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Post by jeffolie on Jan 31, 2013 10:28:07 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ Syria, Iran threaten retaliation against Israel over airstrike January 31, 2013 Syria and its ally Iran are threatening to retaliate against Israel for an airstrike carried out within Syrian borders. U.S. officials said Israel launched the airstrike inside Syria on Wednesday, targeting a convoy believed to be carrying anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group allied with Syria and Iran. In response to the strike, Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdul-Karim Ali said Thursday that Damascus "has the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation." Abdul-Karim Ali said he could not predict when Damascus would retaliate, but told Hezbollah's al-Ahd news website that it was up to the relevant authorities to prepare the retaliation and choose the time and place. In Iran, the country’s deputy foreign minister said on Press TV that the “strike on Syria will have serious consequences for Tel Aviv,” but did not elaborate, according to the Jerusalem Post. Prior to the attack, last week, an aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the Mehr news agency that any attack on Syria was an attack on itself, fearing that Iran and Iraq would be targeted next if Assad’s regime falls, Haaretz reports. An Israeli lawmaker close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stopped short of confirming involvement in the strike Thursday, but he hinted that Israel could carry out similar missions in the future. Regional security officials said the weapons shipment that Israel targeted included sophisticated Russian-made SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, which if acquired by Hezbollah would enable the militants to shoot down Israeli jets, helicopters and surveillance drones. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. However, the Syrian military denied the existence of any weapons shipment and said a scientific research facility outside Damascus was hit by the Israeli warplanes. It said the target was in the area of Jamraya, northwest of Damascus and about 10 miles from the Lebanese border. A U.S. official told the New York Times that Israel informed the U.S. of its plans to strike a military target inside Syria before attacking the research center near Damascus. Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Jassem al-Shallal, who became in December one of the most senior Syrian army officers to defect, told The Associated Press by telephone from Turkey that the targeted site is a "major and well-known" center to develop weapons known as the Scientific Research Center. Al-Shallal, who until his defection was the commander of the Military Police, said no chemical or nonconventional weapons are at the site, which is frequented by Russian and Iranian experts. But diplomatic sources from three countries told Reuters that they suspect chemical weapons are at the Jamraya, and it was possible that the convoy of trucks was nearby at the time of the attack. The Israeli airstrike also drew criticism from Hezbollah, which called it a "barbaric aggression" and Syrian ally Russia said it appeared to be an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation. Russia, Syria's strongest international ally, said Moscow is taking "urgent measures to clarify the situation in all its details." "If this information is confirmed, we have a case of unprovoked attacks on targets in the territory of a sovereign state, which grossly violates the U.N. Charter and is unacceptable," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Whatever the motives, this is not justified." In addition, the head of the Arab League called the strike a "flagrant aggression and a glaring violation" of Syria’s sovereignty, Haaretz reports. Israeli lawmaker Tzachi Hanegbi, who is close to Netanyahu, said pinpoint strikes are not enough to counter the threat of Hezbollah obtaining sophisticated weaponry from Syria. "Israel's preference would be if a Western entity would control these weapons systems," Hanegbi said. "But because it appears the world is not prepared to do what was done in Libya or other places, then Israel finds itself like it has many times in the past facing a dilemma that only it knows how to respond to," he added. He was referring to NATO's 2011 military intervention in Libya that helped oust dictator Muammar Qaddafi. Syria's civil war has sapped Assad's power and threatens to deprive Hezbollah of a key supporter, in addition to its land corridor to Iran. The two countries provide Hezbollah with the bulk of its funding and arms. Earlier this week, Netanyahu warned of the dangers of Syria's "deadly weapons," saying the country is "increasingly coming apart." The same day, Israel moved a battery of its new "Iron Dome" rocket defense system to the northern city of Haifa, which was battered by Hezbollah rocket fire in the 2006 war. The Israeli army called that move "routine." The Israeli army won't say whether Iron Dome was sent north in connection to this operation. It does note that it has deployed the system in the north before. Syria and its allies, including Hezbollah, deny there is an uprising against the government and say what is happening is part of a conspiracy against Damascus because of its support for anti-Israeli groups. www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/31/syria-iran-threaten-retaliation-against-israel-over-airstrike/
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Post by jeffolie on Feb 1, 2013 10:32:31 GMT -6
More aggression Attacks to come" ... The airstrike is part of an Israeli strategy known to military planners as "the policy of prevention," or the "war between wars." In recent years, Israel is believed to have launched a number of covert missions, including airstrikes in Sudan and assassinations of key Hezbollah and Hamas militants, aimed at disrupting the flow of weapons to its Iranian-backed enemies. Israel has never acknowledged involvement. my jeffolie view: Netty has broken free of the restraints from needing to please the already hostile to Israel Obama ... a slow escalation of aggression and attacks will continue throughout 2013 leading to an attack on Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in 2013 with or without US support... a low level HOT WAR has started====================================== Jan 31, 2013 Israel may feel need to strike Syria again Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) -- An Israeli air attack staged in Syria this week may be a sign of things to come. Israeli military officials appear to have concluded that the risks of attacking Syria are worth taking when compared to the dangers of allowing sophisticated weapons to reach Hezbollah guerrillas in neighboring Lebanon. With Syrian President Bashar Assad's grip on power weakening, Israeli officials fear he could soon lose control over his substantial arsenal of chemical and advanced weapons, which could slip into the hands of Hezbollah or other hostile groups. These concerns, combined with Hezbollah's own domestic problems, mean further military action could be likely. Tzachi Hanegbi, an incoming lawmaker in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party and a former chairman of parliament's influential foreign affairs and defense committee, signaled Thursday that Israel could be compelled to act on its own. While Israel's preference is for Western powers to gain control over Syria's arms stockpile, he said there are no signs of that happening. "Israel finds itself, like it has many times in the past, facing a dilemma that only it knows how to respond to. And it could well be that we will reach a stage where we will have to make decisions," Hanegbi told Israel's Army Radio Thursday. Hanegbi, like other Israeli officials, would not confirm Israeli involvement in the airstrike. In this week's incident, Israeli warplanes conducted a rare airstrike inside Syria, according to U.S. officials who said the target was a convoy carrying anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group allied with Syria and Iran. The Syrian military has denied the existence of any weapons shipment and said a military research facility outside Damascus was hit. On Thursday, Syria threatened to retaliate, while Hezbollah condemned the attack as "barbaric aggression." Iran, which supplies arms to Syria, Hezbollah and the Hamas militant group in Gaza, said the airstrike would have significant implications for Israel. Syrian ally Russia said it appeared to be an unprovoked attack on a sovereign nation. Syria's ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdul-Karim Ali, said Damascus "has the option and the capacity to surprise in retaliation." He told Hezbollah's al-Ahd news website that it was up to the relevant authorities to choose the time and place. For now, Israeli officials seem to be playing down the threats. "Israel took a big gamble out of the belief that Iran and Hezbollah won't retaliate. The question is, `Are they right or not?'" said Moshe Maoz, a professor emeritus at Hebrew University who specializes in Syria. Officials believe that Assad's position in Syria is so precarious that he cannot risk opening a new front with Israel. With an estimated 60,000 Syrians killed in the civil war, Israeli officials also think it's too late for Assad to rally his bitterly divided nation behind him. "Syria is in such a bad state right now that an Israeli retaliation to a Syrian action would be harsh and could topple the regime. Therefore Syria is not responding," Maoz said. Israel is far more worried about the threat of sophisticated weapons reaching Hezbollah. In a monthlong 2006 war, Hezbollah fired some 4,000 rockets and missiles into Israel before the conflict ended in a stalemate. Israeli officials believe the guerrilla group has restocked its arsenal with tens of thousands of missiles, some capable of striking deep inside the Jewish state. Resigned to this fact, Israel has set a number of "red lines" for Hezbollah that it says are unacceptable, in particular the acquisition of new weapons that it believes would change the balance of power in the region. These include chemical weapons and sophisticated anti-aircraft and surface-to-sea missiles. This week's airstrike targeted trucks containing Russian-made SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, according to a U.S. official. The trucks were next to the military research facility identified by the Syrians, and the strike hit both the trucks and the facility, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the operation. If the SA-17s were to have reached Hezbollah, they would have greatly inhibited the Israeli air force's ability to operate in Lebanon. Israel has frequently flown sorties over Lebanese skies since 2006. The airstrike is part of an Israeli strategy known to military planners as "the policy of prevention," or the "war between wars." In recent years, Israel is believed to have launched a number of covert missions, including airstrikes in Sudan and assassinations of key Hezbollah and Hamas militants, aimed at disrupting the flow of weapons to its Iranian-backed enemies. Israel has never acknowledged involvement. Israeli security officials believe that Hezbollah, despite its claims of victory, is still deterred by the experience of the 2006 war, in which it lost hundreds of fighters. Instead of a direct war, Israel fears Hezbollah might try to strike Israeli or Jewish targets around the world. Israel has accused Hezbollah of a string of attacks on Israeli targets in recent years, including a deadly attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last July. The Israeli airstrike comes at a particularly sensitive and vulnerable time for Hezbollah in Lebanon. Despite its formidable weapons arsenal and political clout in the country, the group's credibility and maneuvering space has been significantly reduced in the past few years. Hezbollah still suffers from the fallout of the 2006 war, which many in Lebanon accused it of provoking by kidnapping soldiers from the border area. Since then, the group has come under increasing pressure at home to disarm, leading to sectarian tensions between its Shiite supporters and Sunnis from the opposing camp that have often spilled into deadly street fighting. When Hezbollah sent an Iranian-made reconnaissance drone over Israel in November, the group boasted of its capabilities - but critics in Lebanon slammed it for embarking on a unilateral adventure that could provoke Israel. Despite persistent reports and accusations that Hezbollah members are fighting alongside the military in Syria, Hezbollah has largely approached the Syria conflict with caution, mindful that any action it takes could backfire. "In different times, Hezbollah would have reacted to Israel's surgical strike, but not today," said Bilal Saab, director of the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, North America. "This is a time for hunkering down and weathering the storm." The uprising in Syria, the main transit point of weapons brought from Iran to Hezbollah, presents the group with its toughest challenge since its inception in 1982. The group could still get weapons, but would struggle to get them as easily without the Syria supply route. Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah's public support for the Assad regime has proved costly and the group's reputation has taken a severe beating. Former champions of the group now describe it as hypocritical for supporting Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, but not in Syria. As for Israel and Syria, although they are bitter enemies, they have avoided direct conflict for most of the past 40 years. Israel has been careful to stay out of Syria's civil war, not wanting to be seen as supporting any side in the conflict. While the attack overnight Tuesday, believed to be the first by Israel on Syrian soil since 2007, appeared to come out of nowhere, signs of impending action were evident in recent days. On Jan. 23, the day after national elections, Netanyahu convened top security officials for an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Syria. One of the meeting participants, Vice Premier Silvan Shalom, warned this week that Israel could be forced to carry out a pre-emptive attack under certain circumstances. The same day, Israel suddenly moved a new, state-of-the-art rocket-defense system to the northern city of Haifa, which was hit hard by Hezbollah rocket fire during a 2006 war. Uzi Rabi, a military analyst at Tel Aviv University's Dayan Center, said the attack was a "kind of message" sent by Israel to Syria and Hezbollah. "It says we do have capabilities when it comes to intelligence gathering ... and this would serve as kind of a warning sign to Hezbollah not to transfer chemical weaponry from Syria to Hezbollah," he said. hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_STRIKING_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-31-17-55-58
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Post by jeffolie on Feb 2, 2013 17:51:07 GMT -6
