02-08-2018, 11:27 PM
*** 9-Feb-18 World View -- US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clash with Syrian regime forces
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clash with Syrian regime forces
****
![[Image: g180208b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180208b.jpg)
CNN goes on patrol with US soldiers in Syria
The war in Syria may have gotten even more chaotic on Thursday when
US-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), backed by US warplanes, clashed
with pro-regime Syrian army forces and allies. The pro-regime forces
launched a massive, coordinated attack on the SDF, and were driven
back with the aid of US warplanes.
The US had been observing the buildup of the pro-regime forces for
several days, as they prepared for this assault on the SDF. During
that period, the US forces contacted the Russians over an established
"de-confliction" hotline that was set up to prevent such clashes.
However, the pro-regime forces attacked anyway, and the SDF forces
counter-attacked in self-defense.
According to Pentagon spokesman Dana White:
<QUOTE>"Syrian pro-regime forces moved in a battalion-sized
unit formation supported by artillery, tanks, multiple-launch
rocket systems and mortars
Syrian Democratic Forces acted in self-defense with support from
the coalition to defeat an unprovoked attack by Syrian pro-regime
forces in eastern Syria. Pro-regime forces initiated what
appeared to be a coordinated attack on Syrian Democratic Forces
east of the Euphrates River deconfliction line.
After 20 to 30 artillery and tank rounds landed within 500 meters
of the SDF headquarters, the Syrian democratic forces , supported
by the coalition, targeted the aggressors with a combination of
air and artillery strikes,
Coalition advisors were with the SDF, and this action was taken in
self-defense. Pro-regime vehicles and personnel that were turned
around and headed back west were not targeted."<END QUOTE>
The Syrian regime attack on the SDF took place to the east of the
Euphrates River, where US-backed forces have been continuing to fight
forces from the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh)
that had been expelled by the SDF from their self-described caliphate
in Raqqa.
According to the Pentagon, an estimated 100 regime fighters were
killed, out of a total of regime fighters, who were backed by
artillery, tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems and mortars in the
assault.
The Syrian regime said that the US-backed forces had committed
a "barbaric aggression" representing a "war crime":
<QUOTE>"This new aggression, which represents a war crime and
a crime against humanity and a direct support to terrorism,
affirms the nature of the low US intentions against the
sovereignty of Syria, the unity of its land and people and the US
exploitation of the pretext of fighting terrorism to establish
illegal bases on the Syrian territory."<END QUOTE>
With the Syrian regime dropping barrel bombs containing metal laced
with chlorine gas on women and children in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib,
it's really laughable for the regime to accuse anyone of anything.
According to one doctor, "Ghouta is drowning in blood," where on the
same day, Thursday, 100 people were wounded and at least 14 killed,
including a rescue worker and several children. Syria's president
Bashar al-Assad is still the worst genocidal monster
so far in the 21st century. RFE/RL and Dept. of Defense and Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) and Guardian (London)
Related Articles
****
**** International Crisis Groups asks Russia to prevent Israel-Iran war in Syria
****
Regular readers will recall that for the last two years it's been
apparent that Syria, Turkey, Iran, Hezbollah, and the SDF were all
fighting ISIS, but that as soon as ISIS was defeated, they would start
fighting each other.
So you have the Syrian civil war between the regime plus al-Assad plus
the Russians plus Iran plus Hezbollah versus the "anti-Assad rebel"
resistance force. You also have the Turks fighting against the Kurds,
where the fight in Afrin continues to drag on. And you have
occasional flare-ups of violence between the SDF and the regime, as
happened on Thursday. And the Israelis are conducting a
counter-terrorism campaign against Hezbollah in the south of Syria.
It's this last war within a war that the International Crisis Group
(ICG) described in a report on Thursday as the most dangerous and
likely to grow through miscalculation into a larger war.
According to the report:
<QUOTE>"The Syrian war has entered a new stage with the
regime of Bashar al-Assad gaining the upper hand. Israel, no
longer content to remain a bystander as Damascus’s position
improves, is now jockeying to reverse the deterioration of its
strategic posture. In this endeavor it has formidable obstacles
to overcome: the regime is more dependent than ever on Iran, which
Israel regards as its most implacable state foe; other enemies,
particularly Hezbollah and Iran-backed Shiite militias, are
entrenched in Syria with Russia’s blessing; and the U.S.,
notwithstanding the Trump administration’s strident rhetoric, has
done little to reverse Iran’s gains. Yet Israel’s hand is not so
weak. Russia has given it room to act against Iran-linked military
interests and appears to be more interested in balancing
contending fighting coalitions than returning every last piece of
territory to the Assad regime’s control. But if Russia wishes to
eventually withdraw or draw down its forces, it will need to
broker rules of the game. Russia has indicated scant interest in
doing so, but if it does not, hostilities between Israel and Iran
may threaten its accomplishments, particularly regime
stability."<END QUOTE>
The report says that this is going to result in a larger war through
miscalculation, unless Russia takes on the responsibility of mediating
a solution. The report says:
<QUOTE>"Russia should broker understandings that bolster the
de-escalation agreement distancing Iran-backed forces from Syria’s
armistice line with Israel; halt Iran’s construction of precision
missile facilities and its military infrastructure in Syria; and
convince Israel to acquiesce in foreign forces remaining in the
rest of Syria pending a deal on the country’s
future."<END QUOTE>
One can only think that this is a joke. None of these actors -- Iran,
Syria, Hezbollah or Israel -- is going to agree to anything like this.
