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On September 19, multiple reports appeared in some Arab, Western and Russian media claiming that the Russian Military Police arrested all service members of the 44th brigade of the Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces in the Syrian province of Lattakia over their involvement in the incident with the Russian IL-20 military plane on September 17. Then, the servicemen were allegedly moved to a jail at Hmeimim airbase.
One of the key sources of these reports was the Hammurabi’s Justice News blog well known for its links to US-backed militant groups in at-Tanf and the US-led coalition. The blog was not able to provide any evidence confirming its claims. Furthermore, a source in the SADF told SouthFront that the 44th brigade does not even exist.
Syrian pro-government sources described this kind of reports as another attempt to drive a wedge within the Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance using the IL-20 incident.
On the same day, the Russian Armed Forces kicked off snap drills in the eastern Mediterranean, which will last until September 26. Some experts claimed that the drills are a show of force and a warning to Israel following official statements by top Russian officials that the Israeli actions, which led to the IL-20 shootdown on September 17, are unacceptable.
Adviser to Turkish President Erdogan, Yasin Aktay, openly described the Israeli attack as an attempt to sabotage the Russian-Turkish agreement on the Idlib demilitarized zone.
Meanwhile, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) repelled an ISIS attack on their positions in the settlement of al-Baghuz al-Fawqani in the province of Deir Ezzor. The SDF reportedly destroyed two VBIEDs and then attacked ISIS positions near al-Shaddadah and al-Kasrah.
Now, SDF units are developing advance in the direction of al-Susah.
The Russian military is making steps to upgrade security on its bases in Syria and installation of upgraded control systems is one of the technical solutions it is currently working at, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told media on September 19. Earlier, the Russian president vowed that security of Russian troops deployed in the war-torn country will be boosted.
Snap drills…is that anything like talking tough after the bully has already knocked out your teeth and left??
There will always be the drawback of losing teeth when you want to be friends with both Syria and Israel.
The fed
That bully did not knock out any teeth. He played dirty, using a sneak attack, backed by a French frigate. I am still wondering who shot down that Russian reconnaissance plane, the Syrians by mistake, or the French. Why did the French participate in that attack ? The missiles fired by that French frigate were coordinated with the Israeli attack, proof that the attack was an Israeli-NATO provocation. The intent was to have Putin respond, and give NATO an excuse to attack. Putin did not fall for the provocation. However, he is beefing up both Russian and Syrian AA systems.
For years, humanitarian activists have been trying to lift the illegal Israeli siege of Gaza by sailing ships loaded with aid towards Gaza port. The Israelis have killed some of these humanitarian activists, beaten and arrested many more, and stolen the ships and the aid.
Thus, on my list of things to do to get even with Bibi would be …..
Take this flotilla of ships in the ‘snap drill’. Have it join up with cargo ships loaded with aid. Then sail it straight towards Gaza port. Let Bibi see a whole flotilla of Russian navy ships steaming for Gaza escorting aid ships that are desperately needed there. Then wait for Bibi to call and whine about it. I wouldn’t change the course of the flotilla for Bibi, but listening to Bibi whine in frustration would be entertaining.
So the Big Attack failed to create a Russian and/or Syrian counterattack (presumably sinking the French attacking missile ship), and defeat which would have been “aided” by Truman Carrier Group…
Having few or zero other options, Imperial Forces always “double”. Sometimes they call this “plan B”.
It is probably not over.
90 % of habitants of Idlib region are ISIS, militants, and their “families”.
They looks like innocent civilians, they wants to live with dignity, they want the fall of the regime, because there’s no solution except the fall of regime.
But they have full support of hegemon, with unlimited capitals, unlimited military weapons, unlimited military know-how, and with NATO on their side, eager to ACT.
1 – On my personal Opinion, the Idlib region of Syria, will be settled most likely Politically then Militarily.
