Russian military intervention and aid to Syria #13

I  agree with oldenburg . Investment is the answer . Many countries in ME and Asia or Africa or America are the product of outside forces . They did not develop independently  . Imperial powers arranged their borders .  But since this impositions , some one or two hundred years ago . These nations have developed a sense of identity that is not very strong , but still is there . There are international borders . Division along ethnic lines would mean the redrawing of all these borders . Endless wars . A worse arbitrary solution to a previously bad arbitrary imposition .

In Afghanistan , there is lithium . Russia and China and Iran and India can jointly invest . Build an industry . Build a new town . Provide jobs for all ethnicity . Provide physical security to people . This will set a good  example . Provide greater unity  . In Syria a similar approach can be taken  . Once oil field returned to government control . Investment by Russia  or  Europe ( I do not exclude yanks yet . If they avoid war  now . And join peace process ) or other country  like Suadi Arabia or Iran . Again build town . Employ mixed workforce   . Provide security . People learn quickly .

Ethnicity is not that important - 300 years ago in Europe ethnicity was considered a matter of cultural preference with nothing to do with rule and politics.

In Iran you got a strong Azeri minority, Kurdish minority, Arabs etc. In India you have some 10 major languages each with several poorly intelligible dialects. There is no rule that state borders have to be bas on ethnolinguistic lines

Afgganistan`s issues stem from being a poor country with pastoralist culture + influence of Islamic fundamentalism from Pakistan & ME

SR
@Syrian_SR
·
10h
#Russia has established a new base only 55 KM north of the US base in #AlTnaf south of #Syria

The Russian base is guarded by AA and EW systems

Turkish and US military may clash east of Euphrates
https://regnum.ru/news/polit/2537320.html

confirmed use of tornado G, iskander and smerch in syria. I knew smerch had been used but not the others

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201812171070765710-syria-russia-iskander-missile-systems/

@ Oldenberg

What are state borders based on ? It is to do with national identity . It is a consequence  of environmental factors . Most important of which  is humans mistaken beliefs in separate  identity  . Rather than a common human identity.  Maybe if humanity  survives extinction at it's own hands , in  the far future , it will have no borders .

But for now , it does . And nations are as people , at odds with each other . One's survival is another's demise  . One nation's gain is another's loss . One expands and grows as another shrinks . Finite  resources for infinite growth . Everyone wants more kids . More land . More !

So we have to accept this . We can not be idealistic  . The best we can do is to try to allow for the survival of most . This means disallowing  great  power and great weakness . Allowing for unity  where it would avert a great  danger . And allowing for disunity  where it would cause  a great danger .

So national borders and governments  are to be protected.  They must be national in character . Independent. Able to feed and defend themselves . And whoever it was that said , that the strong must keep the weak in a state  of dependent  slavery and bondage  was wrong . We must protect the weak from the strong .

So should the eastern block still had supported Vietnam in it's war against  the colonial  powers , even if they had known that one day Vietnam would ask for yank military help in dispute with China over south China sea resources ?  The answer is yes . On balance it was the least of evils .

In this way then Syria should develop  independent economy and military  . Rather than be dependent on any outside power for protection . It is far easier to ship machine tools and engineers than a constant supply of missiles from Russia or Iran . These can be intercepted on route . A weakness .

However if the reason for lack of indigenous  rockets has been immediate difficulties . And they had to be shipped  . Then there are magic  tricks  to confuse the yank satellite.  I remember one magic trick that the magician use . He puts a coin under one of three inverted cups . Moves them around . And it is always  under a different cup !  How is this done ?

Finally the yanks say they are going.   All well and good , if they do . And I think if Syria had previously rejected the offer of financial help from yank . And this was right then . That now it should allow economic relationship with the yanks . Keeping the economic  sector interests above the military industrial complex . But in this the Syrians should not copy the Vietnam , and stich  Levi American jeans for three dollars an hour .

Russian soldier with SDF patch somewhere near Manbij probably

After the meeting in Moscow today. From that second photo alone I'd say that there is now a very solid agreement in place. The first shows what was probably a pretty tough meeting. This was not easy.

