the most telling aspect of Friday's fiasco is that the real mission that the missile strikes were merely cover for: to severely degrade Syria's air force by destroying its air bases, failed spectacularly! According to releases from the Russian military, 64 of the 71 missiles that targeted 6 Syrian air bases were shot down, while of the remaining 32 missiles targeting undefended facilities 7 were shot down. Note that, while the airstrips were defended with the most modern of the Syrian air defense systems (Pantsir 23/25 hits, Buk-M2 24/29), the targeted facilities were either undefended or had old systems. To cover for the disastrous failure (Russia's more advanced air defenses were not brought into play), the US generals turned to playing charades, claiming all 100+ missiles were aimed at just 3 facilities!
But, does it end here? Not fricking likely - while there are those within the Trump administration who falsely believe that Putin's response will be confined to 'whining to the UN', they are sorely mistaken! Putin will likely wait until the moment is right to launch the asymmetric response he often advocates. This may likely involve an attack on American proxy forces in the region, in a manner that degrades key ground assets (secret bases) whilst feigning ignorance about the existence of any secret facilities!
Make no mistake, the top military planners for both major powers know the real score... both what just happened in Syria & the superiority of Russian air defenses - you just won't hear the truth on TV! What took place last Friday was along the lines of a bitch slap, delivered by a Triad Gang in the West which did everything possible to avoid directly confronting the vastly more formidable Russian Bear. Their fears are well founded- the Bear's response will be no mere slap, more likely a knockout punch!
The missile strikes are likely the culmination of a failed mission - a secret plan by the West to link its proxy forces at al-Tanf with the 30,000 jihadists in Ghouta to reach Damascus and topple the regime. Russia's alertness shifted Syrian forces to foil the West's plan which would have seen Assad removed!
The Skripal incident was orchestrated to demonise Russia, thereby ensuring that coalition members would remain united. The bombing assaults in East Ghouta were so intense that an estimated 200 US special forces were eliminated, with a further 200 UK special forces captured, embarrassing the West!
For the time being, an uneasy sense of calm obtains. It should now be clear to Western powers that their proxy forces have failed & that any crossing of Russian 'red lines' can lead to a military debacle. A last-ditch attack may come (through turncoat Turkey?) later this year, possibly after the mid-terms!
THE US SECRET PLAN ON DAMASCUS FOILED: THE RUSSIAN ROLE BEFORE AND AFTER THE US/UK/FRANCE ATTACK REVEALED
Perhaps the most telling aspect of Friday's fiasco is that the real mission that the missile strikes were merely cover for: to severely degrade Syria's air force by destroying its air bases, failed spectacularly! According to releases from the Russian military, 64 of the 71 missiles that targeted 6 Syrian air bases were shot down, while of the remaining 32 missiles targeting undefended facilities 7 were shot down. Note that, while the airstrips were defended with the most modern of the Syrian air defense systems (Pantsir 23/25 hits, Buk-M2 24/29), the targeted facilities were either undefended or had old systems. To cover for the disastrous failure (Russia's more advanced air defenses were not brought into play), the US generals turned to playing charades, claiming all 100+ missiles were aimed at just 3 facilities!
But, does it end here? Not fricking likely - while there are those within the Trump administration who falsely believe that Putin's response will be confined to 'whining to the UN', they are sorely mistaken! Putin will likely wait until the moment is right to launch the asymmetric response he often advocates. This may likely involve an attack on American proxy forces in the region, in a manner that degrades key ground assets (secret bases) whilst feigning ignorance about the existence of any secret facilities!
Make no mistake, the top military planners for both major powers know the real score... both what just happened in Syria & the superiority of Russian air defenses - you just won't hear the truth on TV! What took place last Friday was along the lines of a bitch slap, delivered by a Triad Gang in the West which did everything possible to avoid directly confronting the vastly more formidable Russian Bear. Their fears are well founded- the Bear's response will be no mere slap, more likely a knockout punch!