2 – The Idlib region controversy will reveal the true face of all involved PARTIES
One can see what the meeting between Putin and Trump was all about; US gets east of Euphrates, Turkey takes Idlib and the Jews keep Golan. Russia maintains a naval base in Syria and then they will all live happily ever after.
No it is not over. With a Sytria partition in 3 regions, with most resources taken out, then why not? The road is paved for Plan A too.
“Regim Change” and assad removed.
Russia has two options.
Make a compromise, keep Tartus, and make Russian think that theirs “Nasha Velikaya Rodina” isn’t taken by globalist yet.””ЭТО РОДИНА МОЯ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9ugqODjCUc
or: Pack and admit defeat, but hegemon does’t like it, because the sick Ivan is stil alive and unpredictable.
«Колокольчики мои» Алексей Толстой
Колокольчики мои,
Цветики степные!
Что глядите на меня,
Темно-голубые?
И о чем звените вы
В день веселый мая,
Средь некошеной травы
Головой качая?
…………………
Конь мой, конь, славянский конь,
Дикий, непокорный!
Есть нам, конь, с тобой простор!
Мир забывши тесный,
Мы летим во весь опор
К цели неизвестной.
Чем окончится наш бег?
Радостью ль? кручиной?
Знать не может человек —
Знает бог единый!
Why the does there have to be 15 personnel in a plane like this ? Cant comnputers eliminate some men ??? That just sounds like way too much for such a risky job
Artificial intelligence in the form of machine learning, neural networks, etc. are already applied in military radar technology, among many other technologies. They are basically computer algorithms that give the computers a set of rules to follow to quickly auto-recognize features, signals, etc.
Most computers are still babies who need parents to supervise them, for now that is, and depending on the field of application. Advances however are being made.
I use these algorithms for example to help me quickly pick out certain features from satellite and airborne imagery.
Those tv programmes using satellite technogy and filters to discover archeological sites in Egypt and elsewheres are fascinating.
I have old buddies of mine doing that work :-).
It can further be applied for all kinds of stuff, like picking up pipeline leaks across thousands of kilometers.
As shown in this article, two American politicians have shown the world that they clearly do not believe Washington’s narrative on the war in Syria:
https://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2018/09/american-politicians-and-syria-what-if.html
When we read reports about the situation in the Western mainstream media we have to ask yourself one simple question: “Has the person that wrote this report spent any time on the ground in Syria?”. If not, then their views are likely not to be trusted.
Hi Sally,
I believe your statement can be shortened and simplified a bit to…..
“When we read reports about any situation in the Western mainstream media, their views are not to be trusted.”
The best way to treat the western mainstream media is to ignore them. Don’t read them, don’t watch them, don’t listen to them. They have been caught in so many lies, they have no credibility. Why listen to a known liar?
Wouldn’t it be great if the western mainstream media was trying to lie to the world, and nobody heard them because everyone had turned them off? They only have power because people give it to them by listening to them.
Somebody explain why the Russian Navy beefed up its naval presence in the Mediterranean Sea prior to this heinous attack. It appears it was all for show and tell, not to thwart anymore attacks upon Syrian soil by third party belligerents (i.e., Israel and U.S.-NATO). Those sailors and Russian Marines on their warships watched their comrades fall out of the sky and die because they were not permitted to stop the attacks.
President Putin is micro-managing Russian military forces in Syria. His application of “Delicate Statesmanship” is getting his people killed unnecessarily due to geopolitics. Mr. Putin must be reminded of the primary purpose that Russia is in Syria: to remove the terrorists by military force and secure the economic future of Russia in the region. Soldiers know they can die in battle. What they don’t want is to be handicapped militarily by politicos who think they can “negotiate peace and harmony” with the enemy.
Idlib Province may be the last major stronghold of the terrorists but there is still the U.S. presence in “Fort Al-Tanf” and elsewhere in Eastern Syria that needs to be dismantled.
Let the generals run the Syrian campaign to a successful conclusion and restore Syrian sovereignty. Otherwise you’ll create great discord and acrimony in the military ranks which could impact the future war-fighting that will come to Donbass and perhaps Crimea as well.
