Syrian government forces use Russian jets against ISIL – monitor

[webfact]

Syrian government forces use Russian jets against ISIL – monitor



LONDON: -- Syrian government forces have used “recently” arrived Russian warplanes to bombard ISIL militants in northern Syria, according to a group monitoring the four-year conflict.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that the Russian jets were being flown by Syrian pilots.

Moscow’s increased support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has caused alarm in many Western countries.

“This shows that Russia has changed its behaviour when compared to before but it won’t get involved directly,” said political analyst, Vyacheslav Matuzov. He added that some within “military circles are itching for a fight but what we don’t need is a second Afghanistan.”

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama will meet with his Russian counterpart on Monday following President Vladimir Putin’s address to the United Nations.

“President Obama will make it clear once again that Russia doubling down on their support for the Assad regime is a losing bet. The likely consequence of them doing so is only to deepen and expand the ongoing crisis in that country that doesn’t serve the interests of the Russian people or the American people,” explained White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest.

The Kremlin claims the main focus of the meeting next week will be centred on the Syrian conflict.

However, this differs greatly from the focus Washington wants for the agenda – the ongoing crisis in eastern Ukraine.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-09-25

[ezzra]

Yeah right, Syrian pilots, ok go with that, like the russian will let those

sheep herderds fly the latest of the russian airforce....

[Usernames]

Yeah right, Syrian pilots, ok go with that, like the russian will let those

sheep herderds fly the latest of the russian airforce....

Let's shoot one down and find out.

[connda]

I imagine that the Russian's are actually engaging their targets unlike certain other countries with fighter jets in the area.

Edited September 25, 2015 by connda

[Jonmarleesco]

'“President Obama will make it clear once again that Russia doubling down on their support for the Assad regime is a losing bet. The likely consequence of them doing so is only to deepen and expand the ongoing crisis in that country that doesn’t serve the interests of the Russian people or the American people ...' Doubling down? Odd phrase, especially in the particular context.

But not only do we now have the U.S. once more interfering in the government of a middle east country, but questioning the Syrian government's bombing of ISIS. The mind boggles.

[tigermonkey]

Yeah right, Syrian pilots, ok go with that, like the russian will let those

sheep herderds fly the latest of the russian airforce....

"the latest of the russian airforce" --- did you take a look at the picture of the antique fighter in the OP ?

[Bakseeda]

Yeah right, Syrian pilots, ok go with that, like the russian will let those

sheep herderds fly the latest of the russian airforce....

"the latest of the russian airforce" --- did you take a look at the picture of the antique fighter in the OP ?

Yes, not quite a Sukhoi su 47...... but then again the wings fall off those lovely planes...

[connda]

'“President Obama will make it clear once again that Russia doubling down on their support for the Assad regime is a losing bet. The likely consequence of them doing so is only to deepen and expand the ongoing crisis in that country that doesn’t serve the interests of the Russian people or the American people ...' Doubling down? Odd phrase, especially in the particular context.

But not only do we now have the U.S. once more interfering in the government of a middle east country, but questioning the Syrian government's bombing of ISIS. The mind boggles.

Read articles and books by F. William Engdahl, and you'll find the thread that holds this tapestry together, and start understanding how it's woven.

Pepe Escobar is also another good source of both books and articles addressing the ME/NA/Asia/Eurasian connections.

Anybody who limits their viewing to Fox News, CNN, or Skynews, or limits their reading to the WaPo or NYTs will simply never understand how this 'game' is being played and who the actual players are or they're motivation. But then again - Ignorant is bliss. Most folks are happy basking in the rays of the normalcy-bias.

[Thorgal]

Russia delivered also the MIG-31FE, which is an interceptor, designed to fight other fighter jets. Not really made for bombing missions.

ISIS/ISIL/FSA has no aircraft.

Perhaps the one shepherds are going to use them against the other sheperds...