The missile strikes are likely the culmination of a failed mission - a secret plan by the West to link its proxy forces at al-Tanf with the 30,000 jihadists in Ghouta to reach Damascus and topple the regime. Russia's alertness shifted Syrian forces to foil the West's plan which would have seen Assad removed!
The Skripal incident was orchestrated to demonise Russia, thereby ensuring that coalition members would remain united. The bombing assaults in East Ghouta were so intense that an estimated 200 US special forces were eliminated, with a further 200 UK special forces captured, embarrassing the West!
For the time being, an uneasy sense of calm obtains. It should now be clear to Western powers that their proxy forces have failed & that any crossing of Russian 'red lines' can lead to a military debacle. A last-ditch attack may come (through turncoat Turkey?) later this year, possibly after the mid-terms!
Trump's Big Flop In Syria by Publius Tacitus
Lies and Deception in the Failed US Strike on Syria
Each “click” brings us one step closer to the “bang!”
Lies and Deception in the Failed US Strike on Syria
Each “click” brings us one step closer to the “bang!”
Not a single missile reached target except undefended populated areas
Syrian War Report – April 19, 2018: Journalists Find Boy Filmed In Staged Video Of Chemical Attack In Douma
Syrian War Report – April 19, 2018: Journalists Find Boy Filmed In Staged Video Of Chemical Attack In Douma
THE US SECRET PLAN ON DAMASCUS FOILED: THE RUSSIAN ROLE BEFORE AND AFTER THE US/UK/FRANCE ATTACK REVEALED
By Elijah J. Magnier – @ejmalrai
Donald Trump has climbed down from the tree he climbed up a few days ago when he gathered a large military force and firepower similar to “operation desert storm” (but without ground forces). “Plan A” consisted of a destructive attack on Syria to destroy its army, presidential palace, command and control bases, elite force, strategic military and ammunition warehouses, radar, defence systems and political leadership institutions.
Prior to the triple attack on Syria by the US – UK – France, intensive contacts were carried out by Russia and President Vladimir Putin himself – at around 04:00 am– to reduce the attack and go to a softer, less significant “Plan B”.
Russia, in its contact with several heads of state, rejected any hit that could cripple the Syrian Army and instructed the leadership in Damascus that the West would now think very carefully before radically changing the balance of power in the Levant.
But what is the real reason behind the US – UK – France’s attack? Is it the claim of the “chemical attack” on Duma? The Organisation for the prohibition of the chemical weapons is already in Damascus and its members visit Duma this Saturday to inspect the location where the claimed use of a chemical attack was alleged to have taken place. Why not wait for the results?
Sources in Damascus explain that the Syrian Army and its allies, supported by Russia, were carrying out a large attack on rural Idlib and had reached Abu al-Duhur airport when, all of a sudden, the military operation stopped. The entire spearhead force was moved to Ghouta. What happened?
Russia had informed the Syrian leadership of a large gathering of forces at Al-Tanf US-occupied military base on the Syrian-Iraqi borders, where tens of thousands of US proxies have received continuous military training. The Russians identified unusual military movements and understood that the US was preparing to push Syrian proxy forces to reach eastern Ghouta, linking itself with around 30,000 jihadists in Ghouta itself. This attack was planned to take place simultaneously with a diversion from Daraa, southern Syria, attacking south of Damascus so as to deceive the Syrian army and its allies into leaving smaller forces around the capital.
Russia’s hit in Ghouta broke the US plan into pieces, and imposed the withdrawal of tens of thousands of militants from Ghouta along with their families, to the north of Syria. The capital is now much safer, with the remaining area south of Damascus occupied by Al-Qaeda and the “Islamic State” group (ISIS) in Yarmouk camp and al-Hajar al-Aswad.
Today Russia rendered the US – UK – France strike meaningless, both in respect of its content and its objectives. Russia was able to impose that US – UK – France carry out only a “limited attack” of little value, and with not much chance of altering the reality on the ground in Syria.
