Russia fires cruise missiles at Syrian rebels
According to Fox broadcast news, the Russians have employed cruise missiles in their current strike against Syrian rebels. They’ve also begun shadowing US drone operations with their MIGs. AFP reports that the Russians claim that they have weakened ISIS forces, but the US defense officials report that 90% of the Russian airstrikes have been against non-ISIS forces (US-supported rebels).
Tensions between Russia and NATO member Turkey shot up this week after Russian aircraft infringed on Turkish airspace at least twice.
The Russian air war has provided cover for Assad’s ground troops, who have previously lost swathes of the country to IS and other fighters seeking to topple him.
Meanwhile, according to Fox News, Congress is investigating whether US intelligence agencies dropped the ball predicting Russian intentions in the area.
The officials told Reuters that intelligence analysts were specifically caught off guard at the speed and aggression of Russia’s use of air power, as well as the Moscow’s targeting of Western-backed rebel groups as opposed to the Islamic State terror organization (ISIS).
“They saw some of this going on but didn’t appreciate the magnitude,” one official told Reuters. One source suggested that U.S. experts initially thought that Russian military buildup near the Syrian port of Latakia was for a snap military exercise as opposed to a prolonged show of force. Another source told Reuters that there had been a lag time of “about a week” before spy agencies began voicing alarm about Russian military operations.
I don’t what they could have missed. There were news reports weeks before the first airstrike was launched by the Russians of the arrival of fighters to SYria. Even the President, who gets his news from the media,, not from his intelligence services, according to him, should have seen the Russian intervention coming. Russia is not in the habit of deploying troops they don’t plan on using. That seems to be a strictly American trait.
Now Fox is reporting that the Iranians lobbied Russia for their engagement in Syria months ago. The situation certainly needed some leadership, it only stands to reason that Russia would step into the breach left by Americans.
Category: Terror War
I wonder if things could get any better?
Boy oh boy, what a mess. But as Obummer continuously points out, it is Bush’s fault.
don’t forget about regan also, I’ve seen this on the tube a few times also Lol….
Makes me wonder what Imperator Clustrus Maximus will do next.
Then I realize I almost certainly don’t wanna find out.
He has instituted a new strategic doctrine entitled: “Inventa Nocte Cum Territos Nec Flexuros Ad Eam – Viam Opponere Orientis Medii”.
Dog gonnit, Master Chief, can you translate that for us undereducated sorts?
Use the Latin dictionary online in the AlGore.net.
Blaming his own country, or at the very least his predecessors, is always a safe bet.
Vlad, I’d really appreciate it if you’d aim a little more accurately.
ISIS is about 53.27 miles away from where you sent those missiles.
You might have hit my car. How would I explain that to my insurance agent?
And would you quit flying over my house? You’re scaring my turkeys and rattling the china.
Thanks!
Vlad isn’t going to hit a hospital or an aspirin factory, I’ll bet. And if he does, what’s Scrotum Shaver going to do, pick up his phone and tell the DOJ to investigate? Benghazi. Fast and Furious. Dream Act. Defense of Marriage Act. Red Line. Arab Spring. Obamacare. Gay and Transgender Military. I remain in Vlad’s camp, rootin’ for the Rooskies. It’s not un-American. What I regard as un-American is supporting the Obama Wrecking Company. Vlad is there fair and square, by invitation, whether anyone likes it or not. The US needs to step aside, stand down, and take notes.
Clearly our old nickname Conned Into Anything (CIA) is still semi-accurate…surprised by the quick use of airpower by the Russkies? Really? Any analyst offering that explanation should be terminated on the spot…
Little Stevie Wonder could have seen this coming. The Russians always use Overwhelming Force. It is programed into their DNA. As Stalin said, “Quantity has quality of its own”.
That and the Ivans have NEVER been known for being “Mr. Nice Guy” in any kind of conflict if ya knowhutimean!
“OOps…we missed….Sorry…Our Bad.”
/lmmfao……BBBWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!~~~~!!!!
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/08/russian-cruise-missiles-intended-for-targets-in-syria-hit-iran-instead/?intcmp=latestnews
OooopS!
Cruise missiles transiting Iraqi airspace with impunity. I wonder if there is any Iraqi outrage, faux or otherwise.
The reason these missiles came from the Caspian Sea rather than the much nearer Med is very likely to ensure a long transit over Iraq. The Russians are making a point of ‘violating’ American controlled airspace with live weapons. The lack of response only reinforces their message.
Just found this on rt.com so it must be true.
“The attacks required cooperation from Iran and Iraq, as the missiles had to travel through their airspace to reach Syria.
The Russian Defense Ministry said it had worked with its partners to plan the flight path so that the missiles traveled only over desolate areas and didn’t pose any danger to civilians.”
https://www.rt.com/news/317864-russian-warships-missiles-launch/
Interesting.
I must have missed this back on 12SEP.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/21025-iraq-to-allow-russia-to-use-its-airspace-for-aid-to-syria
“The MP said that Iraq has a strategic agreement with the US, of which fighting terror is a part, while maintaining full sovereignty and independence for the country. He stressed that Iraq is free to choose how and with whom to fight terror as this is a “fully Iraqi issue.” Russia is, after all, he pointed out, a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
On Thursday, the United States said that it is up to the Iraqi government to decide whether or not to allow the Russian aircraft to use its airspace to deliver aid to Syria.”
Looks like Putin has successfully wooed Iraq.
Good for them. SS-N-30 is a supersonic cruise missile with a range of a little over 900 miles with a conventional warhead (they can also be armed with a nuke). The Russian navy is doing what we started doing with TLAM in 1991 and have continued to perfect ever since. Using a one way drone to blow shit up. Welcome to the club you filthy commies, sorry to hear about the four that fell out of the sky in Iran and didn’t blow up any Iranians but hey, you can’t have everything now can you? These missiles should be a wake up call for the Europeans since they can be launched from a few points and pretty much cover the entire continent. Nah, probably not.
Sorry, I seem to have gotten my NATO designation incorrect. The Kaliber cruise missile is designated SS-N-27, not 30. I am a dunderhead.