US-led coalition devastates Raqqa with heavy airstrikes

AMN ^ | 22/02/2017 | Chris Tomson

[Texas Fossil]

According to a statement released by the Combined Joint Task Force, the anti-ISIS coalition conducted a total of 32 airstrikes on ISIS insurgents yesterday.

23 of the sorties were conducted in Syria while air raids were especially intense over Raqqa. The statement continued to read that 10 strikes engaged seven ISIS tactical units, destroying three fighting positions, three technicals and destroying two bridges.

US-led airstrikes were also conducted on Islamic State militants near Deir Ezzor and Palmyra, two cities that have Syrian government forces stationed nearby.

No American airstrikes were conducted on ISIS militants at Al-Bab, suggesting some tension between the US and Turkish-backed forces trying to capture the city.

Although the US-led air campaign has propelled the Syrian Democratic Forces to seize ISIS-held villages at an astonishing rate, it has also left large sections of Raqqa in tatters as video footage proves from the city suggests.

[Texas Fossil]

It is about to begin. Amazing progress.

The numbers of SDF involved are stated at 50,000 Kurds and 23,000 Arabs.

If ISIS is not terrified they are stupid. (they probably are, but are still terrified)

May this end quickly.

[vooch]

isn’t a “technical” just a toyota Pickup with a .30 cal in the back ?

[trebb]

We might actually get some real shock and awe instead of the “compassionate shock and awe” that Bush claimed to have wrought.

[treetopsandroofs]

What’s that, five years’ worth of the Fraud’s “strikes” with leaflets dropped beforehand to spare his terrorist BFF’s?

[Texas Fossil]

50BMG or 20mm

[Texas Fossil]

Now, look at what was edited out of this article in Turkey. Revealing?

US-led coalition devastates Raqqa with heavy airstrikes

https://en-apsnynews.tk/2017/02/22/us-led-coalition-devastates-raqqa-with-heavy-airstrikes/

[elhombrelibre]

We’re using GBU-39’s and Hellfire missiles. We’re not destroying the city. Lucky for Raqqa Russia has never tried to destroy ISIS. They prefer the binary question of choose ISIS or Assad.

[Texas Fossil]

see my post #6

[Vermont Lt]

I will never forget the day we declared War on Syria.

Oh wait..... What?

Never mind.

[dp0622]

it has also left large sections of Raqqa in tatters...

Unfortunate to say the least, but completely unavoidable.

I hate to see kids, women and Christians killed.

And since I’m a Christian, non combatant/terrorist muslims too.

THANKS obama.

[Texas Fossil]

That day was long ago under the Bitch & the Bastard.

Where were you when it happened.

[Billthedrill]

isn’t a “technical” just a toyota Pickup with a .30 cal in the back ?

Or some sort of mounted gun. Now let me see, Toyota pickup with no armor versus a ground attack jet with Hellfire missiles...not sure how to bet on that one...

[vooch]

so “massive” air power wrecks 3 pickups and a couple of foxholes ?

[1rudeboy]

You don’t remember? It was right about the time ISIS declared war on Syria.

[SunStar]

I will never forget the day we declared War on Syria.
Oh wait..... What?
Never mind.

---

We're not waging war on the nation of Syria. In-fact, it's President (Bashar al Assad) publicly invited the Trump administration to intervene against terrorist groups just a couple weeks ago:

http://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/syria/1.771015
Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview released on Friday that the United States is welcome to join the battle against "terrorists" in Syria — as long as it is in cooperation with his government and respects the country's sovereignty.

As to Congressional authorization:

"That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Terrorists

Current policy (Obama Admin 12/2016):
"Based on ISIL’s longstanding relationship with al-Qa’ida (AQ) and Usama bin Laden; its long history of conducting, and continued desire to conduct, attacks against U.S. persons and interests, the extensive history of U.S. combat operations against ISIL dating back to the time the group first affiliated with AQ in 2004; and ISIL’s position—supported by some individual members and factions of AQ-aligned groups—that it is the true inheritor of Usama bin Laden’s legacy , the President may rely on the 2001 AUMF as statutory authority for the use of force against ISIL, notwithstanding the recent public split between AQ’s senior leadership and ISIL."

In other words, Congress already authorized the War on Terror in 2001 and ISIS/ISIL = Al Qaeda in Iraq = Al Qaeda.

If Congress believes otherwise, it ought to say so, otherwise, it already declared war.

[1Old Pro]

Terrible, we should have warned them a few weeks in advance so the terrorists could flee.

[Texas Fossil]

Kurds comments on our bombing before”

“NOBODY does precision bombing like US”

They are correct.

[Billthedrill]

It isn’t much of an intelligence report. According to the byline, the author is a student living in Denmark. Hmm...

[Texas Fossil]

My Kurd friends have told me a number of times that Russia, Turkey, Syria all blow it all up. Nobody but US does such precision bombing.

[Texas Fossil]

Is it better than you got from CNN?