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Russian Warships Launch Missile Attack On Syrian Targets, Clearing Way For Iran Ground Invasion

Tyler Durden's picture




 

In case it wasn’t clear enough what was set to happen soon after the Russian air force had spent a few days softening up anti-regime positions on the ground, allow us to spell it out: with the opposition on the run thanks to five days of aerial bombardment, Iran will now send in the Hezbollah/Shiite militia/Quds clean up crew, who will personally ensure that whoever is left in the wake of the Su-34 strikes is swiftly eliminated at close range.

You see, this is how you conduct an actual war and you needn’t be a West Point graduate to understand it. Russia has essentially debilitated Assad’s opposition from the air and now, Iran will (both figuratively and literally in all likelihood), simply walk up and execute anyone who’s left and that, as they say, will be that. Of course Damascus will get to claim that the SAA emerged victorious with the help of Russian air support, but in reality, there is no SAA. Just as we said weeks ago, the ground campaign is being orchestrated from Damascus by Quds commander Qasem Soleimani. Here’s Reuters:

The Russian government says its Syria deployment came as the result of a formal request from Assad, who himself laid out the problems facing the Syrian military in stark terms in July, saying it faced a manpower problem.

 

Khamenei also sent a senior envoy to Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin, another senior regional official said. "Putin told him 'Okay we will intervene. Send Qassem Soleimani'. 

 

"Soleimani is almost resident in Damascus, or let's say he goes there a lot and you can find him between meetings with President Assad and visits to the theater of operations like any other soldier," said one of the senior regional officials.

What’s going on here really couldn’t be much clearer. Iran is simply taking over Syria with the help of the Russian military juggernaut and as we’ve documented exhaustively, Putin gets to spin the entire Mid-East power grab as a “war on terror.” Here’s AP (reporting from Beirut by the way, so just Google “Hezbollah, Iran, Lebanon,” and draw your own conclusions about who’s feeding them these headlines): 

Syrian troops, emboldened by Russian airstrikes, launch a ground offensive against insurgents.

Again, there are no “Syrian troops.” They were defeated a long, long time ago, but there are most certainly dozens of fierce Shiite militias from Iraq and there’s always Hezbollah and when you combine these groups with the Russian air force, what you get is a formidable land/air military presence and now, Moscow is also firing on anti-regime targets from the sea. Here’s RT:

Four Russian Navy warships have fired a total of 26 missiles at the position of the terrorist group Islamic State in Syria, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced. The missiles were fired from the Caspian Sea.

“Four missile ships launched 26 cruise missiles at 11 targets. According to objective control data, all the targets were destroyed. No civilian objects sustained damage,” Shoigu said.

 

The missiles flew some 1,500 km before reaching their targets, probing their efficiency.

 

The missile attacks came from Russia’s fleet in the Caspian Sea, which borders Russia, Iran and three other littoral countries. The precision weapons hit all intended targets.

 

The attacks apparently required cooperation from Iran and Iraq, as the missiles had to travel through their airspace to reach Syria.

Yes, “the attacks apparently required cooperation from Iran and Iraq” which we certainly imagine wasn’t too difficult for Moscow to obtain, because as we outlined in “Mid-East Coup: As Russia Pounds Militant Targets, Iran Readies Ground Invasions While Saudis Panic", this was the plan all along. Skeptical? That's ok, just consider the following out today from WSJ

Iraqi Shiite lawmakers and militia leaders are urging Russia to launch airstrikes on Islamic State militants in their country, an escalation that would heighten tensions with Washington and increase risks of a clash between the two powers.

 

Since Moscow began bombing opponents of the regime in Syria last week, Iraq’s Shiite politicians, who dominate government, have been largely united in their praise of Moscow’s intervention and in calls for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to invite Russia to join the battle. Mr. Abadi said he would welcome Russian strikes as long as they were coordinated with the U.S.-led coalition’s air campaign against Islamic State in Iraq.

 

“We welcome Russian airstrikes in Iraq to help hit Islamic State headquarters, target Islamic State supply lines from Syria and target the oil smuggling lines,” said Moeen al-Kadhimi, a spokesman for the Badr Corps, an Iranian-backed militia and political party that plays a front-line role in fighting Islamic State. “We welcome Russia as they have advanced military technology and can help with intelligence.”

 

For Moscow, any involvement in Iraq would be even more complicated than its current Syria gambit. A Kremlin play in Iraq is likely to spotlight weaknesses of U.S. policy there, while exposing the contradictions in the Iraqi government’s dueling alliances, said Anthony Cordesman, a longtime Iraq analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

 

“It would be difficult to sustain congressional support for an Iraq playing off Iran and Russia against the U.S.,” he said. “The administration would have very tough calls to make.”

