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Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria
The Guardian ^ | October 4, 2015 | Emma Graham-Harrison and Saeed Kamali Dehghan

Posted on 10/04/2015 5:10:35 AM PDT by JPX2011

Russian fighter jets launched from a new airbase in Syria have persuaded western critics to mute their demands for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad, but another group of his opponents sees Moscow’s intervention as more provocative than decisive.

Regional powers have quietly, but effectively, channelled funds, weapons and other support to rebel groups making the biggest inroads against the forces from Damascus. In doing so, they are investing heavily in a conflict which they see as part of a wider regional struggle for influence with bitter rival Iran.

In a week when Russia made dozens of bombing raids, those countries have made it clear that they remain at least as committed to removing Assad as Moscow is to preserving him.

“There is no future for Assad in Syria,” Saudi foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir warned, a few hours before the first Russian bombing sorties began. If that was not blunt enough, he spelled out that if the president did not step down as part of a political transition, his country would embrace a military option, “which also would end with the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power”. With at least 39 civilians reported dead in the first bombing raids, the prospect of an escalation between backers of Assad and his opponents is likely to spell more misery for ordinary Syrians.

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Russia; Syria
KEYWORDS: alexistsipras; bahrain; egypt; emmagrahamharrison; europeanunion; france; germany; greece; gulfstates; iran; isis; islam; israel; jihad; kgb; kuwait; lebanon; nato; obama; oman; patricelumumbaschool; putin; putinsbuttboys; qatar; russia; russianstooges; saeedkamalidehghan; saudi; saudiarabia; sharia; shariah; syria; syriza; uae; unitedarabemirates; unitedkingdom; vladtheimploder; waronterror; worldwariii; worldwarthree; wot; wwiii; yemen
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1 posted on 10/04/2015 5:10:35 AM PDT by JPX2011
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To: JPX2011

Russia’s first direct airstrikes hit U.S.-supported moderate rebels in areas more than 50 miles from ISIS. In the end, Russia did not even look for a fig leaf when striking non-ISIS targets, including Jaysh al-Fatah, an insurgent coalition that has al-Qaeda as one component. Russia instead went straight for attacks on the most politically viable alternative to Bashar al-Assad.

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/424873/syria-russia-iran-united-states-enemies-obama


2 posted on 10/04/2015 5:17:17 AM PDT by AdmSmith (GCTGATATGTCTATGATTACTCAT)
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To: JPX2011

All caused by the “Obama vacuum”. What a worthless piece of muslin ejaculant.


3 posted on 10/04/2015 5:28:23 AM PDT by wetgundog ("Extremism in the Defense of Liberty is No Vice" -AuH2O)
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To: JPX2011

the solution is to find and bomb Assad to powder


4 posted on 10/04/2015 5:29:19 AM PDT by bert ((K.E.; N.P.; GOPc.;+12, 73, ....carson is the kinder gentler trump)
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To: AdmSmith

Moderate rebels = Unicorns


5 posted on 10/04/2015 5:31:35 AM PDT by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: JPX2011

What a mess.


6 posted on 10/04/2015 5:31:56 AM PDT by corlorde (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: JPX2011
If that was not blunt enough, he spelled out that if the president did not step down as part of a political transition, his country would embrace a military option, “which also would end with the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power”.

That'll have to wait until 2017 before they'll have a U.S. president who will commit the troops to do it for them.

7 posted on 10/04/2015 5:33:23 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: AdmSmith

Source: https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/syria-jaish-al-muhajireen-defects-from-daesh-and-heads-to-latakia-rif/


9 posted on 10/04/2015 5:34:41 AM PDT by AdmSmith (GCTGATATGTCTATGATTACTCAT)
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To: wetgundog
All caused by the “Obama vacuum”. What a worthless piece of muslin ejaculant.

What would you have had a President Romney or President McCain do?

10 posted on 10/04/2015 5:35:55 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: DoodleDawg
Most likely, the wrong thing.

One cannot stir manure without raising a stink.

We have plenty of oil, sand and lunatics right here at home - let Russia deal with that mess.

Our foreign policy should be "leave us alone or Hiroshima and Nagasaki will look like a weenie roast by comparison".

