Friday, November 22, 2013

Syria's Neighbors Prepare For A Rebel Defeat



Syria: The Neighbors Prepare For Rebel Defeat -- Strategy Page

President Basher Assad of Syria is telling his supporters that he expects the rebels to be defeated within six months. For the last few months the rebels have been losing and with little prospect of Western air support or any other dramatic increase in military aid the rebels are unable to cope with the Iranian mercenaries who have given some offensive punch to the otherwise demoralized Assad forces and supporters. Russia has supplied weapons and ammo resupply as well as spare parts for Syrian warplanes and combat vehicles (all Russian made). Thus the Syrians are still able to fly nearly a hundred bombing, training and transport sorties a day. Syrian artillery continues to pound rebel fighters and civilians using fresh ammo supplies from Russia. Iranian cash keeps Assad supporters more comfortable than their rebel counterparts. In some areas this is causing civilians to switch their support to Assad, if only to survive. About half the population is in exile, homeless or hungry and very poor. Most pro-Assad civilians (about a quarter of the population) are doing much better. So from the Assad side it does appear that victory is now a possibility. Thus the Winter of rebel discontent leads to a victorious Summer for the Assads because of aid from Iran and Russia.

Read more ....

My Comment: I do not see that "victory" yet .... not even by a long shot. While battlefield gains have boosted Assad's hand in the country .... defeats like this one (today) do not bode well for the future of the Syrian regime.

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