Regional geopolitics

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

They probably didn't even think about their location as a perfect ambush walk right into it.
its just like how they shoot those AKs......spray and pray.
Well done by Hezbs/Persian/Syrian join ops.

Of course, there is evident tactical error, lack of professionalism and discipline.
You do not sent that many guys, as sheep, without insuring the security of the zone by scouts well in advance, and more so, you make small units..

But I do imagine tired, non professional, brainwashed groups, already exhausted by days of intense artillery pounding in their initial location, walking like sheep, happy to use the cover of that same valley, from possible artillery fire....

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Սաուդյան Արաբիայի թագավորը Լիբանանին 3 մլն դոլար է հատկացրել


Դեկտեմբեր 29, 2013
Սաուդյան Արաբիայի թագավոր Աբդալա իբն Աբդել Ազիզ Աս-Սաուդը 3 մլն դոլար է ուղղել Լիբանանի բանակի աջակցության համար, հաղորդում է Al Arabiya-ն:

Համապատասխան հայտարարությունը կիրակի կատարել է Լիբանանի նախագահ Միշել Սուլեյամանը: Նա նաեւ ուշադրություն է հրավիրել, որ Լիբանանին միջկրոնական կոտորած է սպառնում, սակայն չի հստակեցրել, թե որտեղից է սպառնալիքը գալիս, հաղորդում է Gazeta.ru-ն:

Միշել Սուլեյմանի հայտարարությունը հնչել է Իսրայելի հետ հարաբերությունների բարդացման ֆոնի վրամ որը Լիբանանին մեղադրել է Քիրյաթ-Շմոնա քաղաքի մոտակայքում երկու պայթյուններից հետո իր տարածքները հրաձգության ենթարկելու մեջ:

Կիրակի իսրայելական զինվորները Լիբանանի հարավային շրջանները ենթարկել են հրետանային զանգվածային հրաձգության, իսկ Իսրայելի վարչապետ Բենիամին Նեթանյահուն սպառնացել է երկրին կանխարգելիչ հարվածներով:

______
According Pres Sleiman (Ex Army Chief of Staff of Lebanon), the arms will be exclusively French Made (Lebanon & Syria are ex French Proctectorates, till 1948).
I Guess if there is such a help, it is to try to counter the Shia Hesbella, not face the southern neighbor..., knowing that most of the soldiers are shia (most numerous religious entity by now, in the country), while according the lebanese unscripted constitution, commander in chief is a Maronite (arab catholic sect), while officers are Maronite & Sunni, at least highest posts...

The only semi-official, but effectively independent fighting force, in most characteristics more operational than the national army is the National Resistance=Hezbolla, virtually purely shia, financed by Iran.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Էրդողանի տղան փախել է Բաքու

Հետաքննությունից խուսափելու նպատակով, Թուրքիայի վարչապետ Ռեջեփ Էրդողանի տղան` Բիլալ Էրդողանը, թաքնվել է Բաքվում: Այս մասին, հղում կատարելով թուրքական լրատվամիջոցներին, գրում է ադրբեջանական «Հաքքին.ազ» լրատվական կայքը:

Նշենք, որ ավելի վաղ, թուրքական դատարանը օրդեր էր տրամադրել` Թուրքիայի վարչապետի որդուն ձերբակալելու համար:

Վերջինիս թաքնվելու նաև այլ վայրեր են նշվում, սակայն հստակ տեղեկատվություն այդ մասին չի հաղորդվում:

