Cyprus-Forum.com

[Paphitis]

Incidentally, is anybody else watching the situation in Ramadi, where the Iraqi armed forces appear to be on the verge of launching an assault to liberate the city from Daesh?

The Russian media is reporting it, so it must be true!

http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20151 ... amadi.html

I've seen reports from Iraqi and Western media that the Iraqis were preparing a Ground Offensive as far back as July this year.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/worl ... /30096897/

Apparently there are also very high hopes for its success.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-says-ira ... r-support/

Apparently the Iraqis are on the outskirts of the town.

http://www.ibtimes.com/iraqi-security-f ... ey-2141350

The thing is, initially a great many disaffected and alienated Sunnis welcomed Daesh with open arms as their saviours. If, at this initial stage, the USA had simply sent in massive forces to defeat Daesh, they would have been seen as the aggressors by many people locally and elsewhere in the Arab world and even if they had been able to secure a swift victory, this would have sowed the seeds of the next Islamist movement. It now seems that the population just about everywhere Daesh occupies has turned against them, with reports of rebellions and resistance movements springing up. There are also reports of demoralisation and internecine fighting in the ranks of the so-called jihadis. Apparently dysentery and cholera have become widespread where they have proclaimed their state - i.e. they are incapable even of providing basic sanitation as a so-called state. It breaks my heart to hear about the heinous crimes against humanity committed by this gang, but sadly the time may not have been ripe earlier for a liberation offensive to succeed. It looks different now, and the strategy of gradually training Iraqi forces to do the job looks like it was the best one.

I agree that the West's policy has been the best approach. Just supply arms, train them but let them do the heavy lifting with our Air Support.

But of course, no one will ever admit that the USA got it right this time. But as you say, reality will set in in the long run.

[Get Real!]

Russia to Increase Missions in Syria to 300 a Day
http://russia-insider.com/en/playtime-o ... ay/ri10596

Meet the Mini Jihadi! <---
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest- ... -terrorist

Fox News Expert May Face 35 Years in Prison for Lying About ‘CIA Career’
http://sputniknews.com/us/20151019/1028 ... rison.html

Russian ‘Skynet’ to lead military robots on the battlefield
https://www.rt.com/news/319082-russia-m ... elligence/

US Army forced to borrow British helicopters amid budget cuts
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... -cuts.html

[Oceanside50]

....haate pame me tous Rossus tora...

As we see the very capable air defence systems beginning to show up in Syria, we’re a little worried about another A2/AD bubble being created in the eastern Mediterranean. These very sophisticated air defence capabilities are not about the Islamic State, they’re about something else.“

Indeed, Breedlove is correct. Their defensive usage can be viewed as a move to prevent anything like the no-fly zone that NATO imposed on Libya being repeated in Syria. They might also be seen as seeking to prevent further resupply of terrorists throughout Syria by the West.

He may also be right to be “a little worried”, as Meyssan went as far to suggest that this advanced system means there is a new military superpower in the world, and judging by the wide reporting of Russian military successes in Syria – he may well be right.

http://21stcenturywire.com/2015/10/19/n ... -in-syria/

[repulsewarrior]

...in any case equals and opposites attract. The escalation is Military, it does not seem that either have much learned from their past.

[kurupetos]

...in any case equals and opposites attract. The escalation is Military, it does not seem that either have much learned from their past.

Of course not. Selling weapons is very profitable...

[Get Real!]

NATO Launches Massive Exercise to Prep for War With ‘Not Russia’ <-- Love the title!
http://news.antiwar.com/2015/10/19/nato ... ot-russia/

[DrCyprus]

Syria explained:

http://9gag.com/gag/aQnrXL7

[Oceanside50]

....haate pame me tous Rossus tora...

As we see the very capable air defence systems beginning to show up in Syria, we’re a little worried about another A2/AD bubble being created in the eastern Mediterranean. These very sophisticated air defence capabilities are not about the Islamic State, they’re about something else.“

Indeed, Breedlove is correct. Their defensive usage can be viewed as a move to prevent anything like the no-fly zone that NATO imposed on Libya being repeated in Syria. They might also be seen as seeking to prevent further resupply of terrorists throughout Syria by the West.

He may also be right to be “a little worried”, as Meyssan went as far to suggest that this advanced system means there is a new military superpower in the world, and judging by the wide reporting of Russian military successes in Syria – he may well be right.

[Oceanside50]

....haate pame me tous Rossus tora...

As we see the very capable air defence systems beginning to show up in Syria, we’re a little worried about another A2/AD bubble being created in the eastern Mediterranean. These very sophisticated air defence capabilities are not about the Islamic State, they’re about something else.“

Indeed, Breedlove is correct. Their defensive usage can be viewed as a move to prevent anything like the no-fly zone that NATO imposed on Libya being repeated in Syria. They might also be seen as seeking to prevent further resupply of terrorists throughout Syria by the West.

He may also be right to be “a little worried”, as Meyssan went as far to suggest that this advanced system means there is a new military superpower in the world, and judging by the wide reporting of Russian military successes in Syria – he may well be right.

have you heard anything about this, Paphitis? do you think that what happened in 2012 when the syrians shot down a turkis f4 is connected?

On 29 September, alleged secret documents were leaked by the Syrian opposition to Al Arabiya, saying that the two pilots had survived the shoot down, which was done in coordination with the Russian naval facility in Tartus, and were captured but later executed. One of the alleged reports, sent to Syrian Intelligence, reads in part, "Based on information and guidance from the Russian leadership comes a need to eliminate the two Turkish pilots detained by the Special Operations Unit in a natural way and their bodies need to be returned to the crash site in international waters." It suggests the Syrian government sends a "menacing" message to the Turkish government from the danger it might face in case of any hostile move. The report insists that the Syrian leadership should hasten and make a formal apology to the Turkish government for bringing down the plane, which would embarrass the Turks and win the support of international public opinion. As such, they did apologize.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2012 ... h_aircraft

[repulsewarrior]

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=91599

LARNACA, Cyprus (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) departed Larnaca, Cyprus, Oct. 16, during its third forward-deployed patrol after a scheduled port visit.

Donald Cook is on patrol as part of the U.S. European Phased Adaptive Approach to NATO Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD).

Quote:
"Donald Cook enjoyed another port visit from our outstanding Cypriot hosts, and we look forward to conducting another bilateral exercise at sea."
- Cmdr. Charles E. Hampton, commanding officer, USS Donald Cook (DDG 75)

for the record...