Russian forces are there to thwart US led attacks on Syria, not Israeli attacks on Iranian assets in Syria.
Putin lost 15 men by way of Israeli treachery. The battles ahead in Idlib under the likely massive intercession of the US and Israel, UK and France, even Turks, could have cost 10-100 times in dead and wounded Russian forces.
As an armchair general you need to up your game. You think too small. Think what the size of the opposition is.
Russia has a tiny force in Syria. Even if it had 50,000 men, it could not handle what the US could bring to war. Russia has made it clear it will use tactical nukes to level the playing field. Where do you think that will lead to?
So, calculate how you can win, not a video game, but the geopolitical game with all the real factors.
Don’t worry about the Russian military’s morale. They are very sophisticated down through the ranks. No Russian does not understand the Zionist/Khazarian hatred of Russians and Russia, and the existential threat of the US and its vassals in NATO. Not for one minute. Russians know.
@ Larchmonter; “Russians know” the zionist /khazarian hatred of Russia.
if not indiscreet to ask, how do you know this?
Because this is back to Sun Tzu…… to win, you must know your enemy.
Israel always attacks Iranian assets in Syria, so they say….
Anyone know why the Iranians were occupying a power plant in Latakia?
Larchmonter445
Just to point out that back in 2003 it took the US and it’s allies six months to assemble all their men, material and supplies for that attack against Iraq, which did not go as smoothly as presented by CNN. According to one analyst, the US in 2003 conquered only 1/3 of Iraq.
The US attacking Russia in Syria ? Virtually impossible. Look at the map. Russia has geography on it’s side. In case of an attack, the US would have Russians in front and behind them.
As much as I respect your perspective on the strategic situation in Syria, you stepped on a M18 Claymore mine when you wrote, “Russian forces are there to thwart US led attacks on Syria, not Israeli attacks on Iranian assets in Syria.
You and other analysts mentioned in previous posts on the Saker website the IL-20 tragedy gives Russia the legitimate reason to deploy S-300/S-400 anti-air defensive systems in Syria and maybe elsewhere. What good will it do if Israel continues to attack Syria and destroy infrastructure if these land based and sea based AA systems aren’t used to prevent the attack?
The U.S. and Israel both want to overthrow President Assad’s government; everyone knows that, including you. They and their proxy mercenaries are the enemies of President Assad, plain and simple. Israel is giving medical aid, safe haven and money to the terrorists who like the U.S., describe them as “rebels” to present the appearance of legitimate freedom fighters.That reminds me of President Reagan’s description of the Mujahedin when the Soviet Union was in Afghanistan in the 1970’s. What does all that have to do with Iranian special operations personnel in Syria?
“Fort Al-Tanf” is an illegal U.S.military compound that is a training facility for the consortium of Al-XXX terrorists. How can Russia eliminate this terrorist factory without confronting the U.S. directly by means of military force? Even if Russia lays siege to Al Tanf to starve the U.S. and their terrorist syndicate it won’t prevent resupplying them by airborne drops unless Russia shoots them down.There is no other option because the U.S. can create any falsity it chooses to justify remaining in Syria.
The words, “diplomacy” and “statesmanship” have been deleted from the U.S.State Department’s lexicon of foreign relations etiquette. President Putin’s misplaced faith in negotiations with all parties involved is going to cause him to lose everything he has accomplished. The situation will comedown to military confrontation between Russia and the western thugs unless he decides to pack up and depart the country which is exactly what the U.S. wants to see happen.
I agree the Russian forces in Syria are insufficient in numbers right now to repel what the U.S.-NATO can bring to the battlefield. If Russia wants to hold on to their economic future, they’re going to have to fight the U.S.; it is inevitable. That means deploying massive combat infantry into Syria and overwhelm the opposition, the sooner the better.
No retaliation and of course the US double down untill total surrender.