 

Options would include leaving Iraq or finding a way to operate in parallel with Russia and Iran, raising questions about broader U.S. goals in Iraq.

 

“We don’t really have a strategy, just a set of short-term engagements,” he said.

No, Washington doesn't "really have a strategy" in Iraq, but do you know who does? Tehran. And the very same General who is running the Syrian gound war from Damascus and who Putin sent for directly to organize the entire campaign has long been known to control these Iraqi Shiite lawmakers and millitia leaders and now, Russia is apparently set to just kick the US out of Iraq altogether. 

And while Russia literally takes over the Mid-East, the West is busy trying to find silly excuses to claim that Moscow is in violation of NATO members' sovereignty. Here's CNN:

Russian involvement in the 4½-year-old Syrian civil war seems to be escalating, with NATO's secretary general confirming Tuesday a second incursion by Russian planes into Turkish airspace and saying Russian ground troops were in Syria as well.

 

"It's unacceptable, it's dangerous, and it's reckless behavior and it adds to the tensions," Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told CNN about the incursions into Turkish airspace.

 

"We see the violation of the Turkish airspace becomes more important, more dangerous, because it happens in a context where we see more fighting, more Russian military presence in Syria."

So basically, Washington wants the public to focus on some Russian fighter jets that may or may not have accidentally crossed into Turkey's airspace, because after all, the good folks in Ankara are allies of the West, and because they are allies you should pay no attention to the fact that the Erdogan government is systematically exterminating its political opposition in the name of a fake fight against the very same group of terrorists who Putin is actually fighting. In other words: NATO is crying foul because Moscow, in its attempts to fight the terrorists that Turkey has helped to support all along, accidently flew a few miles into Turkey's airspace.

As you can see from the above, the Western hypocrisy and outright panic is accelerating here as Washington is simply bewildered about what to do next. Meanwhile, the Russian military has, in the space of a week, cleared the way (literally) for an Iranian gound invasion in Syria on behalf of Assad. Once that's finished (which, if recent events are any indication, should be in about two weeks), the entire campaign will shift to Iraq, where the US will either need to confront Russia or simply pack up and leave.

On the "bright" side, open war between Russia and the US would be great for GDP growth...

 

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Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:39 | 6639605 orangegeek
orangegeek's picture

I've read than the lead tank driver is Putin himself.  And beside Putin, rumor has it, is barry sucking Putin's cock while moochelle is serving vodka shots and caviar to good ole Vlad.

 

The world is fucking excellent.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:42 | 6639622 Monetas
Monetas's picture

Russian sheet metal work .... on their military vehicles .... is very lumpy ?

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:47 | 6639652 Collapsed_Elast...
Collapsed_Elastic_Pants's picture

If you think this is great, wait until Putin makes a deal with the Saudis.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:18 | 6639655 nnnnnn
nnnnnn's picture

please russia could you send us europeans a present too?  one present to merkel and five presents to schulz please

 

btw isnt today putins birthday? happy birthsday mr putin

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:51 | 6639666 MSimon
MSimon's picture

So let me see if I got this right. After some 120 bombing runs and 26 missile strikes the 80% of Syrian territory overrun by Assad's opposition will be totally cleared of the opposition by a few thousand Iranian and Hezbollah fighters.

 

Yep. Totally believable.

 

No need to study war fighting. Because ignorance of warfare is the best way to judge mastery of war.

 

The question of course is how did Assad get into such a big hole in the first place?

 

===================

 

What I do believe is this will shore up Assad for a while. How long? Depends on how committed the Russians and Iranians are. The Russians lasted in Afghanistan for about ten years. So this could go on for a while. Especially given that Obama just freed up $150 bn to the Iranians.

And while it goes on there will be no pipeline for either side.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 13:22 | 6640346 Baby Bladeface
Baby Bladeface's picture

"

"

So let me see if I got this right. After some 120 bombing runs and 26 missile strikes the 80% of Syrian territory overrun by Assad's opposition will be totally cleared of the opposition by a few thousand Iranian and Hezbollah fighters.

Yep. Totally believable."

You then participate in the competition who have IQ higher? Don't bother - the consolation prize is already yours.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 16:37 | 6641554 Urtica ferox
Urtica ferox's picture

MSimon "Depends on how committed the Russians and Iranians are."

