FSA destroys at least 5 regime helicopters in airport raid (roundup).

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FG
by FG
29-Aug-2012
 

Using two captured tanks, rebels shelled the airport between Aleppo and Idlib before withdrawing.  Of course Syrian state media claimed the attack has been "repelled."   The rebels were not foolish enough to take the airport and hang on until MIGS arrived.

Reports say it's possible that up to five additional helicopters were destroyed or damaged.  Either way it's a signfiicant percentage of Assad's helicopter forces.   The regime has far more tanks than copters, especially operable copters (see stats below).  Several buildings were also destroyed in the attack.

UNDERSTANDING THE REGIME RESPONSE

Predictably the regime response has been continued bombing of the nearby town which is virtually empty of people.   While all pro-rebel neighborhoods tend to get bombed by a vindictive regime after any FSA victory or mass defection, those near important airports get really sepecial treatment.  Hence Darayaa, where more than 300 people were executed and possibly more than 700, lies next to a major Damascus airport which Assad hopes to use to fly off if the regime falls.  The rebels will want to prevent that.F

Military Significance: ENDURING AMERRICA LOOKS AT VIDEO OF THE BATTLE 

First of all, the geography matches what we know of the area, and it also matches other videos of the claimed assault on the base, adding further credence to the reports.

The second thing that can be glossed from this is that the battle appeared to be nearly one sided. In this video, tracer fire from heavy machine guns, likely the vehicle-mounted guns seen in the previous video, can clearly be seen. There does not appear to be any return fire, and none of the helicopters appear to be being scrambled. This suggests that the FSA was able to approach the base undetected - or, that the units defending the base fled or defected. These helicopters could easily dispatch these vehicles, and should have seen this attack coming from a long distance. Where are the soldiers who are supposed to be defending this base?

The most significant news, however, is that this is a major military defeat for the Syrian regime. The Taftanaz base (map) is one of the key forward bases in the military operations on the road between Idlib and Aleppo. Furthermore, even with the base fully operational, the Syrian regime has consistently been dealt major defeats over the course of the last few months. In particular, the regime tried to make a full-scale assault on the opposition stronghold of Kafranbel (map), where their efforts were rebuffed and their losses were high. Furthermore, the FSA recently ambushed a military convoy in Ma'arrat Misreen (map) that was headed northeast to secure border crossings. In other words, even with a major helicopter base, the FSA has been winning victories in this area. Furthermore, in June the FSA reportedly destroyed at least 2 helicopters nearby.

In Idlib province, even in areas that the regime is identifying as having major strategic value, the Syrian military has proven ineffective at retaking territory or turning back the FSA's advance.

But if this is a war of attrition, then this news is even more significant. According to the Guardian, the regime only had 71 helicopters on August 10th. With the destruction of 5-10 here, and the loss of a helicopter in Damascus earlier in the week, this means that Assad's helicopter force has been reduced by between 7 and 15 percent in just 3 days.

SHOULD THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC (NOT THE SAME THING AS "IRAN") HAVE NUKES OR NOT?

Iqbal Latif argues that it's unfair that most of the world does not seem to want that.  Sometimes Iranian nationalism overrules common sense when it comes to this issue.  See:

//iranian.com/main/blog/iqbal-latif/saudis-and-israelis-both-dont-want-iran-nuclear-parity

VIDEO: REGIME HAS BEGUN TARGETING CIVILIANS WITH CLUSTER BOMBS

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieASv7kywts&feature=player_embedded

ASSAD SAYS HE NEED TIME TO WIN BATTLE

//news.yahoo.com/assad-says-syria-regime-needs-time-win-battle-084912625.html

Fat chance of that!  Hilariously, Assad claimed his forces were "gaining ground."  The fact are ee continues to bleed equipment and men and has lost control over most of he countrywith no ability to retake and hold it.   Only air power sustains him since most armor and artillery would defect quickly otherwise.  Assad's forces continue to daily from injurires and defections as the FSA grows.  His tactics have alienated an overwhelming majority of the population beyond recall and continue to swell the refugee problem, thereby creating increasing pressure for an ENFORCED safety zone.  

Assad's real problem is that he committed himself so deeply to a military solution involving indiscriminate and vindictive attacks on Syrian civilians is that he has no where to escape and has made the "out" of negotiation inconceivable   Asking the Syrian people to accept negotiations with Assad now would be like asking Jews to negotiate with an increasingly surrounded Hitler in early 1945 after Auchswitz, Treblinka, Buchenvald, etc.   Even Putin and Iran cannot risk offering him a safe shelter after all his crimes.   He gambled that such tactics would lead to victory and if they didn't he assured his own probable death and that of top aides. 