11 posted on 10/04/2015 5:43:44 AM PDT by Aevery_Freeman (Historians will refer to this administration as "The Half-Black Plague.")
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To: DoodleDawg

What would you have had a President Romney or President McCain do?

I would have left Assad alone, Let the muzzies handle him. I would not have destablized the M.E. and let Putin call the shots because we have a sissy in the Oval Office. I would not have negotiated a piss poor “treaty” (which it is) with Iran. I would have supported Isreal. I would have wished the Republican Senate and House members had a backbone.


12 posted on 10/04/2015 5:43:50 AM PDT by wetgundog ("Extremism in the Defense of Liberty is No Vice" -AuH2O)
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To: wetgundog

Amen!


13 posted on 10/04/2015 5:47:39 AM PDT by IWONDR
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To: AdmSmith; All
General Austin has already briefed Congress on exactly how many "moderate rebels" there are in Syria.

General Austin: Only '4 or 5' US-Trained Syrian Rebels Fighting ISIS

14 posted on 10/04/2015 5:51:16 AM PDT by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: DoodleDawg

What would you have had a President Romney or President McCain do?

Fight the war like it was a war

War uses up a lot of material. Where is this material coming from. Cut off supplies and you starve an Army (it was the strategy of the American Civil war, which explains Sherman’s march to the sea. Yes I know this is simplified but you get the idea)

Killing people and destroying buildings does not win wars.

You need to reduce the enemy’s capability to fight. (Which was the goal of our bombing campaigns in WWII). In the middle east where for the most part is open flat land,how does anything move without our satellites seeing it.

Next, if a foreign power is supplying the enemy, you go after them as they are engaging war with you.

The point is, every since WWII our politicians have been playing at war costing us hundreds of thousands in killed and wounded and billions of dollars with no real results.

If you are not prepared to go total war, then don’t go.

As for terrorist you first recognize where the real terrorist are coming from, then you cut off their support, and then you make it so painful that they don’t commit acts of terrorism.

If the Muslims were so quick to die for their cause, why haven’t the Jews been eliminated in Israel? Muslims outnumber the Jews and millions of suicide bombers could wipe out every Jew, yet Israel survives? How? Perhaps not all Muslims are ready to die.


15 posted on 10/04/2015 5:53:08 AM PDT by CIB-173RDABN (Nothing to add at the moment)
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To: CIB-173RDABN
If you are not prepared to go total war, then don’t go.

I can't see any benefit for the U.S. in going to war in Syria.

16 posted on 10/04/2015 5:56:03 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Aevery_Freeman
let Russia deal with that mess

My approach would be to secretly arm all players (and tell McCain to keep his trap shut about it) and withdraw whatever forces we have in the area to inside Iraq...that includes stopping whatever coalition airstrikes we have lined up.

But more seriously, we have to take a wait and see approach. As the weeks drag by, Russia is going to have their hands full. Especially if the reports of Iran backed fighters flooding the area under Russian direction are to be believed. Plus, keep an eye on Turkey. Saudi Arabia is already planning on flooding the "militants" (pick any group you like) with high end weaponry... of course, this will mean the flood of migrants fleeing the area will increase into Europe, but at some point the EU will have to get serious and step to the plate about what to do.

The world has had the luxury of the United States carrying the load in the region for far to long, it is time for new leaders to emerge. Sadly, if the United States led by liberals continue the tepid inaction, we will have to live within the new dynamic.

17 posted on 10/04/2015 5:58:31 AM PDT by corlorde (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: mac_truck

Jaish al-Islam executes five ISIS members from Yalda, Damascus. That’s more than what Russia’s airstrikes have killed & will kill in a while

https://twitter.com/hxhassan/status/650572408374624256


18 posted on 10/04/2015 5:59:05 AM PDT by AdmSmith (GCTGATATGTCTATGATTACTCAT)
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To: wetgundog

19 posted on 10/04/2015 6:07:08 AM PDT by RummyChick
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To: AdmSmith
Yury Barmin ‏@yurybarmin 51m51 minutes ago #BREAKING: Iraqi PM Abadi sends an official request to Putin to launch air strikes against ISIS in Iraq. http://m.lenta.ru/news/2015/10/04/iraq_isil/ …
20 posted on 10/04/2015 6:08:37 AM PDT by RummyChick
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