The Iranians have been in the region for ... Oh, let's say 4 or 5 millenia, probably much longer. And it's a matter of deep national security to them.

I'd say the Iranians at least would be highly committed.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:52 | 6639667 danepol
danepol's picture

That's what you get when your Noble Poop Prize and your fathead vainglorious president conspire to turn the US into beer swilling surrender monkeys. 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:54 | 6639685 Iam Yue2
Iam Yue2's picture

So much for the end of history! 

 

Very clearly the end of US hegemony in the Middle East.  A resurgent Russia, and expanisve Iran putting paid to the notion that liberal democracy will conquer all.  Throw in the growth of nationalism in Europe, in response to the migrant crisis, the end of globalisation (TPP), the death of monetarism (Yellen) and we have a world turned upside down.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:55 | 6639690 squid427
squid427's picture

So this is how a country with a competent leader engages in military activity.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:56 | 6639700 esum
esum's picture

The dung beetle is fully focused on taking away Constitutional rights at home..

Squandering what was accomplished in Iraq...

He abandons allies and aligns and supports enemies

THAT USED TO BE TREASON.......

 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:57 | 6639704 Ward no. 6
Ward no. 6's picture

yesterday someone at work was complaining about isis

and it was so rewarding to be able to say, "don't worry the russians are taking care of them"

 

 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:58 | 6639713 Moonrajah
Moonrajah's picture

Guys! You do understand that today is Putin's birthday.

I think he just organized the grandest birthday part in the world. No amount of money could buy the sheer joy from looking at the dumbstruck neocons.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:59 | 6639714 HoserF16
HoserF16's picture

< I Like Putin

< I Hate Obama

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:31 | 6639849 Jethro
Jethro's picture

Where is the "I like neither option"?

I can respect Putin for advancing his country, but also realize that he's a fairly dangerous adversary. I can't respect my own president sadly, as he's playing the sassy prison bitch by any, and all accounts.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 10:59 | 6639716 jtg
jtg's picture

The author of the article goes a overboard saying that there is no Syrian Arab Army and that the East is making its power grab. That is nonsense and is a giveaway of the usual Western knee jerk demonization theme of the East. "You see, they are no better than us". For the West everything is zero sum, that the West must win while everyone else must lose. But for the East the guiding principle that is emerging is Win/Win which the western mentality will not allow itself to realize. This is one of the reasons why the next advance to human civilization can not come out of the West, but will come out of the East. Unless the West is dethroned civilization will not advance and will probably suffer a world wide catastrophe.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 13:01 | 6640269 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

I await the future camel dung reprocessing facility that the mighty Arab nations will bless us with.

Inshallah Allah.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:03 | 6639738 cuzzinjak318
cuzzinjak318's picture

what mr putin is saying is go ahead put a phoney NO FLY ZONEin place well just keep our planes on the ground and bomb the crap out of them with missiles from 1500km away, that mr putin is running rings around obummer and about time

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:03 | 6639740 cuzzinjak318
cuzzinjak318's picture

what mr putin is saying is go ahead put a phoney NO FLY ZONEin place well just keep our planes on the ground and bomb the crap out of them with missiles from 1500km away, that mr putin is running rings around obummer and about time

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:04 | 6639747 Hannibal
Hannibal's picture

US/Israel only bomb countries who can't, don't have the means to shoot back.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:08 | 6639763 bankonzhongguo
bankonzhongguo's picture

The next headline will be the loss of US access to Iraq military bases.

As the road from Tehran lengthens from Baghdad to Damascus, so too will America's military influence go flaccid.

Sure Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi are open, but any public loss of US bases in a country so many died for (what) will be an unforgivable black eye upon the deep staters.

The loss of Iraqi airspace is looming issue.

 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:50 | 6639951 spyware-free
spyware-free's picture

This is absolutely in the works. You can bet the Shia run government in Baghdad is looking at the Sunnis terrorists getting smashed in Syria and saying "we want some of that here".
The fact that they allowed Russian cruise missiles to cross their territory without clearing/informing the US is very telling.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:19 | 6639809 Yttrium Gold Ni...
Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:20 | 6639812 Atticus Finch
Atticus Finch's picture

Since the Intelligence Agencies know the real story about the Middle East, I don't think it to far out of the question that the US might have another problem; namely, that of intelligence agents switching sides.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:24 | 6639830 henry chucho
henry chucho's picture

Isn't this the time we print up 50 billion dollars in "discretional" money,have Goldman Sachs deposit it in the accont marked V.P. in the Cayman Islands,and then pass around American Flags to celebrate the "victory" in Syria?

