Russia says intensified air campaign is pounding ISIL targets in Syria

[rooster59]

Russia says intensified air campaign is pounding ISIL targets in Syria



Russia says its air strikes in Syria are destroying ISIL’s oil infrastructure. It comes as Moscow reveals that it has stepped up its military campaign, doubling the number of planes involved to almost 70.

It is claimed hundreds of targets have been hit in recent days and 600 militants were killed in just one strike.

One Russian missile being prepared for launch carried a message reading “that’s for Paris,” referring to the recent deadly attacks in the French capital.

Russia’s defence minister says numerous oil and facilities and tankers controlled by the self-proclaimed Islamic State have been destroyed, cutting off a sizeable slice of income.

President Vladimir Putin has told military officials via a video link that there is still work to do.

“I want to thank all of you. But I want to stress that for now it is not enough to cleanse Syria of fighters and terrorists and to protect Russians from possible terrorist attacks,” he said.

“We face a lot of work and I hope that the next phases will be conducted at the same high level, just as professionally.”

Russia’s planning naval drills in the Mediterranean for the next few days – with Lebanon’s air traffic set to be disrupted.

Moscow intensified its military campaign after getting confirmation that a bomb brought down a Russian passenger jet in Egypt. ISIL has claimed responsibility for the disaster as well as the Paris attacks.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-11-22

[JemJem]

I am not really a big fan of Putin, in general; but hey, all power to him in this bombing of jihadi lowlifes. Go Russia !

[uptheos]

Pound like you're using a mortar and passel, grind them into dust!

[ChrisY1]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

[craigt3365]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

[thaimat]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

Don't think the oil companies want infrastructure they can reclaim, damaged, and after all, they call the shots in america. One does have to wonder why america decided to depose Assad in the first place: http://ftmdaily.com/what-jerry-thinks/whysyria/ The answer being for big oil business, as usual.

[simple1]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

US was concerned about heavy civilian casualties as drivers are claimed not to be actual members of Daesh and often had family members with them. However, US has recommenced airstrikes, the new campaign is called Tidal Wave II.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/middleeast/us-strikes-syria-oil.html?_r=0

[thaimat]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

US was concerned about heavy civilian casualties as drivers are claimed not to be actual members of Daesh and often had family members with them. However, US has recommenced airstrikes, the new campaign is called Tidal Wave II.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/middleeast/us-strikes-syria-oil.html?_r=0

Good sound bite and excuse for almost total ineffectiveness in its war against IS, from the us defense department, but very hard to believe, since us drone strike kills of civilians are as high as 90% in some countries.

[Steely Dan]

http://app.debka.com/p/article/25032/Massive-Russian-blanket-air-bombardment-is-flattening-Raqqa

Of course we all cheer on the Russians, but forget that Israel was accused of indiscriminate bombing of Gaza when in fact they took great care to avoid civilians, a fact the world now seems indifferent to in Raqqa.

[Thorgal]

http://app.debka.com/p/article/25032/Massive-Russian-blanket-air-bombardment-is-flattening-Raqqa

Of course we all cheer on the Russians, but forget that Israel was accused of indiscriminate bombing of Gaza when in fact they took great care to avoid civilians, a fact the world now seems indifferent to in Raqqa.

This thread isn't about Israel and the siege of Gaza.

[thaimat]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

The best way to hurt ISIS money supply is for the world to reduce dependence on Saudi oil, since the Saudis are the biggest financiers of ISIS, Al Nusra, and the Taliban.

[manarak]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

US was concerned about heavy civilian casualties as drivers are claimed not to be actual members of Daesh and often had family members with them. However, US has recommenced airstrikes, the new campaign is called Tidal Wave II.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/middleeast/us-strikes-syria-oil.html?_r=0

Good sound bite and excuse for almost total ineffectiveness in its war against IS, from the us defense department, but very hard to believe, since us drone strike kills of civilians are as high as 90% in some countries.

I have to agree that fear of killing dirvers and their families working for daesh is a pretty weak excuse.

[manarak]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

Don't think the oil companies want infrastructure they can reclaim, damaged, and after all, they call the shots in america. One does have to wonder why america decided to depose Assad in the first place: http://ftmdaily.com/what-jerry-thinks/whysyria/ The answer being for big oil business, as usual.

