Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

TU Curmudgeon said:

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

Click to expand...

We got our asses handed to us by Russia....it is time to go home...... in shame.

"... or does he declare victory and go home. ..."

I hope he does.

TU Curmudgeon said:

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

Click to expand...

These were "rebels" in East Ghouta and just as often as not synonomous with terrorist/ISIS. We, the USA, financed and armed this engine of instability, death, chaos, mayhem and destruction to the detriment of the citizens of Syria. For Keerrisssst sakes, swallow the turd, help Assad and Putin rebuild Syria instead of instigating more instability. We have no business in Syria. We have not been an honest actor in events. We have betrayed the principles our Nation is founded upon. Then, on the other hand, "War is good business, and business is good" is a founding principle of the Corporate nature of WAR. Which dog wins the War. The dog of peace and humanity or the dog of war and death? The dog you feed wins the War and that would be the $700 billion Military Offense budget.
/

Why not post this in the Mideast forum?

Hawkeye10 said:

We got our asses handed to us by Russia....it is time to go home...... in shame.

Click to expand...

Oh really?

Because when Russian mercs went up against US forces......it didn't go so well for them.

TU Curmudgeon said:

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

Click to expand...

Um... Why would he invade Syria?

TU Curmudgeon said:

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

Click to expand...

Well I have been following news daily on the syrian civil war since in the last few months it has been on the brink of causing ww3, and eastern ghouta falling is probably a good thing. The un is stomping their feet caling for a ceasefire because assads actions are evil attacking eastern ghouta, while being silent about rebels in eastern ghouta daily shell and rocket attacks against civilians in damascus. Also notice the assad gassing his people theme has barely come up lately, well that is because russia and syria did what the us could not when invading iraq, find wmds.

In eastern ghouta the area the west was adamant to protect from assad, 2 chemichal weapons factories and 40 tons of chemichal weapons have been found. Russian intel also found through the assault western forces were going to attack damascus after another chemical attack, in which russia threatened to retaliate since the strike would have been whee russian forces are stationed. The russian intel makes sense since us warships have been building up in the area combined with us military base expansion in syria even as isis is falling.


Every day we are there we are closer to ww3 between western powers russia and allies and turkey being well turkey. Leaving is in our best interest as russia has good control of the region, israel is friendly with russia and russia is friendly with iran, basically containing iranian influence and expansion and protecting israel at this point is better served with russia keeping it's puppets on a leash rather than the west starting a multi front war over there or arming more proxies so hundreds of thousands more can die while leaving the region in chaos.

Tigerace117 said:

Oh really?

Because when Russian mercs went up against US forces......it didn't go so well for them.

Click to expand...

That was russian merc ground forces against against us air support, that was not the russian military as the russian military is the second most powerful on earth and actually the only military that could possibly defeat ours in a direct war, granted no matter who wins it would likely result in nuclear war.

I think his comment was more on russia taking control of the region, which makes sense, russia and syria are allies, and syria is under russia's protection. Syria is not the only country to be under russian protection, armenia is as well, turkey actually planned to invade armenia some time after the fall of the soviet union, which they backed away after russia put up a military base. Armenia has been on on very good terms with russia going back to the soviet union when they joined volunterily for the protection it offered against a certain genocidal neighbor.

beerftw said:

That was russian merc ground forces against against us air support, that was not the russian military as the russian military is the second most powerful on earth and actually the only military that could possibly defeat ours in a direct war, granted no matter who wins it would likely result in nuclear war.

I think his comment was more on russia taking control of the region, which makes sense, russia and syria are allies, and syria is under russia's protection. Syria is not the only country to be under russian protection, armenia is as well, turkey actually planned to invade armenia some time after the fall of the soviet union, which they backed away after russia put up a military base. Armenia has been on on very good terms with russia going back to the soviet union when they joined volunterily for the protection it offered against a certain genocidal neighbor.

Click to expand...

I hate to break it to you, but a lot of those Russian mercs were undoubtedly ex Russian military.

No, the Russian military would not be able to do so in a conventional war. This is not the USSR's war machine--- the Russian Army is a lot less powerful in just about every factor. Sure, technology has advanced, but not anywhere near to the extent that the US' has. It wouldn't be a blow out, but they simply aren't in our league anymore.

However, unlike the Assad regime, the Armenians haven't been slaughtering civilians en masse.