28.12.2013, 09:50

Aysor.am

_____

Էրդողանի որդին թաքնվել է հոր անձեռնմխելի տանը
27.Դեկտեմբեր.2013 -

http://times.am/?p=36870&l=am

Թուրքական մամուլը բացահայտել է Թուրքիայում կառավարության կողմից կանխված երկրորդ կոռուպցիոն եւ կաշառքի ձերբակալությունների համար պատրաստված մեղադրանքի սենսացիոն մանրամասները: Ինչպես հաղորդում է «Արմենպրես»-ը' վկայակոչելով թուրքական «Ջումհուրիեթ» թերթը, այդ մեղադրական գործը, որում 100 մլրդ դոլարի հասնող կոռուպցիոն գործարքների փաստեր կան, Ստամբուլի գլխավոր դատախազ Թուրան Չոլաքքադին խլել է դեկտեմբերի 25-ին ձերբակալությունների նոր ալիք նախատեսող եւ 30-ից ավելի բարձրաստիճան չինովնիկների, այդ թվում վարչապետ Ռեջեփ Թայիփ Էրդողանի ավագ որդու' Բիլալ Էրդողանի նկատմամբ ձերբակալության որոշում ընդունած Ստամբուլի հանրապետական դատախազ Մուամար Աքքաշի ձեռքից: Ստամբուլի ոստիկանությունը հրաժարվել է կատարել Աքքաշի' ձերբակալությունների վերաբերյալ որոշումը:Թերթը պարզել է, որ Բիլալ Էրդողանը հանդիսանում է ներկայում կալանված գործարարներին միլոնավոր դոլար փող փոխանցած TURGEV հիմնադրամի ղեկավարներից մեկը: Նրա ձերբակալության վերաբերյալ դատախազի որոշման մասին տեղեկացրած թերթերը հայտնել էին, որ հնարավոր ձերբակալությունից ապահովության համար Էրդողանը որդուն ուղարկել է արտասահման: Սակայն, «Ջումհուրիեթ»-ին հայտնի է դարձել, որ Բիլալ Էրդողանը չի փախել, այլ թաքնվում է Ստամբուլում գտնվող իր հոր տանը, որը որպես վարչապետին պատկանող սեփականություն, անձեռնմխելիության կարգավիճակ ունի, եւ ոստիկանու թյունը չի կարող այնտեղ գործողություն անցկացնել:

Դեկտեմբերի 17-ին ապօրինությունների, կոռուպցիայի եւ դրամաշորթության մեղադրանքներով երեք նախարարների որդիների, բարձրաստիճան չինովնիկների հետ կոռուպցիոն կապերի մեջ գտնվող հայտնի գործարարների հետ 50-ից ավելի անձանց սկանդալային ձերբակալություններից հետո Էրդողանը «Սաբահ» թերթի թղթակցին հայտարարել էր, որ այդ գործողությունների հետեւում կանգնած են ավազակախմբերը, որոնք կապված են խորքային պետության հետ եւ փորձում են իրեն վնաս հասցնել իր որդու' Բիլալ Էրդողանի անունն արատավորելու միջոցով: Էրդողանը սպառնացել էր, որ իր որդուն ձերբակալել ցանկացողները «իրենք կհայտնվեն թակարդում»:

Թերթը նշում է, որ Բիլալ Էրդողանի ձերբակալության մասին որոշման հրապարակումը եւս մեկ հարված է վարչապետի գլխավորած «Արդարություն եւ զարգացում» կուսակցության (ԱԶԿ) կառավարությանը:

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

BBC News
MIDDLE EAST
29 December 2013


Saudi Arabia is to give Lebanon's army a grant of $3bn (£1.8bn, 2.8bn euros).
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman made the announcement in a televised address after the funeral of a senior Lebanese politician killed in a car bomb attack. He said it would help fight terrorism.
Mohamad Chatah, a Sunni Muslim, was a staunch critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Shia Hezbollah movement that backs him.
Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah have taken opposite sides in the Syrian conflict.
Coming to the boil
"The king of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is offering this generous and appreciated aid of $3bn to the Lebanese army to strengthen its capabilities," Mr Sleiman said in his address.
He said it was the largest assistance provided in Lebanon's history and would be used to buy weapons from France.
French President Francois Hollande said his country would "meet" any demands for weapons from Lebanon during a visit on Sunday to Saudi Arabia aimed at boosting commercial ties with the kingdom.
"I am in touch with President Sleiman... If demands are made to us, we will meet them," he said.
President Sleiman said the Saudi aid would finally allow the Lebanese army to "confront terrorism" and put an end to the proliferation of arms.
The BBC's Arab Affairs Editor Sebastian Usher said the president indirectly touched on a dangerous taboo in Lebanon - the unchecked power of the Shia movement, Hezbollah.
That issue is coming to the boil due to the conflict in neighbouring Syria where Hezbollah is fighting on the side of President Assad, our correspondent says.
Heinous crime
The Saudis back the other side - the mostly Sunni rebels. The kingdom also supports the pro-western March 14 alliance in Lebanon, of which Mohamad Chatah was a leading member.
Lebanon has been hit by a wave of attacks linked to heightened Sunni-Shia tensions over the Syrian war.
Mr Chatah was buried on Saturday amid tight security.
The former Lebanese minister and opposition figure was killed by a car bomb on Friday, which also killed six other people and injured at least 50.
No-one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Mr Hariri implicitly accused Hezbollah of carrying it out.
Hezbollah rejected the accusation, calling the bombing a "heinous crime, which comes in the context of a series of crimes and explosions aimed at sabotaging the country".
Syria also denied any involvement in the attack.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

26 December 2013

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25523479

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This is major news, perhaps one the first concrete proofs of shift in alliance US/Iran??

