Islamic State makes closest advance to Aleppo, Iranian General killed

a reply to: Logman

And what if it's true?

Russia wants to preserve Assad in the loyalist areas, and then encourage IS to muck things up with Iraq and Kurds.

a reply to: MrSpad

If most Syrian supported Assad this war would have been over at the start

Correct, and it almost was over years ago, before your Government decided to stick it's nose in where it wasn't needed or wanted, yet again and supply, arm and train the terrorists.

Assad's forces had these market square and school bus bombers with their backs to the wall at Aleppo years ago, the war was all but won, with an estimated 1 - 3 months of fighting remaining and the war would have been over.

No more death and destruction, no more war torn misery for the average Syrian in the street, no more refugees, no ISIS.

But the US couldn't stand it, the chemical weapons fiasco X3 didn't work as hoped, and so started supplying in earnest to the so-called 'moderate rebels'...what a bloody joke.

originally posted by: DeusImperator
a reply to: MrSpad

Alawites, other sjiites, christians (12% of the population), druze, Yazidis and even sunnis are in the SAA. The minorities know that if Assad falls they will be faced with genocide, and i think that there are enough sunnis that have enough of the ''terrorists that slaughter entire families'' just to quote a refugee..

the 'civil war', carefully manipulated and created by the USA according to Wikileaks Assange, would have been over years ago if USA, UK, France, Saudi, Israel, Qatar, Turkey & UAE wouldn't have meddled in the first place. A lot less bloodshed.

Exactly right, especially your last paragraph.

Quite how patriotic flag waving turns into blind, seemingly deliberate ignorance of wrongdoing by one's own government is quite beyond me.

a reply to: MysterX

Correct, and it almost was over years ago, before your Government decided to stick it's nose in where it wasn't needed or wanted, yet again and supply, arm and train the terrorists.

Now Iran is bringing in terrorists of its own:

Photos purporting to show infamous Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Syria are making waves online this week, just as confirmation rolls out of new Iranian ground troops arriving in the country for an offensive with the Syrian army and Hezbollah.

www.albawaba.com...

This probably because Iran's military leadership is in dire straits:

DAMASCUS – Two senior commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been killed in Syria, according to Iranian media sources.

“Hamid Mokhtarband and Brigadier General Farshad Hassounizadeh died while assisting the Syrian government’s battle against ISIS militant fighters on Monday,” Iranian state agency of Fars news reported.

This comes after another top commander, General Hossein Hamadani, was killed on Thursday night near Aleppo.

aranews.net...

a reply to: MrSpad

I just don't understand you and others spin and willingness to argue the details
You either support the Russian effort against ISIS or you are a supporter of ISIS and terrorism.
Either part of the solution or a part of the problem.
If you think these extremists will stop at the Israeli border, after taking Syria and Iraq, you are unbelievably short-sighted and/or sadly mistaken.
Isn't it time we pull together and rid the world of this problem so we can get back to working on our freedoms and rights.

a reply to: all2human

I just don't understand you and others spin and willingness to argue the details

That's because you don't understand the details.

You either support the Russian effort against ISIS or you are a supporter of ISIS and terrorism.

Russia has been lying about fighting ISIS. He is also getting support from Hezbollah, a terrorist organization. Now Iran seems to be sending in al Qods Force, another organization known for terror attacks. If you have these guys on your side, you are not fighting terrorists, you are terrorists.

Either part of the solution or a part of the problem.

Assad and his tribe are the problem.

If you think these extremists will stop at the Israeli border, after taking Syria and Iraq, you are unbelievably short-sighted and/or sadly mistaken.

Hezbollah is already attacking Israel. If Putin does finally go after ISIS, they will simply withdraw and set up shop elsewhere. That's why it has taken the US so long in Iraq.

originally posted by: all2human
a reply to: MrSpad

I just don't understand you and others spin and willingness to argue the details
You either support the Russian effort against ISIS or you are a supporter of ISIS and terrorism.
Either part of the solution or a part of the problem.
If you think these extremists will stop at the Israeli border, after taking Syria and Iraq, you are unbelievably short-sighted and/or sadly mistaken.
Isn't it time we pull together and rid the world of this problem so we can get back to working on our freedoms and rights.

"every time you read or hear the word "terrorist", be aware that it’s being used to shut you up. It’s a manipulative word, a weasel word, and the use of it by politicians or the media should tell you something about their true agenda."

-Robert Fisk (real)

"Learn It, Know It, Live It..."
-Bradley Hamilton (fictional)

I do not agree with your tactical assessment of the supposed 'playbook' of Syria and Russia however, this seems to transcend the real issue at hand:

1. Syria formally requested Russia & Iran's help.
   
2. The USA and other nations were not invited nor has Congress authorized anything.
   

The whole US/Turkey/Saudi/Israel portion of this matter is illegal under International Law.

Is it as simple as a USA/Sunni vs Russia/Shiite proxy war?

Where are all the pro Putin people....oh wait, he isnt making such great advances, the Russians are not more amazing than the coalition, the Assad forces firing MLRS type weapons into ISIS/Rebel held territory will protect innocent people....

What a joke, the "west" now know you cant win with airpower alone and Iraq proved that you cant pay arabs to die (Iraq vs ISIS) so you need fighters with something to lose, like the Kurds and those who want Syria for real, not because they are paid for by Assad.

If Russia wants to save face it will have to commit lots of ground troops or you Putin lovers will just shrink into the silence of anonymity...

What was that???? It was silence.

originally posted by: Forensick


If Russia wants to save face it will have to commit lots of ground troops or you Putin lovers will just shrink into the silence of anonymity....

Russia do have 700,000 active military personnel (with 2 million in reserve), but Iran (500,000 active personnel with 1.8 million in reserve) will probably provide the additional manpower. The Syrian conflict is more like a skirmish than a war to them.