Trump Gives US Treasury Powers to Impose Anti-Russia Sanctions – White House
https://sputniknews.com/world/201809201068202522-trump-sanctions-russia/
US puts 33 Russian intel, military officials on sanctions blacklist
https://www.rt.com/usa/438964-us-puts-33-russian-intel/
US Sanctions Chinese Entity Over Purchase of Russian Fighters, S-400s – Treasury
https://sputniknews.com/world/201809201068208812-us-sanctions-china-s-400-/
If it is not a declaration of war,tell me what it is?
https://sputniknews.com/news/201809201068195006-eu-leaders-brexit-referendum/
What is it? The economic hegemony of a desperate nation who can’t win a war anywhere on the Earth.
It has enhanced the strategic comprehensive cooperative relationship between China and Russia.
The US is threatening India with sanctions over S-400 and frigate purchases from Russia.
That strengthens Russia-India and SCO and BRICS organizations.
The US is drunk on power and is stumbling all over the planet.
The first opportunity any nation has to cause the Empire trouble, it will occur.
We see South Korea desperately trying to align with the North and flee the vassalage of the US.
That will be the first major crack in the edifice of US hegemony.
Japan is next, with Russia, for godsake! Imagine that. Japan working with Russia and “playing the US” as it works its escape.
Hungary, Bulgaria, Armenia are all working out of the bondage.
That’s what you’re seeing if you know what to look for.
And Russia hasn’t had to lift its little pinky finger in any of these cases.
The world is running to Mother’s warm embrace.
Agree. The sanctions are a continuing sign of massive weakness from the US. Other nations will perceive it as such.
Further, it just shows how much the US fears Russian technology and the S400 in particular.
If by this time any Russian military or intelligence officers had any assets where sanctions by the US Treasury Dept could reach them, then they should have long ago been removed from their posts for general stupidity.
Erdogan claims the Israeli attack is to sabotage the Idlib de-militarisation zone plan.
About this plan, how will the Turks and the Russians obtain the cooperation of the head-choppers in Idlib without a fight? Their troops (turkish and Russian) are the ones who will patrol the M4 and M5. So the terrorists will just let them?
According to PCR, the provocations by the AZs are escalating, Russia is hesitating, and time is being wasted. He is concerned.
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/09/20/putins-hesitation-has-lost-syrias-idlib-province/
PCR runs what country or has what military in the fight?
Please . . . he is no more than any of us, and most of us are not hysterics.
Russia knows how to stay out of useless and costly military engagements.
The most fanatical political adversaries were in the SW-Daraa sector. They gave up the fight and surrendered their weapons and joined the political process. Russia knows how to get the crazies isolated and the others to see the reality of death vs. hope. The US did not know how and Mosul went on for a year and Raqqa was obliterated while ISIS escaped. Look at Aleppo, East Ghouta, Homs, Daraa and see how the Russian’s ran the operations. PCR studies nothing. He’s on a one track trolley.
The head choppers have no chance fighting both Turkey and Russia and the SAA. That is the trap for them. They have to hand over their heavy weapons and retreat from the front lines and give up all their best positions and their best weapons. After that they are at the mercy of Erdogan who by this point is reliant on Putin for survival. Once/if they attack Turkey it’s game over for them as they have no chance whatsoever without a supply line to Turkey.
If Erdogan and Turkey tries any funny business he is responsible to Putin. And Erdogan would be crazy to try and jump back to the West who already tried to have him deposed/killed once, even he understands if he did that he would not last long…
PCR does good analyses of the utterly degenerate state of US politics and he is right about their visceral hatred towards Russia but he never suggests what Russia should do that it is not doing already.
He wrote an article entitled “What should Putin do?” and his only suggestion was that Russia, China, Iran and Syria form a mutual defense pact a sort of Eurasian NATO.
Fine. But . . . would China go to war with the USA over an attack by the US on a Syrian facility? Definitely not. Definitely definitely not.