US sends missiles and drones to Iraq to fight al-Qaeda

Washington says ScanEagle drones will be delivered to Iraq next year


The US has delivered dozens of missiles to Iraq to help combat al-Qaeda, US and Iraqi officials have said.

They said that about 75 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles had been sent last week.

A shipment of unmanned ScanEagles surveillance drones is also expected next year.

Iraqi troops have recently launched an operation against al-Qaeda militants in the desert province of Anbar, which borders war-torn Syria.

US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Thursday confirmed the Hellfire missile delivery and said the drones would be sent soon.

"The United States is committed to supporting Iraq in its fight against terrorism through the Strategic Framework Agreement," Ms Psaki said, referring to the 2008 accord between the two countries.

map
"The recent delivery of Hellfire missiles and an upcoming delivery of ScanEagles are standard foreign military sales cases that we have with Iraq to strengthen their capabilities to combat this threat," she added.

The missiles are reportedly being used by Iraqi aircraft in Anbar, targeting militant hideouts or vehicles.

Al-Qaeda is believed to have recently regrouped in Anbar, with a number of fighters crossing the porous border between Iraq and Syria.

More than 8,000 people have been killed in attacks across Iraq this year, according to UN estimates.

US and Iran’s First Joint Military Venture: Fighting al Qaeda in Iraq
DEBKAfile
December 29, 2013






With the Geneva Nuclear Accord still far from implementation a month after it was signed in Geneva, the United States and Iran are moving into stage two of their rapprochement: They are now fighting together to crush Al Qaeda terror in Iraq,DEBKAfile’s exclusive military sources report.
Iraq is two weeks into a major offensive for cutting al Qaeda down - the first major military challenge the jihadists have faced in the past six years. Three armies are fighting alongside Iraq: the United States, Iran’s Al Qods Brigades officers and Syria.
Their mission is to foil Al Qaeda’s drive to spread its first independent state in the Middle East across the Iraqi-Syrian frontier. Its Iraqi and Syrian branches - ISIS and the Nusra Front - have declared a holy war to this end under their commanders Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and Abu Mohammed al-Golani.
The Anbar province of Western Iraq is the scene of he fiercest combat close to Iraq’s borders with Syria and Jordan.
To counter Al Qaeda’s superiority in speed and surprise, the US has sent the Iraqi army Hellfire surface-to-air missiles. They are already in use against al Qaeda camps on the Syrian border. Next, Washington is sending out small, long-endurance unmanned aerial ScanEagles. These drones are best suited to combat in Anbar’s deep wadis and the halophyte thickets lining the Euphrates River.
In this topsy-turvy scenario, Washington and Tehran share another surprising motive: to save the Assad regime in Damascus from Al Qaeda’s long arms.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted approvingly on Dec. 26: “Attitudes are changing in Western countries; they are becoming more realistic in their approach towards the Syrian crisis. The threat of terrorism in Syria, of jihadists coming to power, of creating a caliphate with extremist laws, these are the main problems.”
Since the Syrian chemical issue was addressed in September, Russian-Iranian-American collaboration is going strong. The joint US-Iranian war on al Qaeda is strengthening Tehran’s grip on Iraq as well Syria. It gives Russian President Vladimir Putin hope for keeping al Qaeda away from the Winter Olympics at Sochi – an ever-present menace as a female suicide bomber, a Dagestan national, demonstrated Sunday, Dec. 29, by blowing up the railway station at the southern Russian city of Volgograd, killing up to a score of people.
The other incentive for US President Barack Obama is the hope of transposing his collaboration with Tehran and Moscow to improve US chances of a reasonable accommodation in the Afghanistan arena.