Thank you for posting that link, that really explains a lot.

I had already spent some time several months ago trying to figure out why Assad got on the US' shitlist and couldn't find a good reason.

I think I even posted here about it.

EDIT: I found my posts - I wasn't that far off:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763483-us-gulf-allies-blame-each-other-for-rise-of-islamic-state/?view=findpost&p=8463881

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763485-protecting-the-petrodollar-america-gears-up-for-a-long-war/?view=findpost&p=8477633

Now I can see how Saudi, American and Israel's crucial strategic interests were stacked up against Assad.

He probably took the wrong turn when he decided to try to make some money for his country (and enabling Iran to make money as well) when he went for the Iranian pipeline against the order he received from the US.

Although saying this happened because of big US oil, energy, gas interests would be a misrepresentation as well.

The US's and Israel's goal was more probably to maintain Iran's isolation and bar it from making money by selling its gas.

I looks like the US caused the war in Syria, it's not a far stretch to suspect ISIS was started and funded as a tool to overthrow Assad, at least I don't dismiss the idea.

Edited November 22, 2015 by manarak

[simple1]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

Don't think the oil companies want infrastructure they can reclaim, damaged, and after all, they call the shots in america. One does have to wonder why america decided to depose Assad in the first place: http://ftmdaily.com/what-jerry-thinks/whysyria/ The answer being for big oil business, as usual.

Thank you for posting that link, that really explains a lot.

I had already spent some time several months ago trying to figure out why Assad got on the US' shitlist and couldn't find a good reason.

I think I even posted here about it.

EDIT: I found my posts - I wasn't that far off:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763483-us-gulf-allies-blame-each-other-for-rise-of-islamic-state/?view=findpost&p=8463881

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763485-protecting-the-petrodollar-america-gears-up-for-a-long-war/?view=findpost&p=8477633

Now I can see how Saudi, American and Israel's crucial strategic interests were stacked up against Assad.

He probably took the wrong turn when he decided to try to make some money for his country (and enabling Iran to make money as well) when he went for the Iranian pipeline against the order he received from the US.

Although saying this happened because of big US oil, energy, gas interests would be a misrepresentation as well.

The US's and Israel's goal was more probably to maintain Iran's isolation and bar it from making money by selling its gas.

I looks like the US caused the war in Syria, it's not a far stretch to suspect ISIS was started and funded as a tool to overthrow Assad, at least I don't dismiss the idea.

We have differing opinions, Assad commenced the Civil War, his release of jihadists from jail to justify his position didn't help.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/former-prisoners-fight-in-syrian-insurgency-a-927158.html

As to the Civil War, always think The Atlantic hits the right spot

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/middleeast/us-strikes-syria-oil.html?_r=1

[rijit]

One of my issues with russia is that putin and his cronies have 'lied ' so much i find anything they say hard to believe.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[manarak]

http://ftmdaily.com/what-jerry-thinks/whysyria/

Thank you for posting that link, that really explains a lot.

I had already spent some time several months ago trying to figure out why Assad got on the US' shitlist and couldn't find a good reason.

I think I even posted here about it.

EDIT: I found my posts - I wasn't that far off:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763483-us-gulf-allies-blame-each-other-for-rise-of-islamic-state/?view=findpost&p=8463881

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/763485-protecting-the-petrodollar-america-gears-up-for-a-long-war/?view=findpost&p=8477633

Now I can see how Saudi, American and Israel's crucial strategic interests were stacked up against Assad.

He probably took the wrong turn when he decided to try to make some money for his country (and enabling Iran to make money as well) when he went for the Iranian pipeline against the order he received from the US.

Although saying this happened because of big US oil, energy, gas interests would be a misrepresentation as well.

The US's and Israel's goal was more probably to maintain Iran's isolation and bar it from making money by selling its gas.

I looks like the US caused the war in Syria, it's not a far stretch to suspect ISIS was started and funded as a tool to overthrow Assad, at least I don't dismiss the idea.

