The Syrian War

[Filikieteria1821]

Trump just tweeted this "Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions. Will attack again from texisting nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate turkey economically if they hit Kurds. Create a 20-mile safe zone...likewise do not want the kurds to provoke turkey. Russia, Iran, and Syria have been the biggest beneficiaries of the long term US policy of destroying ISIS in syria - natural enemies. We also benefit but it is now time to bring our troops back home. Stop the endless wars"

The thing that I don't get is, what counts as provoking? Kurdish existence in northern syria is a provocation in and of itself, just think that this is shortsighted.

[Don Giovanni]

The US agreed to allow ISIS quarter. As a result, ISIS is being given a lifeline. Turkish state media is now reporting that the CIA has provided at least 140 members of ISIS with fake documents and is in the process of transferring them to Iraq. Special services in Israel, Britain and France are also involved.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-...s-isis-hotbeds

They smuggled Nazi scientists into the US, so this is not something that would surprise me if true. It's likely that they are saving them for future use against Assad and Iran. It's also painfully obvious that the US was using ISIS and al-Qaeda as a proxy force to oust Ghaddafi and Assad.

[Don Giovanni]

Well since writing that post above, it's now Turkey using those jihadis to fulfill their Ottoman dreams in both Libya and Syria. And it's now coming out in internal papers that British "strategic communication" efforts in Syria were evil:

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/e...nternal-review

British propaganda efforts in Syria may have broken UK law


Internal assessment concluded UK government's covert support of 'moderate opposition' was shallow, lacked coherence and cost lives

'Reputational damage'


The review criticises a “lack of coherence” between the different strands of the programme and a “duplication” of efforts. It also highlights the complexity of working with Syria’s ever-shifting opposition forces, warning of “potential credibility damage and/or reputational damage to HMG [Her Majesty’s Government] if links between certain MAO [moderate armed opposition] and UK HMG funding leaks.”

(emphasis mine)

Ain't the truth a bitch!

[Filikieteria1821]

The UK is a dogshit nation who seems to always back the wrong sides - has been this way for awhile.

They're cozying up to the turks and would undoubtedly support turkish annexation of syrian territory

[AGP]

I mean its unsurprising.

British foreign policy is built around the central plank of backing the wrong horse and doubling down like morons instead of doing the right thing.

[Reaper]

UK simply follows the US since Suez. If the US told Erdogan to leave Syria the chances are the UK would agree and release a similar statement in less than a week. As long as the UN, EU, US etc are all pro Turkey - the UK will work within that margin and try to make hay.

[Reaper]

Russians attacked by Ottoman funded rebels near Turkish border:

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...urkish-border/

[Reaper]

The jihadists in Idlib are now paying state workers in turkish lira. The region is de facto Turkish.

[Filikieteria1821]

Everyone has accepted that Turkey will have to be beaten in a war for those lands to be returned to Syrian control.

I do not believe Putin will allow Syria to take back those lands as it seems that Putin ultimately decides how much of the envelope Syria can push

[Don Giovanni]

the true reason behind the murder of Turkish Brigadier General Semih Terzi, allegedly one of the key leaders of a 2016 failed coup in Turkey, was revealed.

Terzi was shot on the direct orders of Lt. Gen. Zekai Aksakalli, the then head of Turkey’s Special Forces Command.

testimony of Col. Firat Alakus, who was also part of the intelligence section of the Special Forces Command, revealed that the Terzi found out about the illegal transfer of Qatari funds to jihadists in Syria.

Alakus testified at a hearing at the 17^th High Criminal Court in Ankara in March, 2019, that this aimed at strengthening Turkish stand and worsen the Syrian conflict.

Alakus further added that Terzi got to know that Aksakalli was part of the secret mission, led by the Turkish intelligence agency (MIT), which ran illegal operations in Syria supporting militants in the war-torn country.

“Terzi knew how much of the funding delivered to Turkey by Qatar for the purpose of purchasing weapons and ammunition for the opposition was actually used for that and how much of it was actually used by public officials, how much was embezzled,” Alakus said.

“Terzi was aware of who in the government was involved in an oil-smuggling operation from Syria, how the profits were shared and what activities they were involved in,” Alakus added.

[Filikieteria1821]

News coming out that 2 MQ-9 Reaper UAV's were shot down over north syria today. Speculation is Turkish forces shot them down.

Will update this post with sources in a bit

[Reaper]

On the subject of Syria and things the West despising reporting, Turkish backed rebels began shelling the Christian city of As Suqaylabiyah today which is deep inside Assad controlled Syria!


https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...ce-in-karabakh