DaveFagan said:

These were "rebels" in East Ghouta and just as often as not synonomous with terrorist/ISIS. We, the USA, financed and armed this engine of instability, death, chaos, mayhem and destruction to the detriment of the citizens of Syria. For Keerrisssst sakes, swallow the turd, help Assad and Putin rebuild Syria instead of instigating more instability. We have no business in Syria. We have not been an honest actor in events. We have betrayed the principles our Nation is founded upon. Then, on the other hand, "War is good business, and business is good" is a founding principle of the Corporate nature of WAR. Which dog wins the War. The dog of peace and humanity or the dog of war and death? The dog you feed wins the War and that would be the $700 billion Military Offense budget.
/

Click to expand...

This is good news. The civil war there has dragged on because we were supporting rebels affiliated with Al Qeda. The sooner we're out of the entire region the better.

Tigerace117 said:

I hate to break it to you, but a lot of those Russian mercs were undoubtedly ex Russian military.

No, the Russian military would not be able to do so in a conventional war. This is not the USSR's war machine--- the Russian Army is a lot less powerful in just about every factor. Sure, technology has advanced, but not anywhere near to the extent that the US' has. It wouldn't be a blow out, but they simply aren't in our league anymore.

However, unlike the Assad regime, the Armenians haven't been slaughtering civilians en masse.

Click to expand...

Those mercs were geared for ground war and under equipped to fight an air attack, the russian military would have su 27 and 35 fighters as well as su 25 frogfoots as a counter to an ac-130, something the merc never had. In terms of a blowout, you are out of your freaking mind, the russian military is no joke, and even post soviet union is the only military that can fight head on against the entire might of the us military, any win by us troops would be bloodier and more costly than ww2, and many nato simulations show russia winning.

And despite that if america managed to destroy the russian military, russia would just launch it's nukes per their doctrine in which all other countries would, in which case life on earth would be all but erradicated in minutes. You must have a very poor knowledge of warfare to think we could just roll over them, or must be so adamant america will that you ignore all logic and reason and instead cling to your thoughts. A war between russia and america even without nukes would be bloody and extremely costly at worst.

Hawkeye10 said:

We got our asses handed to us by Russia....

Click to expand...

Only diplomatically.

Hawkeye10 said:

it is time to go home...... in shame.

Click to expand...

The "shame" if "shame" there is, in the fact that the US government simply didn't understand the rules of the game (or even what the game was).

The "side" that the US government was supporting had neither cohesion nor common goals and its components were as likely as not to support EITHER of the two sides that the US government wasn't supporting. This fact was obvious to anyone who wasn't wedded to the "They are 'The Good Guys' because we are supporting them." philosophy.

Too many people in the US government were/are wedded to the "They are 'The Good Guys' because we are supporting them." mantra.

Too few people in the US government actually looked at the composition and goals of the people that they were supporting.

Even fewer people in the US government paid any attention to what the people who actually looked at the composition and goals of the people that the US government was supporting said about the composition and goals of the people that the US government was supporting.

Although the Syrian people would "like the killing to stop" they'd settle for it to be reduced to a tolerable level and the ONLY actor in the play who gives any realistic promise of that happening is Mr. al-Assad - which is one hell of a long way from saying that Mr. al-Assad is a nice person.

JacksinPA said:

Why not post this in the Mideast forum?

Click to expand...

Because it was "Breaking News" when I posted it.

Gonzo Rodeo said:

Um... Why would he invade Syria?

Click to expand...

Why wouldn't he?

Admittedly a rational person wouldn't, but to have the US "defeated" by the Syrians and the Russians means that the war would have been lost "on his watch" and the only way to prevent that is to stop the war from ending before he leaves office.

beerftw said:

Well I have been following news daily on the syrian civil war since in the last few months it has been on the brink of causing ww3, ...

Click to expand...

I'd buy "had the potential for" but not "on the brink of".

beerftw said:

... and eastern ghouta falling is probably a good thing. The un is stomping their feet caling for a ceasefire because assads actions are evil attacking eastern ghouta, while being silent about rebels in eastern ghouta daily shell and rocket attacks against civilians in damascus. Also notice the assad gassing his people theme has barely come up lately, well that is because russia and syria did what the us could not when invading iraq, find wmds.

In eastern ghouta the area the west was adamant to protect from assad, 2 chemichal weapons factories and 40 tons of chemichal weapons have been found.

Click to expand...

