Posted on 03/07/2017 8:50:17 PM PST by Texas Fossil
“And why exactly do military chefs need the Russians for? “
Because they represent Assad and are the only foreign forces in Syria legally.
Yes, whereas Obama funded and armed the Syrian rebels, who are the jihadists who want to impose Sharia law and use the weapons Obama gave them to kill Christians.
Wow...
Far from business as usual.
Having the highest military of officer of both the United States and Russia jointly deliver a message, is a real “come to Jesus” moment.
No way to tell how strong the talk was, but from the outside, it doesn’t get much stronger.
Turkey better get this message.
The Syrian Army is suddenly making rapid gains, heading West from Aleppo. They have reached Lake Assad, and are about 50 miles from Tabqa Dam. Open terrain and good road (Hwy 4) could enable a rapid advance, if ISIS is pulling back, or collapsing.
The door seems firmly closed on ISIS escaping out to Turkish-controlled territory - which also means no more ammo or other support coming in.
Maybe the Syrian Army will make it to Raqqa in time for the party after all.
Airstrikes (US) are pecking at Raqqa defenses already. YPJ units have reached the Euphrates River East of Raqqa, closer in than the last cut of the road to Dier ez Zour - a pretty good jump in toward town.
Mosul is also going quickly. It looks likes the legs might be getting wobbly under ISIS.
Mattis is a deep thinking Marine.
Never underestimate that.
Now those are the kinds of reports that I like to hear.
Thanks.
Yes, Indeed.
Mosul had a set back yesterday.
(Battle for Mosul) ‘Stupid’ plan leads to wave of casualties [Hong Kong reporting]
World | Mar 8
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news.php?id=85862
By afternoon, Federal Police units were being sent from the Tayran base to try and free the hundreds of troops in and around the municipality buildings and the front line clinic was receiving casualties in waves.
As one Humvee arrived, two men were pulled from the backseats, their uniforms soaked through with blood. Both were suffering from gunshot wounds. One man had been shot in the leg, the other shot twice in his side causing major bleeding.
The man shot in the side had been hit while trying to drag an injured friend to safety. Medics bandaged his wounds and hooked him up to an intravenous drip, but within minutes he died. Four doctors lifted him into a dark blue body bag and moved him to the ground. A fellow solider piled the man’s uniform and boots beside his body.
Speaking from just outside the municipality complex, Federal Police Brig. Gen. Fakher Al Bahadri said he ordered his forces to quickly push deep into Mosul and take the municipality buildings to “surprise’’ the enemy and overcome obstacles posed by western Mosul’s terrain. The city’s west is much more densely populated than the east and streets are narrow, preventing Iraqi forces from largely fighting from inside their armored vehicles.
“The plan was stupid,’’ said soldier Hamza Daoud of the Federal Police, who brought two casualties to a small frontline Tuesday afternoon. “I don’t know why we did that.’’-AP
[another article]
Lt. Gen. Abdul-Amir Rasheed Yar Allah, who commands army operations in Nineveh province, praised the Federal Police as heroes and Brett McGurk, the special envoy for the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition hailed the advance in a statement posted to Twitter.
But by 11:00 a.m. clashes inside the compound had intensified and commanders behind the front were getting frantic radio calls for help. Three bulldozers had broken down trying to remove roadblocks, hundreds of troops were trapped and they needed reinforcements.
Sgt. Azam Ibrahim of the Federal Police was one of the first to enter the complex, but he and most of his unit fled as the first wave of counterattacks intensified. In the confusion he dropped his side arm before speeding back to his base. “All of a sudden (IS fighters) began popping up everywhere,’’ he said, “they emerged from nowhere.’’-AP
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news.php?id=85860
“Federal Police Brig. Gen. Fakher Al Bahadri said he ordered his forces to quickly push deep into Mosul and take the municipality buildings to “surprise’’ the enemy”
It was bloody, but successful. The municipal buildings were where the ISIS administration of the city was based. By accelerating the assault, they catch (kill) more bigwigs, before they can evacuate - the same with the intelligence trove there. In the greater battle for Mosul, this was an advance, not a setback. It marks the end of organized ISIS command and control of the civilian population - they no longer “rule” Mosul, civilians must now look toward the new administration.
The custom there is to declare a city “taken”, when you raise your flag over the City Hall. Psychologically, it is a big blow to ISIS fighters. For the Iraqi ISIS fighters (a high percentage in Mosul), it signals that they have lost. Likely many of them will Shave their beards and try to head home now.
Many (most) of the foreign jihadis will fight to the death. Most have no choice - they cannot pass for locals, and can’t talk their way out. All the roads are cut.
ISIS is surrounded and losing ground more quickly at this point.
Ah! I was wondering how it ended. Thank you!
Thanks. A watershed move. I still don’t like or trust Turkey under Erdogan. We will see the result of that soon too.
I am very pleased the ISIS command is destroyed.
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