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:30 | 6639844 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

i don't think we've heard the last of ISIS. Assad will be master of a protectorate which i suppose is better than a fractured coalition of splinter groups like lebanon. the question is where does the US backed terror group take the Arab Spring regime change circus next? a Ukrainian style revolution in Turkey would suit their needs but not their methods. they want a western style government in Turkey, but the method is proven,a nd they will probably stick to it, first you back the radicals in order to overthrow the regime, (ISIS) then you back the moderate in the elections, and then you hand over the keys to the corporate powers who want to develop the nation economically, through sanctions and IMF loans and debt enslavement..

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 13:38 | 6640434 researchfix
researchfix's picture

"i don't think we've heard the last of ISIS"

You are right, if the status quo remains.

But it won´t. Soon as the dollar sits in the elevator going for basement, there are bigger problems than paying ISIS.

Then the problems come home.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:32 | 6639845 MSimon
MSimon's picture

The Iranian Foreign Minister:

Why are you confident that the Russians are interested in negotiations rather than simply insuring that Assad stays in power?

Because there is no military solution in Syria. At the end of the day, everybody has to negotiate. And I think everybody understands this. There has to be a political solution to Syria, everybody committed to a political solution. The military battleground has its ups and downs. But the military battles alone will not determine the future of Syria.

 

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/irans-javad-zarif-on-russia-and-...

=======================

Note that he mentions that nothing is certain militarily. Evidently he understands warfare better than the Putin cheering section at ZH.

Thi interview is recent and very interesting.

======================

And he denies ZH's report of an Iranian large scale troop commitment:

In terms of Iran’s presence, there were reports in the past week of Iranian troops in Syria, not just military advisers.

Wrong. We haven’t changed the nature of our presence in Syria. It continues to be military advisers, and no more. Actually, I checked, and I made sure that this was the case.

 

 

 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:38 | 6639881 MSimon
MSimon's picture

At the United Nations, President Obama talked about a managed transition, which is a term that he used for the first time. Did you see any flexibility in that—in the U.S. looking more actively for a negotiated outcome?

There are new nuances. You see remnants of his old rhetoric.

I still believe that there are some considerations of regional constituencies that disable the United States from divorcing itself from the old policies that have continued, have caused the continuation of this conflict.

Its alliances with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries?

Yes, its attention to their anxieties.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 14:12 | 6640638 gezley
gezley's picture

So the Iranian Foreign Minister either withheld the truth or lied?

 

Pretty much what the entire British Cabinet did to get their war in iraq then, eh?

 

Any progress on that Chilcot Inquiry yet, or is it like the MH-17 black box handed over to British "experts" over a year ago - out of sight, and out of mind?

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:32 | 6639852 pupdog1
pupdog1's picture

Obammy is sitting in Golf Cart One, stammering like Porky Pig.

It's like sending the high school JV team in to play Green Bay.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 13:41 | 6640456 researchfix
researchfix's picture

Golf Cart One

+1

You deserve that point. Says it all in three words.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:35 | 6639867 mendigo
mendigo's picture

US is embarrassed.

Prepare for a lot of stinging.

I am sure the US military stands ready to sacrice more high school grads in the name of wolfowicz's pride. And it helps with unemployment numbers.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:03 | 6640015 Wahooo
Wahooo's picture

Anericans will clamor for more MIC spending abd military readiness. The whole GOP campaign will shift from Trump to Defend ''Merca Now!

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:39 | 6639875 no1wonder
no1wonder's picture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GYiw8q3uL0

Massive strike with cruise missiles on ISIL/ISIS targets in Syria from the Caspian Sea

http://sputniknews.com/military/20151007/1028160111/russia-cruise-missil...

Defense Ministry Releases Video of Cruise Missile Strikes on ISIL Targets

 

 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:45 | 6639918 spyware-free
spyware-free's picture

These cruise missiles smashed ISIS positions exclusively. But all you hear about on the MSM is about the Russian airspace violations over Turkey and the bombing of the CIA backed ghost FSA brigade.
And then there is this;
Ash Carter - "We are not ready to cooperate with Russia on strikes"
No shit buddy. That would involve Russia exposing the US as the main sponsor of terror in the region.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:49 | 6639940 IndianaJohn
IndianaJohn's picture

I believe that the mercenary alphabet cannibals fled to Europe when they learned that Russia has plans for them.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 11:59 | 6639989 Wahooo
Wahooo's picture

You say Putin's actions are a power grab and not a war on terror. When was the war on terror by ANYONE ever more than a power grab?