So a non starter there. China is profoundly war averse – they were invaded by the Japanese and remember the suffering of those times. The Russians are profoundly averse to war. They know what war is and remember the Nazi occupation. The peoples of these 2 great countries want to live, prosper, have friends have families – enjoy life. They don/t want to be part of some hellish human slaughter orgy brought on by a Zionist death cult.
So now what?
I can’t suggest anything the two countries above haven’t thought about I am sure but if I was to suggest what they should do I would say that Russia and China need to focus their energy and talents on destroying the US dollar as a world reserve currency.
They are already well on the way to achieving that hence I suspect the reason for the current level of anti Russian/Chinese hysteria.
A considerable number of countries are now trading with Russia and China outside the dollar. Too many to enumerate here. One example – Recently the Chinese leader toured Africa and succeeded in obtaining the agreement of 14 major African countries to start using the yuan as reserve currency.
https://qz.com/africa/1291372/chinas-yuan-gets-support-from-africa-central-banks-to-replace-us-dollar-reserve/
Trumps hostility to countries like Pakistan, Iran, Venzuela and India is driving these nations to seek ways of establishing trade with reliable countries and in many ways Trump is helping this process along.
And whereas the new petroyuan is backed by rock solid gold, the US dollar is backed by nothing but guns.
De-dollarization is coming along quite rapidly.
I think a tipping point will come where the trickle of countries dumping dollars will accelerate – not out of “ideology” but out of purely self interest in needing a properly run world financial trading system they can trust – so that unwanted dollars / treasuries pour back into the US leaving it paralysed in trillions of debt, and with an enraged and desperate population finding their dollar only has a third of the value it held a few years ago.
The US will tear itself apart. Part of the reason the Chinese are rapidly rolling out the BRI is to create replacement customers for this coming moment.
Right now as far as I can see Russia and China are humouring the US like trying to calm a rabid dog and keep it from “losing it” altogether. So Putin calls them “partners” it is probably belter than “bastards”.
Always keeping in mind that Israel and the US are not rational, Russia, China continue to rapidly develop state of the art weapons and probably take the view that all they gotta do is deny them a big war and just wait.
Why risk ww3 by sinking a US warship when in due course you can sink the whole country?
So to PCR I would respectfully ask – Do you think Russia and China are just sitting around doing nothing waiting for the next US outrage? I don’t think so.
Facts are better than words and wishful thinking, By the pro Russian Govt:
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201809201068207791-israel-syria-russia-cooperation/
Lol. An Israeli agent saying the blame lies with Syria and whitewashing all Israeli responsibility from the attack. What a surprise, not. If I were Russian I would see this as insult added to injury and calculate accordingly.
But it is interesting that Sputnik decided to publish such drivel, even in an anonymous “opinion” piece. Wonder whose “opinion” it reflects?
Snap drills and NOTAMS to move in some very interesting equipment?
Mr Putin’s little dig … “Everyone will notice.”?
Yeah, the Israeli must be shakjing in their booties after getting a free pass after killing 15 Russian military personnel. The problem with all this is that, not only Israel knows by now, and also the rest of the world, that they can kill Russian men and women in uniform and get away with it but even worse, that it will be the Russian leader himself the one providing the excuses for their actions. Who needs friends with enemies like that…?
Putin may be a great leader for Russia during peaceful times but as a war leader he is a complete failure and he could even provoke the worst military disaster for Russia in her 1000 years History. What is sorely needed now at the top in the Kremlin is a tough as nail hand, the kind of Stalin, Lenin and Khrushchev provided during their tenures. And I don’t see that kind of change anytime soon being made.
ej magnier reports that:l
Putin and Erdogan have concluded a good agreement on Idlib.
https://ejmagnier.com/2018/09/20/putin-erdogan-have-concluded-a-good-deal-on-idlib/
US-Led Coalition Transports Daesh Leaders From Syria’s Deir Ez-Zor – Reports
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201809221068252049-us-coalition-daesh-airlift/
“An intervention by US-led forces has reportedly allowed a number of high-ranking terrorists to escape justice at the hands of Syrian troops.