when: late 2013 or by Spring 2014" ... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday ... said its most important task would be to ensure that Iran does not gain nuclear arms. my jeffolie view: late in 2013, Netty will attempt to embrass America into attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities, fail to get Obama to attack, then Israel under Netty will go it alone in attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in late 2013 or by Spring 2014.===================================== Iran threat is paramount for new Israeli government: Netanyahu 2/2/2013 Reuters/Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Israeli President Shimon Peres shake hands at the conclusion of a brief ceremony at the president's residence in Jerusalem February 2, 2013. … JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday took on the job of forming a new government and said its most important task would be to ensure that Iran does not gain nuclear arms. President Shimon Peres formally called on Netanyahu to assemble a new coalition following the January 22 general election in which Netanyahu's rightist Likud-Beitenu emerged as the biggest party. It controls 31 seats in the 120-seat parliament. "The paramount task of the government that I will form will be to stop Iran from arming itself with nuclear weapons," Netanyahu said as he accepted the mandate from Peres. Israel and the West suspect that Iran is working to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran says its nuclear atomic program is purely for peaceful purposes. Netanyahu also hinted at the security dangers posed by advanced Syrian weapons being transferred from Syria to Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas and its apparent chemical weapons arsenal, but he did not specifically name the country. "We will also have to deal with other deadly weaponry that is being amassed around us and threatens our cities and our citizens," he added. Israel has remained silent, but diplomats, Syrian rebels and regional security sources said on Wednesday that Israeli jets had bombed a convoy near the Lebanese border, apparently hitting weapons destined for Hezbollah. Syria also accused Israel of bombing a research site near Damascus. In his short acceptance speech, Netanyahu repeated his commitment to peace with the Palestinians and called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resume talks with him. "The next government that I will form will be committed to peace. I call on Abu Mazen (Abbas) to return to the negotiating table. Every day that passes without us talking to jointly find a way to create peace for our peoples is a day wasted," Netanyahu said. But drawing the Palestinians back to the table may be hard. Talks broke down in 2010 over Israel's continued settlement building. With Netanyahu set to ask a powerful pro-settler party to join him, and many in his own party also partial to settlers, he is sure to face strong internal opposition. Last week Peres met representatives from the 12 parties elected to parliament, the Knesset, and factions that control 82 seats proposed Netanyahu should be asked to form a government. Coalition-building talks will begin on Sunday in Tel Aviv, although initially, at least, Netanyahu will not be involved directly. He has appointed his party ally and former foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, to lead the Likud-Beitenu team. During the global downturn, Israel's economy has been among the fastest growing of Western countries, reaching 3.3 percent in 2012 after a 4.6 percent spurt in 2011, with expectations of close to 3 percent this year but Netanyahu called for vigilance. "The global economic crisis has not ended and we must maintain places of work and continued growth and create more jobs," he said. CONCESSIONS Likud-Beitenu took a battering at the ballot box and won 11 fewer seats than it had going into the election, meaning Netanyahu may have to be more considerate of his partners. His administration is expected to be cobbled together from a new centrist party headed by former TV personality Yair Lapid, which with 19 seats is the second-largest party, the 12-seat far-right pro-settler Bayit Yehudi ("Jewish Home") faction and other centrist and religious parties. Lapid, a political novice, leads the "Yesh Atid" (There is a Future) party and none of its members has prior parliamentary experience -- one of the selling points that attracted voters. He campaigned on a ticket of an "equal sharing of the burden" and helping the middle class, especially with housing and education. "Equal sharing" is political code for meeting the complaints of secular tax-payers about the concessions given to the ultra-Orthodox, whose men study in Jewish seminaries, often on state stipends, and who are not drafted into the army. Netanyahu committed to follow Lapid's lead, although he did not say how he would square the circle. Ultra-Orthodox parties have for decades successfully resisted mass conscription of 18-year-old men and have vowed to continue to do so. "We are committed to increase significantly an equal share of the burden and I am convinced that we can do this in a responsible manner that can bring a basic change without tearing the nation apart," he said. news.yahoo.com/netanyahu-nominated-form-israeli-government-182314387.html
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Post by jeffolie on Feb 12, 2013 9:33:11 GMT -6
when: late 2013 or by Spring 2014" ... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday ... said its most important task would be to ensure that Iran does not gain nuclear arms. my jeffolie view: late in 2013, Netty will attempt to embrass America into attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities, fail to get Obama to attack, then Israel under Netty will go it alone in attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in late 2013 or by Spring 2014.===================================== Iran threat is paramount for new Israeli government: Netanyahu 2/2/2013 my jeffolie view: late in 2013, Netty will attempt to embrass America into attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities, fail to get Obama to attack, then Israel under Netty will go it alone in attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in late 2013 or by Spring 2014.======================================= Feb 11, 2013 4:02pm EST JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that new centrifuges Iran was installing for its uranium enrichment program could cut by a third the time needed to create a nuclear bomb. As Iran and world powers prepare to resume talks aimed at easing a dispute that has raised fears of a new Middle East war, Tehran announced late last month it planned to install the new machines at its main enrichment plant. The move underlined Iran's defiance of international demands to scale back the uranium enrichment which Tehran says is for civilian purposes but which could also potentially be used to make material for atomic bombs. Netanyahu touched on the subject in an address to American Jewish leaders and his words came ahead of a planned visit to Israel next month by President Barack Obama. "Iran's ... nuclear weapons program continues unabated ... I drew a line at the U.N. last time I was there," Netanyahu said. "They haven't crossed that line but what they are doing is to shorten the time that it will take them to cross that line and the way they are (doing it) is by putting in new, faster centrifuges that cut the time by one third." In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly in September, Netanyahu gave a rough deadline of summer 2013 as the date by which Iran could have enough highly enriched material to produce a single nuclear bomb. He said on Monday that world powers must put more pressure on Tehran "for the interests of peace and security". "You have to upgrade the sanctions and they have to know that if the sanctions and diplomacy fail, they will face a credible military threat. That's essential. Nothing else will do the job, and it's getting closer," he said. Diplomats believe, however, that Iran may have resumed converting small amounts of its higher-grade enriched uranium into reactor fuel thereby slowing a growth in stockpiles that could be used to make weapons. The White House announced last Tuesday that Obama planned to visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan this spring. It gave no exact dates for the trip, Obama's first to Israel since taking office. Netanyahu, who was last week nominated to form a new government after January 22 elections that his rightist Likud party won, has said Iran would top his administration's agenda. He has five more weeks to complete forming his new coalition. Israel's Channel 10 television cited unnamed sources in Washington last week saying Obama's visit to Israel would start on March 20, by when Netanyahu's new government should be in place. Israeli political commentators have speculated that Obama had opted to visit Israel before the summer deadline that Netanyahu laid down at the United Nations to caution him against any go-it-alone attack against Iran's nuclear facilitieswww.reuters.com/article/2013/02/11/us-israel-iran-idUSBRE91A0ZF20130211
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Post by jeffolie on Mar 15, 2013 9:33:01 GMT -6
" ... Obama Says Iran A Year Away From Nuclear Weapon ..." March 2013my jeffolie view: the US pathetic, whining threat to complain some more is laughable.... a war sequence has NOW STARTED ... Netty will attack Iran most likely late in 2013 no later than Sping 2014More aggression Attacks to come" ... The airstrike is part of an Israeli strategy known to military planners as "the policy of prevention," or the "war between wars." In recent years, Israel is believed to have launched a number of covert missions, including airstrikes in Sudan and assassinations of key Hezbollah and Hamas militants, aimed at disrupting the flow of weapons to its Iranian-backed enemies. Israel has never acknowledged involvement. my jeffolie view: Netty has broken free of the restraints from needing to please the already hostile to Israel Obama ... a slow escalation of aggression and attacks will continue throughout 2013 leading to an attack on Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in 2013 with or without US support... a low level HOT WAR has startedUS's Iran threat: March 2012 complaining, whining whining defined: ' ... To utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint. 2. To complain or protest in a childish fashion. 3. To produce ... "... The United States set a March deadline on Thursday for Iran to start cooperating in substance with a U.N. nuclear agency investigation, saying it would otherwise urge reporting the issue to the U.N. Security Council. ... " ROFLOL ... the US made a vague threat to complain Will Netty have the power and strength of his political rhetoric to wait until Summer 2013 before bombing to merely delay Iran's building nuke bombs? my jeffolie view: the US pathetic, whining threat to complain some more is laughable. ============================== U.S. gives Iran until March to cooperate with IAEA Nov 29, 2012 VIENNA (Reuters) - The United States set a March deadline on Thursday for Iran to start cooperating in substance with a U.N. nuclear agency investigation, saying it would otherwise urge reporting the issue to the U.N. Security Council. ====================================== Jan 31, 2013 Israel may feel need to strike Syria again Associated Press BEIRUT (AP) -- An Israeli air attack staged in Syria this week may be a sign of things to come. Israeli military officials appear to have concluded that the risks of attacking Syria are worth taking when compared to the dangers of allowing sophisticated weapons to reach Hezbollah guerrillas in neighboring Lebanon. hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_STRIKING_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-01-31-17-55-58============================= Obama Says Iran A Year Away From Nuclear Weapon March 14, 2013 washington.cbslocal.com/2013/03/14/obama-says-iran-a-year-away-from-nuclear-weapon/
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Post by jeffolie on Mar 17, 2013 13:01:56 GMT -6
More aggression Attacks to come" ... The airstrike is part of an Israeli strategy known to military planners as "the policy of prevention," or the "war between wars." In recent years, Israel is believed to have launched a number of covert missions, including airstrikes in Sudan and assassinations of key Hezbollah and Hamas militants, aimed at disrupting the flow of weapons to its Iranian-backed enemies. Israel has never acknowledged involvement. my jeffolie view: Netty has broken free of the restraints from needing to please the already hostile to Israel Obama ... a slow escalation of aggression and attacks will continue throughout 2013 leading to an attack on Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in 2013 with or without US support... a low level HOT WAR has started====================================== JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed on Sunday a hard-line former military chief as the country's new defense minister. news.yahoo.com/israeli-premier-names-defense-minister-104913106.html
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Post by jeffolie on Mar 21, 2013 8:52:00 GMT -6
when: late 2013 or by Spring 2014" ... Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday ... said its most important task would be to ensure that Iran does not gain nuclear arms. my jeffolie view: late in 2013, Netty will attempt to embrass America into attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities, fail to get Obama to attack, then Israel under Netty will go it alone in attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in late 2013 or by Spring 2014.===================================== news.yahoo.com/netanyahu-nominated-form-israeli-government-182314387.html " ... consideration is when Iran secures enough uranium for a weapon because then it reaches an “immunity zone.” “Whatever time is left, there’s not a lot of time,” Netanyahu emphasized in the 45-minute news conference at his home. He also pointed out that diplomacy and sanctions — Obama’s preferred method of resolving the issue — “so far have not stopped Iran’s nuclear program.” And he called on Obama, who has been reluctant to threaten Tehran too loudly, to augment diplomacy and sanctions with “clear and credible threat of military action.”my jeffolie view: late in 2013, Netty will attempt to embrass America into attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities, fail to get Obama to attack, then Israel under Netty will go it alone in attacking Iran's nuke bomb making facilities in late 2013 or by Spring 2014.===================================== Obama, Netanyahu speak of bonds but disagree on IranMarch 20, 2013 WASHINGTON — President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday affirmed the “extraordinary bonds” between their nations even as they also exposed again their differences on how soon Iran might pose a nuclear threat. Appearing at news conference on the first day of Obama’s symbolism-laden first visit to Israel as president, the two leaders vowed to collaborate closely on a full range of challenges roiling the Mideast region, from Syria and Egypt to the stalled Arab-Israeli peace effort. Yet though the visit is aimed at improving the sometimes fraught relations between them, the leaders made it clear that they have different assessments of Iran’s nuclear program, which both governments fear — despite Tehran's denials — is aimed at developing a weapon. Netanyahu said that although Obama’s view is that it would take Iran about a year to build a bomb once it decided to take that step, the important date to take into consideration is when Iran secures enough uranium for a weapon because then it reaches an “immunity zone.” “Whatever time is left, there’s not a lot of time,” Netanyahu emphasized in the 45-minute news conference at his home. He also pointed out that diplomacy and sanctions — Obama’s preferred method of resolving the issue — “so far have not stopped Iran’s nuclear program.” And he called on Obama, who has been reluctant to threaten Tehran too loudly, to augment diplomacy and sanctions with “clear and credible threat of military action.” Obama’s two-day stop in Israel is aimed at convincing the Israeli public that he is fully committed to their security. He signed Netanyahu’s guest book citing the “extraordinary bonds” between the two longtime allies. He pointed out that his administration has sharply increased American commitment to Israeli security, noting that the United States will provide $200 million this year for the Israeli-built Iron Dome missile defense system, in addition to the usual $3 billion in aid to the country. Netanyahu, who has had a sometimes-contentious relationship with Obama, seemed to be trying to pitch in to help convince the Israeli public that Obama was a friend. “I think people should get to know President Obama the way I’ve gotten to know him,” he said. Obama signaled that he did not yet fully agree with Israel’s assessment that Syrian President Bashar Assad's military has used chemical weapons against its population. Though there have been reports this week that the regime has used chemical weapons in small amounts in two locations, Obama said U.S. officials are still studying the issue. Obama said that his administration views use of such weapons as a “game-changer,” but he added that “having the facts before you act is very important.” Though Obama has sought to lower expectations before the trip that he was coming to renew his push for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, he made it clear that he is taking a new look at how to help restart an effort that stalled two years ago. “We’ll continue to look for steps that both Israelis and Palestinians can take to build trust and confidence, upon which lasting peace will depend,” he said. And though Netanyahu’s government has been viewed as unenthusiastic about a new peace push, the prime minister insisted that he is ready to plunge in again. “Israel remains fully committed to peace and to the solution of two states for two peoples,” he said. “We extend our hands in peace and friendship to the Palestinian people.... Let us sit down at the negotiating table.” www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-obama-netanyahu-israel-iran-20130320,0,4385078.story
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Mar 21, 2013 21:47:35 GMT -6
If he tries hard enough, Netanyahu will eventually get Obama to take military action against Iran.
