Here it comes: Syria
Is not the present situation the result of Obama not enforcing his red line?
Unless a very firm military rebuke is administered very soon, B and C warfare may become normalised in Assad and Putin's minds.
I don't approve of Trump [understatement] but I do believe action needs to follow words. Not a good place, but we are where we are.
Unless a very firm military rebuke is administered very soon, B and C warfare may become normalised in Assad and Putin's minds.
I don't approve of Trump [understatement] but I do believe action needs to follow words. Not a good place, but we are where we are.
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I think this line is quite considerable.
Some think, based on the experience in Lybia, Iraq and Yugoslavia, that such "war gaming" is not so dangerous but might bring enough glory to bury some questionable behaviour in the past.
And it's very dangerous to think that all this is not dangerous.
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"Why, why, why, Delilah?"
It's not the only one recently developed by smart guys in the desert.
This one also seems to be quite effective, and F-15, F-16 and even MiG-29 can carry 4 of them:
IAI Reveals New Air-to-Ground Missile | Israel Defense
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
An ARM with an attack profile seems similar to the ALARM, but without a loiter capability. Not sure I’d expect the Syrians to intercept them, rather switch their radars off.
The Israel targets are also usually storage depots or convoys used by the Iranians to transfer missiles to Hezbollah - not the Syrian AD system.
The Israel targets are also usually storage depots or convoys used by the Iranians to transfer missiles to Hezbollah - not the Syrian AD system.
Of course not - no limits at all. Except, a 2 term limit.
@GlobalNav: I don't see him getting a second term. His own party is getting weary of his act ... and I'll suggest that they are fully aware that he isn't of their party and never was. He is of the Trump party. Whatever show/action, on whatever stage, that he sees as promoting the Trump brand he'll undertake. Trade? War? Immigration? Treaties? Deals? Whatever he thinks makes him look good.
They (GOP congress types) are having morning after regrets, and no cigarette.
The night before (as it were) if you watched the GOP primaries, they had asked him if he'd "respect them in the morning" and he made clear that "he didn't respect them now." And they still went to bed with him.
PJ O'Rourke's Parliament of Whores, brought to life.
It is disturbing to see that these folks have the power to declare war, while he (Trump) has war powers that can be exercised short of a war declaration. Lots of them, and about 60 years of precedent. Uncomfortable days ahead.
Our winged brethren are going to be sent forth as one more act for this show: in the theater of the absurd. Blood sport, in a curious version of the game.
They (GOP congress types) are having morning after regrets, and no cigarette.
The night before (as it were) if you watched the GOP primaries, they had asked him if he'd "respect them in the morning" and he made clear that "he didn't respect them now." And they still went to bed with him. PJ O'Rourke's Parliament of Whores, brought to life.
It is disturbing to see that these folks have the power to declare war, while he (Trump) has war powers that can be exercised short of a war declaration. Lots of them, and about 60 years of precedent. Uncomfortable days ahead.
Our winged brethren are going to be sent forth as one more act for this show: in the theater of the absurd. Blood sport, in a curious version of the game.
Incoming!
(The US must have already clobbered Syria, stealthily. Assad denies it, of course, and the Russians never saw anything. And the whole exercise did not cost the US taxpayer a single penny.)
(The US must have already clobbered Syria, stealthily. Assad denies it, of course, and the Russians never saw anything. And the whole exercise did not cost the US taxpayer a single penny.)
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Theresa May prepares Britain to launch assault on Assad regime in Syria
Theresa May has cleared the way for Britain to join a US-led military attack on Syria within days after national security advisers presented new evidence blaming President Assad for the “barbaric” gas attack in Douma.
The prime minister is recalling cabinet ministers from their Easter break to seek approval today. She is set to defy calls, including from Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, to follow recent convention and allow MPs a vote.... Senior ministers summoned to this afternoon’s emergency cabinet will be asked to “consider the next steps”, according to a Downing Street source. Mrs May is likely to make the case for military action on the basis that it is necessary to deter future gas attacks......
Royal Navy attack submarines, armed with cruise missiles, are understood to be moving into range from this evening to be ready to take part in a strike on Syria. A Type 45 destroyer is also in the Mediterranean on a routine deployment but could be manoeuvred to participate. HMS Duncan is fitted with an air defence missile system able to blast incoming Russian missiles. RAF fast jets operating from Cyprus are also ready for action. “We have planes on the tarmac in Akrotiri,” a Whitehall source said. “We are ready.”.....
Theresa May has cleared the way for Britain to join a US-led military attack on Syria within days after national security advisers presented new evidence blaming President Assad for the “barbaric” gas attack in Douma.
The prime minister is recalling cabinet ministers from their Easter break to seek approval today. She is set to defy calls, including from Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, to follow recent convention and allow MPs a vote.... Senior ministers summoned to this afternoon’s emergency cabinet will be asked to “consider the next steps”, according to a Downing Street source. Mrs May is likely to make the case for military action on the basis that it is necessary to deter future gas attacks......
Royal Navy attack submarines, armed with cruise missiles, are understood to be moving into range from this evening to be ready to take part in a strike on Syria. A Type 45 destroyer is also in the Mediterranean on a routine deployment but could be manoeuvred to participate. HMS Duncan is fitted with an air defence missile system able to blast incoming Russian missiles. RAF fast jets operating from Cyprus are also ready for action. “We have planes on the tarmac in Akrotiri,” a Whitehall source said. “We are ready.”.....