This is a stunning example of Russian diplomatic prowess and military power in action.

Could you envisage such a second photo between the US and Turkey?

Regarding the borders along ethnic lines discussion... half the problem in the Middle East is that the borders were drawn up in the 1920s by european colonial powers who were dividing the spoils after the defeat of Germany in WWI.

The lines had nothing to do with ethnic lines otherwise there would be a Kurdistan.

The lines were the division of known oil resources between the two remaining european colonial powers...

They created royal families and kept control of those countries because the ethnic group thrust into power was a minority and had a history of abuse from the dominant ethnicities in the region. The colonials gave them power,and they were happy to brutally suppress the majority in revenge for past treatment, but they knew they held power because of their colonial masters so they were in power, but they were pets to the Europeans.

The US didn't realise that democracy will turn these countries upside down... the Shia majority in Iraq has turned the country towards Iran through the ballot box... America pretends it wants peace and democracy, but what it really wants is its own way and Iran stands in the way of that right now...

@ Garry B

Agree . As Hillary Clinton said ; ....." we came , we saw , he died ! " . The yanks are like Chengiz Khan . It is all about a military crusade . Not nation building . Even establishing a vassal state or protectorate or colony needs the establishment of a state . This state will naturally develop democracy . Become independent . The era of slave ownership and colonial rule has ended . The Anglo-American empire is breathing it's last breath .

https://mobile.twitter.com/Obs_IL/status/1079390701702598659

Is it possible that israeli are afraid of this russian system that is probably in Syria ? Could detect their f-35's radar maybe. We know that one f-18 fired an AMRAAM on a su-22 so they probably have analyzed the radar of both. Israeli use their f-35 in support of f-16 when attacking syria so they use their radar to detect other fighter flying around.

They probably want to see if the system can detect them and see if they did a mistake by turning on the f35's radar at a wrong time.

Within Syria
Within Syria
@WithinSyriaBlog
At the early morning, Russian warplanes intercepted an Israeli ELINT plane escorted by warplanes over northern Lebanon.


Within Syria
Within Syria
@WithinSyriaBlog
Sorry that I couldn't provide details earlier, but the interception occurred off the shores of Lebanon. Russian warplanes were seen flying at top speed and low level over Tartus towards the Lebanese shores in the early morning.

As reported on January 3, 2019 by the TV channel Zvezda, as of the end of 2018, more than 68 thousand Russian servicemen had received combat experience in Syria. This was reported in the Ministry of Defense of Russia.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3483047.html

JohninMK wrote:After the meeting in Moscow today. From that second photo alone I'd say that there is now a very solid agreement in place. The first shows what was probably a pretty tough meeting. This was not easy.

This is a stunning example of Russian diplomatic prowess and military power in action.

Could you envisage such a second photo between the US and Turkey?

If they aware there are cameras near ,they could fake smiles.. If you look at Bolton vs lavrov meeting
they looked very happy too.. but Bolton did not gave Russia any good news.. but US leaving the INF treaty.
So it could be any thing really ..and they just practicing good morals.. The real moment of Truth will be know
if Turkey allows Syrian army to control manbji.. and many other areas in north of Syria. and very good relations ,best signal can only be Turkey leaving completely Syria and giving his occupied territories to Russia ,so they transfer it to Syrian army.. If that don't happen under Erdogan ,it will eventually likely happen under a new Turkey government when Erdogan retire.

