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Don't insult orgasms! On Wed, Oct 7, 2015 at 11:49 AM, Louis Proyect via Marxism < marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu> wrote: > ******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ******************** > #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. > #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. > #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. > ***************************************************************** > > NY Times, Oct. 7 2015 > Escalating Syria Attack, Russia Fires Missiles From Warships > By ANNE BARNARD and ANDREW E. KRAMER > > BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Russian military, sharply escalating its military > intervention in Syria, launched 26 medium-range cruise missiles on > Wednesday from four warships in the Caspian Sea, while providing air > support for a ground offensive by pro-government forces. > > Russian officials said the missiles — which traveled more than 900 miles, > through Iranian and Iraqi airspace — struck 11 targets in Syria, but they > did not specify which groups were hit. > > It was not clear whether the missile strike was coordinated with the > ground offensive, which was reported by antigovernment activists and > insurgents around the central province of Hama, as well as by the > television station of Hezbollah, an ally of Syria’s based in Lebanon. > > The Kremlin would not confirm that a ground offensive had begun, though a > spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, Maria V. Zakharova, said that > “coordination is taking place with the Syrian Army, that is unequivocal.” > > The news of the missile attack came via a televised meeting between the > Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, and President Vladimir V. > Putin. “That we fired from the territory of the Caspian Sea, at a range > greater than 1,500 kilometers, and hit targets precisely, this shows high > qualifications,” Mr. Putin said, referring to naval crew members. Mr. > Shoigu said that no civilians had been injured in the assault. > > The ground offensive in Syria is taking place in coordination with Russian > warplanes operating from an airfield in western Syria, and the offensive > will include the Syrian Army, Hezbollah forces on the ground and Russian > air power, all in coordination with Iran, according to an official with > that alliance. > > Although the offensive remains in its early stages, it is significant > because it is the beginning of a wider, coordinated assault that reveals > close collaboration between Syria and its main allies — Hezbollah, Iran and > Russia — the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because > the parties had not detailed the coordination of military strategy. > > The assault aims to push back gains early this year by an insurgent > coalition, the Army of Conquest, that threated the government-held coastal > province of Latakia, crucial territory for the Syrian government, the > official said, adding that it was the first time since those setbacks in > the spring that government forces had moved “from defense to offense.” > > The ground operation will eventually include new contingents of fighters > from Hezbollah, a Shiite militia that has long played a crucial role on the > front lines, as well as Syrian forces backed by Russians in the air, > according to the official. In addition, Iranian military advisers have long > been active on the ground in Syria and would most likely be involved in > such a crucial operation. > > Speaking in tones of new confidence and optimism, the official called the > Russian intervention a game-changing development that put to rest any > doubts about Russia’s commitment to Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, who > has managed to cling to power despite a civil war that is now in its fifth > year. > > The ground offensive aims to push insurgents out of high ground that > threatens the rear of Latakia, first in northern Hama Province, where > Wednesday’s attacks took place, and later moving north into Idlib Province, > according to the official and to diplomats and analysts in the region. > Likely targets include Jabal al-Zawiya, a mountainous area that insurgents > have held for years, and Jisr al-Shughour, a city in Idlib Province whose > capture by insurgents in March was considered an ominous sign for the > government. > > Russian officials have said since the beginning of their air war that they > were targeting Islamic State militants, even when bombs fell on territories > held by other insurgent groups that oppose Mr. Assad, including in areas > where witnesses reported seeing heavy bombardments on Wednesday. > > The strikes have hit the Army of Conquest, an Islamist faction that > includes the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, as well as more > secular groups that often fight alongside, including some that have > received American aid. Russia has so far refused to make a distinction > between the Army of Conquest and the Islamic State, labeling both groups > terrorists. > > It was not immediately clear which groups in Syria, if any, were struck by > the Russian medium-range missiles. > > Russian diplomats, Ms. Zakharova said, have asked the United States to > identify armed groups other than units of the Syrian Army that are fighting > the Islamic State and that should be avoided in airstrikes, but she said > they had received no answer. > > “If there are some forces that also have weapons in their hands and are on > the ground fighting, as the coalition says, with the Islamic State, and > they should not be touched, then wonderful,” Ms. Zakharova said. “Give the > list, give the call signs of these people. Tell us where are they located, > explain why they shouldn’t be touched. Indeed, this information is not > provided.” > > Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, asked about the new Syrian ground > offensive in coordination with Russian airstrikes, lamented “the Assad > regime’s use of violence against its own people.” > > Mr. Carter added that “to the extent that Russia enables that, that’s the > fundamental reason we believe Russia is making a mistake in their actions > in Syria.” > > He took issue with what he said were suggestions in the news media that > the United States was cooperating with Russia on Syria, and said that the > only exchanges that the Pentagon and the Russian military could have on > Syria at the moment were technical talks on how to steer clear of each > other’s way in the skies above the country — so-called deconfliction talks. > > “What we will do is continue basic technical discussions on safety > procedures for our pilots over Syria,” Mr. Carter said, appearing at a news > conference in Rome with Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti of Italy. “That’s > it.” > > NATO has repeatedly warned Russia — so far, to little effect — that its > military intervention will only worsen the situation on the ground. > Officials with the Atlantic alliance did not have an immediate response to > the cruise missile deployment on Wednesday, but pointed to earlier remarks > by its secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. > > “I can confirm that we have seen a substantial buildup of Russian forces > in Syria,” Mr. Stoltenberg said at a news conference on Monday. “Air > forces, air defenses, but also then ground troops in connection with the > air base they have.” > > He continued: “We also see increased naval presence of Russian ships, > naval capabilities outside Syria or the eastern part of the Mediterranean.” > _________________________________________________________ > Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm > Set your options at: > http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/sranz18%40gmail.com _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
