Syrian Airstrikes Have Started

[depotoo]

Cnn &F ox reporting

 

[EconChick]

Depotoo we've started a thread in political section if you want to consolidate.

 

[depotoo]

U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Syria start

 

[depotoo]

Depotoo we've started a thread in political section if you want to consolidate.

Yeah, can a mod delete this one or merge, either way. Thanks, EconoChick

 

[EconChick]

Come join us over there...you have good links...thanks, D!

 

[Political Junky]

Un-named partners are assisting the US.

 

[depotoo]

Un-named partners are assisting the US.

Yeah, now named - Bahrain, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and on the ground assistance from Qatar.

 

[alanbmx123]

Keep it up Obama could be the 2nd thing you have done right! Bomb the fuck out of them. Syria had to beg us. Maybe we will learn a strong dictator is the only way to control these 7th century savages


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[waltky]

Russia not striking ISIS...

Russia Launches Airstrikes in Syria, but Not at ISIS
Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - Russia launched airstrikes in Syria today, raising new concerns about Kremlin plans to prop up the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to portray the airstrikes as a pre-emptive attack against the Islamic State militants who have taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq. But U.S. officials and others cast doubt on that claim, saying the Russians appeared to be attacking opposition groups fighting Syrian government forces. Earlier in the day, Russian leaders told the United States to get its warplanes out of Syria immediately in a new sign that the Kremlin is growing more aggressive in its push for dominance there. That report came from a senior military official who told Fox News that Russian diplomats issued the demand through an official protest to the United States.

It all comes as Russian lawmakers voted unanimously Wednesday to give President Vladimir Putin a green light to send troops into Syria. Russia had already been building up its military presence there to help their ally, Assad, hold on to power. Putin discussed his plan to fight ISIS with President Barack Obama at the U.N. General Assembly in New York this week. That came after U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter had a 50-minute phone call last week with his Russian counterpart, the first such military-to-military discussion between the two countries in more than a year. Washington has reportedly been hoping to "deconflict" U.S. and Russian military actions, worried by the threat of Russian and U.S. jets clashing inadvertently over Syrian skies.

Israel has taken similar precautions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting Moscow last week to agree with Putin on a coordination mechanism to avoid any possible confrontation between Israeli and Russian forces in Syria. The United States and Russia have competing visions for the Middle East, and Russia's latest military moves are seen as a sign that America is losing influence in the region. The last time Putin sought approval for troops overseas was when he took the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014.

Russia Launches Airstrikes in Syria, but Not at ISIS - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

See also:

Russian Airstrikes May Have Hit Areas With No ISIS Presence, U.S. Says
30 Sept.`15 | (WASHINGTON) — Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Wednesday that the Russian airstrikes in Syria appear to have targeted areas that do not include Islamic State fighters, a development which Secretary of State John Kerry said would cause “grave concern” for the United States.

Kerry told the United Nations Security Council that the U.S. would not object to Russians hitting Islamic State or al-Qaida targets but airstrikes just to strengthen the hand of Syrian President Bashar Assad would be worrisome. “It does appear they were in in areas where there probably were not ISIL forces,” Carter said of the Russian airstrikes, using an alternative acronym for Islamic State. He would not go into more detail. The top national security officials spoke as Russia launched its first airstrikes in Syria targeting what it said were Islamic State positions. On Wednesday, some U.S.-backed rebel groups claimed they were hit by Russian airstrikes but those claims could not be confirmed. Carter said the strikes highlight a contradiction in Russia’s approach. He said the Russians should not be supporting the Assad government, and their military moves are “doomed to fail.”

Carter also expressed disappointment that the Russians did not use formal channels to provide the U.S. with advance notice of its airstrikes, but instead sent an official to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. “By supporting Assad and seemingly taking on everyone who is fighting Assad, you’re taking on the whole rest of the country of Syria,” Carter said. “That is not our position. At least some parts of the anti-Assad opposition belong in the political transition going forward. That’s why . the Russian approach is doomed to fail.” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the new action “calls into question their strategy, because when President Putin and President Obama had the opportunity to meet at the U.N. earlier this week much of their discussion was focused on the need for a political transition inside Syria.”

n this image made from video provided by Homs Media Centre, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, smoke rises after airstrikes by military jets in Talbiseh of the Homs province, western Syria

Kerry said Russian operations must not support Assad or interfere with those of the U.S.-led coalition that is already attacking Islamic State targets. He called for an urgent start to military-to-military talks to prevent a conflict between Russia and the coalition, suggesting they begin this week. “If Russia’s recent actions and those now ongoing reflect a genuine commitment to defeat (the Islamic State) then we are prepared to welcome those efforts and to find a way to de-conflict our operations and thereby multiply military pressure on ISIL and affiliated groups,” Kerry said. “But we must not and will not be confused in our fight against ISIL with support for Assad.” “Moreover, we have also made clear that we would have grave concerns should Russia strike areas where ISIL and al-Qaida affiliated targets are not operating,” he said. “Strikes of that kind would question Russia’s real intentions fighting ISIL or protecting the Assad regime.” Kerry also said the U.S.-led coalition would “dramatically accelerate” its efforts. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov followed Kerry, saying Russia is ready to “forge standing channels of communication to ensure a maximally effective fight.” He listed countries with a key role to play in resolving the chaos in Syria, including Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar , the U.S. and China.

Russian Airstrikes May Have Hit Areas With No ISIS Presence, U.S. Says