Russian air force launches barrage of airstrikes tonight targeting HTS across west Aleppo CS including Dart Izza, Sheikh Suliman and Kafr Naha

https://twitter.com/Ibra_Joudeh/status/1081286325440049154




military source tells me that the Russian jets bombed the weapons and ammunition of Nour al - Din al - Zanki in Western Aleppo countryside . HTS trying to transfer the weapons of Al- Zanki groups , and the Russian aircraft bombed it .

https://twitter.com/MIG29_/status/1081300614867546115

Russian Military started patrols in Manbij

PapaDragon wrote:
Russian Military started patrols in Manbij

LYING EYES!!! LYING EYES!!! Pro-govt forces cant be in Manbij according to pindostanis...

http://www.atimes.com/article/us-denies-syrian-troops-have-entered-kurdish-held-manbij/

Russian military police demine field in Syria's Daraa province

More:
http://tass.com/world/1040389

Russia, for the first time in its history, has succeeded in realizing a centuries-long ambition, to penetrate the Mediterranean in a secure fashion, with air and naval bases on the Syrian coast, which no government of Syria would dare to touch.
http://www.atimes.com/why-what-happens-in-syria-is-important/?utm_source=The+Daily+Report&utm_campaign=a68d27f558-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_01_17_12_46&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1f8bca137f-a68d27f558-31607385

Looks like the General still has his Russian minders. No helmet or mask on this one.


Rob Lee
‏ @RALee85
19h19 hours ago

Looks like the Russian Spetsnaz serviceman has an AK-12 with EOTech G33 + E/XPS2/3 sights, 96 round drum, and possibly a Perst-3 ATPIAL, as well as a Glock. On Dec 20, Kalashnikov announced it had begun delivering the first 2.5k AK-12 to the Russian Army. @CalibreObscura

No mention of Northern Syria.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday after which the Russian leader said the two men had discussed how they planned to stabilize the situation in Syria’s Idlib province.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier on Wednesday that the situation in the region, where Moscow and Ankara have tried to create a de-escalation zone, was rapidly deteriorating and that it was almost under the full control of Nusra militants.

Putin said the Russian and Turkish defense ministers had already held talks on specific action that the two countries would take in Idlib and that the measures, which he didn’t describe, would now be implemented.

“Unfortunately there are many problems there and we see them,” said Putin, standing alongside Erdogan.

He said Turkey was doing a lot to try to remedy the situation, but that more action by both Ankara and Moscow was required to “liquidate the actions of terrorist groups.”

Putin said he had agreed to host a summit soon where Russia, Turkey and Iran would discuss the situation in Syria. He did not name a date for the summit, but said he and Erdogan had agreed on its provisional timing.

The Russian leader also complained about the difficulty of forming a U.N.-sponsored constitutional committee for Syria, saying that France, Germany and Britain had blocked the proposed make-up of the committee in December, a move he said had come as a surprise for Moscow.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-turkey-putin-erdogan/russia-and-turkey-to-act-to-stabilize-syrias-idlib-province-putin-idUSKCN1PH2C8

https://mobile.twitter.com/warsmonitoring/status/1090954268188786689

Kh-35 destroying a building in Syria.

There are similar video of supersonic missiles being filmed the same way and you can see the difference between a supersonic and a subsonic missiles. If a tor was protecting the area this kh-35 would have never been able to go through.

Against a warship with real air defence systems those subsonic missiles be it russian or western ones won't go through.

Isos wrote:https://mobile.twitter.com/warsmonitoring/status/1090954268188786689

Kh-35 destroying a building in Syria.

There are similar video of supersonic missiles being filmed the same way and you can see the difference between a supersonic and a subsonic missiles. If a tor was protecting the area this kh-35 would have never been able to go through.

Against a warship with real air defence systems those subsonic missiles by it russian or western ones won't go through.

Some good videos, if old, in that link. Always fun to see that Su-30SM at the rear hatch of the Il-76, stable regardless of the turbulence.

I found an instagram account of a russian pilot. Posts are translated in english in the comment section. It's an intersting point of view since he kinda says what he thinks without carring about politics.

I think you will like it john unless you alredy knows him.


https://www.instagram.com/fighter_bomber_/

Isos wrote:I found an instagram account of a russian pilot. Posts are translated in english in the comment section. It's an intersting point of view since he kinda says what he thinks without carring about politics.

I think you will like it john unless you alredy knows him.


https://www.instagram.com/fighter_bomber_/

Not seen this before. Love it. Thanks.