After all, Obama wants to be another "war-time president", just like his predecessor.
Like his predecessor, it will give Obama justification to suspend the Constitution & the Bill of Rights-- which is every US President's dream-come-true.
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Post by jeffolie on Apr 25, 2013 13:47:37 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ Syria, Iran threaten retaliation against Israel over airstrike January 31, 2013 Syria and its ally Iran are threatening to retaliate against Israel for an airstrike carried out within Syrian borders. U.S. officials said Israel launched the airstrike inside Syria on Wednesday, targeting a convoy believed to be carrying anti-aircraft weapons bound for Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militant group allied with Syria and Iran. www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/31/syria-iran-threaten-retaliation-against-israel-over-airstrike/My thread started in Jan ... emphasized " ... while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons ... will slowly escalate into actions ... " True ... almost 4 months later April 25, 2013 Syria likely used chemical weapons: White Housemy view remains unchanged ... War started: Syria, Iran, Israel " ... while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons ... will slowly escalate into actions ... " my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ================================== April 25, 2013 Syria likely used chemical weapons: White House By Greg Robb WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The Obama administration said Thursday that U.S. intelligence agencies believe "with varying degrees of confidence" that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons on a small scale against armed rebels. President Barack Obama has said use of chemical weapons by the Assad government would cross a "red line." The disclosure came in a letter to Sen. Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, from Miguel Rodriguez, the director of the White House office of legislative affairs. The chemical agent likely used was Sarin. The U.S. seeks to build on these intelligence assessments with more "credible and corroborated facts," a White House official told reporters. The United Nations should undertake an investigation to evaluate the evidence, the official, who spoke on background, said. If the use of chemical weapons is established, the U.S. would discuss next steps with allies and the Syrian opposition, the official said. " All options are on the table in terms of our response," the official said www.marketwatch.com/story/syria-likely-used-chemical-weapons-white-house-2013-04-25?dist=countdown
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Post by jeffolie on Apr 25, 2013 15:00:41 GMT -6
U.S. believes Syria used chemical weapons but says facts needed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence agencies believe Syria's government has likely used chemical weapons on a small scale, the White House said on Thursday, but added that President Barack Obama needed "credible and corroborated" facts before acting on that assessment. The surprise disclosure triggered immediate calls for U.S. action by members of Congress who advocate deeper American involvement in Syria's bitter civil war. .... SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT .... The Obama administration's sudden disclosure caught many off-guard, coming just two days after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other U.S. officials appeared to play down an Israeli assessment of chemical weapons use. news.yahoo.com/u-believes-syria-used-chemical-weapons-says-facts-180547990.html
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Post by jeffolie on Apr 25, 2013 15:07:49 GMT -6
First Take: Calls for action in Syria to intensifyBy Aamer Madhani, USA TODAYApril 25, 2013 As the White House acknowledges the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the drumbeat for military action will grow louder. Story Highlights White House seeks confirmation, details on Syrian use of chemical weapons The lessons of Iraq -- failed intelligence -- loom large in response to this report Unlikely scenario: U.S. ground intervention President Obama had drawn a "red line" on the use or transfer of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime, calling such actions unacceptable. Now that the White House has acknowledged that this line very likely has been crossed, the response of Obama and the international community could be critical not just in Syria, but in maintaining the president's credibility in Iran, where Obama is pushing the regime to abandon its nuclear program. As intelligence shows chemical weapons have probably been used in Syria, the pressure from the political right for decisive action by the president will only intensify. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has long advocated a no-fly zone to stem the bloodshed in Syria that has left more than 70,000 dead, groused to reporters after being notified by the White House of the intelligence that sarin, a lethal nerve agent, has probably been deployed. "Everything that the non-interventionists said that would happen in Syria if we intervened has happened," McCain said. The shadow of the war in Iraq looms large for Obama. Without uttering the "I" word, the White House was quick Thursday to recall the later-debunked intelligence that showed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction — the central underpinning of George W. Bush's rationalization for going to war. An Iraq-style, boots-on-ground intervention is not under serious consideration. Obama aides made clear that the intelligence community's physiological evidence that indicates Syria's use of chemical weapons is a bar too low to merit military action, such as implementing a no-fly zone. "Given the stakes involved, and what we have learned from our own recent experience, intelligence assessments alone are not sufficient — only credible and corroborated facts that provide us with some degree of certainty will guide our decision-making and strengthen our leadership of the international community," Miguel Rodriguez, Obama's liaison to Congress, wrote in a letter to lawmakers Thursday. The White House is pushing the pro-interventionist crowd for patience, but the drumbeat for action is likely to grow louder.www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/04/25/syria-chemical-weapons-obama-red-line-hagel/2113101/
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Post by jeffolie on May 4, 2013 8:54:46 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ================================== Israel Bombs Syria as the U.S. Weighs Its Own Options May 4, 2013 American officials did not provide details on the target of the Israeli strike. The Associated Press quoted Israeli officials on Saturday as saying the target of the raid was a shipment of advanced missiles bound for the Hezbollah Shiite militia in Lebanon. While saying the shipment did not include chemical arms, the official described the missiles as “game changing,” an apparent reference to the capability of the missiles. In late January, Israel carried out airstrikes against SA-17 antiaircraft weapons, which the Israelis feared were about to be moved to Hezbollah. Israel has been worried that chemical weapons and advanced arms might be transferred to Hezbollah from Syria, and the Israeli military has made clear that it is prepared to take action to stop such shipments. “Chemicals maybe get a lot of press and attention, but one of the clear things worrying us is advanced conventional weapons,” said one senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition he not be named because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has long had a close relationship with Hezbollah, and Syria has been a gateway for shipping Iranian weapons to the militia. Hezbollah has sent trainers and advisers to Syria to help Mr. Assad with his war against the Syrian opposition, American officials say, and Syrian opposition officials report that Hezbollah fighters are also involved in the conflict. The Lebanese government confirmed on Saturday the Israeli warplanes flew over its airspace overnight Thursday, circling over Beirut and its suburbs, although it was not immediately clear if they were the same jets that carried out the strike in Syria, which was first reported by CNN. Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli Defense Ministry official, addressing an audience in southern Israel, said Saturday that Israel was trying to preserve peace and security amid historic changes in the region. A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington said Friday night in a statement that “Israel is determined to prevent the transfer of chemical weapons or other game-changing weaponry by the Syrian regime to terrorists, especially to Hezbollah in Lebanon.” Mr. Gilad said that Hezbollah was not in possession of chemical weapons. Avi Issacharoff, an Israeli defense analyst, wrote on the news site Walla.com that it was no surprise that Syria and Hezbollah did not acknowledge the strike. “Any admission by either Syria or Hezbollah that the Israeli Air Force had attacked a weapons convoy, which would obligate them to retaliate, would only serve to paint them into a corner,” Mr. Issacharoff wrote. “The Syrian Army currently lacks the manpower to face Israel on the ground — and certainly not in the air. A conflagration with the IDF is liable to result in the loss of the only advantage that Assad has over the opposition forces — the Syrian Air Force.” The Israeli attack came as the Obama administration — as part of its examination of possible responses to obtaining conclusive proof that Mr. Assad has used chemical weapons — is considering military options with allies. Those options include attacking Syria’s antiaircraft systems, military aircraft and some of its missile fleet, according to senior officials from several countries. Those officials say that attacking the chemical stockpiles directly has been all but ruled out. “You could cause exactly the disaster you are trying to prevent,” a senior Israeli military official said in an interview last week in Tel Aviv. But attacking Mr. Assad’s main delivery systems, the officials say, would curtail his ability to transport those weapons any significant distance. “This wouldn’t stop him from using it on a village, or just releasing it on the ground, or handing something to Hezbollah,” said one European official who has been involved in the conversations. “But it would limit the damage greatly.” The topic was alluded to on Thursday, when Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel met with his British counterpart and talked about “the need for new options” if Mr. Assad used his chemical arsenal, the officials said. But while the military has been developing and refining options for the White House for months, the discussion appears to have taken a new turn, officials say, in the struggle to determine whether the suspected use of sarin gas near Aleppo and Damascus last month was a prelude to greater use of such weapons. “There are a lot of options on the table, and they’re generally carrying equal weight at the moment,” a senior administration official said Friday. He declined to discuss the others, though Mr. Hagel talked on Thursday about arming rebel groups So far, President Obama has been reluctant to get involved in the Syrian conflict. He has ruled out placing American forces on the ground, a stance he reiterated on Friday at a new conference in San José, Costa Rica, where he was meeting with Latin American leaders. Mr. Obama told reporters he did not foresee a situation in which “American boots on the ground in Syria would not only be good for America but also would be good for Syria,” adding that he had consulted with leaders in the Mideast who agree. When asked in recent days whether recent evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria crossed the “red line” he set in August, Mr. Obama described questions he would need to have answered — including when and how chemical weapons were used — before he would take action. Even then, he made clear, he may choose something well short of military action. By Israeli estimates, Syria has 15 to 20 major chemical weapons sites, many near airfields that would make transport by plane relatively easy. Military planners say they would want to avoid hitting the chemicals for fear of creating toxic sites that could injure or kill civilians. Ideally, one American commander said, the stockpiles would be surrounded, protected and then incinerated, much as the United States has done with its chemical arsenal. But that takes years, and as one official said, “We don’t have years, and we can’t keep troops there.” That is why attacking the delivery systems seems like the next best option to many in the administration. Israel was believed to be behind an attack on some Syrian missiles in February as they were about to be transported, presumably to Hezbollah. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli lawmakers that a Hezbollah missile attack, using chemical weapons, was one of his chief concerns. If Mr. Obama and his allies proceeded with an attack on air defenses, missiles and the Syrian Air Force, they would most likely use Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from ships in the eastern Mediterranean and fighter jets that might be able to fire missiles without entering Syrian airspace. But it is unclear how effective those would be. Mr. Obama has always made clear that any action should be taken with allies and neighbors. But NATO has been reluctant, and Russia, which keeps a naval base in Syria, has been opposed. Israeli officials have said that they do not want to go into Syria, fearing that any Israeli attack would fuel Mr. Assad’s argument that the civil war in his country is the result of foreign provocations. Some Israeli officials have argued that the Arab League should be in the vanguard of any attack, but it has shown little interest in direct military intervention in the Syrian conflict. That has left the same trio that led the attack on Libya in 2011: the United States, Britain and France. There has been constant discussion among their militaries about “options of every kind,” one official involved in the talks said this week. “Clearly, an airstrike would be much more complex than in Libya,” the official said, noting that most of the targets there were in the desert. The deliberations on how to respond militarily to any confirmed use of chemical weapons was taking place against the backdrop of some of the most intense conventional fighting in the two-year-old Syrian conflict, which has left more than 70,000 people dead. Opposition activists and fighters in Syria accused Mr. Assad’s military of carrying out attacks for the second straight day on the Mediterranean seaport of Baniyas and the village of Bayda, where dozens of civilians, including children, were found dead Thursday, some stabbed and burned. The National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, the main anti-Assad political group, said in a statement that the attacks constituted another war crime. Syria’s official SANA news agency said nothing about civilian killings in Baniyas or Bayda in its dispatches on the fighting, asserting that its forces had “destroyed a number of terrorists’ dens and gatherings in several areas, killing and injuring many terrorists.” It also said insurgents had lobbed mortar shells at the Damascus airport. www.nytimes.com/2013/05/05/world/middleeast/israel-syria.html?pagewanted=2&google_editors_picks=true&_r=0
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Post by jeffolie on May 5, 2013 8:04:45 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ May 5, 2013 BEIRUT (Reuters) - Israeli jets bombed Syria on Sunday, rocking Damascus for hours and sending pillars of flame into the night sky in what a Western source called a new strike on Iranian missiles bound for Lebanon's Hezbollah. Local people reported massive explosions and internet video showed the capital's skyline lit by flashes; Syrian opponents of President Bashar al-Assad rejoiced at Israel's third raid this year, and second in 48 hours, while anger in Tehran highlighted how Syria's civil war risks spinning further beyond its borders. Israel, while declining to confirm the strike, stressed its focus was to deny its Lebanese foes new Iranian firepower and not take sides between Assad, long seen as a toothless adversary, and rebels who have won sympathy from Israel's Western allies but who also include al Qaeda Islamists hostile to the Jewish state. It appears to calculate that Assad will not risk forces he needs to fight the rebels by attacking a much stronger Israel. Syrian state television said the bombing around a military research facility at Jamraya ... www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-blasts-idUSBRE94400020130505
