US to Syrian rebels, "You're on your own". Syrian offensive with Russian air support

[VivaRevolution]

You're on your own, US tells Syrian rebels, as Assad goes on offensive

Russian jets make first foray into south-west as government ramps up campaign to regain strategic area

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...ells-syrian-rebels-as-assad-goes-on-offensive

Reuters

Sat 23 Jun 2018 23.47 EDT

The US has warned Syrian rebels in the south-west of the country they should not expect military support to help them resist a major government offensive.

The message from Washington comes as Russian jets struck an opposition-held town on Sunday in the first air cover provided by Moscow to an expanding Syrian army offensive in the strategic area bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The US message sent to heads of the Free Syrian Army said Washington wanted to make clear that “you should not base your decisions on the assumption or expectation of a military intervention by us”.

Syrian barrel bomb attack on rebels jeopardises US-Russia deal

The Syrian army began ramping up its assault last week in order to recapture the area.

Washington had warned the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, and his Russian allies that violations of a “de-escalation” zone agreed by the US and Russia last year would have “serious repercussions” and pledged “firm and appropriate measures”.



“We have tracked a sortie of five Russian jets that performed 25 raids,” said one source, adding the jets had set off from Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in the western coastal province of Latakia.

Syrian government forces had so far made heavy use of artillery and rockets in the current assault, and Russian warplanes that were critical to the recovery of other rebel-held areas had not been deployed until now.




Rebels in southern Syria have received support, including arms, from Assad’s foreign foes during the seven-year-long war, but analysts believe the aid has dropped off after the US president, Donald Trump, shut down a program run by the CIA last year.

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...ells-syrian-rebels-as-assad-goes-on-offensive

____________________________________________

Looks like the last remenants of the anti-assad groups are being dealt with.

The Syrian civil war seems all but over.

Discuss.......

 

[V-2]

It would be great to tell the same to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

 

[VivaRevolution]

It would be great to tell the same to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

In a way, we are. At least for now.

The Syrian "rebels" were gulf state mercenaries, representing Israeli, and Sunni interests.

 

[whougonnacall]

Itl be interesting to see how long this goes for , the southern front only has themselves to blame they sat on their considerable forces backsides while iran and russia focused on isolated pockets of other rebels
Jordan has moved large forces up to block refugee movement across the border.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Looks like the last remenants of the anti-assad groups are being dealt with.

The Syrian civil war seems all but over.

Discuss.......

No, the US is now firmly entrench among the Kurds and northern Arabs. The US won that war in a limited sense, Syria lost around 1/3 of its territory. Who cares about these Sunni Arabs? They're not reliable.
My analysis is that this Arab spring was all in all a big victory for Shia forces and the US in a limited way. Anti-US Gaddafi is out, Sunni terrorists like the Islamic State are badly weakened, Shia forces like Hezbollah and Iran are expanding in Syria, Iraq and Yemen but they're not really a threat to the US, just to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

 

[VivaRevolution]

No, the US is now firmly entrench among the Kurds and northern Arabs. The US won that war in a limited sense, Syria lost around 1/3 of its territory. Who cares about these Sunni Arabs? They're not reliable.
My analysis is that this Arab spring was all in all a big victory for Shia forces and the US in a limited way. Anti-US Gaddafi is out, Sunni terrorists like the Islamic State are badly weakened, Shia forces like Hezbollah and Iran are expanding in Syria, Iraq and Yemen but they're not really a threat to the US, just to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Turkey came in and wiped out the Kurds.

Turkey will go to war to keep a Kurdish state from forming.

The only thing keeping Syrian forces from taking control of those few remianing Kurdish areas, is US air support.

If the rebels are defeated, aka ISIS, US air can't continue to operate in Syria forever.

Syria, Iran, Russia, are playing a long game here.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

Turkey came in and wiped out the Kurds.

Turkey will go to war to keep a Kurdish state from forming.

The only thing keeping Syrian forces from taking control of those few remianing Kurdish areas, is US air support.

If the rebels are defeated, aka ISIS, US air can't continue to operate in Syria forever.

Syria, Iran, Russia, are playing a long game here.

In Afrin but in the rest of Rojava the US got not only air support but bases and SOF on the ground. I don't think the US will fold to Turkish pressure, the US as a democracy is unsuited to play a long game, except when there is bipartisan support and that seems to be the case here, both Obama and Trump have been supporting the YPG in Rojava. Turkey is an unreliable ally and having another ally there is very useful.
The remaining Kurdish areas are not few, it's basically all of northern Syria.

Not the most accurate map but it gives a decent idea.

 

[VivaRevolution]

In Afrin but in the rest of Rojava the US got not only air support but bases and SOF on the ground. I don't think the US will fold to Turkish pressure, the US as a democracy is unsuited to play a long game, except when there is bipartisan support and that seems to be the case here, both Obama and Trump have been supporting the YPG in Rojava. Turkey is an unreliable ally and having another ally there is very useful.
The remaining Kurdish areas are not few, it's basically all of northern Syria.

Not the most accurate map but it gives a decent idea.

So the plan is to send Turkey running to Iran and Russia most likely, as their new ally?

I mean the US presence it would take to repel a Turkish assault is significant.

I talk about how Iran is no punk as a fighting force, but Turkey is on another level.

