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Did U.S. weapons supplied to Syrian rebels draw Russia into the conflict?
Washington Post ^ | 11 Oct 15 | Liz Sly

Posted on 10/12/2015 9:09:00 AM PDT by elhombrelibre

BEIRUT — American antitank missiles supplied to Syrian rebels are playing an unexpectedly prominent role in shaping the Syrian battlefield, giving the conflict the semblance of a proxy war between the United States and Russia, despite President Obama’s express desire to avoid one.

The U.S.-made BGM-71 TOW missiles were delivered under a two-year-old covert program coordinated between the United States and its allies to help vetted Free Syrian Army groups in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad. Now that Russia has entered the war in support of Assad, they are taking on a greater significance than was originally intended.

So successful have they been in driving rebel gains in northwestern Syria that rebels call the missile the “Assad Tamer,” a play on the word Assad, which means lion. And in recent days they have been used with great success to slow the Russian-backed offensive aimed at recapturing ground from the rebels.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Russia; Syria
KEYWORDS: obamasyria; proxywar; russiasyria; syriarebels; syriawar
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To: Enlightened1

If you write a history book of this period describing the UK, France and the USA as allies of ISIS and Al Qaeda, you will not sell many copies. See, the problem is that you can talk yourself into any conclusion that you think helps further your agenda, but te conclusion has to make sense if you’re looking for converts.

There are many recent examples. There are some folks who desperately want to believe that Bush knocked down the World Trade Center and that Rudy Giuliani helped him do it because he wanted to patch potholes with the debris of the victims, but not too many people pay attention. In the long run, it won’t much matter what these folks believe.


41 posted on 10/12/2015 2:38:10 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food

It’s not me saying it. I am just repeating what top defense intelligence officials are saying. I’m repeating what the Deputy Intelligence Chief of the CIA is saying.

Dempsey: I know of Arab allies who fund ISIS (52 seconds video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA39iVSo7XE

General Thomas McInerney acknowledged that the United States “helped build ISIS” as a result of the Obama administration backing “some of the wrong people” in Syria, in addition to “some of those weapons from Benghazi (ending) up in the hands of ISIS.” (53 seconds video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_zf7GPQqxU

50 Defense Intel Chiefs Revolt against Obama (supporting ISIS)

http://www.allenbwest.com/2015/09/whoa-50-military-intel-chiefs-just-revolted-against-obama/

(NSA manipulating Military Intelligence to paint ISIS as FSA)

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/10/james-clapper-pentagon-military-official

Former deputy Director of the CIA, Mike Morell, has called for a full investigation into the allegations from over 50 intelligence analysts at CENTCOM that higher ups altered their assessment reports on ISIS in order to fit with the Obama administration’s public narrative that the terror group is weak.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/09/exclusive-50-spies-say-isis-intelligence-was-cooked.html

They are supporting ISIS trying to overthrow Assad for a Natural Gas Pipeline.

The war in Syria has NOTHING to do with freedom like the lying politicians and media tells the public. It’s all about Energy to Europe. Primarily Natural Gas….

Saudi Arabia attempted to buy a Natural Gas Pipeline that Assad of Syria refused to sell them. Saudi Arabia had been trying since around 2007 more or less, and they were not successful. Hence, Al-Qaeda (Saudi Arabia’s Proxy Army. Just like the French Foreign Legion is the Proxy Army for France) attacked Syria. Oh and they went under the bogus name of the “Free Syrian Arm”. Our media made Assad into the next bogyman. Certainly Assad is no Angel, but compared to ISIS he is like Mother Teresa. At least Assad was not chopping babies heads off, raping women and children and LITERALLY eating the hearts of their victims! (I’ll spare you the disgusting photos of these drugged up Savages. Supposedly they are on PCP and coked up). The media showed us the lighter stuff of beheadings and massacres that were reminiscent of the Holocaust during the second World War. Which freaks out the public. Here are few links about what I’m talking about. There are many more, but this should give you an idea.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-09-10/competing-gas-pipelines-are-fueling-syrian-war-migrant-crisis