In fact, the thought of Russia negotiating some sort of peace
agreement is itself a joke. Russia has already negotiating
"de-confliction zones" or "ceasefire zones" in its Astana (Kazakhstan)
peace process, but now Russia itself is the biggest violator of its
own agreement, but massive bombing of deconfliction zones in Eastern
Ghouta and Idlib.
Russia can't negotiate a peace agreement because Russia wants to
exterminate the same Sunni Muslims that al-Assad wants to exterminate.
For Russia, a "peace agreement" is total destruction of the enemy who,
in this case, are millions of mostly innocent civilians.
The United Nations can't broker a peace because the United Nations is
itself a joke.
There's only one entity that could possibly play the role of forcing a
negotiated peace, and that's the United States, Policeman of the
World. But the US, even with the help of a US-led coalition, has
neither the desire nor the ability to succeed at that role, and still
has its hands full fighting ISIS.
As I've written many times, Generational Dynamics predicts that the
Mideast is headed for a major regional war, pitting Sunnis versus
Shias, Jews versus Arabs, and various ethnic groups against each
other. Generational Dynamics predicts that in the approaching Clash
of Civilizations world war, the "axis" of China, Pakistan and the
Sunni Muslim countries will be pitted against the "allies," the US,
India, Russia and Iran. International Crisis Group and Middle East Eye and Arab News
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Syria, Bashar al-Assad, Eastern Ghouta,
Syrian Defense Forces, SDF, Euphrates River, Russia,
Dana White, Astana, Kazakhstan, de-escalation zones,
Islamic State / of Iraq and Syria/Sham/the Levant, IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh,
barrel bombs, chlorine, ammonia, phosphorous, Sarin gas,
Iran, Hezbollah, Israel, International Crisis Group, ICG
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clash with Syrian regime forces
- International Crisis Groups asks Russia to prevent Israel-Iran war in Syria
****
**** US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) clash with Syrian regime forces
****
CNN goes on patrol with US soldiers in Syria
The war in Syria may have gotten even more chaotic on Thursday when
US-backed Syrian Defense Forces (SDF), backed by US warplanes, clashed
with pro-regime Syrian army forces and allies. The pro-regime forces
launched a massive, coordinated attack on the SDF, and were driven
back with the aid of US warplanes.
The US had been observing the buildup of the pro-regime forces for
several days, as they prepared for this assault on the SDF. During
that period, the US forces contacted the Russians over an established
"de-confliction" hotline that was set up to prevent such clashes.
However, the pro-regime forces attacked anyway, and the SDF forces
counter-attacked in self-defense.
According to Pentagon spokesman Dana White:
<QUOTE>"Syrian pro-regime forces moved in a battalion-sized
unit formation supported by artillery, tanks, multiple-launch
rocket systems and mortars
Syrian Democratic Forces acted in self-defense with support from
the coalition to defeat an unprovoked attack by Syrian pro-regime
forces in eastern Syria. Pro-regime forces initiated what
appeared to be a coordinated attack on Syrian Democratic Forces
east of the Euphrates River deconfliction line.
After 20 to 30 artillery and tank rounds landed within 500 meters
of the SDF headquarters, the Syrian democratic forces , supported
by the coalition, targeted the aggressors with a combination of
air and artillery strikes,
Coalition advisors were with the SDF, and this action was taken in
self-defense. Pro-regime vehicles and personnel that were turned
around and headed back west were not targeted."<END QUOTE>
The Syrian regime attack on the SDF took place to the east of the
Euphrates River, where US-backed forces have been continuing to fight
forces from the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh)
that had been expelled by the SDF from their self-described caliphate
in Raqqa.
According to the Pentagon, an estimated 100 regime fighters were
killed, out of a total of regime fighters, who were backed by
artillery, tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems and mortars in the
assault.
The Syrian regime said that the US-backed forces had committed
a "barbaric aggression" representing a "war crime":
<QUOTE>"This new aggression, which represents a war crime and
a crime against humanity and a direct support to terrorism,
affirms the nature of the low US intentions against the
sovereignty of Syria, the unity of its land and people and the US
exploitation of the pretext of fighting terrorism to establish
illegal bases on the Syrian territory."<END QUOTE>
With the Syrian regime dropping barrel bombs containing metal laced
with chlorine gas on women and children in Eastern Ghouta and Idlib,
it's really laughable for the regime to accuse anyone of anything.