Stop writing these transparently pro-zion/USSA articles.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:04 | 6640022 spyware-free
spyware-free's picture

The propaganda coming out of DC is so insane and desperate.
"Russian linked gangs tried selling nuclear material to agents posing as ISIS".
They just have to get the word "Russian" in there don't they? As if it's Putin that is trying to do the selling.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:19 | 6640086 SpanishGoop
SpanishGoop's picture

"USA", "USA"...."pussies".

 

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:22 | 6640096 NubianSundance
NubianSundance's picture

The problem had been the retaking of terrority and keeping it, looks like that is now finally being addressed

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:44 | 6640188 bid the soldier...
bid the soldiers shoot's picture

I think not

 Washington is simply bewildered about what to do next in Syria.

Didn't we just read this this morning?

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Moscow has taken note of US Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland’s statement that Russia and the United States still have the possibility of working together to ease the tension in Syria, a diplomatic source said Wednesday.

 

"We’ve taken note of Nuland’s statement that the United States and Russia have the possibility of working together to ease tension, including in Syria," the diplomatic source told RIA Novosti.

 

It’s scary that this brave woman, who has taken upon her fragile shoulders the issue of Ukraine, has now taken on the Syrian issue. After what happened with settling the Ukrainian situation under her management, the question arises of what awaits Syria," the source added

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/politics/20151007/1028160825/nuland-suggestion-syria-cynical.html#ixzz3ntwR8Mes

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 12:58 | 6640252 Jorgen
Jorgen's picture

WTF?

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 13:46 | 6640483 Joebloinvestor
Joebloinvestor's picture

Obama showed what a fucking punk he is by threatening the world with his "crew".

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 14:47 | 6640826 JohninMK
JohninMK's picture

Can you imagine being in the AWACS over Iraq last night watching those 26 cruise missiles cross below you? Even if they had warning, which no doubt they did, it must have been a pretty amazing sight. Or the faces in the chain of command all the way up from CENTCOM to the top when they heard about it or watched it play out. Priceless.

Then the reaction on the ground, where many, if not most, would have no idea what a cruise missile is so only expect air attacks after they see or hear a plane overhead. These, probably 3M-14T, would be coming in at just under the speed of sound so almost the first (or last) thing they would experience would be the just under 500kg warhead going off.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 15:23 | 6641043 Twaddlefree
Twaddlefree's picture

"...formal request from Assad, who himself laid out the problems facing the Syrian military in stark terms in July, saying it faced a manpower problem."

That couldn't possibly be because all the young men are pouring over borders into Europe as "refugees," now could it? If these cowards were to give it some thought (ha), they could join Assad's army, get training and weapons, then effect a coup. Ah, but that might require work. If there were the same committment to freedom that there is to killing everyone that isn't Muslim (or the right kind of Muslim), there could be no caliphate.

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 16:52 | 6641641 Urtica ferox
Urtica ferox's picture

What if Syria was, in gratitude, to cede (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cession) to Russia a base area. Imagine that, a little piece of sovereign Russian territory on the Mediterranean coast. The whole Anglo-Zio alliance would go completely and utterly batshit bonkers. And there wouldn't be a thing they could do about it ...

Wed, 10/07/2015 - 18:52 | 6642150 David Wooten
David Wooten's picture

I wonder when (and if) Assad will call for Syrian refugees to return. Most of them are probably Sunnis but their return would make Europeans opposing the refugees more disposed towards lifting sanctions on Russia while turning cool to the USG.

Thu, 10/08/2015 - 02:04 | 6643102 onmail1
onmail1's picture

America's worst fear is the downfall of petrodollar

------------------------------------------------------

Thats the bottomline

Let us analyse why America dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima & Nagasaki?

Because America was afraid of invasion by Soviet Union on Japan

And to prevent japan falling into hands of Soviets , the Bombs were dropped in a hurry without warning

AMERICA IS THE REAL BARBARIC NATION

------

Now in present times , America fears downfall of petrodollar

This will happen when Russia helps other nations i.e. Iraq etc to get gid of ISIS

America believes that Iraq & other middle east nation's oil is its own property(rather of cabals)

And you all will see that in order to prevent Russian attack in other nations ,

America will surely use nuclear weapons first because 

as I said, America is barbaric

America will fear losing these countries in the hands of Russia

An entire oil monopoly in the hands of Russia will be totally unaccepable to

Pirate captain America & its euroPeon followers

& they can destroy entire planet for this

Because 

As I said before , America is barbaric (so is euroPeons) white collar thieves 

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!