Consolidated Syria Conflict Thread

[Windigo]

The impression given this morning was that the Hawks were destroyer-launched, although I was thinking of subs, too.

The low casualty count suggests eyes on the ground giving real-time updates to strike coordinates, intended to smack low-pop areas. But I've also heard a major target were the runways themselves. Not many people out there. Although unless those Toms had Durandal capability I don't know how much good cratering the runways would do.

The important thing here was the bitchslap itself, not the damage done. It was a grave warning.

[JasonPratt]

Unless the craters spelled out "DON'T GAS CIVVIES" in a local dialect, I suspect the regime will consider it ineptitude: they shot 60 missiles to kill 6 people, bwahahahaha.

Not noticing that the missiles cratered all their runways in straight lines like a sewing machine.

[JasonPratt]

Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un be like:

We could put one through your window any dang time we chose, Jong.

[mirth]

Tillerson didn't pull any punches:

"Clearly, Russia has failed in its responsibility to deliver on that commitment from 2013," Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said on Thursday night. "So either Russia has been complicit or Russia has been simply incompetent in its ability to deliver on its end of that agreement."

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/world/middleeast/missile-strike-syria-russia.html

[mirth]

Unless the craters spelled out "DON'T GAS CIVVIES" in a local dialect, I suspect the regime will consider it ineptitude: they shot 60 missiles to kill 6 people, bwahahahaha.

Not noticing that the missiles cratered all their runways in straight lines like a sewing machine.

Cratered runways, blew up a chunk of the Syrian Air Force, took out a radar station

The American missiles destroyed a warehouse of material and technical property, a training building, a canteen, six MIG-23 aircraft in repair hangars and a radar station, according to the Russian military. A Russian television reporter, Evgeny Poddubny, who was at the air base, said nine planes had been destroyed.

[bayonetbrant]

Tillerson didn't pull any punches:

"Clearly, Russia has failed in its responsibility to deliver on that commitment from 2013," Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said on Thursday night. "So either Russia has been complicit or Russia has been simply incompetent in its ability to deliver on its end of that agreement."

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/world/middleeast/missile-strike-syria-russia.html

that might be the harsher thing Tillerson ever said in his life

[JasonPratt]

Cratered runways, blew up a chunk of the Syrian Air Force, took out a radar station

The American missiles destroyed a warehouse of material and technical property, a training building, a canteen, six MIG-23 aircraft in repair hangars and a radar station, according to the Russian military. A Russian television reporter, Evgeny Poddubny, who was at the air base, said nine planes had been destroyed.

Well, the regime shouldn't consider that ineptitude. To quote Brant upthread:

On the other hand, I bet medical supplies are being raced to the site on donkey carts even as we speak, to be thrown into the craters.  ::)  :-"

[Atilla60]

[Atilla60]

Vlad has nullified military agreement with the US.

Russia suspends the Memorandum of Understanding on Prevention of Flight Safety Incidents in the course of operations in Syria signed with the US.

https://archive.fo/KR674

[Windigo]

Vlad has nullified military agreement with the US.

Russia suspends the Memorandum of Understanding on Prevention of Flight Safety Incidents in the course of operations in Syria signed with the US.

https://archive.fo/KR674

So they are saying what? Screw the safety precautions cuz we're mad? BTW where is the Russian POS carrier hanging out these days... still close to Syria?

[OJsDad]

Vlad has nullified military agreement with the US.

Russia suspends the Memorandum of Understanding on Prevention of Flight Safety Incidents in the course of operations in Syria signed with the US.

https://archive.fo/KR674

So they are saying what? Screw the safety precautions cuz we're mad? BTW where is the Russian POS carrier hanging out these days... still close to Syria?

I thought it went back home. 

[Atilla60]

Vlad has nullified military agreement with the US.

Russia suspends the Memorandum of Understanding on Prevention of Flight Safety Incidents in the course of operations in Syria signed with the US.

https://archive.fo/KR674

So they are saying what? Screw the safety precautions cuz we're mad?

No, they are saying that from now on US-led coalition planes in Syrian airspace can be targeted by pro-Assad units.

[JasonPratt]

Okay, serious question: how is this action not effectively an act of war on the Assad regime?

I'm asking in terms of the options for Assad in politically responding. "The US has just declared war on us, except they haven't declared it. Are they going to make their act against us an official declaration of war, or try to pretend this isn't an act of war, or what?"

[Windigo]

Okay, serious question: how is this action not effectively an act of war on the Assad regime?

I'm asking in terms of the options for Assad in politically responding. "The US has just declared war on us, except they haven't declared it. Are they going to make their act against us an official declaration of war, or try to pretend this isn't an act of war, or what?"

They'll give it an impressive name like Humanitarian Driven Kinetic Policing Response

[Gusington]

It is an act of war on the Assad regime.

Anyway, from CNN:

"The US military official said the Pentagon was examining specifically whether a Russian warplane had bombed a hospital in Khan Sheikhoun five hours after the initial chemical attack, with the aim of destroying evidence."

For Chrissakes Russia, do you have to be the a-hole every minute of every day? You can take a break every now and then.