When Russia vowed to shoot down missiles fired at Syria, Trump answered: “Get ready Russia because they will be coming, nice, new and smart”. Russia, after the hit, replied: “We have used the old Soviet anti-Air defence system against these smart, new and very expensive missiles fired by the Americans”. Not only that, the US-UK air strikes hit objectives which Israel bombards almost on a regular basis. By showing the capability to stop two thirds – as declared by Russia – of the incoming missiles, Syria is taking it as a kind of “training with live ammunition against any future Israeli attack on Syrian territory”. Israel is very disappointed and seems not at all pleased with this end result.
Showing restrain and control, the US Secretary of Defence James Mattis – he who said “the Pentagon still has no independent evidence to confirm that there was a chemical weapons attack in Syria last week”-contested any wide scale attack on Syria that could have triggered a direct Russian involvement and deadly return of fire against US objectives. Mattis accepted “an honourable strike” to save his boss’s inexperienced face. In point of fact, the trio’s strike on Syria seems have boosted the Syrian Bashar al-Assad’s reputation: the population celebrated in the streets of Damascus, and mocked the western attack on their country!
The trio avoided at all times direct provocation of Russia, circumvented Russian bases and operational theatres instead of overflying. Russia imposed its presence and provoked the US and French navy by carrying out a simulated air attack, to show its willingness to hit back. The Russian navy was positioned opposite the Lebanese coast to cover that angle and avoid blind spots.
Moscow managed to avoid a direct confrontation with Washington outside its territory: US military bases surround Syria (Israel, Jordan, al-Tanf, al-Hasaka, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrein, Iraq, Turkey). Russia remembers how Leonid Brezhnev fell into the CIA’s trap in 1979, supporting the Mujahedeen six months prior to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan- trap. Zbigniew Brzezinski said the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was deliberately provoked by the US: “It was an excellent idea. It drew the Soviets into the Afghan war and we gave them Vietnam”. Putin has avoided the same US trap almost 40 years later.
What is the next step?
All eyes are directed on the northern city of Idlib controlled by al-Qaeda now that the fate of Damascus is secured. But why Idlib?
The situation in Yarmouk camp, south of Damascus, seems directly linked to that of Fua and Kfarya. During the Zabadani negotiation, it was agreed between al-Qaeda and Damascus’s allies to keep away from al-Yarmouk, in exchange for the two besieged cities in the north of Syria. However, Damascus is now pushing to clean the capital completely, attempting to persuade its allies to bypass previous commitments.
As far as Daraa and Quneitra in the south are concerned, it seems no one in Syria seems willing to provoke the US and Israel at this tense moment; this will maybe be left to the end. In al-Badiyah, the Syrian steppes, ISIS is totally surrounded and can only wait to be exterminated in the coming months.
Idlib remains despite the Turkish-Russian-Iranian economical and financial agreement. There is no doubt about the existence of strong differences of an economic nature between partners over Syria.
Turkish President Erdogan expressed his support and later satisfaction with the US strikes on Syria. Russia answered by asking him to deliver the city of Afrin to the Syrian government. Iran’s special envoy for Syrian affairs Ali Akbar Velayati overtly stated that the next objective is Idlib. Therefore, it is now feasible for Turkey to pull out of its dozen observation bases around Idlib, even as Russia pulled out of Afrin prior to the Turkish attack. And Russia expects Erdogan to cancel the previously agreed sale of the S-400 missiles any day.
Thus, the compass points to Idlib, Rastan, Jisr al-Shoughour and the Syrian Army forces gathering in rural Lattakia, ready to divide Idlib after liberating the many villages around it.
This will bring the world to the next “chemical attack” appointment in the next operational theatre of the Syrian army and its allies. Would the US stand by al-Qaeda? Why not? It has never really been a question of the use of chemical weapons, since the US holds the largest stockpile of chemical weapons worldwide: the real issue is the defeat of the US faced with the dominance of Russia over the Levant.
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