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

++++ATTENTION: Images may shock some ++++

Wahhabis in Syria – GRAPHIC

http://www.syrianews.cc/wahhabis-syria-graphic/

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Aircraft losses summerised by Wiki.
Did not find a more reliable and detailed source....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Air_Force

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Aircraft losses[edit]
According to the Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) since the conflict began the Syrian military lost 37 helicopters and 24 jets. 40 aircraft were shot down, and 21 were destroyed in opposition attacks on military airports.[34] According to Strategy Page, nearly a hundred fixed wing and over a hundred helicopters have been lost. Some 400 aircrew was killed, captured, or missing.[35]

The first loss of a fixed wing aircraft was recorded on 13 August 2012 when a MiG-23 was filmed catching fire in flight, while automatic gunfire was heard on the background while the fighter aircraft was flying at low altitude in a level flight. The pilot ejected, and was captured and interrogated by the rebels on video.[36]
The first loss of a MiG-21 was recorded on 30 August 2012. The serial number was 2271. It was likely downed on take off or landing at Abu Dhuhur air base, under siege by rebels, by heavy machine gun fire.[37]
Few days later a second MiG-21, serial number 2280, was shot down and recorded on video on 4 September 2012. It was likely downed on take off or landing at Abu Dhuhur air base, under siege by rebels, by KPV 14.5 mm machine gun fire.[38]
The first recorded loss of an L-39, reported in some media outlets as a MiG, occurred on 13 October 2012, with the pilot ejecting and evading capture before being caught. Al Jazeera managed to interview the pilot.[39][40][41]
On 17 October 2012, a Mi-8 helicopter was shot down over Damascus, dramatically exploding in midair. It was likely hit by heavy machine gun fire with some of its improvised aerial barrier bombs exploding.[42]
The first confirmed loss of a Sukhoi Su-22 was recorded on 14 February 2013, when rebel forces shot it down using a MANPADS launcher.[43][44]
One Mil Mi-17 helicopter was lost in an air-to-air accident when it hit the tail of a Syrian passenger plane on 28 February 2013, with the airliner landing safely at Damascus airport.[45][46]
Another Mil Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by the Turkish Air Force on 16 September 2013 and Pilot Beheading by Al Qaeda Links Rebels.[47]

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

BBC News
MIDDLE EAST
29 December 2013


Saudi Arabia is to give Lebanon's army a grant of $3bn (£1.8bn, 2.8bn euros).
Lebanese President Michel Sleiman made the announcement in a televised address after the funeral of a senior Lebanese politician killed in a car bomb attack. He said it would help fight terrorism.
Mohamad Chatah, a Sunni Muslim, was a staunch critic of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Lebanon's Shia Hezbollah movement that backs him.
Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah have taken opposite sides in the Syrian conflict.
Coming to the boil
"The king of the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is offering this generous and appreciated aid of $3bn to the Lebanese army to strengthen its capabilities," Mr Sleiman said in his address.
He said it was the largest assistance provided in Lebanon's history and would be used to buy weapons from France.
French President Francois Hollande said his country would "meet" any demands for weapons from Lebanon during a visit on Sunday to Saudi Arabia aimed at boosting commercial ties with the kingdom.
"I am in touch with President Sleiman... If demands are made to us, we will meet them," he said.
President Sleiman said the Saudi aid would finally allow the Lebanese army to "confront terrorism" and put an end to the proliferation of arms.
The BBC's Arab Affairs Editor Sebastian Usher said the president indirectly touched on a dangerous taboo in Lebanon - the unchecked power of the Shia movement, Hezbollah.
That issue is coming to the boil due to the conflict in neighbouring Syria where Hezbollah is fighting on the side of President Assad, our correspondent says.
Heinous crime
The Saudis back the other side - the mostly Sunni rebels. The kingdom also supports the pro-western March 14 alliance in Lebanon, of which Mohamad Chatah was a leading member.
Lebanon has been hit by a wave of attacks linked to heightened Sunni-Shia tensions over the Syrian war.
Mr Chatah was buried on Saturday amid tight security.
The former Lebanese minister and opposition figure was killed by a car bomb on Friday, which also killed six other people and injured at least 50.
No-one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Mr Hariri implicitly accused Hezbollah of carrying it out.
Hezbollah rejected the accusation, calling the bombing a "heinous crime, which comes in the context of a series of crimes and explosions aimed at sabotaging the country".
Syria also denied any involvement in the attack.

Lebanese forces reportedly fire on Syrian warplanes in their airspace
Lebanon's army has used its anti-aircraft defence systems to fire at Syrian helicopters after they carried out a raid in Lebanese territory, a military source has told AFP news agency.