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Post by jeffolie on May 5, 2013 15:56:57 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ================================== Israel's likely targets in Syria: Iran and HezbollahMay 5, 2013 JERUSALEM – With three air strikes on targets in Syria since January, Israel is inserting itself into the Arab Spring’s most intractable conflict, heightening fears that the civil war could spiral into a regional conflagration. But as some quietly confirmed Israel’s involvement in Sunday’s attack against a Syrian weapons facility outside Damascus, Israeli officials insisted their goals in Syria are narrow, and portrayed the engagement as defensive and largely unrelated to the fighting between rebel groups and the regime of President Bashar Assad. Rather than trying to weaken Assad or tilt the scales for either side, Israelis say they have an eye past Syria’s 2-year-old conflict and toward the next war they expect to face the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The aim, they say, is to prevent Syria’s advanced weapons from being transferred to Lebanon. “We are not taking sides and we’re not interested in interfering in the internal affairs of Syria,’’ said a senior Israeli government official who was not authorized to speak publicly because Israel’s military has not officially confirmed its role in the attacks. “But we have to make sure these weapons do not fall into the hands of Hezbollah because the minute that happens it will be hard to track and monitor them,’’ he said “That’s the only reason we interfered. If we don’t take action now, we will be on the receiving end of those missiles. We have to act to guarantee our security, and that applies to Syria and Iran.” The official acknowledged Israel’s role in the recent attacks, but would not specify the targets. He said Sunday’s attack prevented Hezbollah from adding a new kind of missile capability to its arsenal. Israeli and American media reports have suggested the target was a weapons facility holding either Iranian-made Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles or their Syrian-made counterpart, the M-600. Israelis noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that transferring chemical or advanced weapons to Hezbollah would be a red line as far Israel is concerned. But that does not appear to have deterred Assad or Hezbollah from seeking to transfer such weapons, Israelis say. Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli military intelligence chief, praised the government for taking a firm stance on its red line and said Syria is becoming the battleground for the latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, with backing from Iran. “One can argue that Syria is only involved geographically,’’ said Yadlin, now director of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “These are Iranian weapons going to Lebanon.” Yadlin said Israel’s attempt to limit its targets to Hezbollah-bound weapons and to avoid overt attacks against Assad and his forces may reduce the pressure on both Assad and Hezbollah to retaliate. “It enables Syrians to say this isn’t our business and enables Hezbollah to decide they weren’t the one attacked. Both sides can go into a zone of deniability.” But he acknowledged that Israel is taking a risk that Syria, Iran or Hezbollah might strike back. “Strategically Israel is walking a very fine line here,’’ he said. “There is a risk of creating a conflict in the north with Syria that is not in Israel’s interest.” Netanyahu did not comment Sunday about the attack, but convened his security cabinet to discuss the matter. Two Iron Dome missile-interception systems were deployed in northern Israel and commercial air flights in the region were suspended as a precaution. But the prime minister apparently felt confident enough to proceed with a diplomatic trip to China, leaving Israel Sunday evening. Around the Arab world, several nations condemned what they characterized as Israeli aggression and called upon the U.N. to take action. A Syrian Foreign Ministry official told CNN that the attack was a “declaration of war.” Nevertheless most Israeli officials are betting that both Assad and Hezbollah, which has sent its fighters to support Syria’s regime, will be too preoccupied with Assad’s struggle for survival to open a new front with Israel. Likud lawmaker and Netanyahu confidant Tzachi Hanegbi told the Israeli news site Ynet that a Syrian retaliation “was deemed to be a long shot.” The real wild card might be Iran, where officials previously warned, following a similar Israeli attack in January, that any strike against Syria would be viewed as an strike against Iran. “The bombing of Syria is really more of a test of Iran than Assad,’’ said Moshe Maoz, a Hebrew University professor and Syria expert. “Israel is testing the patience and strategy of Iran and wants to see Iran’s reaction, which might help if Israel attacks Iran itself one day.” Israel, with the Middle East’s only nuclear weapons arsenal, has threatened to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent the Islamic republic from building its own nuclear bomb. Syria’s unrest is providing both Israel and Iran with an opportunity to advance their interests amid the chaos, analysts say. Hezbollah and Iran see an opportunity to accelerate the transfer of sophisticated weapons to Lebanon, particularly as Assad’s survival appears uncertain. Israel would like to break the long-standing weapons pipeline from Iran through Syria, which enabled Hezbollah to rearm itself after its 2006 war with Israel. “Israel is entering the scene to engage in damage control,” said Uzi Rabi, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University. He called Israel’s attack a preemptive strategy. “Sitting on the fence for any length of time will result in equipping potential enemies with dangerous weapons,” he said www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-israel-syria-hezbollah-20130505,0,5395826,full.story
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Post by jeffolie on May 5, 2013 16:33:26 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ================================== Israel's likely targets in Syria: Iran and HezbollahMay 5, 2013 JERUSALEM – With three air strikes on targets in Syria since January, Israel is inserting itself into the Arab Spring’s most intractable conflict, heightening fears that the civil war could spiral into a regional conflagration. But as some quietly confirmed Israel’s involvement in Sunday’s attack against a Syrian weapons facility outside Damascus, Israeli officials insisted their goals in Syria are narrow, and portrayed the engagement as defensive and largely unrelated to the fighting between rebel groups and the regime of President Bashar Assad. Rather than trying to weaken Assad or tilt the scales for either side, Israelis say they have an eye past Syria’s 2-year-old conflict and toward the next war they expect to face the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The aim, they say, is to prevent Syria’s advanced weapons from being transferred to Lebanon. “We are not taking sides and we’re not interested in interfering in the internal affairs of Syria,’’ said a senior Israeli government official who was not authorized to speak publicly because Israel’s military has not officially confirmed its role in the attacks. “But we have to make sure these weapons do not fall into the hands of Hezbollah because the minute that happens it will be hard to track and monitor them,’’ he said “That’s the only reason we interfered. If we don’t take action now, we will be on the receiving end of those missiles. We have to act to guarantee our security, and that applies to Syria and Iran.” The official acknowledged Israel’s role in the recent attacks, but would not specify the targets. He said Sunday’s attack prevented Hezbollah from adding a new kind of missile capability to its arsenal. Israeli and American media reports have suggested the target was a weapons facility holding either Iranian-made Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles or their Syrian-made counterpart, the M-600. Israelis noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that transferring chemical or advanced weapons to Hezbollah would be a red line as far Israel is concerned. But that does not appear to have deterred Assad or Hezbollah from seeking to transfer such weapons, Israelis say. Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli military intelligence chief, praised the government for taking a firm stance on its red line and said Syria is becoming the battleground for the latest escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, with backing from Iran. “One can argue that Syria is only involved geographically,’’ said Yadlin, now director of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “These are Iranian weapons going to Lebanon.” Yadlin said Israel’s attempt to limit its targets to Hezbollah-bound weapons and to avoid overt attacks against Assad and his forces may reduce the pressure on both Assad and Hezbollah to retaliate. “It enables Syrians to say this isn’t our business and enables Hezbollah to decide they weren’t the one attacked. Both sides can go into a zone of deniability.” But he acknowledged that Israel is taking a risk that Syria, Iran or Hezbollah might strike back. “Strategically Israel is walking a very fine line here,’’ he said. “There is a risk of creating a conflict in the north with Syria that is not in Israel’s interest.” Netanyahu did not comment Sunday about the attack, but convened his security cabinet to discuss the matter. Two Iron Dome missile-interception systems were deployed in northern Israel and commercial air flights in the region were suspended as a precaution. But the prime minister apparently felt confident enough to proceed with a diplomatic trip to China, leaving Israel Sunday evening. Around the Arab world, several nations condemned what they characterized as Israeli aggression and called upon the U.N. to take action. A Syrian Foreign Ministry official told CNN that the attack was a “declaration of war.” Nevertheless most Israeli officials are betting that both Assad and Hezbollah, which has sent its fighters to support Syria’s regime, will be too preoccupied with Assad’s struggle for survival to open a new front with Israel. Likud lawmaker and Netanyahu confidant Tzachi Hanegbi told the Israeli news site Ynet that a Syrian retaliation “was deemed to be a long shot.” The real wild card might be Iran, where officials previously warned, following a similar Israeli attack in January, that any strike against Syria would be viewed as an strike against Iran. “The bombing of Syria is really more of a test of Iran than Assad,’’ said Moshe Maoz, a Hebrew University professor and Syria expert. “Israel is testing the patience and strategy of Iran and wants to see Iran’s reaction, which might help if Israel attacks Iran itself one day.” Israel, with the Middle East’s only nuclear weapons arsenal, has threatened to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities to prevent the Islamic republic from building its own nuclear bomb. Syria’s unrest is providing both Israel and Iran with an opportunity to advance their interests amid the chaos, analysts say. Hezbollah and Iran see an opportunity to accelerate the transfer of sophisticated weapons to Lebanon, particularly as Assad’s survival appears uncertain. Israel would like to break the long-standing weapons pipeline from Iran through Syria, which enabled Hezbollah to rearm itself after its 2006 war with Israel. “Israel is entering the scene to engage in damage control,” said Uzi Rabi, director of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University. He called Israel’s attack a preemptive strategy. “Sitting on the fence for any length of time will result in equipping potential enemies with dangerous weapons,” he said www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-israel-syria-hezbollah-20130505,0,5395826,full.story " ... Israeli strikes inside Syria may have exposed weaknesses in the regime’s air defenses and could embolden the U.S. and its allies to take more steps ... “The Russian-supplied air defense systems are not as good as said,” Sen. Patrick J. Leahy ...who heads the appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations, said the Israeli defense forces were using American-made F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to launch the missiles against Syrian targets ... ===================================== Israeli airstrikes may have exposed Syrian flaw, U.S. officials sayMay 5, 2013, 12:05 p.m. WASHINGTON — Recent Israeli strikes inside Syria may have exposed weaknesses in the regime’s air defenses and could embolden the U.S. and its allies to take more steps to aid rebels fighting the regime there, said lawmakers on Sunday. “The Russian-supplied air defense systems are not as good as said,” Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said on NBC’s "Meet the Press." Leahy, who heads the appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations, said the Israeli defense forces were using American-made F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to launch the missiles against Syrian targets. “Keep in mind the Israelis are using weapons supplied by us,” Leahy said. “They have enormous prowess with those weapons.” Government-controlled media in Syria reported that Israel launched a strike near Damascus early Sunday, apparently marking the third such attack this year. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said on "Fox News Sunday" that the Israeli airstrikes should “put more pressure” on the White House to aid forces fighting the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. McCain said the U.S. should not send in troops but called for “game-changing action” by the U.S. rather than incremental steps. McCain’s advice: “No American boots on the ground, establish a safe zone and protect it, and supply weapons to the right people in Syria who are fighting for obviously the things we believe in.” U.S. officials said Israeli war planes last week targeted shipments of antiaircraft missiles in Syria that Israel believed were being sent to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest wouldn’t comment on the reported Israeli strikes in Syria. Earnest said Obama believes Israel is justifiably concerned about the threat posed by Hezbollah obtaining advanced weapons systems, including missiles. The U.S. "is in very close contact" with the Israeli government on a range of issues, Earnest added. A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in Washington would not comment on the strike. Israel's policy in Syria is to take actions that prevent the transfer of chemical weapons or other game-changing weaponry to Hezbollah. The White House is weighing whether to arm Syrian rebels after intelligence reports indicated that the regime of Assad may have used nerve gas. In August, President Obama said the use of chemical weapons by Syria would spur the administration to more forceful actions against the regime. More than 70,000 people, most of them civilians, have died in the 2-year-old conflict, according to the United Nations. Forces supporting Assad reportedly shelled a town in western Syria on Thursday 2 and killed more than 100 men, women and children. The White House was “horrified” by reports of the massacre in the town of Bayda, Earnest told reporters during Obama’s flight to give a graduation speech at Ohio State University in Columbus. “Those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of human-rights law must be held accountable,” said Earnest on Sunday. “As Bashar al Assad continues to cling to power, we will not lose sight of the men, women and children who are being killed by his regime," he said. Earnest reiterated the president’s position that Assad must leave power. www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-israel-syria-us-20130505,0,7802333.story
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Post by jeffolie on May 5, 2013 16:37:45 GMT -6
I wonder if the same Russian air defense systems in Syria exists in Iran ...