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/05/01/are-we-going-to-war-with-syria-over-a-natural-gas-pipeline/

http://ftmdaily.com/what-jerry-thinks/whysyria/

As far as I’m concerned these lunatics are Demons that need to be eradicated from the planet. Every day thousands of Russians are pouring into Syria. I read the Russian special forces the Spetsnaz have a mission to terrorize ISIS. Good! It’s about time. Newton was correct when he said for every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction. The Pendulum is certainly swinging the other way.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3261560/Now-Russia-sends-special-forces-prop-Assad-Putin-s-fearsome-Spetsnaz-units-preparing-ground-assault-wipe-rebels-fighting-Syrian-President.html

To summarize everything. Right now there is global struggle on who is going to lead the planet. The main players are China, Russia, Western Europe and the United States. The battlefield is the Middle East. IMO there are no good guys.


42 posted on 10/12/2015 3:33:16 PM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Enlightened1
You know, I don't have to look to know that I will not be able to find a prominent government official in the UK or USA declaring an alliance between the government of the UK or the government of the USA and ether Al Qaeda or ISIS. There is no such alliance. Surely, the events in Syria and Iraq are complicated and at times confusing, but don't trick yourself. There is no such alliance.

The interesting question is why anyone would want to believe that there is such an alliance. What would cause someone to want to believe that, to wish for that? Why did people want to believe that Bush knocked down the Trade Center buildings? I can't help you with that, but I suspect that these kinds of notions come from a very painful place.

43 posted on 10/12/2015 3:48:34 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food

Your scenario that Russia is secretly funding ISIS is laughable. Just follow the logic.

ISIS is Anti-Assad....., like Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Turkey, the U.K, France and the U.S.. This is no secret and admitted in the public.

At the very same time you say Russia is “secretly” against Assad because they really want the competition with Saudi Arabia over Natural Gas in Europe. Yeah Putin really wants to give up his monopoly on Natural Gas in Europe to compete with Saudi Arabia. That’s why he was entusistic about what happened in the Ukraine, because Putin wants to give up his monopoly.

Oh and I am suppose to believe too that Russia has been supplying ISIS with U.S. weapons this entire time, even though the U.S. has admitted to “accidentally” supplying ISIS, including but not limited too Hummers, MPADS (Mobile Portable Air Defense System), U.S. rifles and ammunition, including TOW weapons, etc...

Yep Putin is really anti Assad. And that is why he is sending Russian troops against ISIS. Furthermore, that is why he has an ALLIANCE with Assad of Syria, Iraq and Iran to take out ISIS. All this because Putin is really pro ISIS and Pro Saudi......(sarcasm off).

Do you understand how illogical your point is that Putin, who is allied with Assad, is really anti Assad?

LOL!

If the U.S. would have taken out ISIS, then Putin would not be in Syria.

But we did not allow that since ISIS is anti Assad. Thus, now we have to deal with the Russians, the Iranians and probably China soon too.


44 posted on 10/12/2015 4:06:25 PM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Enlightened1
I think you must be confusing me with somebody else. Putin and Iran are allied with Assad. I don't believe that Russia is "secretly" against Assad. The fact that ISIS is opposed to Assad does not mean that the USA or the UK has an alliance with ISIS (or Al Qaeda).

And, I disagree with your characterization of any of this madness as "laughable." It's a tragic situation and you should feel very lucky to not be living there.

Maybe you should begin with the simplest of the facts and the one that I have tried to emphasize. THERE IS NO ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE UK OR THE USA AND EITHER ISIS OR AL QAEDA. You can count on that.

ISIS and Al Qaeda - these are not good people. You should be happy that your country has not formed an alliance with them..

45 posted on 10/12/2015 4:25:59 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food

Russia Teams Up With Islamic State Against Syria’s Rebels

The main intention of Russia’s intervention in Syria is to prop up the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad and to do that Russia is seeking to ensure that the Islamic State (I.S.) is the only alternative to Assad’s regime. If the conflict becomes binary—Assad or I.S.—nobody can support I.S., and by default it will be accepted that Assad has to stay; even if international help is not given to put down the insurgency at that point, tacit support and political legitimacy will be extended to Russia’s effort to keep its client regime alive.

