Iranian troops, allied Hezbollah fighters, and Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s army have reportedly joined forces to launch a ground offensive, backed by Russian airstrikes, to seize key areas from rebels in Syria.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Russian “aggression” in Europe and now the Middle East is a “new reality” for the United States that is “here to stay,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
Ömer Çelik, a senior official in the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned Wednesday that “Kurdish militia in northern Syria appeared intent on creating a de facto zone of control in the region.”
The Kurdish Rudaw news agency reports that American Patriot missile batteries have been withdrawn from the Syrian border in southeastern Turkey. Their two-year deployment began in 2013, and was not renewed after it expired this month.
The U.S. and others have accused Russia of propping up the Assad regime by attacking “practically every group opposed to the Syrian government except the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.” Putin claims “the Russian government had asked for the coordinates of the groups that should or should not be attacked, the United States had not responded to either request.”
Cuban military operatives reportedly have been spotted in Syria, where sources believe they are advising President Bashar al-Assad’s soldiers and may be preparing to man Russian-made tanks to aid Damascus in fighting rebel forces backed by the U.S.
The Archbishop of Aleppo has called on the West to act to save Syria from the “fundamentalist, jihadist mercenaries” who threaten his country, “killing anyone who would speak of freedom, citizenship, religious freedom and democracy.”
An American-backed Syrian Kurdish militia has joined forces with some Arab rebels and members of an Assyrian Christian group to launch an assault against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) in Raqqa, the jihadist group’s de-facto capital in Syria, according to a statement obtained by Reuters.
General Qasem Soleimani, who heads Iran’s Quds Force—the Iranian special forces unit designated with spreading the Tehran regime’s caliphatist revolution worldwide—has now arrived in Syria along with thousands of Iranian troops, according to reports.
The leader of the al-Nusra Front, Syria’s al-Qaeda offshoot, reportedly called on jihadists to intensify attacks on Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s minority Alawite sect of Shiite Islam in retaliation for Russia’s military intervention.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Defense has revamped its effort to assist so-called moderate Syrian rebels on the ground, shifting its focus away from training to providing them with weapons and other equipment to fight the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL).
It’s not easy to find anything to laugh about in Syria, but Egyptian TV host Ahmed Moussa managed to pull it off. He used a recent show to sing the praises of Russian intervention in Syria, but illustrated it with footage that came from a five-year-old video game. And not a very good video game, by the look of it.
Rockets flying out of an Islamist neighborhood hit Russia’s embassy in Damascus, the capital of Syria. Russia has declared the attack “obvious terrorism.”
The Iranian parliament has rejected the formal, legal text of the President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal, negotiated in July by the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Russia, China and the Tehran regime. Instead, the majilis approved their own version of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), creating a situation where the Iranian government simple hasn’t signed onto the nukes-and-trade deal that Obama, Democrats and the GOP leaders has obligated the United States to uphold.
A new Rasmussen poll says “more voters than ever think terrorists have the advantage over the United States and its allies.” 46% of 1,000 likely voters responding to the poll thought terrorists were winning, while only 26% believed the United States and its allies had the upper hand. Those are the worst numbers Rasmussen has seen in over a decade.
The leader of al-Qaeda linked group al-Nusra Front is encouraging jihadists in the Caucasus to attack Russia. His call follows similar condemnation of Russia from rival jihadi group the Islamic State (ISIS) and a number of Saudi clerics.
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked that, instead of funding Syrian rebels, the U.S. should have just given the money to Russia. The U.S. halted its training program after many rebels defected and U.S. weapons landed in the hands of al-Qaeda.
During his 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night, President Obama said Russia’s airstrikes in Syria came as no surprise. He was vague on exactly what American intelligence knew.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that the Russian government used advanced cluster munition in an airstrike near Aleppo, Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman have agreed to military cooperation in Syria.
Columnist Charles Krauthammer argued that President Obama has “an adolescent sort of Columbia undergraduate fantasy about the community of nations” and that his belief about the arc of history justifies in action on Monday’s “O’Reilly Factor” on the Fox News
Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) criticized the US’ ground strategy in Syria was “very confusing,” adding “There’s no clarity” on Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” Gabbard said “the real issue is what are we doing about
Former Senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said he was “very disappointed” with President Obama’s foreign policy, and argued Syria is “a test case” of what happens “when America doesn’t lead” on Monday’s “Sean Hannity Show.” Lieberman
New Jersey Governor and Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie stated he would establish a no-fly zone over Syria and shoot down any Russian jets that entered it, and “we have to do whatever it is we need to do to
Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson doesn’t want House Republicans to simply coalesce behind the next candidate in line for the Speakership of the U.S. House. Instead, he wants an open and fair process to find the best possible Speaker.
