A pair of U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles fly over northern Iraq after conducting airstrikes in Syria, in this U.S. Air Force handout photo taken early in the morning of September 23, 2014. (Reuters/U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Matthew)
Micah Zenko, Foreign Policy: The U.S. Air Campaign in Syria Is Suspiciously Impressive at Not Killing Civilians
The Pentagon says it has killed 20,000 suspected Islamic State fighters, with only two cases of collateral damage. Something doesn’t add up.
To intensify the U.S.-led coalition’s war against the Islamic State, also known as ISIL, the Pentagon is considering further loosening the rules of engagement (ROEs) that are intended to minimize civilian casualties and expanding the target sets that can be bombed. On Nov. 19, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter told MSNBC that the U.S. military was “prepared” to change the ROEs, and indeed the following day it was reported that the coalition was seeking to increase airstrikes by “changing a policy to protect against civilian casualties in Islamic State-held territory.” The prospect of more bombs being dropped on more Islamic State-connected targets was also endorsed this past week by presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Chris Christie.
WNU Editor: I have been following wars and conflicts for years .... the Pentagon's story makes no sense.
pure bull
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the Kurds and so-called rebels are at it. One guess on who Russia's supporting.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.almasdarnews.com/article/free-syrian-army-gives-ypg-48-hours-withdraw-7-villages-northern-aleppo/
The U.S. has to give up on caring about the deaths of civilians.
ReplyDeleteWe should minimize them if possible.
But the castigation, flagellation and reproach that we take from our citizens and non-Americans has to stop.
No one in the whole damn world is going to achieve zero collateral damage while also achieving protection against people trying to kill theme and theirs. That would be perfection and we know perfection is not achievable. It is something to strive for, but not something you put other through the 5th degree for not achieving.
I have had blood family and in-laws living in cities that were bombed by opposing sides in WW2. So I think I can be fairly objective.
Exactly correct, look at dresden
DeleteThe picture posted on the top are F 15c not (E ).
ReplyDeleteThis warplane are designed to do dog fight air to air combat .
Everyone knows this amazing war artefact .now you see how the propaganda machine work . is just out in the open . no one is going to believe that 20 .000 fighters have been killed .
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ReplyDeletePeter,
ReplyDeleteYour English is getting better. Funny that.
12% to 18% of Turkey is Kurdish.
ReplyDeleteThe Turks also has a # of Alevis.
Turkey can be fractured. If they mess with other people, those people will mess with them bsck
Yup, Erdogan is flirting with a civil war with some really POed foreign sponsors.
DeleteIt is not just Russia, Turkey is pissing off but China as well. Alot of the terrorism China is experiencing has some links back to Turkey and the Chinese media was very quick to take the Russian side the other day and Russia's statement that Turkey is a state sponsor of terrorism received airtime... Given Turkey also has a dire economic situation my opinion is it couldn't happen to a 'nicer' country.
ReplyDeleteThat's right Anon,
DeleteChina is one of those POed potential sponsors.
Can't fight your own battles? Hire a gun. GCC mercenaries to Yemen.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.forbes.com/sites/charlestiefer/2015/11/26/in-yemen-war-mercenaries-launched-by-blackwater-head-were-spotted-today-not-good-news/
Thank you for the link RRH. I have avoided Yemen for too long.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Editor,
ReplyDeleteIt may not be meant this way, but the Yemenis are doing Syria and, by extension, Russia,a huge favour holding GCC attention and tying down resources on the "Southern Front". I read today that the Saudis threatened the military option (again) to remove Assad. It may not be unheard of for the Houthis and friends to get a lot more help, from different sources, if direct moves are made (doubtful) by the Gulf Monarchies.
I have been watching some of the footage of the fighting coming out of Yemen. The Saudis and friends look completely outclassed by Yemeni light Infantry. Maybe it's the way the videos are meant to look, but I don't think I'm watching a put on.
Iran has shown great strategic insight through her support of the Houthis. While I'm not a fan of theocracies at all (Muslim or otherwise), they've played their hand well and their moves deserve to be studied. Iran may wind up being Russia's saving grace in the region as opposed to the other way around. The Saudis are genuinely afraid of Iran, and they should be.
As opposed to being wrapped up in Hollande's visit, I was more interested in what Ayatollah Khamenei and President Putin discussed. I'm willing to bet Khamenei advised not to trust anyone from the so called "international community"____ a term repeated ad nauseum by King PlayStation during his visit with Putin___ and if I were a national leader, I'd tell him the same thing.
With the above, the Western media (specifically the WP) is out to lunch on the Iran/Russia relationship. I don't believe Russia just wants a base in the region/on the Med. I don't believe Assad will be dropped for Ukraine (whatever that means-- the Ukrops are bat$#!+ crazy). It's all in for Syria West to East, North to South. No partition and with Assad. The claims otherwise are wishful thinking and projection.
I sort of agree with Escobar that China and Asia are where it's at for Iran and Russia, but he sees Europe in the mix. To me, Europe is broke, dodgy, mendacious, full of itself, and just too enthralled with fascism/racism for it's own good. Canada and the U.S. aren't much better right now; Canada just manages a better "progressive" put on.
The barbarians are riding out of the west these days in my opinion.
Just look at the mercenaries in Yemen.
When it comes to our much ballyhooed west, the Who's "Eminence Front" may apply best.
ReplyDeleteIf the reader isn't your thing a listen on YouTube might be.
The sun shines
And people forget
They spray flies as the speedboat glides
And people forget
Forget they're hiding
The girls smile
And people forget
The snow packs as the skier tracks
And people forget
Forget they're hiding.
Behind an eminence front
Eminence front - It's a put on.
It's Eminence front
It's Eminence front - It's a put on.
An Eminence front
Eminence front - It's a put on.
Eminence front
It's Eminence front
It's Eminence front - It's a put on.
It's a put on
It's a put on
It's a put on
Come and join the party
Dress to kill
Won't you come and join the party
Dress to kill.
Dress to kill.
The drinks flow
People forget
That big wheel spins, the hair thins
People forget
Forget they're hiding
The news slows
People forget
The shares crash, hopes are dashed
People forget
Forget they're hiding.
Behind an eminence front
An Eminence front - it's a put on
It's just an Eminence front
An Eminence front - It's a put on.
An Eminence front
An Eminence front- It's a put on.
Eminence front
It's Eminence front - It's a put on.
It's a put on
It's a put on
It's a put on
It's a put on
Come on join the party
Dress to
Come on join the party
Dress to
Come on join the party
Dress to
Come on join the party
Dress to kill
Dress yourself to kill.