 

[Cuauhtemoc]

So the plan is to send Turkey running to Iran and Russia most likely, as their new ally?

I mean the US presence it would take to repel a Turkish assault is significant.

I talk about how Iran is no punk as a fighting force, but Turkey is on another level.

I think a compromise can be reached to keep both Turkey and the Kurds as allies. The Turks will not attack US troops and they have plenty of other reasons not to ditch the US and join Russia/Iran. Among other reasons being that it's a shitty deal to leave the #1 world power to join a declining power and a bankrupt Pariah state. Erdogan can scream as much as he wants but in the end he wants to be friends with the US for economical and military reasons.

 

[VivaRevolution]

I think a compromise can be reached to keep both Turkey and the Kurds as allies. The Turks will not attack US troops and they have plenty of other reasons not to ditch the US and join Russia/Iran. Among other reasons being that it's a shitty deal to leave the #1 world power to join a declining power and a bankrupt Pariah state. Erdogan can scream as much as he wants but in the end he wants to be friends with the US for economical and military reasons.

This appears to be the crux of our disagreement. It is near impossible for me to imagine Turkey accepting a Kurdish state.

 

[V-2]

In a way, we are. At least for now.

The Syrian "rebels" were gulf state mercenaries, representing Israeli, and Sunni interests.

There's no reason for the US to be involved in any of this bullshit anymore, it's mostly down to the power of the Israeli lobby in DC and being used to decades of sleeping with the Saudis as 'allies' of convenience and arms sales. The overt geopolitical links should start to fracture soon but I'm not holding my breath on that. I don't really give a fuck what they do or who scrambles the region like a bad omelette going forward. It's time to GTFO.

 

[The ScorpioN]

Good.

Russians will wipe out the remaining Islamists and the world will be a better place.

 

[Fawlty]

Well I think this is how you wanted it, VivaRev. The Russians are going to facilitate war crimes and Assad will continue to brutalize his people indiscriminately, the good and bad. Maybe it's for the best to return Syria to being a Russian client state...there is no good option. The dictators win again.

 

[Islam Imamate]

I think a compromise can be reached to keep both Turkey and the Kurds as allies. The Turks will not attack US troops and they have plenty of other reasons not to ditch the US and join Russia/Iran. Among other reasons being that it's a shitty deal to leave the #1 world power to join a declining power and a bankrupt Pariah state. Erdogan can scream as much as he wants but in the end he wants to be friends with the US for economical and military reasons.

So basically you're saying Turkey is just flirting with Russia to make us jealous so we'll buy her more flowers?

 

[Islam Imamate]

This appears to be the crux of our disagreement. It is near impossible for me to imagine Turkey accepting a Kurdish state.

You're assuming that compromise means accepting a Kurdish state. Notice how the US did not support the Kurdish referendum in Iraq for independence. You are right that the Turks will not accept a Kurdistan which is why the US won't either.

 

[godking]

You're on your own, US tells Syrian rebels, as Assad goes on offensive

Russian jets make first foray into south-west as government ramps up campaign to regain strategic area

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...ells-syrian-rebels-as-assad-goes-on-offensive

Reuters

Sat 23 Jun 2018 23.47 EDT

The US has warned Syrian rebels in the south-west of the country they should not expect military support to help them resist a major government offensive.

The message from Washington comes as Russian jets struck an opposition-held town on Sunday in the first air cover provided by Moscow to an expanding Syrian army offensive in the strategic area bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The US message sent to heads of the Free Syrian Army said Washington wanted to make clear that “you should not base your decisions on the assumption or expectation of a military intervention by us”.

Syrian barrel bomb attack on rebels jeopardises US-Russia deal

The Syrian army began ramping up its assault last week in order to recapture the area.

Washington had warned the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, and his Russian allies that violations of a “de-escalation” zone agreed by the US and Russia last year would have “serious repercussions” and pledged “firm and appropriate measures”.



“We have tracked a sortie of five Russian jets that performed 25 raids,” said one source, adding the jets had set off from Russia’s Hmeimim airbase in the western coastal province of Latakia.

Syrian government forces had so far made heavy use of artillery and rockets in the current assault, and Russian warplanes that were critical to the recovery of other rebel-held areas had not been deployed until now.




Rebels in southern Syria have received support, including arms, from Assad’s foreign foes during the seven-year-long war, but analysts believe the aid has dropped off after the US president, Donald Trump, shut down a program run by the CIA last year.

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...ells-syrian-rebels-as-assad-goes-on-offensive

____________________________________________

Looks like the last remenants of the anti-assad groups are being dealt with.

The Syrian civil war seems all but over.

Discuss.......

It's over

When your strongest backer tells you to basically fuck off because they are not going to throw good money after bad its over.

 

[xcvbn]

The CIA/Mossad/KSA op in Syria isn't over. They won't stop until they get their way.

 

[VivaRevolution]

The CIA/Mossad/KSA op in Syria isn't over. They won't stop until they get their way.

I think it is a pivot to Iran.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Sure wish my government would discontinue intervention worldwide for a few decades. Give everyone a chance to see if we're providing a net benefit or not. Take that MIC money and fund some domestic infrastructure.

 

[ElKarlo]

It would be great to tell the same to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Oh if only. They're the reason we supported the rebels to begin with