Meanwhile in Iraq & Syria

[TheReal_ND]

DB's "nothing" is escalating:

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/32785 ... rom-sea-on

OMG, SHIPS WERE DEPLOYED?!?!?

That's harsh, bro.
I know if situations were reversed, and the Russians blasted some Iraqi government airstrip as we were trying to prop up a democracy over there, we'd never do anything as bold as deploying ships! Wow. What a power move. Has Trump surrendered yet?

I guess we'll find out. That frigate has cruise missiles too..

I bet it's moving at full steam too

[DBTrek]

For those interested in why Russia will be doing nothing:

http://www.globalfirepower.com/countrie ... it=COMPARE

[Smitty-48]

They already did what they did, they used the WMD and crossed your "RED LINE", twice, and for all intents and purposes, America did nothing, the difference is, they didn't issue "RED LINE" and "WARNING SHOTS" before they did something, they just went ahead and did it, they didn't shoot their mouths off, they demonstrated their resolve to defend their proxy to the hilt, by action, without issuing any declarations about nor posturing for domestic political effect, they are fully operational in their approach, whereas America is just goofing around with dog and pony shows as fodder for CNN & Co, to wit; "Nothing".

Russia says they didn't.
So if they in fact *did* cross our red line they're clearly too scared to admit it.
Last I heard they were shuffling their feet and whining "C'mon man, it was like rebel chlorine gas and stuff. For realz. Don't blame us!!!"


Real stalwarts, your comrades there.

The plausible deniability aspect "wasn't us, must have been Ay-rabs" as if Assad was actually an independent and sovereign actor who was still calling his own shots at this juncture would be for political cover, I mean, they are UNSC PERM V, so they're not likely to out themselves formally as war criminals, but the realpolitik is that he Syrians are totally dependant on them, the Syrian air force doesn't fly anymore unless the Russians put the gas in the tanks and hang the weapons on the racks, so to say that the Russians have no control over their now utterly dependant proxy and the SyAA is flying WMD attacks without clearing it through the Russians, while not against the laws of physics, seems rather thin to me.

I would submit, what they are seemingly up to, is probing you, they are probing around your ostensible "RED LINES" to try to incite you into reacting, both to test your resolve and determine how serious you are about backing up your ultimatums, but also likey with the intention of goading you into demonstrating to all, that you are not in fact serious about it and will not really back it up in any meaningfull sense, when push comes to shove.

First they probed Obama, test fire number one, now they are probing Trump, test fire number two.

[Smitty-48]

To be clear, I'm not in any way saying that Mr. Ivan does not fear the United States, he absolutely does, fear of the United States is the driving force behind everything Mr. Ivan does, it is his raison d'etre, but there's a distinction between fearing America's potential and capabilities, and believing that the regime in Washington still has the resolve and courage to back up America's tough talk with any sort of meaningfull consequences, and so actually deter Mr. Ivan in the process, rather than giving Mr. Ivan the impression that he has broad latitude to cause mayhem with impunity before he gets anywhere close to inciting an actual and really serious about this time, no really, we're not just goofing around for partisan domestic consumption, no really, stop laughing, we're not kidding around anymore, Eagle with Thunderbolts in Talons Grasped.

The danger zone, is not that America would never do anything, that the Eagle would never take up the Thunderbolts in earnest again, the danger zone, is in the snap back, when the Eagle does so, without effective strategic warning, having wandered deep into the grey area, because the Eagle has issued so many false strategic warnings leading up to, that the adversary could no longer tell which ones were real and which ones were just bluster anymore.

[TheReal_ND]

https://syriagenerals.wordpress.com/
>YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSelGr ... grfns3FBA/
>Twitter
https://twitter.com/SyriaGeneral

>SOUTHFRONT Apr7
https://youtu.be/n-DuBhsaEQE [Open]

>Newest Interviews with Assad
https://youtu.be/SHNVlBsmCTc [Open] Translation: pastebin.com/khq76Rx5
https://youtu.be/ZpgYBIDk43Q [Open]
https://youtu.be/MlrpvKNl9D8 [Open]

PERMANENT MAPS
>Maeplet
http://maeplet.com/
>Livemap
https://globaleventmap.org
>hohol livemap
http://syria.liveuamap.com/
>Military map
http://militarymaps.info/
>Syria conflict map
http://www.cartercenter.org/syria-conflict-map/

>Fan maps
https://twitter.com/syria_protector
https://twitter.com/PetoLucem
https://twitter.com/miladvisor
https://twitter.com/a7_mirza
https://twitter.com/hamza_780
http://www.edmaps.com
http://www.syriancivilwarmap.com