We have differing opinions, Assad commenced the Civil War, his release of jihadists from jail to justify his position didn't help.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/former-prisoners-fight-in-syrian-insurgency-a-927158.html

As to the Civil War, always think The Atlantic hits the right spot

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/17/world/middleeast/us-strikes-syria-oil.html?_r=1

The links you posted don't show that Assad started the civil war. Wikipedia says the following about the course of events:

The protests started on 15 March 2011, when protesters marched in the capital of Damascus, demanding democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners. The security forces retaliated by opening fire on the protesters,^%5B141%5D and according to witnesses who spoke to the BBC, the government forces detained six of them.^%5B142%5D The protest was triggered by the arrest of a boy and his friends by the government for writing the graffiti, "The people want the fall of the regime", in the city of Daraa.^{%5B141%5D%5B143%5D} Louai al-Hussein, an analyst and writer wrote that "Syria is now on the map of countries in the region with an uprising".^%5B143%5D On 20th, the protesters burned down a Ba'ath Party headquarters and "other buildings". The ensuing clashes claimed the lives of seven police officers^%5B144%5D and 15 protesters.^%5B145%5D Ten days later in a speech, President Bashar al-Assad blamed "foreign conspirators" pushing Israeli propaganda for the protests.

The question if these events were orchestrated and then of who organized these events remains completely open, the only certain thing is that Assad didn't get that ball rolling.

As a general observation, nothing allows to rule out an organized uprising instigated by foreign agents, similar to what happened in Romania (the massacre of Timisoara).

My opinion is that the "Arab spring" wasn't an accident.

The timing in Syria is certainly troubling.

Regarding the islamist prisoners, once the ball is rolling, I guess they use everything they can to get their way, Middle Eastern countries aren't generally known for playing very nice.

It's funny that the Spiegel journos try to pin "leading a war by proxies" only on Assad.

In general, I find this passage of the Spiegel article very interesting:

Discrediting the Rebels

Ironically, Assad is no stranger to cooperation with radical Islamists, and many jihadists who were held at Sednaya were actually encouraged by the Syrian regime to undertake campaigns for Islam in the past. In 2003, Syrian intelligence agents lured young men into neighboring Iraq to make like difficult for the Americans there. That is, until Washington threatened to bomb Damascus and topple the regime.

Several sources, among them a Syrian human rights advocate who gave details to US officials -- the details of which were published by WikiLeaks -- have suggested that Damascus released Sednaya prisoners so that they could undergo training in camps before being sent to Iraq for what the diplomatic cable called a "proxy war." But upon returning to Syria, these men landed backed in prison, where they felt they had been betrayed by Assad.

Around the beginning of the Syrian uprising, in March 2011, Assad once again released jihadists from the country's prisons. Simultaneously, tens of thousands of Syrian students, liberal activists and human rights advocates began being arrested. Their fates were recently documented by Human Rights Watch, which alleges that many have been detained arbitrarily, tortured and subjected to unfair trials.

Already at the beginning of the uprising, Assad vilified his opponents as members of al-Qaida, which wasn't true at the time. Some critics of the regime now claim that by releasing the jihadists from prison, Assad's intention was to quickly radicalize the opposition, discrediting it in the process. If that was his aim, it has certainly been a success.

It contains a lot of allegations, I don't know how many are backed by facts or if the Spiegel bothered to verify.

It begins by very conveniently making Assad our enemy, because it is said that he trains Jihadists and sent some against US troops in Irak in 2003.

One thing I wonder about is: "why?"

Why go shit in the US' boots in Irak?

The answer cannot be because Assad hates the US or because Assad is a religious extremist. He's a rational person who doesn't do stuff without some benefit for him.

The other thing is how much of all this we can believe.

Once the "wag the dog" machinery is at full speed, the bullshit is everywhere.

[Wilsonandson]

Pound like you're using a mortar and passel, grind them into dust!

Shame France has only limited resources compared to Russia. Like to see more French bombs exploding on the heads of terrorists.

[TheCruncher]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

Edited November 22, 2015 by TheCruncher

[h90]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

The best way to hurt ISIS money supply is for the world to reduce dependence on Saudi oil, since the Saudis are the biggest financiers of ISIS, Al Nusra, and the Taliban.

Yes

Saudi give them money and weapons.