The US-led coalition in Syria has recently helped evacuate several Daesh leaders from Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported, citing local sources.
According to SANA, the coalition forces performed “an air landing operation” on the outskirts of al-Marashida in order to airlift terrorist leaders to an unknown destination.
On September 8, a pair of US F-15 jets also carried out strikes in Deir ez-Zor province using banned phosphorous munitions.
Earlier in July, a US-led coalition warplane attacked two settlements in Deir ez-Zor, killing over 30 civilians and injuring dozens, while another sortie by coalition aircraft hit a group of civilians fleeing the town of al-Sousa located in the southeastern part of the province.
In June, the US-led coalition reportedly hit the positions of the Syrian Armed Forces in the Al Bukamal area of Deir ez-Zor, killing several Syrian servicemen and injuring others.”
Israeli Attack Which Led to Il-20 Tragedy Was Reaction to Idlib Truce – Analyst
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201809221068250259-il20-geopolitical-implications-commentary/
“The destruction of a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft with 15 airmen onboard has led to questions about Moscow’s relations with both Syria and Israel. Speaking to Sputnik, Middle East affairs observer Ali ben Masoud al-Mashani said he was confident that whatever else happens, Russian-Syrian counterterrorism cooperation will continue.
Speaking to Sputnik about the lost Il-20, which was destroyed by Syrian air defenses over the Mediterranean Sea as the Syrian military attempted to repel an Israeli attack on Monday, al-Mashani said it was important to keep in mind that “this tragedy occurred because of the [Israeli] attack on Syria. Syrian airspace was violated,” he said.
Al-Mashani categorically ruled out the possibility of a downturn in cooperation between Moscow and Damascus. “Both sides know that the Israeli aggression was a response to the agreements in Sochi between Moscow and Ankara on Idlib,” he said, referring to plans to set up a demilitarized zone in the militant-controlled Syrian province by the middle of next month.”
Russia’s Defense Ministry to publish on Sunday detailed information on warplane crash
http://tass.com/defense/1022722
“Russia’s Defense Ministry will publish on Sunday detailed information on circumstances behind the downing of the Russian Ilyushin Il-20 military plane off Syria on September 17, the ministry told reporters on Saturday.
“The minute-by-minute timeline of the tragedy will be given with a presentation of objective data from the radars’ data handling system about the air situation in Syria on September 17 and actions of Israel’s air force in the area of the crash,” the ministry said.
The defense ministry pointed out that Israel’s F-16 fighter jets used the Russian IL-20 as cover and put it in the line of fire. The tragedy claimed the lives of 15 Russian military personnel.”
Syrian Activist Nidal Rahawi Provides Rare Insight into the Deteriorating Conditions in the Northeastern Region
Transcript of the Interview, Part I
https://www.globalresearch.ca/syrian-activist-nidal-rahawi-provides-rare-insight-into-the-deteriorating-conditions-in-the-northeastern-region/5654735
“In this exclusive interview Syrian Nationalist/Outspoken Activist/Artist Mr. Nidal Rahawi a Qamishli native and resident, provided us with crucial direct insight into the most recent tragic events that have taken place in his hometown in north eastern Syria.”
Syrian Activist Nidal Rahawi Provides Rare Insight into the Deteriorating Conditions in the Northeastern Region
Transcript of the Interview, Part II
https://www.globalresearch.ca/syrian-activist-nidal-rahawi-provides-rare-insight-into-the-deteriorating-conditions-in-the-northeastern-region-2/5654856
“In part I of this article we spoke with Mr. Nidal Rahawi about life under Kurdish rule and some of the most recent tragic events that have taken place. In part II we will expand on the topic of education and the imposed Kurdish curriculum in north eastern Syria.”
Arabic Transcript of Interview with Syrian Nationalist Nidal Rahawi
https://sarahabed.com/2018/09/21/arabic-transcript-of-interview-with-syrian-nationalist-nidal-rahawi/