[JHolmesJr]

If all else fails, paratroop in a few hundred thousand russian tourists....guaranteed to clear the area.

[Thongkorn]

the picture looks like a British Hauke.

[727Sky]

IMO ISIS will not be dealt with until they finish their mission to dispose of Assad

A letter from an A-10 pilot:

QUOTE:

The squadron is doing fine. Everybody is happy to be here and we are doing some good work. The A-10s are holding up well and the technology we have on the jets now (targeting pods, GPS guided bombs, Laser Guided bombs, Laser guided missiles, tactical data link, satellite comms), and of course the gun, make the A-10 ideal for this conflict. We are killing off as many ISIS as we can, mostly in ones and twos, working with the hand we are dealt. I've never been more convicted in my career that we facing an enemy that needs to be eradicated.

With that being said...I've never been more frustrated in my career. After 13 years of the mind-numbing low intensity conflict in Afghanistan, I've never seen the knife more dull. All the hard lessons learned in Vietnam, and fixed during the first Gulf War, have been unlearned again. The level of centralized execution, bureaucracy, and politics is staggering. I basically do not have any decision making authority in my cockpit. It sucks. In most cases, unless a general officer can look at a video picture from a UAV, over a satellite link, I cannot get authority to engage. I've spent many hours, staring through a targeting pod screen in my own cockpit, watching ISIS <deleted> perpetrate their acts until my eyes bleed, without being able to do anything about it. The institutional fear of making a mistake, that has crept into the central mindset of the military leadership, is endemic. We have not taken the fight to these guys. We haven't targeted their centers of gravity in Raqqa. All the roads between Syria and Iraq are still intact with trucks flowing freely. The other night I watched a couple hundred small tanker trucks lined up at an oilfield in ISIS-held northeast Syria, presumably filling up with oil traded on the black market, go unfettered. It's not uncommon to wait several hours overhead a suspected target for someone to make a decision to engage or not. It feels like we are simply using the constructs build up in Afghanistan, which was a very limited fight, in the same way here against ISIS, which is a much more sophisticated and numerically greater foe. It's embarrassing.

Be assured that the Hawg drivers are doing their best under the circumstances, with the crappy hand we have been dealt. END QUOTE:

[connda]

Russia delivered also the MIG-31FE, which is an interceptor, designed to fight other fighter jets. Not really made for bombing missions.

ISIS/ISIL/FSA has no aircraft.

Perhaps the one shepherds are going to use them against the other sheperds...

Yeah, I picked up on that too. Interesting, huh? lol Ever see the videos of the MIG-31SA flying in the French air show. Impressive.

Maybe the US will deploy a few F-35s to 'counter the threat'. Puut len.

Edited September 27, 2015 by connda

[connda]

Even more interesting is that 'Bibi' Netanyahu flew up to Moscow to have a powwow with Putin.

The game just gets more and more interesting by the day.

We're either gonna end up with WWIII or a complete reordering of strategic alliances.

Edited September 27, 2015 by connda

[connda]

IMO ISIS will not be dealt with until they finish their mission to dispose of Assad

A letter from an A-10 pilot:

QUOTE:

The squadron is doing fine. Everybody is happy to be here and we are doing some good work. The A-10s are holding up well and the technology we have on the jets now (targeting pods, GPS guided bombs, Laser Guided bombs, Laser guided missiles, tactical data link, satellite comms), and of course the gun, make the A-10 ideal for this conflict. We are killing off as many ISIS as we can, mostly in ones and twos, working with the hand we are dealt. I've never been more convicted in my career that we facing an enemy that needs to be eradicated.