INTERACTIVE: Tracking Syrian Defections

//www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/syriadefections/2012730840348158.html

SITTING DUCKS!:  Video shows Assad's helicopters open and vulnerable as FSA attacks

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vymeo8N2t8&feature=player_embedded

 

 

 

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vildemose

  Al queda=Islamic

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Al queda=Islamic Republic of Iran under VF or Eslah talab

IRI= Shia salafi

 

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Regardless how this thing ends, it will not be pretty. It will either be some despotic, militerestic government running the show from the capital or fragmented country along the ethnic lines with islamists jockeying for the positions which they will probably succeed in the end. There is no secular jeffersonian mumbo jumbo alternative  or what ever it is you guys preach on this site.

Finaly regardless of who comes at the top, Arabs know the bounderies that carved up by colonial powers in meaningless and their ultimate goal is to unfiy and if that ever happens god help us!!!


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That Assad has murdered, tortured and bombed so-many of his people.   

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"RUSSIA ASSISTS SLAUGHTER," say generals describing war crimes

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 TWO DEFECTED GENERALS EXPLAIN WHY MORALE WAS VERY LOW AT ATTACKED AIRPORT AND DESCRIBE HOW PUTIN IS ASSISTING MASS MURDER OF SYRIANS  (from The Guardian)

 The two generals had been in charge of helicopters at the Tiftanaz base, outside Idlib. Because of rebel attacks on supply routes, the garrison was now forced to fly in food and ammunition by plane from Aleppo, they said. It was a similar picture in other army bases, increasingly vulnerable and cut off, Zobi suggested.

Assad's greatest advantage over his lightly armed opponents comes from the sky. Syria has 150 Soviet-built helicopters, including M8 and M17 troop transporters, capable of transporting 24 soldiers each. Russia had also delivered "five or six new helicopters" over the past month, the generals said.

But the president's most lethal weapon is his notorious M25 helicopter gunship. Syria has 22 of them, stationed in pairs at every airbase across the country, according to Zobi. They are remorseless killing machines able to fire 64 rockets on each mission and 2,000 machine gun rounds of varying calibres. They can stay in the air for four and a half hours.

"You can't shoot them down. It's impossible. They fly at an altitude of 4.5kms, above the range of a Kalashnikov," Zobi said. The gunships have a crew of four: two pilots, a gunner and an engineer.

The general added: "We defected after our superior gave us an unambiguous order to shoot everything on the ground."

"We didn't want to kill our own civilians," Shawamra explained.

OBSERVATION: Putin's assistance in genocide is no surprise given he is the one who recommended Chechnya-style tactics ("putinization of muslims") to Assad.  When, not if, Assad falls there will be many high defectors to bear witness to Assad's war crimes and the role Putin and Khamenei played.  The IRI, Russia and Hezbollah will never be forgiven by the entire Mideast afterwards.

Live accounts from Enduring America's Syria roundup:

//www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/8/29/syria-and-beyond-live-coverage-disputing-a-car-bomb-in-damas.html

At 1518 GMT, you'll find an interview with the commander who carried out the attack on the airport.

To prevent people from getting food in some Damascus suburbs, the regime is now shutting down bakeries.   See 1351 GMT.

 

"THE SHELTERS ARE NOT SAFE FOR CIVILIANS"

(A resident describes the behavior of Assad's regime toward civilian.  Source: The Guardian)

The shelters are not a safe place for the civilians. Many field executions took place in Juber and Kefr Bitna yesterday of people who were in shelters. The Syrian army are taking the people out of these shelters or their houses to spray them with bullets. More than 40 people were killed by these field execution.

The Syrian army are punishing the people for their support of the revolution. Could you believe that kids who were seven and eight years old were killed in Juber yesterday? Three women were executed in Juber too – they were in the shelters.

All these areas support the revolution. The Syrian army claim the FSA are executing these civilians and committing these massacres. Could you belief that the FSA would kill its own people?

All these massacres committed by the Syrian army and shabiha are giving an opposite result to what the regime is expecting. They think they are intimidating people to stop supporting the revolution. On the contrary, people now are even trying to arm themselves to protect themselves and stand in the face of the regime.

The people will not wait for the shabiha and Syrian army to come and kill their sons before their eyes without lifting arms. People will use knives to protect themselves.

'Army repels Taftanaz attack': The state news agency Sana 

You've seen the videos.  Who do you believe?

FSA CAPTURES 10 SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES

Free Syrian Army fighters claimed yesterday to have seized 10 surface-to-air missiles in eastern Ghouta after they took control of a warehouse previously held by forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad. Ahmed Al-Khatib, spokesman for the FSA's military council for Damascus and its province, told AFP:

The operation was staged by the Gathering of Ansar Al-Islam, which works closely with the military council. It is one of the largest (rebel) groups in the province, though it operates in other areas of the country too.

Here's a video of the capture.  The problem will be moving them and getting someone who knows how to operate them.  I assume there are suitable candidates among regime defectors.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OQklH8kjTY&feature=player_embedded

As you watch videos like this, recall Assad's remarks yesterday about how "things are improving."  

It appears that he lacks enough reliable troops to defend too many installations although an IRCG general says Iran is sending thousands of troops to guard such bases, freeing up Syian troops for combat duty (provided the latter can be relied on).