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Syria's female tank drivers: Battalion of 800 women commandos in fierce clashes with rebels
The Daily Mail ^ | 25 March 2015 | FLORA DRURY

Posted on 06/06/2015 10:12:36 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

Four years ago, it would have been unheard of for a woman to be part of the Syrian Army, let alone driving one of the tanks and shooting rockets.

But the women pictured here are now part of the Syrian regime's most elite force, the Republican Guard, tasked with defending Damascus' suburbs from rebel attacks.

Women were first recruited to the elite group of soldiers - the only battalion allowed within the boundaries of Damascus - nearly a year ago.

Today, 800 are on the streets of the city, filling in for the soldiers who have been sent out to battle the opposition fighters across the country.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Syria
KEYWORDS: damascus; republicanguard; syria
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1 posted on 06/06/2015 10:12:36 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

That must be why the Syrian military is world famous for, for whatever they are famous for, keeping Syria safe and peaceful, I suppose.


2 posted on 06/06/2015 10:20:40 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: MinorityRepublican

This is bizarre. A religion/culture that treats women like crap, barely acknowledges their existence except when having fits about them for some reason or other - has no problem trusting them to defend their men. I can’t wrap my brain around this at the moment.


3 posted on 06/06/2015 10:22:10 PM PDT by bluejean (The lunatics are running the asylum)
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To: MinorityRepublican

What Commando units are tankers?

“”Initially, about 500 women were recruited to guard checkpoints and carry out security checks in an attempt to plug the holes left by defections and casualties in his dwindling army.””

Isn’t that why the Airborne Rangers and Navy SEALs were created?


4 posted on 06/06/2015 10:25:26 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: ansel12

No.


5 posted on 06/06/2015 10:26:40 PM PDT by RedHeeler
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To: bluejean

“This is bizarre. A religion/culture that treats women like crap, barely acknowledges their existence except when having fits about them for some reason or other - has no problem trusting them to defend their men.”

Syria under the Assad’s has been largely secular. Better that the Christian/Yazidi/secular muslem women (Before Obama, “Secular Muslems were called “Moderates”)fight, than be sold as sex slaves.


6 posted on 06/06/2015 10:28:46 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
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To: RedHeeler

You mean the Rangers and SEALs weren’t cobbled together because the regular military was evaporating in desertion?

You are making me doubt the credibility of this news article about these elite, super women, commandos of Syria, the kind of commandos who even have tanks.


7 posted on 06/06/2015 10:32:39 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: bluejean

Assad’s regime is semi-secular.
It depends on the loyalty of the Alawite sect.
Which isn’t at all strict, religiously. Its a bit difficult to pin down exactly what they believe in. They don’t prosletyze and keep to themselves.
They count as honorary Shiites as far as Iran is concerned, but I don’t think they have much in common with them.
Assad is running out of soldiers, so this is not surprising.


8 posted on 06/06/2015 10:36:52 PM PDT by buwaya
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To: bluejean

That’s because what the other side will do to them is far worse than what their side does to them.


9 posted on 06/06/2015 10:37:34 PM PDT by DB
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To: ansel12

No.


10 posted on 06/06/2015 10:40:22 PM PDT by RedHeeler
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To: bluejean
Niqab ban unveils Syria's secular past

Article in 2010, just before the Syrian Civil War started.

11 posted on 06/06/2015 10:41:17 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: buwaya
Assad is running out of soldiers, so this is not surprising.

1/3 of 250,000 Alawite men of fighting age are dead.

12 posted on 06/06/2015 10:42:35 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: bluejean

I think ISIS types believe getting killed by a female sends them to hell or something like that...so it makes some sense to use females to defend against them.


13 posted on 06/06/2015 10:43:46 PM PDT by lacrew
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To: ansel12

Commando turned into a rather nonspecific term.
Egypt had, and has, actual special forces units termed commandos, used mainly as helicopter borne light infantry in past wars, but after that its been used mainly for PR purposes.
These women seem to be a militia garrison unit mainly to be used in defensive positions. As most of the pictures show, they are using various heavy weapons in prepared positions. That tank looks like a bit of a relic, probably not meant to go far. Part of the defenses of their perimeter I think.


14 posted on 06/06/2015 10:45:17 PM PDT by buwaya
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To: bluejean

They’re running out of men?


15 posted on 06/06/2015 10:49:23 PM PDT by jmacusa (`)
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To: buwaya

Commando is still acceptable to me in some casual uses as a generic light term, for various non-specific, Special Operation units of the world, in a generic sense.

These females are not Commandos.


16 posted on 06/06/2015 10:52:39 PM PDT by ansel12
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To: House Atreides; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ...
Borrowing a page from the Kurdish playbook?

17 posted on 06/06/2015 10:54:36 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW)
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To: ansel12
"“”Initially, about 500 women were recruited to guard checkpoints and carry out security checks in an attempt to plug the holes left by defections and casualties in his dwindling army.”” Isn’t that why the Airborne Rangers and Navy SEALs were created?"

WTF are you talking about? Sheesh, get a clue about Rangers and SEAL's and their missions. Goggle is your friend.

You need to shut down your computer and enjoy your Doritos in your Mom's basement.

18 posted on 06/06/2015 11:02:20 PM PDT by A Navy Vet (An Oath is Forever)
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To: A Navy Vet

Is joke comrade.


19 posted on 06/06/2015 11:04:10 PM PDT by buwaya
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To: MinorityRepublican
Syria FSA throws grenade down T 72's barrel cooking off the tank 02.03.2015! March!
https://youtu.be/8AevLyTR6lM?t=1m

Tank Hunters Compilation In Syria Tank. Syrian Rebels Destroy T 72 Tanks. NEW +18 720p HD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6_8LMNlRnI

MOST SHOCKING! tanks getting blown up *Viewer discretion is advised*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocuNOw8iw2Q


Free Syrian Army
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Syrian_Army

Allies

Islamic Front[6]
People’s Protection Units[7]
Syriac Military Council[8]

Opponents

Syrian Armed Forces
National Defense Force
al-Nusra Front[9][10][11][12]
Jund al-Aqsa[13]
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[14]


20 posted on 06/06/2015 11:06:02 PM PDT by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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