if so, then Iran is also exposed to the same tactic used against the Russian system in Syria
if so, an Israeli attack would be more likely to be able to hit Iran
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Post by jeffolie on May 5, 2013 18:23:07 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ Syria, Iran threaten retaliation against Israel over airstrike January 31, 2013www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/31/syria-iran-threaten-retaliation-against-israel-over-airstrike/Obama's rhetoric shifted today ... leaks of escalation================================== Reported Israeli airstrikes in Syria could accelerate U.S. decision process May 5, 2013 Israel’s reported airstrikes in Syria — and the threat of a retaliatory strike by the Syrian government — are likely to accelerate decision-making within the United States, where the Obama administration was already moving toward a sharp escalation of U.S. involvement in the two-year-old crisis. Senior officials said the deployment of U.S. troops to Syria remains unlikely, but they have indicated that a decision will come within weeks on options ranging from the supply of weapons to the Syrian rebels to the use of U.S. aircraft and missiles to ground President Bashar al-Assad’s air power by destroying planes, runways and missile sites inside Syria. Neither Israeli nor U.S. officials confirmed an attack Sunday morning that reportedly hit a weapons shipment in Syria — including sophisticated missiles and air defense equipment — about to be transferred to Lebanon-based Hezbollah. But President Obama, in an interview broadcast just hours later on Sunday, said Israel is justified in preventing the provision of weapons to Hezbollah. “We coordinate very closely with the Israelis, recognizing that they are very close to Syria, they’re very close to Lebanon,” Obama said in the interview, recorded Saturday with the Spanish-language Telemundo, after an earlier Israeli attack reported late Friday. Throughout the Syrian crisis, the administration has repeatedly voiced the belief that Syria is already awash in weapons and that sending more will not tip the balance in favor of the rebels. Now, in part because of growing confidence in the rebel Free Syrian Army, “the national security team and the diplomatic team around the president” favor increased involvement, and their views are gaining momentum despite the caution expressed by Obama’s political advisers, according to a senior Western official whose government has closely coordinated its Syria policy with Washington and who spoke before the reported Israeli strikes. The official discussed sensitive diplomatic assessments on the condition of anonymity. Even U.S. lawmakers who have expressed reservations about stepped-up U.S. involvement appeared to now see it as inevitable. “If we are going to arm the rebels, we have to make sure those arms are not going to end up in the possession of al-Qaeda supporters,” Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) expressed similar concern but said he believes that Obama is moving toward action. “The idea of getting weapons in — if we know the right people to get them — my guess is we will give them to them,” Leahy said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.), the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, urged that action be taken only with other partners. “We can’t be the sheriff to the whole world,” Ruppersberger said. “We have our own issues right now — Iraq, Afghanistan, we have sequestration, those type of issues. So when we make the move to get in, we have to do it with a coalition.” The Israeli strikes — following reports in recent weeks that Assad’s forces probably deployed chemical weapons in unknown quantities — appeared to bolster the case of those who have long favored direct U.S. support for the rebels. www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/reported-israeli-airstrikes-in-syria-could-accelerate-us-decision-making/2013/05/05/72c6eafc-b5c2-11e2-92f3-f291801936b8_story.html
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Post by jeffolie on May 7, 2013 11:22:59 GMT -6
slowly escalate War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ EXCLUSIVE: Assad Green-Lights Palestinian “Operations” Against Israel on the Golan Heights, Threatens Missile Attacks — Syrian TV by Avi Issacharoff | 05.06.13 Two mortar shells struck Israel’s Golan Heights on Monday in the early evening local time. Though the IDF described the mortars as accidental spillover from fighting across the border in Syria, they are bound to deepen fears of escalating violence in the region. On Friday and Sunday Israel reportedly struck Iranian and Hezbollah assets based in Syria. The Israelis have subsequently made extensive efforts to dampen tensions – IAF jets had conducted the air strikes from Lebanese air space, staying out of Syria – but nonetheless Damascus has been signaling that it may escalate the situation. Most pointedly, Syrian state TV announced today that President Bashar al-Assad was activating Palestinian groups to retaliate against Israel. Al-Ikhbariya announced that the government had given a green light to Palestinian groups to conduct “operations” against Israeli targets on the Golan Heights. Hezbollah-linked media, meanwhile, reported that Lebanon and Syria had established “popular committees” ready to fight Israel in the region. The Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al Rai, quoting sources close to Assad, reported that the Syrian leader had used Russian backchannels to tell the Israelis that Damascus would react if Israel struck Syria again. Syria, they said, would consider any such act a declaration of war and would contemplate firing surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles at Israel. Syrian sources told a range of media outlets that Damascus had deployed missile batteries aimed at Israel that could respond to any further Israeli actions. Errant mortars and other projectiles from Syria have fallen on the Golan Heights a number of times over the two-year Syrian civil war. After Monday’s incident Israel filed a complaint against the UN observer force monitoring the two countries’ border. Israeli troops were filmed operating on the Golan today: www.thetower.org/exclusive-assad-green-lights-palestinian-operations-against-israel-on-the-golan-heights-threatens-missile-attacks-syrian-tv/
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Post by jeffolie on May 16, 2013 9:57:09 GMT -6
Russian Pacific Fleet Warships Enter Mediterranean For First Time In Decades, To Park In Cyprus 05/16/2013 Earlier we reported that the US has now officially landed a Marine force in Israel as well as an assault ship, in a visit that the US Navy promptly assured "is not associated with, nor a reaction to, any world events." It seems we were not the only ones who read this justification somewhat skeptically: so did Russia. And in a historic event, the Russian Pacific fleet, for the first time in decades, crossed the Suez Canal and entered the Mediterranean, direction Cyprus' port of Limasol (hi Cyprus - Russia will be arriving shortly) in what is now the loudest implied warning to the US and Israel amassing military units across Syria's border that Russia will not stand idly by as Syria is used by the Israeli "Defense" Forces for target practice. “The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Capt. First Rank Roman Martov said. This is what is also known as dropping hints, loud and clear. The group, including the destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, the amphibious warfare ships Peresvet and Admiral Nevelskoi, the tanker Pechenga and the salvage/rescue tug Fotiy Krylov left the port of Vladivostok on March 19 to join Russia’s Mediterranean task force. Admiral Panteleyev destroyer Admiral Nevelskoi The task force currently includes the large anti-submarine ship Severomorsk, the frigate Yaroslav Mudry, the salvage/rescue tugs Altai and SB-921 and the tanker Lena from the Northern and Baltic Fleets, as well as the Ropucha-II Class landing ship Azov from the Black Sea Fleet. The task force may be enlarged to include nuclear submarines, Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov said last Sunday. Shore leave for a whole lot of submarines just a few hundred kilometers from Syria? Surely. From Rian. “The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Capt. First Rank Roman Martov said. The Defense Ministry said in April Russia has begun setting up a naval task force in the Mediterranean, sending several warships from the Pacific Fleet to the region. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in March a permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean was needed to defend Russia’s interests in the region. A senior Defense Ministry official said the Mediterranean task force's command and control agencies will be based either in Novorossiysk, Russia, or in Sevastopol, Ukraine. Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, head of the parliamentary defense committee, previously told RIA Novosti that the Mediterranean task force should be comprised of 10 warships and support vessels as part of several tactical groups tasked with attack, antisubmarine warfare and minesweeping. The Soviet Union maintained its 5th Mediterranean Squadron from 1967 until 1992. It was formed to counter the US Navy's 6th Fleet during the Cold War, and consisted of 30-50 warships and auxiliary vessels. It appears that the squadron is being reincarnated and quite rapidly at that. It also appears that the two key naval forces in the Mediterranean are finally starting to position themselves for what may soon be a face off. Hopefully Europe's "anti-manipulation" task force can spook enough majors to push the price of Brent much lower before the moment such an escalation becomes reality. P.S. Got oil? www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-16/russian-pacific-fleet-warships-enter-mediterranean-first-time-decades
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Post by jeffolie on May 17, 2013 10:53:15 GMT -6
Russian Pacific Fleet Warships Enter Mediterranean For First Time In Decades, To Park In Cyprus 05/16/2013 Earlier we reported that the US has now officially landed a Marine force in Israel as well as an assault ship, in a visit that the US Navy promptly assured "is not associated with, nor a reaction to, any world events." It seems we were not the only ones who read this justification somewhat skeptically: so did Russia. And in a historic event, the Russian Pacific fleet, for the first time in decades, crossed the Suez Canal and entered the Mediterranean, direction Cyprus' port of Limasol (hi Cyprus - Russia will be arriving shortly) in what is now the loudest implied warning to the US and Israel amassing military units across Syria's border that Russia will not stand idly by as Syria is used by the Israeli "Defense" Forces for target practice. “The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Capt. First Rank Roman Martov said. This is what is also known as dropping hints, loud and clear. The group, including the destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, the amphibious warfare ships Peresvet and Admiral Nevelskoi, the tanker Pechenga and the salvage/rescue tug Fotiy Krylov left the port of Vladivostok on March 19 to join Russia’s Mediterranean task force. Admiral Panteleyev destroyer Admiral Nevelskoi The task force currently includes the large anti-submarine ship Severomorsk, the frigate Yaroslav Mudry, the salvage/rescue tugs Altai and SB-921 and the tanker Lena from the Northern and Baltic Fleets, as well as the Ropucha-II Class landing ship Azov from the Black Sea Fleet. The task force may be enlarged to include nuclear submarines, Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov said last Sunday. Shore leave for a whole lot of submarines just a few hundred kilometers from Syria? Surely. From Rian. “The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Capt. First Rank Roman Martov said. The Defense Ministry said in April Russia has begun setting up a naval task force in the Mediterranean, sending several warships from the Pacific Fleet to the region. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in March a permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean was needed to defend Russia’s interests in the region. A senior Defense Ministry official said the Mediterranean task force's command and control agencies will be based either in Novorossiysk, Russia, or in Sevastopol, Ukraine. Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, head of the parliamentary defense committee, previously told RIA Novosti that the Mediterranean task force should be comprised of 10 warships and support vessels as part of several tactical groups tasked with attack, antisubmarine warfare and minesweeping. The Soviet Union maintained its 5th Mediterranean Squadron from 1967 until 1992. It was formed to counter the US Navy's 6th Fleet during the Cold War, and consisted of 30-50 warships and auxiliary vessels. It appears that the squadron is being reincarnated and quite rapidly at that. It also appears that the two key naval forces in the Mediterranean are finally starting to position themselves for what may soon be a face off. Hopefully Europe's "anti-manipulation" task force can spook enough majors to push the price of Brent much lower before the moment such an escalation becomes reality. P.S. Got oil? www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-16/russian-pacific-fleet-warships-enter-mediterranean-first-time-decades Russia boosts fleet off Syria From: The Wall Street Journal May 18, 2013 RUSSIA has sent a dozen or more warships to patrol waters near its naval base in Syria, a build-up that US and European officials see as a new, aggressive stance meant partly to warn the West and Israel not to intervene in Syria's bloody civil war. Russia's expanded presence in the eastern Mediterranean, which began attracting US officials' notice three months ago, is one of its largest sustained naval deployments since the Cold War. While Western officials say they don't fear an impending conflict with Russia's aged fleet, the presence adds a new potential source of dangerous miscalculation in an increasingly combustible region. "It is a show of force. It's muscle flexing," a senior US defence official said. "It is about demonstrating their commitment to their interests." The build-up is seen as Moscow's way of trying to strengthen its hand in any talks over Syria's future and buttress its influence in the Middle East. It also provides options for evacuating tens of thousands of Russians still in Syria. Moscow and Washington have worked publicly in recent days to assemble an international conference involving Damascus. But expectations are low that the meeting could lead to a political transition, with tension high across the region, and with the US and Russia backing opposing camps. Russian President Vladimir Putin signalled this week that he will proceed with the sale of an advanced air-defence system to Syria, according to US intelligence reports, over Israeli and US objections. Hezbollah and its chief sponsor, Iran, also have rallied around President Bashar al-Assad, sharing Russia's interest in keeping the regime in place. Recent Israeli airstrikes inside Syria have targeted missiles believed to be from Tehran and bound for Hezbollah. US officials said yesterday that another round of Israeli airstrikes could target a new transfer of advanced missiles in the near future. Israeli and Western intelligence services believe the missiles could be transferred to Hezbollah within days. Russia has strongly protested previous Israeli strikes in Syria. Western defence officials say Russia appears to be trying to project power to deter a Libya-style intervention in Syria. The port of Tartus is Russia's only remaining military outpost outside the former Soviet Union. Consisting of a pair of piers staffed by about 50 people, according to Russian data, the base provides a toehold in the region that has grown in strategic and symbolic importance for Moscow. "It's not really a base," said Andrei Frolov, an analyst at CAST, a Moscow military think tank. "It's more like a service station." US officials believe Russia has plans to expand the base, which it negotiated with Assad. Mr Obama yesterday held out some hope that the coming conference with Russia would help achieve a consensus. "There's no magic formula for dealing with an extraordinarily violent and difficult situation like Syria's," Mr Obama said at a news conference in Washington with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "I do think that the prospect of talks in Geneva involving the Russians may yield results." Moscow's diplomacy notwithstanding, US officials believe that in addition to the naval deployments, Russia is moving more quickly than previously thought to deliver S-300 surface-to-air defence systems to Syria.