In service of this mission, Moscow has consistently targeted the moderate rebels and even some non-moderate rebels, while avoiding I.S., in the conscious hope that the rebel positions it destroys will be replaced by I.S. fighters. In northern Syria in the last few days, Russia got its wish in a major way.
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/2015/10/11/russia-teams-up-with-islamic-state-against-syrias-rebels/


46 posted on 10/13/2015 11:53:00 PM PDT by AdmSmith (GCTGATATGTCTATGATTACTCAT)
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To: AdmSmith
I think that you're probably right about Putin's intentions. I think we have to assume that he wants to prop up Assad's government. I think he wants to ally himself with Assad and with Iran.

But, why? Why would a truly competent leader of Russia want to create those alliances?

When I think of all the constructive, positive things that an intelligent, competent leader could do with the power that Putin has been given, I feel very sorry for Russia and for its people. How did the Russian people get stuck with a loser like Putin?

Russia has or at the least had great potential. As recently as 15-20 years ago, Russia was blessed with a well-educated public. Putin's incompetence has cost the Russian economy dearly.

It really is a shame.

47 posted on 10/14/2015 4:50:02 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food
But, why? Why would a truly competent leader of Russia want to create those alliances?

The Russian naval base at Tartus. It's been there for over 40 years, and is strategically very important to the Russian navy.

48 posted on 10/14/2015 4:57:10 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: tacticalogic

I will bet that Putin will lose anything that Russia ever might have had in Syria. The screwballs that he is becoming subservient to (Assad and Iran) are two of history’s great losers.


49 posted on 10/14/2015 9:07:51 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food
I will bet that Putin will lose anything that Russia ever might have had in Syria. The screwballs that he is becoming subservient to (Assad and Iran) are two of history’s great losers.

It's possible, although I don't see either Assad or Iran being in a position to dictate terms to Putin.

50 posted on 10/15/2015 5:02:08 AM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: tacticalogic
Some facts about Putin's Russia:

Russia's population is more than twice that of Italy, yet Italy's GDP far exceeds that of Russia. In fact, Italy's GDP per capita is seven times that of Russia.

Mexico has a higher GDP per capita than Putin's Russia. Mexico!

Male life expectancy in Russia is 61 years. In Bangladesh, male life expectancy is 67 years.

Tthere are people who admire Putin and see him as some kind of genius. In fact, the world should be wondering how one leader can so badly screw up a country.

51 posted on 10/15/2015 11:50:39 AM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food
None of that changes the fact that Russia has the military power to crush either one of them if it wanted to.

Putin will do whatever he can to protect that naval base. It's there by virtue of a lease agreement they have with Assad, and he'll view any attempt to overthrow him as a potential threat to that agreement and the facility itself.

He's not going to sit by and let their only warm-water port become a victim of Obama and Hillary's "Arab Spring" fustercluck.

52 posted on 10/15/2015 12:28:18 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: tacticalogic
Well, I am influenced by track records. Putin has a habit of screwing things up. If anyone can lose this naval base, he's the guy that could do it.

I can't imagine betting on Putin to suddenly learn how to succeed.

53 posted on 10/15/2015 12:37:02 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food
Well, I am influenced by track records. Putin has a habit of screwing things up. If anyone can lose this naval base, he's the guy that could do it.

He's defending it against an overthrow attempt that's being orchestrated by Obama. I'd give him pretty good odds.

54 posted on 10/15/2015 12:54:48 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: tacticalogic
Yes, there are growing difficulties between Russia and the USA. I'm going to stick with the USA, but that's not just because Putin has proven himself to be a loser. I have reflexively supported my country my entire life and so I have to acknowledge a pro-USA bias. I'm probably too old to change those feelings.
55 posted on 10/15/2015 1:01:24 PM PDT by Tau Food (Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.)
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To: Tau Food
I have reflexively supported my country my entire life and so I have to acknowledge a pro-USA bias. I'm probably too old to change those feelings.

What's going on over there isn't the USA vs Russia, it's Obama and his Muslim Brotherhood friends vs Assad.

The Egyptians knew to blame Obama and not the USA when he tried to install Morsi as President. If they figured it out, you can too.

56 posted on 10/15/2015 1:11:56 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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