With that being said...I've never been more frustrated in my career. After 13 years of the mind-numbing low intensity conflict in Afghanistan, I've never seen the knife more dull. All the hard lessons learned in Vietnam, and fixed during the first Gulf War, have been unlearned again. The level of centralized execution, bureaucracy, and politics is staggering. I basically do not have any decision making authority in my cockpit. It sucks. In most cases, unless a general officer can look at a video picture from a UAV, over a satellite link, I cannot get authority to engage. I've spent many hours, staring through a targeting pod screen in my own cockpit, watching ISIS <deleted> perpetrate their acts until my eyes bleed, without being able to do anything about it. The institutional fear of making a mistake, that has crept into the central mindset of the military leadership, is endemic. We have not taken the fight to these guys. We haven't targeted their centers of gravity in Raqqa. All the roads between Syria and Iraq are still intact with trucks flowing freely. The other night I watched a couple hundred small tanker trucks lined up at an oilfield in ISIS-held northeast Syria, presumably filling up with oil traded on the black market, go unfettered. It's not uncommon to wait several hours overhead a suspected target for someone to make a decision to engage or not. It feels like we are simply using the constructs build up in Afghanistan, which was a very limited fight, in the same way here against ISIS, which is a much more sophisticated and numerically greater foe. It's embarrassing.

Be assured that the Hawg drivers are doing their best under the circumstances, with the crappy hand we have been dealt. END QUOTE:

The Warthog is just an awesome plane...to bad the pilots aren't allowed to do their jobs.

[tigermonkey]

the picture looks like a British Hauke.

Yes the picture has some similarity to the British Hawk, but I suspect it is a variant of the Sukhoi SU-25. There are many variants of the SU-25 which first flew in 1975, and remarkably is still being produced. It is rather a unique fighter that was designed for close ground support, with a fair amount of protective armor, especially around the pilot. Although the NATO designation for the SU-25 was 'frogfoot', it acquired the nickname of 'flying tank ', which is very true to its role. It would be very suitable in Syria.

[pedro01]

Even more interesting is that 'Bibi' Netanyahu flew up to Moscow to have a powwow with Putin.

The game just gets more and more interesting by the day.

We're either gonna end up with WWIII or a complete reordering of strategic alliances.

Obama is the weak hand.

So the rest if the world will gradually proceed against ISIS without the support of the US.

And succeed. Certainly the Russians wont be sending their soldiers to jail for shooting the enemy like the UK does.

[pedro01]

the picture looks like a British Hauke.

Yes the picture has some similarity to the British Hawk, but I suspect it is a variant of the Sukhoi SU-25. There are many variants of the SU-25 which first flew in 1975, and remarkably is still being produced. It is rather a unique fighter that was designed for close ground support, with a fair amount of protective armor, especially around the pilot. Although the NATO designation for the SU-25 was 'frogfoot', it acquired the nickname of 'flying tank ', which is very true to its role. It would be very suitable in Syria.

It is probably just a stock photo used by a lazy journalist

[JHolmesJr]

So today Mr Putin's airforce formally got involved in the conflict….with full approval from russia' s parliament (lol)

What's the game plan here….any ideas

[JAG]

The Russian Air Force is based in Syria, presumably with the ground forces needed to protect the airfield. It is effectively providing air support for the Syrian Army.

It can only be a question of time before Russian troops become involved in the ground fighting.

[Chicog]

So today Mr Putin's airforce formally got involved in the conflict….with full approval from russia' s parliament (lol)

What's the game plan here….any ideas

I think they want to cement their presence with Assad's regime and somehow put pressure on the US to come back the negotiating table over Ukraine and the sanctions.

But the US have made it clear that they want Assad out - and they don't care how long it takes, as long as it happens.

I personally think that the US couldn't give a toss about Syria, after all it is a minor player in the Middle East.

And they aren't the ones having to deal with millions of refugees either.

But look at it from another angle: even 10 years ago a conflict like we have now in Syria and Iraq, and Iran's supply throttled to boot, would have sent the oil price over $200 a barrel.

Now it barely registers a blip.

If and when Iran comes back on stream it will trash the oil price even further.

And guess who that hurts the most out of Russia and the US?

The people who think Putin has all the cards in this game are delusional.