US officials say the S-300 system, which is capable of shooting down guided missiles and could make it more risky for any warplanes to enter Syrian airspace, could leave Russia for the port of Tartus by the end of the month.Russian officials first announced the navy was deploying ships to the eastern Mediterranean near Syria starting late last year. In January, the Russian navy used these and other ships to conduct what it billed as some of the largest exercises in recent years in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Before the start of the Syrian civil war, Russian ships stopped at the port only irregularly. But in the past three months, 10 to 15 ships have been near the Syrian port at all timeswww.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/russia-boosts-fleet-off-syria/story-fnay3ubk-1226645594608
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Post by jeffolie on May 17, 2013 12:43:48 GMT -6
Russian Pacific Fleet Warships Enter Mediterranean For First Time In Decades, To Park In Cyprus 05/16/2013 Earlier we reported that the US has now officially landed a Marine force in Israel as well as an assault ship, in a visit that the US Navy promptly assured "is not associated with, nor a reaction to, any world events." It seems we were not the only ones who read this justification somewhat skeptically: so did Russia. And in a historic event, the Russian Pacific fleet, for the first time in decades, crossed the Suez Canal and entered the Mediterranean, direction Cyprus' port of Limasol (hi Cyprus - Russia will be arriving shortly) in what is now the loudest implied warning to the US and Israel amassing military units across Syria's border that Russia will not stand idly by as Syria is used by the Israeli "Defense" Forces for target practice. “The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Capt. First Rank Roman Martov said. This is what is also known as dropping hints, loud and clear. The group, including the destroyer Admiral Panteleyev, the amphibious warfare ships Peresvet and Admiral Nevelskoi, the tanker Pechenga and the salvage/rescue tug Fotiy Krylov left the port of Vladivostok on March 19 to join Russia’s Mediterranean task force. Admiral Panteleyev destroyer Admiral Nevelskoi The task force currently includes the large anti-submarine ship Severomorsk, the frigate Yaroslav Mudry, the salvage/rescue tugs Altai and SB-921 and the tanker Lena from the Northern and Baltic Fleets, as well as the Ropucha-II Class landing ship Azov from the Black Sea Fleet. The task force may be enlarged to include nuclear submarines, Navy Commander Admiral Viktor Chirkov said last Sunday. Shore leave for a whole lot of submarines just a few hundred kilometers from Syria? Surely. From Rian. “The task force has successfully passed through the Suez Channel and entered the Mediterranean. It is the first time in decades that Pacific Fleet warships enter this region,” Capt. First Rank Roman Martov said. The Defense Ministry said in April Russia has begun setting up a naval task force in the Mediterranean, sending several warships from the Pacific Fleet to the region. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in March a permanent naval task force in the Mediterranean was needed to defend Russia’s interests in the region. A senior Defense Ministry official said the Mediterranean task force's command and control agencies will be based either in Novorossiysk, Russia, or in Sevastopol, Ukraine. Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, head of the parliamentary defense committee, previously told RIA Novosti that the Mediterranean task force should be comprised of 10 warships and support vessels as part of several tactical groups tasked with attack, antisubmarine warfare and minesweeping. The Soviet Union maintained its 5th Mediterranean Squadron from 1967 until 1992. It was formed to counter the US Navy's 6th Fleet during the Cold War, and consisted of 30-50 warships and auxiliary vessels. It appears that the squadron is being reincarnated and quite rapidly at that. It also appears that the two key naval forces in the Mediterranean are finally starting to position themselves for what may soon be a face off. Hopefully Europe's "anti-manipulation" task force can spook enough majors to push the price of Brent much lower before the moment such an escalation becomes reality. P.S. Got oil? www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-16/russian-pacific-fleet-warships-enter-mediterranean-first-time-decades Russia boosts fleet off Syria From: The Wall Street Journal May 18, 2013 RUSSIA has sent a dozen or more warships to patrol waters near its naval base in Syria, a build-up that US and European officials see as a new, aggressive stance meant partly to warn the West and Israel not to intervene in Syria's bloody civil war. Russia's expanded presence in the eastern Mediterranean, which began attracting US officials' notice three months ago, is one of its largest sustained naval deployments since the Cold War. While Western officials say they don't fear an impending conflict with Russia's aged fleet, the presence adds a new potential source of dangerous miscalculation in an increasingly combustible region. "It is a show of force. It's muscle flexing," a senior US defence official said. "It is about demonstrating their commitment to their interests." The build-up is seen as Moscow's way of trying to strengthen its hand in any talks over Syria's future and buttress its influence in the Middle East. It also provides options for evacuating tens of thousands of Russians still in Syria. Moscow and Washington have worked publicly in recent days to assemble an international conference involving Damascus. But expectations are low that the meeting could lead to a political transition, with tension high across the region, and with the US and Russia backing opposing camps. Russian President Vladimir Putin signalled this week that he will proceed with the sale of an advanced air-defence system to Syria, according to US intelligence reports, over Israeli and US objections. Hezbollah and its chief sponsor, Iran, also have rallied around President Bashar al-Assad, sharing Russia's interest in keeping the regime in place. Recent Israeli airstrikes inside Syria have targeted missiles believed to be from Tehran and bound for Hezbollah. US officials said yesterday that another round of Israeli airstrikes could target a new transfer of advanced missiles in the near future. Israeli and Western intelligence services believe the missiles could be transferred to Hezbollah within days. Russia has strongly protested previous Israeli strikes in Syria. Western defence officials say Russia appears to be trying to project power to deter a Libya-style intervention in Syria. The port of Tartus is Russia's only remaining military outpost outside the former Soviet Union. Consisting of a pair of piers staffed by about 50 people, according to Russian data, the base provides a toehold in the region that has grown in strategic and symbolic importance for Moscow. "It's not really a base," said Andrei Frolov, an analyst at CAST, a Moscow military think tank. "It's more like a service station." US officials believe Russia has plans to expand the base, which it negotiated with Assad. Mr Obama yesterday held out some hope that the coming conference with Russia would help achieve a consensus. "There's no magic formula for dealing with an extraordinarily violent and difficult situation like Syria's," Mr Obama said at a news conference in Washington with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "I do think that the prospect of talks in Geneva involving the Russians may yield results." Moscow's diplomacy notwithstanding, US officials believe that in addition to the naval deployments, Russia is moving more quickly than previously thought to deliver S-300 surface-to-air defence systems to Syria.
US officials say the S-300 system, which is capable of shooting down guided missiles and could make it more risky for any warplanes to enter Syrian airspace, could leave Russia for the port of Tartus by the end of the month.Russian officials first announced the navy was deploying ships to the eastern Mediterranean near Syria starting late last year. In January, the Russian navy used these and other ships to conduct what it billed as some of the largest exercises in recent years in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Before the start of the Syrian civil war, Russian ships stopped at the port only irregularly. But in the past three months, 10 to 15 ships have been near the Syrian port at all timeswww.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/russia-boosts-fleet-off-syria/story-fnay3ubk-1226645594608 www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22565405yet more " ... Russia has sent sophisticated anti-ship missiles to Syria, US media report. Bombing of Syria happened despite the Russians' naval base and larger ship patrol fleet.
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Post by jeffolie on May 19, 2013 16:05:42 GMT -6
Benjamin Netanyahu threatens more Israeli strikes on Syria Benjamin Netanyahu raised the prospect of further Israeli strikes on Syria today, amid claims that Bashar al-Assad's regime has installed high-tech weapons aimed at hitting Tel Aviv. 19 May 2013 The Israeli prime minister said his government would act "with determination" to prevent arms being transferred from Syria to Hizbollah, the Lebanese Shia group, which last week claimed it would soon acquire "game changing" weapons to attack Israel. "The government of Israel is working responsibly and with determination and sagacity, in order to ensure the supreme interest of the State of Israel... to... prevent the transfer of advanced weapons to Hizbollah and to [other] terrorist elements," Mr Netanyahu said at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting. "We will work to ensure Israelis' security interest in the future as well." The Israeli air force is widely assumed to have been responsible for two raids this month that targeted weapons stocks in Syria supposedly destined for Hizbollah.. Mr Netanyahu said the Middle East was in the midst of "one of its most sensitive periods in decades with the escalating upheaval in Syria at its centre". His remarks coincided with a newspaper report that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria had put surface-to-surface Tishreen missiles, the country's most advances weapons, on stand-by with orders to strike Tel Aviv in the event of a further Israeli raid. Related Articles Syria: hundreds of families flee 'death squads' as Israel takes out missile convoys 04 May 2013 Israel launches air strike on Syria 04 May 2013 Richard Spencer: air strike hints at change in Israeli approach 04 May 2013 Israeli attack kills at least 15 elite Republican Guards 07 May 2013 John Kerry in Moscow to push for Syria solutions after Israel airstrikes 06 May 2013 Syria: Jabhat al-Nusra split after leader's pledge of support for al-Qaeda 19 May 2013 The Sunday Times reported that the missiles - which can carry a half-ton pay load - had been monitored by Israeli reconnaissance satellites. Mr Assad, who has vowed to retaliate against the previous attacks, accused Israel of using armed rebels fighting to topple his regime to conduct an attack inside Syria that paved the way for the subsequent Israeli air raids. "Israel is directly supporting the terrorist groups in two ways, firstly it gives them logistical support and it also tells them what sites to attack and how to attack them," he told the Argentine newspaper, Clarin. "For example, they attacked a radar station that is part of our anti-aircraft defences, which can detect any plane coming from overseas, especially from Israel." The threats and counter-threats came amid conflicting reports about whether Israeli officials think Israel's interests might be best served if Mr Assad's regime survived the two-year insurgency against it. A spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces denied suggestions that the country's security establishment wants to see Mr Assad stay in power to prevent a jihadist takeover of Syria. Security officials are said to have revised earlier assessments that his government was on the verge of crumbling, saying they under-estimated its ability to survive. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/10066991/Benjamin-Netanyahu-threatens-more-Israeli-strikes-on-Syria.html
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Post by jeffolie on May 21, 2013 7:47:36 GMT -6
Assad, Syria openly proclaims DMZ warmy jeffolie view: the slow escalation took the war to a more active level and politics matters for Syria to be claim the action openly========================================= For first time, Assad regime claims responsibility for firing into Israel Syrian forces, IDF exchange fire in Golan for third time this week; Israel returns fire after IDF jeep damaged by the gunfire, denies Syrian claims vehicle destroyed. May.21, 2013 Syria's government took responsibility for firing into Israeli territory Tuesday, the first time that the regime of President Bashar al- Assad has made such a claim. Syrian forces fired into Israeli territory on Monday night, the third such incident this week. At approximately 1:00 AM, Syrian forces fired at IDF troops patrolling near Tel Fares in the central Golan Heights. No one was wounded, but an army jeep was damaged. Syrian State TV reported Tuesday afternoon that the Syrian army destroyed an armored Israel Defense Forces vehicle that entered the demilitarized zone between the two countries in Bir Ajam and that at least one person was inside when it exploded. Senior IDF officials told Haaretz that the claim the vehicle was destroyed was fabricated. The Syrian declaration comes after more than 10 such incidents took place over the last year. The IDF believes the assumption of responsibility for the fire is part of a new policy adopted by Assad since the aerial attacks in April to open a front against Israel on the Golan Heights. Responding to events on the Syrian border, Defense Minister Moshe Boogie Ayalon said "Our policy is clear: We do not interfere in what goes on in Syria, or in its civil war. As for the situation in the Golan Heights, we do not and will not allow any Syrian fire to enter our territory. Last night a Syrian army target was destroyed as a result of such fire." Following the incident, the Artillery Corps returned fire with precision Tammuz missiles. IDF officials said that a military response to the firing incidents on the border was being considered in detail and in accordance with a situation assessment in progress. It is not yet known whether the gunfire was aimed at the IDF troops or was stray fire from the nearby fighting between the Syrian army and the rebels. In an additional fallout from the Syrian conflict Tueday, the IDF transferred a Syrian national injured by fighting in his country to Rebecca Sieff Hospital in Safed. He went into surgery to treat shrapnel wounds to his abdomen. He is now in stable condition. Earlier this week, IDF troops were fired upon near Tel Hazeka in two separate incidents. There were no injuries or damage in either incident. While the IDF did not return fire, IDF officials sent a message to the UNDOF troops charged with maintaining the cease-fire between Israel and Syria. This is the third time the IDF has fired a Tammuz missile in response to Syrian fire at Israel. The Tammuz missiles, which are fired by the Artillery Corps, are capable of precision strikes at targets up to 25 kilometers away, using an electro-optic sensor. The estimated cost of every Tammuz missile is half a million shekels. During the Shavuot holiday, mortar shells were fired at Mount Hermon for the first time since the stray gunfire from the civil war in Syria began. A Palestinian group took responsibility for the gunfire, which took place on Nakba Day. After the incident, IDF officials closed the site to visitors and later reopened it. After the chief of staff met with the Northern Command to discuss the incident, a decision was made not to retaliate. www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/for-first-time-assad-regime-claims-responsibility-for-firing-into-israel-1.525188