According to one doctor, "Ghouta is drowning in blood," where on the
same day, Thursday, 100 people were wounded and at least 14 killed,
including a rescue worker and several children. Syria's president
Bashar al-Assad is still the worst genocidal monster
so far in the 21st century. RFE/RL and Dept. of Defense and Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) and Guardian (London)
Related Articles
- Syria's Bashar al-Assad steps up use of chemical weapons on his own people (06-Feb-2018)
- US in Syria announces a Border Security Force to prevent repeat of Iraq withdrawal blunder (16-Jan-2018)
****
**** International Crisis Groups asks Russia to prevent Israel-Iran war in Syria
****
Regular readers will recall that for the last two years it's been
apparent that Syria, Turkey, Iran, Hezbollah, and the SDF were all
fighting ISIS, but that as soon as ISIS was defeated, they would start
fighting each other.
So you have the Syrian civil war between the regime plus al-Assad plus
the Russians plus Iran plus Hezbollah versus the "anti-Assad rebel"
resistance force. You also have the Turks fighting against the Kurds,
where the fight in Afrin continues to drag on. And you have
occasional flare-ups of violence between the SDF and the regime, as
happened on Thursday. And the Israelis are conducting a
counter-terrorism campaign against Hezbollah in the south of Syria.
It's this last war within a war that the International Crisis Group
(ICG) described in a report on Thursday as the most dangerous and
likely to grow through miscalculation into a larger war.
According to the report:
<QUOTE>"The Syrian war has entered a new stage with the
regime of Bashar al-Assad gaining the upper hand. Israel, no
longer content to remain a bystander as Damascus’s position
improves, is now jockeying to reverse the deterioration of its
strategic posture. In this endeavor it has formidable obstacles
to overcome: the regime is more dependent than ever on Iran, which
Israel regards as its most implacable state foe; other enemies,
particularly Hezbollah and Iran-backed Shiite militias, are
entrenched in Syria with Russia’s blessing; and the U.S.,
notwithstanding the Trump administration’s strident rhetoric, has
done little to reverse Iran’s gains. Yet Israel’s hand is not so
weak. Russia has given it room to act against Iran-linked military
interests and appears to be more interested in balancing
contending fighting coalitions than returning every last piece of
territory to the Assad regime’s control. But if Russia wishes to
eventually withdraw or draw down its forces, it will need to
broker rules of the game. Russia has indicated scant interest in
doing so, but if it does not, hostilities between Israel and Iran
may threaten its accomplishments, particularly regime
stability."<END QUOTE>
The report says that this is going to result in a larger war through
miscalculation, unless Russia takes on the responsibility of mediating
a solution. The report says:
<QUOTE>"Russia should broker understandings that bolster the
de-escalation agreement distancing Iran-backed forces from Syria’s
armistice line with Israel; halt Iran’s construction of precision
missile facilities and its military infrastructure in Syria; and
convince Israel to acquiesce in foreign forces remaining in the
rest of Syria pending a deal on the country’s
future."<END QUOTE>
One can only think that this is a joke. None of these actors -- Iran,
Syria, Hezbollah or Israel -- is going to agree to anything like this.
In fact, the thought of Russia negotiating some sort of peace
agreement is itself a joke. Russia has already negotiating
"de-confliction zones" or "ceasefire zones" in its Astana (Kazakhstan)
peace process, but now Russia itself is the biggest violator of its
own agreement, but massive bombing of deconfliction zones in Eastern
Ghouta and Idlib.
Russia can't negotiate a peace agreement because Russia wants to
exterminate the same Sunni Muslims that al-Assad wants to exterminate.
For Russia, a "peace agreement" is total destruction of the enemy who,
in this case, are millions of mostly innocent civilians.
The United Nations can't broker a peace because the United Nations is
itself a joke.
There's only one entity that could possibly play the role of forcing a
negotiated peace, and that's the United States, Policeman of the
World. But the US, even with the help of a US-led coalition, has
neither the desire nor the ability to succeed at that role, and still
has its hands full fighting ISIS.
As I've written many times, Generational Dynamics predicts that the
Mideast is headed for a major regional war, pitting Sunnis versus
Shias, Jews versus Arabs, and various ethnic groups against each
other. Generational Dynamics predicts that in the approaching Clash
of Civilizations world war, the "axis" of China, Pakistan and the
Sunni Muslim countries will be pitted against the "allies," the US,
India, Russia and Iran. International Crisis Group and Middle East Eye and Arab News
Related Articles
- Armies and militias fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria increasingly turn on each other (15-Oct-2017)
- With ceasefire, American forces become more deeply involved in Syria's civil war (11-Jul-2017)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Syria, Bashar al-Assad, Eastern Ghouta,
Syrian Defense Forces, SDF, Euphrates River, Russia,
Dana White, Astana, Kazakhstan, de-escalation zones,
Islamic State / of Iraq and Syria/Sham/the Levant, IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh,
barrel bombs, chlorine, ammonia, phosphorous, Sarin gas,
Iran, Hezbollah, Israel, International Crisis Group, ICG
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