ISIS sell Oil to Turkey and get money from them

USA supply the moderate Islamists with weapons that every time end with ISIS

Easily the west could fix that...But less oil from Saudi and more from Russia.

Put pressure on Turkey.

stop supply weapons.

Problem is there are many players with many ideas.

[h90]

Pound like you're using a mortar and passel, grind them into dust!

Shame France has only limited resources compared to Russia. Like to see more French bombs exploding on the heads of terrorists.

France has lots of resources if they want:

Stop the boycott of Russia

Work together

Help Assad

That can be done in a 5 min speech and would shake everything up.

[craigt3365]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

Exposed by Putin? LOL Funny.

[anfh]

I am always curuious about Daesh, as to the actual number of "soldiers" they actually have etc. Some reports quoted only around 30,000 men.

Therefore, if this number is in any way close or even just near, how come the constant "pounding" with bombs by various western powers does not seem have made any dent in this total or affected their ability to continue ?

Also, bearing in mind that these people are not trained soldiers etc, then surely a combined land force of fully trained soldiers from nations involved in fighting them, would be able to defeat this but of scum.

Finally, where exactly do they buy their arms etc ? Since most soffisticated arms are made in the West etc, who exactly is selling and indeed shipping arms to these people ? We all know they are selling oil to get funds, ( again, who is buying black market oil in sufficient quantities to fund them ? ) and these funds are used to buy arms, but how are the arms getting to them ? Who is shipping to them etc ? You cannot tell me that the combined intelligence agencies of the entire western world do not know how all this is achieved ?

[bartender100]

Some factions in Iraq don't want the destruction of ISIS

Tehran, Nov 22, IRNA - The Iraqi security forces have seized two German planes at Baghdad Airport that were illegally carrying weapons to the Kurdistan region and without prior information and permission of the central government in Baghdad.

http://www.irna.ir/en/News/81848431/?

Let the Kurds do the job

[ChrisY1]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

I think may have realised well and truly that the US hs failed terribly in their past agressive actions.......we are all wary of Putin, but then we are all fed masses of propaganda from the US!

[TheCruncher]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

Exposed by Putin? LOL Funny.

I don't consider living in denial funny, it's rather sad, but hey it's your life.

[Wilsonandson]

Pound like you're using a mortar and passel, grind them into dust!

Shame France has only limited resources compared to Russia. Like to see more French bombs exploding on the heads of terrorists.

France has lots of resources if they want:

Stop the boycott of Russia

Work together

Help Assad

That can be done in a 5 min speech and would shake everything up.

So thats why Russia is attacking isis in Syria not to help Assad but to force France into forgetting all about the attrocities commited in the Ukraine sponsored by Russia including the downing of a passanger airline by pro Russian rebels whose rocket launcher was supplied by Russia.

[craigt3365]

He at least is hitting IS in the pockets with attacks on their oil interests.......far from what the US led coalition have been doing......the question still needs to be asked why hasn't the US been hitting oil convoys in the past?

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

I think may have realised well and truly that the US hs failed terribly in their past agressive actions.......we are all wary of Putin, but then we are all fed masses of propaganda from the US!

And no propaganda from Russia?

[craigt3365]

It's yet to be proven if all these attacks are against ONLY IS. Many foreign governments are saying they are not, but against rebels who are against Assad.

Can you imagine the outcry if a year ago the US bombed an oil refinery there? LOL

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

Exposed by Putin? LOL Funny.

I don't consider living in denial funny, it's rather sad, but hey it's your life.

Definitely not in denial. But have a hard time believing anything from Putin or RT. And my opinion is not the only one.

[TheCruncher]

We all know that certain government don't enjoy the way they are exposed by Putin, but have a look here.

http://www.facebook.com/LikeSara.Axe/videos/943507732381712/

Exposed by Putin? LOL Funny.

I don't consider living in denial funny, it's rather sad, but hey it's your life.

Definitely not in denial. But have a hard time believing anything from Putin or RT. And my opinion is not the only one.

I don't know if you looked at the video i posted, but actually many of the facts that Putin was talking about were old news to most people, which doesn't make them less impressive of course.

[craigt3365]

Understood. But I don't listen to Putin nor read RT. Just like I don't read VOA or listen to many US politicians.