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Post by jeffolie on May 23, 2013 9:08:39 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike " ... International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna ... since February Iran has added more than 520 advanced-design IR-2M centrifuges at its plant in Natanz. The model has up to five times the capacity of the first-generation centrifuges to enrich uranium. ... The installations bring to about 700 the total number of the IR-2M centrifuges, toward Iran’s goal of 3,132. my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ Iran has boosted uranium enrichment capacity, report says Iran has added more than 500 new-model centrifuges at its nuclear enrichment plant in Natanz. (European Pressphoto Agency / November 18, 2005) May 22, 2013, WASHINGTON -- Iran further increased its uranium enrichment capacity in the last three months, yet it also limited its progress in certain sensitive areas of its disputed nuclear program in an apparent attempt to avoid risking retaliation from Israel or the United States, according to a report issued Wednesday by the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency. The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna said that since February Iran has added more than 520 advanced-design IR-2M centrifuges at its plant in Natanz. The model has up to five times the capacity of the first-generation centrifuges to enrich uranium. The installations bring to about 700 the total number of the IR-2M centrifuges, toward Iran’s goal of 3,132. But Iran also limited the growth in its sensitive stockpile of 20% medium-enriched uranium, which can be easily converted to bomb-grade fuel, thus remaining below the Israeli “red line,” the agency found. Israel has been watching to see whether Iran accumulated 250 kilograms of the material, theoretically enough for one nuclear bomb. Patrick Ventrell, a State Department spokesman, said the report “marks an unfortunate milestone with regard to Iran’s illicit nuclear activities.” Experts have been watching to see whether Iran would push the program fast enough to threaten potential progress at the next round of international negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. Those talks are expected this fall. But some analysts said they believed Iran’s progress did not necessarily jeopardize those talks. “Supreme leader Ali Khamenei seeks a calm international and domestic backdrop for the June 14 presidential election. He was probably very insistent that this report not set off much controversy,” Cliff Kupchan, an Iran specialist at the Eurasia Group consulting group in Washington, wrote in an analysis. “Also, Iran in our view will approach diplomacy ... this autumn -- after the new president has taken office -- more seriously. Iran's economy is floundering, and the elite will at least want to see the West's best offer.” www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-iran-uranium-enrichment-20130522,0,5326833.story
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Post by jeffolie on May 26, 2013 12:44:22 GMT -6
Lebanon rockets, gun battles, Syria spillover " ... A pair of rockets slammed into the southern reaches of Beirut early Sunday ... Four men were injured but none killed in the rocket strikes, officials said. All the injured were Syrian laborers at a used car lot ... The northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, however, has seen a week of running gun battles between pro- and anti-Assad factions that have left at least 25 dead. ... . Many Sunni Muslims in Lebanon back the rebellion against Assad and resent Hezbollah’s intervention in the Syrian conflict. ... ===================================== Rockets hit Beirut, stirring fear of Syria conflict spillover May 26, 2013, BEIRUT--A pair of rockets slammed into the southern reaches of Beirut early Sunday, raising fears that spillover violence from the conflict in neighboring Syria could be spreading to the Lebanese capital. Four men were injured but none killed in the rocket strikes, officials said. All the injured were Syrian laborers at a used car lot where one of the rockets struck. The other shell hit a nearby apartment building. Authorities said the Grad rockets—known to be notoriously imprecise —were launched from an area about six miles away. The attacks targeted a district where the Shiite militant group Hezbollah is a dominant force. That prompted speculation that the assault was linked to Hezbollah’s role supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad against a more-than-two-year uprising. The rocket assault came a day after Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, gave a fiery speech vowing “victory” in Syria and pledging all-out support to Assad’s government. Many Sunni Muslims in Lebanon back the rebellion against Assad and resent Hezbollah’s intervention in the Syrian conflict. Various Lebanese politicians condemned the attacks as an attempt to foment sectarian strife. Until the Sunday morning strikes, Beirut had been largely immune from violence associated with the Syrian conflict. The northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, however, has seen a week of running gun battles between pro- and anti-Assad factions that have left at least 25 dead. www.latimes.com/news/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-rockets-hit-beirut-20130526,0,1775252.story ========================= Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As there has been no recent population census, the exact population is unknown; estimates in 2007 ranged from slightly more than 1 million to slightly less than 2 million. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport. ... During the 2006 Lebanon War, Israeli bombardment caused damage in many parts of Beirut, especially the poorer and largely Shiite South Beirut. In May 2008, after the government decided to disband Hezbollah's communications network (a decision it later rescinded), violent clashes broke out briefly between government allies and opposition forces, before control of the city was handed over to the Lebanese Army. After this a national dialogue conference was held in Doha at the invitation of the Prince of Qatar. The conference agreed to appoint a new president of Lebanon and to establish a new national government involving all the political adversaries. As a result of the Doha Agreement, the opposition's camp in the capital was removed. ... Beirut sits on a peninsula extending westward into the Mediterranean Sea about 94 km (58 mi) north of the Lebanon-Israel border. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beirut
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Post by jeffolie on Jun 14, 2013 7:40:00 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ Syria, Iran threaten retaliation against Israel over airstrike January 31, 2013 www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/31/syria-iran-threaten-retaliation-against-israel-over-airstrike/My jeffolie view from Jan 2013 ... focusing on Syria's Chemical weapons was true, correct so far ... more to comemy jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ U.S. says Syria used chemical weapons, will send arms to rebels White House declares that the government of Bashar Assad crossed a 'red line' with sarin gas in spring. Some U.S. lawmakers call for more forceful action. June 13, 2013 WASHINGTON — The White House declared Thursday that Syria had crossed a "red line" by using chemical weapons in that country's civil war, and in response, U.S. officials said, President Obama had authorized sending arms to some rebel groups. The arms will be provided to the rebel Supreme Military Council, an official said. The council is the military arm of an umbrella group that represents more moderate factions of the forces arrayed against the government of President Bashar Assad. White House officials would not comment on the decision to supply arms. In a two-month investigation, U.S. intelligence agencies found that sarin, a potent nerve gas, was used near Damascus, the Syrian capital, and in the northern city of Aleppo, Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes told reporters. Attacks took place from March through May, at a time when the U.S. and its allies had highlighted the issue and Obama had warned that use of chemical weapons would prompt a U.S. response. U.S. officials estimated that 100 to 150 people, perhaps more, were killed in the attacks. Rhodes made it clear that Obama, who has been deeply reluctant to involve the U.S. military in Syria's 2-year-old civil war, will continue to move cautiously. Though the administration will increase its support for the rebels, Rhodes said, Obama is not planning to impose a no-fly zone in Syria, a step pushed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and other advocates of more forceful U.S. action. "People need to understand that not only are there huge costs associated with a no-fly zone, not only would it be difficult to implement, but the notion that you can solve the very deeply rooted challenges on the ground in Syria from the air are not immediately apparent," Rhodes said. In many parts of Syria, civilians and armed groups from opposing sides are closely mingled, making an air operation hard to implement, he said. The administration intends to consult with the United Nations and allies, as well as Congress, before choosing how exactly to respond, Rhodes added. Obama plans to meet with allied leaders and with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Northern Ireland when he attends an annual economic summit. The decision to lift the U.S. ban on supplying arms to the rebels comes as the Syrian government and its allies, particularly the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militia, have made strong gains. Recent reports suggest they are preparing for an offensive around Aleppo, which is divided between pro-Assad and rebel forces. Though the decision by the U.S. carries considerable symbolic importance, its ability to significantly alter the power equation in Syria depends in part on the types and amounts of weapons. Providing only small arms, for example, might not be enough to tip the balance. Moreover, it remains unclear how long it will take new aid to reach the rebels. In April, U.S. officials announced $127 million in advanced nonlethal military aid for the rebels, including armored vehicles. The administration has not yet given Congress formal notification that it intends to send that materiel. Some analysts, as well as opposition leaders, have said that rebel militias will need heavier antitank and antiaircraft weapons to push back pro-Assad forces. Administration officials have opposed sending those sorts of weapons, fearing they could easily find their way to terrorist groups. Several of the rebel militias have ties to Al Qaeda and other militant Islamic groups, officials say, and those groups have gained strength as the conflict has dragged on. Dan Layman, a spokesman for the Syrian Support Group, an opposition group with offices in Washington, said Gen. Salim Idris, commander of the Supreme Military Council, urgently needs weapons to hold off government forces around Aleppo. "We have been in contact with Gen. Idris in the past few days, and his requests are the same: communications equipment, antitank weaponry, antiaircraft weaponry, and enough small arms ammunition to help him defend Aleppo, which is about to be under siege by nearly 20,000 regime and regime-allied forces," Layman said. McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) urged the president to take more forceful action: "The president's 'red line' has been crossed. U.S. credibility is on the line," they said in a statement. "Now is not the time to merely take the next incremental step. Now is the time for more decisive actions." Andrew Tabler, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a supporter of arming the rebels, called the U.S. announcement disappointing. "Given the urgency of the situation, the question is whether this is the policy response everyone was looking for. The answer is no," he said. "A red line, by definition, is military enforcement. We don't have that yet." The determination that the government had used chemical weapons stems from an investigation the White House ordered in April. At that time, U.S. intelligence agencies had assessed with "moderate confidence" that chemicals had been released, but had not reached a firm conclusion that Assad's forces were responsible. The White House said Thursday that the new assessment was made with "high confidence." U.S. intelligence agencies began their investigation because a United Nations probe authorized by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had been blocked by Assad. Rhodes said the United States intended to offer its evidence to the U.N. and Congress, and to prepare documents for public release. The new assessment includes information on how Syrian officials planned and executed the attacks and descriptions of physical symptoms consistent with chemical weapons use. Supporting evidence came from lab analysis of physiological samples, Rhodes said. French investigators also concluded this month that Assad's forces had used chemical weapons. Rhodes rejected the idea that the attacks had been committed by rebels, as the Syrian government has asserted. "We have not seen any reliable reporting" that "the opposition has acquired or used chemical weapons," he said. www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-us-syria-20130614,0,4788788,full.story
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Post by jeffolie on Jun 15, 2013 12:46:27 GMT -6
War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ Syria, Iran threaten retaliation against Israel over airstrike January 31, 2013 www.foxnews.com/world/2013/01/31/syria-iran-threaten-retaliation-against-israel-over-airstrike/My jeffolie view from Jan 2013 ... focusing on Syria's Chemical weapons was true, correct so far ... more to comemy jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended. ============================================ U.S. says Syria used chemical weapons, will send arms to rebels White House declares that the government of Bashar Assad crossed a 'red line' with sarin gas in spring. Some U.S. lawmakers call for more forceful action. June 13, 2013 WASHINGTON — The White House declared Thursday that Syria had crossed a "red line" by using chemical weapons in that country's civil war, and in response, U.S. officials said, President Obama had authorized sending arms to some rebel groups. The more to come has started coming ... US puts F16s, Patriots into Jordan ... =========================================================================== U.S. puts jets in Jordan, fuels Russian fear of Syria no-fly zone 6/15/2013 Reuters – 11 mins ago.. . Article: U.S. to keep missiles, jets in Jordan amid Syria crisis 10 mins ago Article: Iraq Qaeda leader rebuffs move to end dispute with Syria group: SITE 10 mins ago Article: U.S. says political solution to Syria conflict in jeopardy 10 mins ago By Oliver Holmes BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United States said on Saturday it would keep F-16 fighters and Patriot missiles in Jordan at Amman's request, and Russia bristled at the possibility they could be used to enforce a no-fly zone inside Syria. Washington, which has long called for President Bashar al-Assad to step down, pledged military support to Syrian rebels this week, citing what it said was the Syrian military's use of chemical weapons - an allegation Damascus has denied. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has approved a Jordanian request for American F-16s and Patriot missiles to remain in the Western-backed kingdom after a joint military exercise there next week, a Pentagon spokesman said. Western diplomats said on Friday Washington was considering a limited no-fly zone over parts of Syria, but the White House noted later that it would be far harder and costlier to set up one up there than it was in Libya, saying the United States had no national interest in pursuing that option. Russia, an ally of Damascus and fierce opponent of outside military intervention in Syria, said any attempt to impose a no-fly zone using F-16s and Patriots from Jordan would be illegal. "You don't have to be a great expert to understand that this will violate international law," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. Despite their differences, the United States and Russia announced in May they would try to convene peace talks involving the Syrian government and its opponents, but have set no date. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said chemical attacks by Syrian forces and Hezbollah's involvement on Assad's side showed a lack of commitment to negotiations and threatened to "put a political settlement out of reach". Kerry had not previously expressed such pessimism about prospects for the conference, which has run into many obstacles. These include disarray in the Syrian opposition and military gains by the Syrian army and its Lebanese Hezbollah allies against rebels who have few ways to counter Assad's air power. AIR STRIKES The pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian jets and artillery had again attacked Jobar, a battered district where rebels operate on the edge of central Damascus. It said heavy artillery was also shelling opposition fighters in the provinces of Homs, Aleppo and Deir al-Zor. Western powers have been reluctant in the past to arm Syrian insurgents, let alone give them sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles that might fall into the hands of Sunni Islamist insurgents in rebel ranks who have pledged loyalty to al Qaeda. Free Syrian Army (FSA) commander Salim Idriss told Reuters late on Friday that rebels urgently needed anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, as well as a protective no-fly zone. "But our friends in the United States haven't told us yet that they are going to support us with weapons and ammunition," he said after meeting U.S. and European officials in Turkey. A source in the Middle East familiar with U.S. dealings with the rebels has said planned arms supplies would include automatic weapons, light mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. The United Nations says at least 93,000 people, including civilians and combatants, have died in the Syrian civil war, with the monthly death toll averaging 5,000 in the past year. Abu Nidal, from the Islamist Ahrar al-Sham rebel group, said U.S. help was welcome, but questioned how effective it would be. "I doubt the influx of weapons will significantly tip the balance into our favor," he said via Skype. "They might help push back regime offensives of the last few days." SYRIAN OFFICERS DEFECT Abu Nidal's faction is not part of the more moderate FSA, Washington's chosen channel for military aid, but he said the two groups fight alongside each other on the battlefield. The FSA was set up by defectors from the Syrian military in August 2011, but many rebel factions operate independently. Assad's armed forces have remained relatively cohesive, although a Turkish official said 71 Syrian army officers, including six generals, had just defected to Turkey, in the biggest such mass desertion in months. Western nations have stopped short of arming Syrian rebels or mounting an air campaign as they did, with U.N. approval, to help Libyan insurgents topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Intervening against Assad is considered riskier because Syria has a stronger military, sits on the sectarian faultlines of the Middle East, and is supported by Iran and Russia, which has vetoed three U.N. Security Council resolutions on Syria. Yet an apparent shift in the military balance in Assad's favor, especially with the arrival of thousands of Shi'ite fighters from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, has made his swift removal look unlikely without outside intervention. However, Israel's defense minister suggested the pendulum could still swing the other way, despite the capture this month of Qusair, a former rebel stronghold near the Lebanese border. "Bashar al-Assad's victory in Qusair was not a turning point in the Syrian civil war, and I do not believe that he has the momentum to win," said Moshe Yaalon, who is visiting Washington. "He controls just 40 percent of the territory in Syria. Hezbollah is involved in the fighting in Syria and has suffered many casualties in the battles, and as far as we know, it is more than 1,000 casualties," Yaalon said in a statement. "We should be prepared for a long civil war with ups and downs." Israel has not taken sides in Syria, but does not want to see any Western anti-aircraft missiles or other advanced arms reach Islamist militants hostile to the Jewish state. news.yahoo.com/u-considers-no-fly-zone-syria-crosses-nerve-005608864.html
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Post by jeffolie on Jul 9, 2013 12:32:52 GMT -6
Report: Israeli Raid Likely Culprit For Destruction Of Russian Missiles In SyriaNew reports of strikes on Russian anti-ship missiles near the port of Latakia, Syria, seem to indicate another possible Israeli strike, Reuters reports. This would be the fourth such strike this year. From Reuters: Rebels described huge blasts - the ferocity of which, they said, was beyond the firepower available to them but consistent with that of a modern military like Israel's. Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement. The Syrian government has not commented on the incident, beyond a state television report noting a "series of explosions" at the site. As has been the trend, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the strikes. Israel warned Russia just this May not to arm Syria with missiles. "At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent," said Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon last May . But "if God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do." Though Yaalon's warning was about s300 anti-aircraft missiles, the anti-ship missiles at Syria's port could easily threaten Israeli or American ships operating in the Mediterranean. From Reuters: Such weaponry, Israeli officials have made clear, would include the long-range Yakhonts, which could help Hezbollah repel Israel's navy and endanger its offshore gas rigs. Yaalon has already been asked about the blasts reported in Latakia, and his words remained largely the same, telling reporters, "We have set red lines in regards to our own interests, and we keep them. There is an attack here, an explosion there, various versions - in any event, in the Middle East it is usually we who are blamed for most." As if to back him up, the last known mention of Israeli action on Syria came when an unnamed official contacted the New York Times to warn of further strikes coming from Israel. The official, who was " briefed by high-level officials on the Syria situation in the past two days," said that Israel is "considering further military strikes on Syria to stop the transfer of advanced weapons to Islamic militants." Rebels on the scene said they aren't sure if the strikes came from ships at sea or jets in the air. Just that the size and scope of the blasts were indicative of modern armed forces. finance.yahoo.com/news/report-israeli-raid-likely-culprit-154700663.html
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Post by jeffolie on Jul 13, 2013 13:00:32 GMT -6
Report: Israeli Raid Likely Culprit For Destruction Of Russian Missiles In SyriaNew reports of strikes on Russian anti-ship missiles near the port of Latakia, Syria, seem to indicate another possible Israeli strike, Reuters reports. This would be the fourth such strike this year. From Reuters: Rebels described huge blasts - the ferocity of which, they said, was beyond the firepower available to them but consistent with that of a modern military like Israel's. Israel has not confirmed or denied involvement. The Syrian government has not commented on the incident, beyond a state television report noting a "series of explosions" at the site. As has been the trend, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the strikes. Israel warned Russia just this May not to arm Syria with missiles. "At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent," said Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon last May . But "if God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do." Though Yaalon's warning was about s300 anti-aircraft missiles, the anti-ship missiles at Syria's port could easily threaten Israeli or American ships operating in the Mediterranean. From Reuters: Such weaponry, Israeli officials have made clear, would include the long-range Yakhonts, which could help Hezbollah repel Israel's navy and endanger its offshore gas rigs. Yaalon has already been asked about the blasts reported in Latakia, and his words remained largely the same, telling reporters, "We have set red lines in regards to our own interests, and we keep them. There is an attack here, an explosion there, various versions - in any event, in the Middle East it is usually we who are blamed for most." As if to back him up, the last known mention of Israeli action on Syria came when an unnamed official contacted the New York Times to warn of further strikes coming from Israel. The official, who was " briefed by high-level officials on the Syria situation in the past two days," said that Israel is "considering further military strikes on Syria to stop the transfer of advanced weapons to Islamic militants." Rebels on the scene said they aren't sure if the strikes came from ships at sea or jets in the air. Just that the size and scope of the blasts were indicative of modern armed forces. finance.yahoo.com/news/report-israeli-raid-likely-culprit-154700663.html Post by jeffolie on Jan 31, 2013 at 8:28am Read more: www.unlawflcombatnt.proboards.com/thread/12040/started-syria-iran-israel-airstrike?page=1#scrollTo=39983#ixzz2YxC37Dhy War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended============================================ US officials confirm Israeli strike on Yakhont missiles in Syria July 12, 2013 US officials have confirmed that Israel recently carried out a strike against Yakhont missiles near Latakia, Syria on July 5. Threat Matrix had previously reported on the incident on July 9. CNN reports: A series of explosions on July 5 at a critical Syrian port was the result of airstrikes by Israeli warplanes, according to multiple U.S. officials. Regional media widely reported the predawn explosions at Latakia, but no one had officially claimed responsibility. Three U.S. officials told CNN the target of the airstrikes were Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles that Israel believes posed a threat to its naval forces. The officials declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the information. There is strong reason to believe that the Yakhont missiles targeted by Israel were those described by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times in mid-May. The Journal even noted that Israel would possibly look to target the shipment "in the near future." The day before both reports, the Times quoted an Israeli official as saying that Israel was prepared to carry out additional strikes in Syria if necessary. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon on July 9 denied that Israel was responsible for the incident in Latakia, according to Ynet News. "We haven't intervened in the Syrian bloodshed in a long time .... We've drawn our red lines and we keep to them," he said. Since the start of the uprising against Bashar al Assad in Syria, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) has carried out at least three other strikes in Syria. In late January, the IAF reportedly struck targets near the Scientific Studies and Research Center (Centre D'Etudes et de Recherches Scientifiques) in Jamraya. According to reports, the IAF targeted a weapons convoy, which included Russian-made SA-17 antiaircraft missiles, near the facility. While some reports of the January strike suggested that the SSRC facility itself was targeted and "flattened," satellite imagery revealed that the facility, known for its ties to Syria's chemical weapons program, was relatively unscathed. The images did show a burnt road near the facility, possibly indicating the location of the Syrian weapons convoy when it was hit, however. In early May, the IAF carried out two separate strikes in Syria. The first strike on May 3 reportedly targeted Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles from Iran, which were located at Damascus International Airport. The second strike on May 5 reportedly retargeted the SSRC facility that was struck in January. In at least two of the three attacks prior to the most recent alleged strike, Israeli aircraft never actually entered Syrian air space, according to press reports. Although Israeli officials have not taken official responsibility for any of the alleged strikes, they have repeatedly warned that they are prepared to act in Syria to prevent Hezbollah and other terror groups from obtaining advanced weaponry. In the coming days and weeks it will be interesting to watch whether American officials issue an apology to their Israeli counterparts for confirming last Friday's strike, as occurred after the May strikes. In addition, it will be interesting to see if satellite images or on-the-ground video or photos emerge, as was the case with all of the previous strikes. Read more: www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2013/07/us_officials_confirm_israeli_s.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LongWarJournalSiteWide+#ixzz2YxAQKShJ
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Post by jeffolie on Jul 14, 2013 6:44:51 GMT -6
Post by jeffolie on Jan 31, 2013 at 8:28am Read more: www.unlawflcombatnt.proboards.com/thread/12040/started-syria-iran-israel-airstrike?page=1#scrollTo=39983#ixzz2YxC37Dhy War started: Syria, Iran, Israel over airstrike " ... Netanyahu says Iran continues 'race toward bomb' ... " my jeffolie view: war has started involving Iran, Syria and Israel that will slowly escalate into actions to delay Iran's nuke bombs while focusing on Syria's chemical weapons plus sending Syrian weapons to Lebanon based Hezbollah. Netty acts independently from Obama now that America's and Israel's elections ended============================================ Netanyahu says Iran continues 'race toward bomb'PM tells cabinet Rohani's election has not slowed Islamic Republic's nuclear program; calls for harsher sanctions, 'credible military option' 07.14.13 A month has passed since elections were held in Iran, and Iran continues to race toward the development of military nuclear capability," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. The PM said that under President-Elect Hassan Rohani's leadership Iran is "expanding and perfecting its (uranium) enrichment while simultaneously developing a plutonium reactor to produce material for a nuclear bomb. Related stories: Report: Attack in Syria conducted by Israeli submarine Iran: New sanctions will complicate nuclear issue Op-ed: What Obama can (and should) do about Iran Exiled dissidents: Iran building new nuke site "At the same time, Iran is also developing its ballistic missile force. These (developments) threaten not only us, but the entire West. We are determined to stand behind our demands, which must also be the demands of the international community," Netanyahu told his ministers. 'No change in Iran's policy.' Rohani (Photo: AP) The Israeli premier went on to list the demands from Iran: "Stop all uranium production, remove all enriched material (from the country) and close the illegal nuclear facility in Qom. "We believe that now more than ever, in light of Iran's progress, it is important (that the international community) tighten the economic sanctions and make Iran face a credible military option," the PM said. A Pentagon report stated that China, Iran and North Korea are aggressively developing nuclear missiles capable of striking the United States and proliferation among these nations of technology is rife, the British newspaper Daily Mail reported over the weekend. The Department of Defense report, the findings of which were first published by the Washington Times, confirms the assessment of US intelligence agencies that Iran is set to test an intercontinental ballistic missile as early as 2015. www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404691,00.html
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