Monday was the first time the Lebanese army had responded to Syrian attacks inside Lebanese territory, which have multiplied as the conflict in Syria spills over the border between the countries.

"In accordance with the orders of the army command, anti-aircraft guns were fired in the direction of Syrian helicopters that bombed Khirbet Dawud near Arsal," in the area near the Syrian border, the source told AFP.

"It is the first time that the Lebanese army has used its anti-aircraft defence systems" to respond to Syrian raids, the source added.

Lebanese officials reported no casualties from the Syrian raid. It was not clear whether the retaliatory fire had hit the Syrian aircraft.

The Lebanese army has in the past threatened to respond to cross-border fire from Syria but has not previously done so.

The anti-aircraft fire came a day after Lebanese President Michel Sleiman announced that Saudi Arabia had pledged $3 billion for the under-equipped army to buy French weapons. [AFP]

[Artashes]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Looking at the map, I'm seeing this ---- the Saudi money & weapons & terrorists are going through Jordan. Then into Syria via (a) Jordan (b) Iraq.
The USA money & weapons & terrorists are entering Syria via the hybrid mongoloid encampment (turk) or entering Iraq via the hominoid (turk) encampment & then entering Syria.
I cannot believe Lebanon can shelters as much as a score of thousands of terrorists from other countries without destabilizing.
If the USA is now trying to stop the process they stated, which is to destabilize Syria with USA money & proxy boots on the ground. Then they not only have Iraq & Iraq boarders they can bolster but also turk to manipulate. That's an easy 50% of terrorist inflow of cash, weapons, boots, & shelter.
Although the USA has much leaverage with Jordan, Saudi money talks big.
If Iran is not inhibited in utilizing Iraq territory to bolster both Iraq & Syria. And Hizbola is strengthened with Iran resources, both so Hizbola can strengthen Syrian forces & also to counter Saudi money coming into Lebanon.
Then I see potentially 2 or 3 major defeats by the allied Syrian forces upon the terrorists in the comming 4/6 months.
I hope Vrej's assessment of USA shift in attitude is correct.
Saudi money plays big but in my estimation they got nothing but buying proxy boots, ie, no logistics or saud power but mony.
Artashes

[Vrej1915]

Re: Regional geopolitics

Saudi vectors into Syrian theatre:
- First let's not forget, that the Gulf states, and primarily Saodi Arabia & Koweit, were long the financiers of most ME Arab states, on bilateral, or Arab League circles. Notably, they financed the multiple 'aids' to Lebanon, during the civil war, and afterwards, they paid for the Taef accord, and the rebuilding of Beirut, via their Proxy, Mr Hariri father (blown up since). They also paid for Jordan and Syria, and before Sadat for Egypt, and yet again recently under Mubarak...+ Palestine & Irak.
- During this period, these states did not have hegemonic, policy dictating ambitions. They effectively paid, for their peace, as a ransom.
- Since the demise of Saddam, they do have the ambition to dictate their will, their vision, + Huge cash they do not know how to spent, since the barrel passed from 10 $ to 100$..., this, while they have a sense of more imminent threat by Iran/shia factor, and the absence of proxy "sunni' fighter, as was Saddam. Turkey did try to play this role, and cash in the money, and did have some success...

- On the actual situation: much before Syria boiled or trapped, while their official Ally, the US was in Irak, they unofficially began to finance, arm and help Iraqi sunni vahabit extremists, using most of the time Jordan, and also Syria as an entry door, with the tacit approval of the Bashar regime..., in its turn happy to annoy the US next door.
- When Syrian civil war began, it was not by chance, that the first blaze was in Deraa, effectively on the Jordan border. That's to say, Saouds have no problem to operate in Jordan. Second entry was from Lebanon, where they are pretty strong, with the Hariri/sunni clan.
- That been said, secondary access is also via Irak's Anbar province, where they did have decade old paths, this time working on reverse mode..
- Nevertheless, on a more global view, access via Turkey is all but secondary. Of course, under direct control of the turkish MIT, manipulating, orchestrating, etc... but anyway, most vahabit merceneries, recruited from the Kavkaz, Europe, North Africa, and the Gulf, do pass by occupied Kilikia, as do most of financial and material assistance. Turkey must not pay much, to not say anything, from the bill....