I missed that one, do you have a link. I mean the people that the US is supporting are "The Good Guys" and they couldn't possibly be making chemical weapons - could they?

And even if they were making chemical weapons, they couldn't possibly have been using chemical weapons like the Syrian government has been saying they were - could they?

And even if they were using chemical weapons, they couldn't possibly have been using them against their own supporters so that they could blame the Syrian government for using chemical weapons - could they?

beerftw said:

Russian intel also found through the assault western forces were going to attack damascus after another chemical attack, in which russia threatened to retaliate since the strike would have been whee russian forces are stationed.

Click to expand...

It's always somewhat difficult to determine if something that didn't happen was supposed to happen.

beerftw said:

The russian intel makes sense since us warships have been building up in the area combined with us military base expansion in syria even as isis is falling.

Click to expand...

True, but just because something "makes sense" that doesn't mean that it is correct.

beerftw said:

Every day we are there we are closer to ww3 between western powers russia and allies and turkey being well turkey.

Click to expand...

It's rather difficult to work out which way Turkey would jump (except "on the Kurds" - which is a given).

beerftw said:

Leaving is in our best interest as russia has good control of the region, israel is friendly with russia and russia is friendly with iran, basically containing iranian influence and expansion and protecting israel at this point is better served with russia keeping it's puppets on a leash rather than the west starting a multi front war over there or arming more proxies so hundreds of thousands more can die while leaving the region in chaos.

Click to expand...

But, but but - that would mean "losing". I mean, where would the US be if the US government had listened to its intelligence agencies when they were unanimous in telling the US government that Ho Chi Minh was probably the best friend that the US government had in SE Asia? The US government would have had to "abandon Vietnam to Communism" - and that was totally unthinkable.

Tigerace117 said:

I hate to break it to you, but a lot of those Russian mercs were undoubtedly ex Russian military.

No, the Russian military would not be able to do so in a conventional war. This is not the USSR's war machine--- the Russian Army is a lot less powerful in just about every factor. Sure, technology has advanced, but not anywhere near to the extent that the US' has. It wouldn't be a blow out, but they simply aren't in our league anymore.

Click to expand...

Quite right. It would be pretty much the same [ANALOGY WARNING] as if the best "Triple A" team in the country played the winners of the (New York) World Series [/ANALOGY WARNING]. The team to bet on would NOT be the "Triple A" team, but you would make a real killing if they did win - mostly because the odds would have been skewed by the fact that most of the people didn't think that they had any chance at all (which wouldn't be true).

Tigerace117 said:

However, unlike the Assad regime, the Armenians haven't been slaughtering civilians en masse.

Click to expand...

I hate to break it to you, BUT it is NOT a requirement of being one of "America's Best Buddies" that a government NOT slaughter civilians en masse. It isn't a requirement that they do it, but it isn't absolutely prohibited either.

There is no way to "shoot to disable" a suicide bomber and prevent their bomb from going off if their bomb has a "dead man's switch".

TU Curmudgeon said:

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

Click to expand...

It is my opinion that the idea that a small moderate Islamic force could defeat both ISIS and Assad's military was asinine to begin with. I said a long time ago that we had to make a decision, do we want ISIS defeated or do we want to take out Assad. I didn't think back then one could have both and I still don't. But somehow, someway, for some reason we clung to the idea that the small force could achieve both. Not realistic at least and plain dumb at worst.

Today, let Russia and Assad finally defeat ISIS and other terrorist in Syria. Bring peace back to that country and end the Syrian refugee problem. No shame as far as I'm concerned, just we tried to accomplish the impossible. Perhaps the shame was no one in Washington that counted recognized that it was impossible for our little force to defeat both ISIS and Assad. Far as I'm concerned, we shouldn't be telling other countries who their rulers and leaders should be or trying to depose their legitimate leaders.

There's been a couple of international polls showing around 70% of Syrians want Assad as their leader. It's time to say so be it and forget Syria.

TU Curmudgeon said:

From the CBC

[h=1]Syrian army says it has regained control over most of eastern Ghouta[/h]
The Syrian army command said on Saturday it had regained most of the towns and villages in eastern Ghouta and was pressing its military operations in the last rebel bastion of Douma.


In a televised statement, the Syrian army spokesman said the weeks-long military campaign had now brought security to the Syrian capital, Damascus, and also secured its main links to other parts of the country, stretching north and all the way to the Iraqi border to the east.