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"“We have planes on the tarmac in Akrotiri,” a Whitehall source said. “We are ready.”...."
If I was Assad I 'd tell the Govt of Cyprus that any strike from Akrotiri would mean Syria would retaliate - and there might well be collateral casualties in the local population...
Not only would it murder the tourist trade it would almost certainly stir up calls to close the bases........... and I don't think we really want that do we??
If I was Assad I 'd tell the Govt of Cyprus that any strike from Akrotiri would mean Syria would retaliate - and there might well be collateral casualties in the local population...
Not only would it murder the tourist trade it would almost certainly stir up calls to close the bases........... and I don't think we really want that do we??
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Given much of Putin's (and his cronies) wealth is said to be channelled through Cyprus, that may not be decision he would support.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-a7732326.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-a7732326.html
"“We have planes on the tarmac in Akrotiri,” a Whitehall source said. “We are ready.”...."
If I was Assad I 'd tell the Govt of Cyprus that any strike from Akrotiri would mean Syria would retaliate - and there might well be collateral casualties in the local population...
Not only would it murder the tourist trade it would almost certainly stir up calls to close the bases........... and I don't think we really want that do we??
If I was Assad I 'd tell the Govt of Cyprus that any strike from Akrotiri would mean Syria would retaliate - and there might well be collateral casualties in the local population...
Not only would it murder the tourist trade it would almost certainly stir up calls to close the bases........... and I don't think we really want that do we??
The reason I ask, is that Turkey is an ally of Russia and Iran in Syria hence on the side of the current regime. It’s possible that Nicosia may not want to provoke the Turks especially if they are concerned at the possibility of a wider regional conflict.
On a seperate note,it's being reported that most of the Russian naval assets in Tartus have deployed to sea
https://www.maritime-executive.com/a...rikes-on-syria
JAS
One hopes that any so-called evidence the spooks have found is unequivocal, unlike the Iraqi-WMD lies...
Much as I dislike him, Corbyn is right on this occasion. Defying the calls for MPs to have a vote ought to lead to Mother MayDay's downfall following a vote of no confidence in what passes for her government.
Much as I dislike him, Corbyn is right on this occasion. Defying the calls for MPs to have a vote ought to lead to Mother MayDay's downfall following a vote of no confidence in what passes for her government.
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The territory of the Republic of Cyprus shall comprise the Island of Cyprus,
together with the islands lying off its coast, with the exception of the two areas
defined in Annex A to this Treaty, which areas shall remain under the sovereignty of
the United Kingdom. These areas are in this Treaty and its Annexes referred to as the
Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area and the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area.
Article 2
(1) The Republic of Cyprus shall accord to the United Kingdom the rights set
forth in Annex B to this Treaty.
(2) The Republic of Cyprus shall co-operate fully with the United Kingdom to
ensure the security and effective operation of the military bases situated in the
Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area and the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, and the full
enjoyment by the United Kingdom of the rights conferred by this Treaty.
https://www.mfa.gr/images/docs/kypri...ablishment.pdf
together with the islands lying off its coast, with the exception of the two areas
defined in Annex A to this Treaty, which areas shall remain under the sovereignty of
the United Kingdom. These areas are in this Treaty and its Annexes referred to as the
Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area and the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area.
Article 2
(1) The Republic of Cyprus shall accord to the United Kingdom the rights set
forth in Annex B to this Treaty.
(2) The Republic of Cyprus shall co-operate fully with the United Kingdom to
ensure the security and effective operation of the military bases situated in the
Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area and the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area, and the full
enjoyment by the United Kingdom of the rights conferred by this Treaty.
https://www.mfa.gr/images/docs/kypri...ablishment.pdf
Turkey is an ally of Russia and Iran in Syria hence on the side of the current regime.
It’s true that there are risks to using Akrotiri as a base for striking Syria, but not from Turkey IMHO. I would be far more worried about what political trouble the Russians could stir up in the RoC. I can’t see them attacking but some ‘threatening’ westbound sortie profiles out of Syria would quickly stir up a hornet’s nest.
Apologies if it’s previously been posted,
This site might be of interest, pulling “crowd sourced” publically available information together and presenting in on a map.
https://syria.liveuamap.com/
JAS
This site might be of interest, pulling “crowd sourced” publically available information together and presenting in on a map.
https://syria.liveuamap.com/
JAS
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Grauniad: “Military officials in all three capitals insisted the bomb had been dropped from one of two Syrian government helicopters that had taken off from the Dumayr airbase north of Douma 30 minutes earlier. Its flight path was mapped.“.....
Image from 2014 - but I doubt plans have changed much.....
Image from 2014 - but I doubt plans have changed much.....
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One hopes that any so-called evidence the spooks have found is unequivocal, unlike the Iraqi-WMD lies...
Much as I dislike him, Corbyn is right on this occasion. Defying the calls for MPs to have a vote ought to lead to Mother MayDay's downfall following a vote of no confidence in what passes for her government.
Much as I dislike him, Corbyn is right on this occasion. Defying the calls for MPs to have a vote ought to lead to Mother MayDay's downfall following a vote of no confidence in what passes for her government.