Syrian regime jets hit Kurdish positions, even after US warning

DailyMail UK ^ | 19 August 2016 | AFP

[trebb]

Syrian jets had the nerve to bomb jihadi rebels inside their own country? And we mix in some US troops with the rebels to act as human shields? And we have zero legal basis to be in Syria and we are pursing our goal of overthrowing the legitimate Syrian government?

That’s quite a pickle.

Yepper - our guys are being misused even more than those who were in Nam and we have a different version of LBJ in the WH....

GO TRUMP!!!!

[jjotto]

Remove the question marks and that’s exactly what is happening.

And FR heroes like Amb. John Bolton and Sen. Tom Cotton want to get us even deeper into that particular Big Muddy.

[PIF]

Enforcing a no fly zone there means going against the Russian AF. Even if that did not start a real full scale war, our fighters are very old and worn out - they would be up against newly made Russian fighters.

No matter the pilot skill and advanced weapons, worn out aircraft are at a major disadvantage against newly made planes such as the ones Russia has fielded or would field.

See here for the state of F-15s in current operation http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3460920/posts

Air Force Begins Massive High-Tech F-15 Upgrade to Stay in Front of Chinese J-10 (by 2032 ...) USAF will be ready for China’s obsolete fighters in 16 years ...

PS: China’s J-20 (F-22 knock off will be operational next year and combat ready by 2019
http://defense-update.com/20160723_j_20.html)

[bert]

A no fly zone is a pipe dream of those lacking the guts to enter the fray. A no fly zone is a lawyerly attempt to appear relevant while hiding in an office

a no fly zone in the current context is a ludicrous attempt to appear engaged

[mvonfr]

Not clear, as a guess Greeks will decide they are Europe and try to stay out.

Israel is another unclear one.

[dp0622]

It worked just fine protecting the kurds all those years.

Remember that?

Do you WANT to enter the fray and with whom?

Sounds like you were sounding off a little too quickly without thinking things through FRiend

[bert]

you confuse apples with kiwi fruit

the flyers are not the Iraqi air force

[dp0622]

I didn’t know all this. What a shame. How pathetic obama has made us.

Worked well with the Kurds in Iraq for many years.

[mvonfr]

I’m much less of a fan of the Kurds after I read some in depth books on the Armenia genocide. I’m not a big fan of the Armenia’s either but they are Christians the Kurds really enjoyed slaughtering any Christians they could get their hands on. They’re not civilized people.

Mountain tribes, still not out of middle ages. Income comes from smuggling and looting those who live down the hills and are obviously richer. Similar to other mountain people, like the Chechens further north. Islam is not the main issue, they also into Marxism, but Islam sure makes it worth.

There is a romantic element to it, sure, and ancient connections that are interesting -- but a brief summary is still "ethnic criminal gangs".

[PIF]

Different groups of Kurds have different outlooks. Some we can work with others follow a more jihadist path - which is which is always the question in the ME.

[dp0622]

Boy are the kurds gonna get ####ed this time. Worse than last time.

Potentially bombed by Syria, Turkey and maybe some Russian craft

They need to get themselves an air force. But they dont really have a country, do they?

[af_vet_1981]

This explanation seems possible.



The regime and Kurdish forces share a common enemy in IS, which controls most of the Euphrates valley to the south, but there have been tensions between them in Hasakeh that have sometimes led to clashes.

The Kurds, who control much of northeastern and northern Syria along the Turkish border where they have proclaimed an autonomous Kurdish region, recently demanded that the pro-government National Defense Forces disband in Hasakeh.

A government source in the city told AFP that the air strikes were "a message to the Kurds that they should stop this sort of demand that constitutes an affront to national sovereignty."

[PIF]

A) they have an area in the north of Iraq;
B) they have no money to buy ammo let alone planes;
C) who would sell them advanced fighters;
D) who would train them;
E) they would be shot down as fast as they could get above the end of the runway.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

They need to get themselves an air force. But they dont really have a country, do they?

We should give them one.

Syraqistan....(sounds like an Asian hot sauce)

[mvonfr]

This part is somewhat accurate.

What needs to be also said is that there was an unwritten agreement between Syria and the Kurds -- Kurds do not attack Christian enclaves like Hasakeh and assist them, Assad does not attack Kurdish enclaves like in Aleppo and assists them.

And while it is nice to see US-supported Kurds driving out US-supported ISIS, they are taking over non-Kurdish territories (from Sunni Arabs and Turkomans)... this will cause more wars and more refugees.

[elpadre]

“even after Obama warning,” or because of it.

[antidisestablishment]

“I guarantee you the US sodomite and tranny ‘Army of One’ is the laughingstock of the Russian Army.”

Obviously, it is your patriotic duty to disparage American warriors based on your political predilections. Those of us who still serve with the hope of restoring our military appreciate your scorn.

I would love to introduce you to some of my SOF friends—all of whom are patriots; most of whom are Christian; and many of whom are killed without fanfare in lands most Americans couldn’t find on a map. They are the best of the best and are being purposefully squandered in wars designed to sap the strength of this country.

Unfortunately, we have this strange idea of civilian control of our military, and those civilians are actively working to destroy our armed forces from within and without. I’m sure they appreciate your support.

If you knew anything at all, you’d know that our SOF has worked with Russian counterparts and mutual respect is the rule. Neither side would relish facing off. That we have reached this point is not a military failure, but another indication that Americans have failed to ensure competent leadership.

[mvonfr]

All of what you said, plus also : I'd expect to see Russian S-400 installed in Iran, Syria, and perhaps even Turkey before long, some of this has been done already.

S-400's in Assad's hands will keep the US Air force out of Syria, making supplying the Kurds very difficult.

As for the Kurdish Air force .. well, a few drones can always be smuggled in .. that's about it.

[PIF]

S-400 systems were installed months ago at Russia’s Tartus, Sryris air/naval base as well as S-300 systems aboard various naval assets off the Syrian coast. And they are currently installing S-300 and S-400 systems on the Iranian base they are using. GRU Spetnaz and T-90s guard them.

Turkey would be the next up - unless they install some at the air base they are sharing with the US in Iraq (probably too provocative).

Any Kurdish drones would have to come from Turkey (Israeli tech), Israel, Iran, or Russia - none of which are even remotely likely to sell.

[mvonfr]

Yes, this is my understanding too.

But let me add two things..

Syrian N-E is not currently covered.

I'd rather see Assad operating S-400s than the Russians. This would lessen the chances of a direct confrontation between the US and Russia which can escalate into something no one wants.

I do not like anything Obama does in the region, but putting us in danger of WWIII for no discernable reasons least of all.