A last group of fighters and families had earlier left the main towns of Jobar, Zamalka, Arbeen and Ain Tarma. Footage on state television showed top army commanders entering by the same route the rebel convoys had used to leave.

[COMMENT]

Once the rebel forces have been rendered ineffectual and Mr. al-Assad has regained control over Syria, Mr. Trump is going to have a very difficult decision to make - does he invade Syria and face the forces of Syria, Russia, and Iran (and possibly Turkey and Iraq as well), or does he declare victory and go home.

I'd bet 10 Cyberbucks on "Make Assad Great Again".

Click to expand...

does your Boss chemical assad has an army? can you give us the numbers , statistic , etc?

Hawkeye10 said:

We got our asses handed to us by Russia....it is time to go home...... in shame.

Click to expand...

At least Russia had the law on their side, having been invited by the legitimate government. The US/Israeli effort is mere military aggression.

And as VT shows, in Eastern Ghouta they discovered US/Israeli chemical facilities. They were the ones doing the gassing and barrel-bombing, NOT the Syrians.

https://www.veteranstoday.com/2018/...sraeli-underground-terror-base-deep-in-syria/

Perotista said:

It is my opinion that the idea that a small moderate Islamic force could defeat both ISIS and Assad's military was asinine to begin with.

Click to expand...

Any "small moderate Islamic force" which includes both Hamas and al-Qa'eda is not a "small moderate Islamic force".

Perotista said:

I said a long time ago that we had to make a decision, do we want ISIS defeated or do we want to take out Assad. I didn't think back then one could have both and I still don't. But somehow, someway, for some reason we clung to the idea that the small force could achieve both. Not realistic at least and plain dumb at worst.

Click to expand...

Does "You go to war with the 'small moderate Islamic force' you have not the 'small moderate Islamic force' you want or the 'small moderate Islamic force' that you might have some day." sound vaguely familiar?

Perotista said:

Today, let Russia and Assad finally defeat ISIS and other terrorist in Syria.

Click to expand...

But that would mean that, since the US did not "win" that the US "lost". Mr. Trump isn't going to lose a war on his watch.

Perotista said:

Bring peace back to that country and end the Syrian refugee problem. No shame as far as I'm concerned, just we tried to accomplish the impossible.

Click to expand...

I won't say "arrogant, ignorant, hubris", but I will come close.

Perotista said:

Perhaps the shame was no one in Washington that counted recognized that it was impossible for our little force to defeat both ISIS and Assad.

Click to expand...

The key words there are "that counted".

Perotista said:

Far as I'm concerned, we shouldn't be telling other countries who their rulers and leaders should be or trying to depose their legitimate leaders.

Click to expand...

Now why would you want to change over a hundred years of American foreign policy?

Perotista said:

There's been a couple of international polls showing around 70% of Syrians want Assad as their leader. It's time to say so be it and forget Syria.

Click to expand...

<SARC>Who are you going to believe some "fake news so-called poll" or the government of the United States of America?</SARC>

TU Curmudgeon said:

Any "small moderate Islamic force" which includes both Hamas and al-Qa'eda is not a "small moderate Islamic force".



Does "You go to war with the 'small moderate Islamic force' you have not the 'small moderate Islamic force' you want or the 'small moderate Islamic force' that you might have some day." sound vaguely familiar?



But that would mean that, since the US did not "win" that the US "lost". Mr. Trump isn't going to lose a war on his watch.



I won't say "arrogant, ignorant, hubris", but I will come close.



The key words there are "that counted".



Now why would you want to change over a hundred years of American foreign policy?



<SARC>Who are you going to believe some "fake news so-called poll" or the government of the United States of America?</SARC>

Click to expand...

I've been around the block a few times. Participated in a few of these and know what the government of the United States says isn't always the truth or what is actually happening. The problem is that small force didn't grow, they were stuck fighting both ISIS and Assad, they accomplished little. Heck, we really didn't have anyway to find out or know if these people were indeed moderates or party of other terrorist organization Joining to get weapons and supplies. We really know very little what actually went on there, on the ground. We base that on news reports and assumptions and sometimes on past experiences.

We had our own little proxy army whose goal according to our own government was to defeat ISIS and oust Assad. One or the other was probably possible, not both.

Hawkeye10 said:

We got our asses handed to us by Russia....it is time to go home...... in shame.

Click to expand...

Yes elections have consequences.....