ISIS/ISIL conflict in Syria/Iraq (No OpEd, No Politics)

SouthernSky

SouthernSky

Junior Member
t2contra said:
But there is still a gulf of difference in their reporting of Uighur terrorism and terrorism committed against the West.
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There is a gulf in all manner of things reported by the worlds media, however it seems to be a favorite pastime of several members here to lay the boots into western media at any given opportunity.
 
P

PanAsian

Major
SouthernSky said:
As someone from the the "evil west" I can assure you it was reported in our "despicable" media and noted by those with more than a passing interest in world affairs.
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No one here is saying "evil West" nor calling any media "despicable"... rather those are bombastic descriptions highly biased Western media would use together with subtler implications and half-the-stories in their defamation of targets such as China.
 
P

PanAsian

Major
Egypt is getting back in the game, but to what degree and to what end?

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Reports: Egypt, Syria to restore diplomatic ties

Former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi severed all ties with Syria two years ago

Egypt and Syria have agreed to restore diplomatic ties two years ago former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi severed all ties with the Assad regime, Lebanon's Daily Star reported Friday.

According to the report the two countries will also work on cooperating together on confronting Islamist extremism, specifically the threat posed by the Islamic State group.

Morsi severed ties with the Syrian regime in 2013, closing the country's embassy in Cairo and withdrawing the Egyptian envoy in Damascus.

"The Egyptian people support the struggle of the Syrian people, materially and morally, and Egypt, its nation, leadership ... and army, will not abandon the Syrian people until it achieves its rights and dignity," Morsi said.

According to a report in the London based Arabic language daily al-Quds al-Arabi, the rapprochement between the two countries is quietly taking place, and according to an Egyptian diplomatic source quoted by al-Arabi, security ties between the two countries were never severed.

Israel's Jerusalem Post quoted Professor Lawrence Rubin, a Middle East expert from The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology, as saying that "since Sisi came to power, Egypt has prioritized fighting Islamic militants and crushing other forms of domestic dissent. This has meant that Egyptian foreign policy follows its domestic political needs."

Israel's sixth ambassador to Egypt, Zvi Mazel also told the Post that he "believes that its [Egypt’s] position is that there should be a vast coalition against terror in the region. But since the US is still reluctant to work with Sisi and is in the process of disengaging itself from the Middle East while empowering Iran, Egypt prefers a political settlement in Syria."

In an interview with Hezbollah's al-Manar TV last week, Syrian President Bashar Assad said that Syria does not want Egypt to "be a launch-pad against Syria or against others in the Arab countries. We want Egypt to play the role of the important country that helps the other Arab countries."

In the rare interview, Assad expressed his willingness for a coalition against the Islamic State group but said that there was little chance of it happening if it meant cooperating with countries such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, considered as enemies by Syria.

"A small possibility remains that these states decided to repent, or realized they were moving in the wrong direction, or maybe for reasons of pure self-interest, they got worried that this terrorism is heading towards their countries, and so they decided to combat terrorism," he continued.

Assad also expressed "strong confidence" that Russia will continue supporting his embattled regime.

Last week Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with his Russian counterpart, Vladmir Putin to discuss improving cooperation and economic ties between the two countries.

Russia, which has always protected its Syrian ally, recent reports suggest the Kremlin has more at stake as it pushes for a broader grouping to fight the Islamic State group.

Moscow has excluded Russian boots on the ground or help in air strikes, but provides military support to the Syrian army as one of Assad's few remaining allies to help "fight terrorism".

The Russians have recently hosted various meetings of Syria's disparate opposition groups, who disagree on the fate of Assad.

Russia on Friday called for coordination between a US-led coalition and Moscow and Damascus to avoid "unintended incidents" in Syria.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said coordination was important as a military air campaign was not enough to quash Islamic State militants.

"Coordination is also important to prevent various unintended incidents," Lavrov told reporters.

Washington has accused Moscow of solidifying its foothold in Syria, raising concerns it could hamper plans by the US-led coalition to step up operations against jihadists in the war-torn country.

(staff with AFP)
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D

delft

Brigadier
From BBC news website:
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Syria conflict: Russia 'to continue Assad military aid'
Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged continued military support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad despite growing concerns over Moscow's role in the war.

Mr Putin urged other countries to join Russia in sending "military-technical assistance".

He said the influx refugees to Europe would have been "even bigger" without Russian support for Syria's government.

The US and its Western allies oppose President Assad, and say that backing him risks prolonging the conflict.

But Moscow has been a key ally of Mr Assad during the bloody civil war, which began in 2011.

It says military equipment is being sent to Syria to help the government combat the so-called Islamic State.

Refugees
President Putin said on Tuesday: "We support the government of Syria… in countering the terrorist aggression.

"We provide and will continue to provide it with the necessary military technical assistance. And we urge other countries to join us."

Speaking at defence summit in Tajikistan, Mr Putin also said the situation in Syria would have been "worse than in Libya" had Russia not been supporting its leadership.

European countries have been struggling to cope with thousands of people arriving at their borders after fleeing the conflict.

President Putin's comments come after the US expressed concern at Russia's recent movements near Syria's coastal city of Latakia.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said on Monday that a steady flow of people and equipment suggested that Moscow was planning to establish a "forward air operating base" there.

'Humanitarian aid'
US officials also fear that the stepped-up Russian support will strengthen the Syrian government at a time when it has been losing on the battlefield and will complicate efforts to find a political solution, the BBC's Barbara Plett Usher in New York reports.

Russia has denied building up their presence in Syria, although Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week that Russia would send more help to Syria if requested.

Syrian and Russian state media said on Saturday that two Russian cargo planes with 80 tonnes of humanitarian aid landed in Syria.

The planes reportedly flew into an airbase near Latakia - a stronghold of President Assad. Russia's defence ministry said the plane was carrying materials for setting up a tent camp for refugees.

Last week, officials in Washington quoted by Reuters said Moscow had sent more aircraft and two tank landing ships to Russia's naval base in the Syrian coastal city of Tartus.

They also said a small number of naval infantry forces had been deployed.

The war between President Assad's regime and various rebel groups has so far killed at least 240,000 people and displaced millions.
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This is bizarre. You can't just drop in an alternative state organization so without President Assad Syria would be a failed state with many more millions of people fleeing the country. All parties fighting Syria are scum.
 
Broccoli

Broccoli

Senior Member
It's reported that Levant Front (Al-Jabha Al-Shamiyah) shot down Mi-8 with two FN-6's. Pictures of wreck have been published but actual shooting down not yet as operations continue in the area.
 
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