RECENT MAPS
>Palmyra Apr7
http://i.imgur.com/o7hTNQI.jpg
>E Aleppo/Raqqa Apr6
http://i.imgur.com/tqzbDEt.jpg
>N Hama Apr3
http://i.imgur.com/vVulpSs.jpg
>Mosul Mar30
http://i.imgur.com/Luv7Tbq.jpg
>Jobar Mar23
http://i.imgur.com/gU1EPHN.jpg
>DeZ Feb23
http://i.imgur.com/NqoTYa2.jpg

Developments Apr8
>2 SyAF bombers carry out bombing raid from airbase struck by US
>US terrorist regime launches 50 tomahawk missiles at Al-Shayrat airbase,6 dead, 15 aircraft destroyed
>RuMod:23 Tomahawk missiles out of 59 reached Syrian airfield
>Russia to increase Syria air defence capabilities
>US Sec Tillerson:US is organizing a coalition to remove Assad from power
>RU SUSPENDS FLIGHT SAFETY MEMORANDUM WITH US
>Ru warship heads toward US destroyers after strike
>UNSC delays vote on resolution over Syrian chemical incident
>Bolivia trolled US during UNSC meeting with 2003 Colin Powell pic before Iraq invasion
>IS takes advantage of US attack, storm W of T4 airbase & town of Al-Furqalas
>SAA captured the Camel track,Al-Sukari quarries& Palmyra farms S of ancient city
>SDF besiege Tabqa, US ambush IS near DeZ



UNSC tl;dr

Bolivia
>Bolis distributing redpills, BTFOing Colin Powell
UK
>#ShariaForUK
Egypt
>Syrian people are victim of a proxy war.
Uruguay
>Please gibs veto to all.
Italy
>Gondolences our gubmint is following events.
France
>Assad used chemical weapons. His masked has dropped. We need intl criminal court. Russia vetoes everything! REEEEEEE
China
>Blablabla idgaf
Japan
>US took action in order to prevent further aggravation of situation.
Russia
>REEEEEEE we fighting terrorist you colonialist bitches!
Senegal
>Just as in 4apr as in yesterday, we still today are seeing deep division within sec council.
Kazakhistan
>Investigation is necessary. Respect sovereingty of member states.
Swedend
>Restrain is important to avoid escalation.
Ethiopia
>if situation in Syria continues, and result is collapse of Syrian state, those who win would be the terrorists.
Ukraine
>Everything is Russia`s fault.
USA
>USA! USA! USA!
Syria
>REEEEEE we fighting terrorist you wahhabi dick sucking cunts!

[Smitty-48]

The Russians are posting various videos of the base in the wake of the strikes, and It seems like pretty legit video, appears to be quite a lot of totally intact and still operational Sukhoi Su-22's, which are all Syrian, the Russians don't use those anymore, while all the hardened shelters which were struck apear to be empty as if the Syrians moved their jets out of there beforehand, so doesn't seem to have been targeting even the Syrian Air force assets, never mind the Russians.

[TheReal_ND]

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/850432997916594177

https://twitter.com/CT_operative/status ... 0792845314

https://twitter.com/CT_operative/status/85041

> only 23 of 60 Tomahawk missiles reached target

> 9 civilians were killed, including 4 innocent children

> a canteen was destroyed

> runway and taxiways remained undamaged

Apparently the closest strike to the air strip was ten meters and anti-runway cluster bombs were not used.

[DBTrek]

The Russians are posting various videos of the base in the wake of the strikes, and It seems like pretty legit video, appears to be quite a lot of totally intact and still operational Sukhoi Su-22's, which are all Syrian, the Russians don't use those anymore, while all the hardened shelters which were struck apear to be empty as if the Syrians moved their jets out of there beforehand, so doesn't seem to have been targeting even the Syrian Air force assets, never mind the Russians.

No worries.
We have pleny more tomahawks if the message didn't get through.

[DrYouth]

The Russians are posting various videos of the base in the wake of the strikes, and It seems like pretty legit video, appears to be quite a lot of totally intact and still operational Sukhoi Su-22's, which are all Syrian, the Russians don't use those anymore, while all the hardened shelters which were struck apear to be empty as if the Syrians moved their jets out of there beforehand, so doesn't seem to have been targeting even the Syrian Air force assets, never mind the Russians.

This seems to be supporting my theory of political point scoring without intent to aggravate either the Russians or the Syrians...
The only hitch in the plan might be the obviousness of this...
We'll see how it plays out.

[kybkh]

One thing not mentioned about 2014 and Obama not committing is that the during those days of decision making the Med was a parking lot of warships. Russia had ships from their pacific fleet in the region.

It was a much more tense situation.

One thing to commend trump on is his expediency did not allow Russia to make the strike a big deal. Kinda like giving a kid a shot.

If you sneak up on a child and give them a shot they scream for a sec and its over. On the other if they see the needle coming they have time to squrim and squeal some times enough to make you rethink the whole idea.