Air Strikes on Syria

[bolverk 29717]

Reminder: This is the "current events" thread for discussing what's going on and not the politics of it.

Trump: US, France and UK launch strikes on Syria

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump announced on Friday he ordered strikes on the Syrian regime in response to a chemical weapons attack last weekend.

"I ordered the United States armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapon capabilities of Syrian dictator of Bashar al-Assad," Trump said from the White House Diplomatic Room.
US aircraft and ships were used in the attack, according to multiple US defense officials.
Trump said the strikes were in coordination with France and the United Kingdom, adding that the purpose of the campaign is to "establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread and use of chemical weapons."
"The combined American, British and French response to these atrocities will integrate all instruments of our national power: military, economic and diplomatic," Trump said.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement that she "authorized British armed forces to conduct co-ordinated and targeted strikes to degrade the Syrian Regime's chemical weapons capability and deter their use."
Trump indicated the strikes would continue until the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons ends.
"We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents," Trump said.
The President also insisted that the US would not remain engaged in Syria forever under any circumstances. He has previously told his national security team he wants US troops to exit Syria within six months.
"America does not seek an indefinite presence in Syria," Trump said from the White House. "As other nations step up their contributions we look forward to the day we can bring our warriors home."
Trump told the nation in his address the US "cannot purge the world of evil or act everywhere there is tyranny."
And he described the Middle East as a "troubled place."
"We will try to make it better but it is a troubled place," Trump said. "The US will be a partner and a friend. But the fate of the region lies in the hands of its own people."
He criticized Russia's support of the Syrian regime saying "Russia must decide if it will continue down this dark path."
Trump also called out Russia's promise in 2013 that they would guarantee the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons.

[bolverk 29717]

Watching the news right now and they're reporting that this will be a "sustained" attack. Reporter is stating that refueling aircraft are involved, so this will go on for a while. There have also been reports of anti-aircraft missiles have been launched. 

[bolverk 29717]

Some issues to watch:

• US troops are on the ground in eastern Syria.
• Russia has threatened to strike back at the sources of our missiles and aircraft (potentially US naval ships in the Mediterranean).

[Damor 1237]

Redacted

[SDG 3319]

1 minute ago, Damor said:

Ugh. I'm no Nostradamus, but I have a sinking feeling in my stomach I haven't felt since 'shock and awe' in Iraq.

I'm going to just keep watching 'The Iron Giant' with my 10yo son...

I’m no Nostradamus either, but sure this is a political conversation.  

[bolverk 29717]

Just reported we have B1 bombers in the air which would indicate going beyond just chemical weapons sites and extending to Syrian ground forces. Let's hope not too many Russian troops are hit.

[Damor 1237]

I’m no Nostradamus either, but sure this is a political conversation.  

Fair assessment. My bad.

[Radical Larry 28662]

Pentagon is about to give a briefing. 

[Trey3216 15355]

Market should be fun Monday.  Fuck me 

[Blotto 23570]

Mattis sounds like Droopy

[Stella Link 534]

Grab the lawn chairs and bucket of chicken....this is going to be good....

[Dr. Teeth 5845]

Wrong thread

Edited April 14, 2018 by Dr. Teeth

[Moby Ric 2058]

I thought the Russians were going to shoot our missiles down.  Lulz at the Russians.

[Hornsareus 9]

13 minutes ago, Moby Ric said:

I thought the Russians were going to shoot our missiles down.  Lulz at the Russians.

[insert]Hunt for Red October reference[/insert]

[Sawbonz 27587]

Nm 

Edited April 14, 2018 by Sawbonz

[maninblack 7974]

Another war of aggression

[Parliament 14292]

1 minute ago, maninblack said:

Another war of aggression

Cloak Room is that way-->

I read earlier the Syrians were spreading their assets out, and intermixing them with Russian assets, daring us to bomb both, or bomb neither.  Any update on that?

[bolverk 29717]

Sounds like first wave is done.

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

Watching the news right now and they're reporting that this will be a "sustained" attack. Reporter is stating that refueling aircraft are involved, so this will go on for a while. There have also been reports of anti-aircraft missiles have been launched. 

 

1 minute ago, bolverk said:

Sounds like first wave is done.

BREAKING: Defense Secretary Mattis says no additional strikes on Syria planned: 'Right now this is a one-time shot'

[Hornsareus 9]

1 minute ago, Parliament said:

Cloak Room is that way-->

I read earlier the Syrians were spreading their assets out, and intermixing them with Russian assets, daring us to bomb both, or bomb neither.  Any update on that?

Mixing in Russian assets is Assad's greatest defense.  We're not going to touch something with a white, blue, and red flag tied to it. 

[bolverk 29717]

1 minute ago, Lobwedgephil said:

 

BREAKING: Defense Secretary Mattis says no additional strikes on Syria planned: 'Right now this is a one-time shot'

I thought that was odd too. I'm not trying to analyze - just reporting right now.

[SDG 3319]

Mods can you move this to politics where I should be?

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

Operation Desert Stormy

[Beau Vine 54416]

4 minutes ago, SDG said:

Mods can you move this to politics where I should be?

Fuck that.

If this shouldn't be in this forum, then I have no idea what should be here.

The only "should be" about this thread is that certain overly-partisan assholes should be able to STFU and let everyone else use this thread as a source of info.

[Lat22 4016]

We need to put one through Assad’s front door. 

[SDG 3319]

1 minute ago, Beau Vine said:

Fuck that.

If this shouldn't be in this forum, then I have no idea what should be here.

The only "should be" about this thread is that certain overly-partisan assholes should be able to STFU and let everyone else use this thread as a source of info.

Have you seen politics?  Keep it here, I don’t care, but some of want to know where the next great beer is. 

[Lobwedgephil 1139]

Attack seems very limited, one scientific research center, 2 weapons storage facilities. .

[Sawbonz 27587]

6 minutes ago, Lat22 said:

We need to put one through Assad’s front door. 

Or his back door

[mycox 582]

43 minutes ago, SDG said:

Mods can you move this to politics where I should be?

Can't say shit around here without someone bitching about politics. I imagine I could find politics in the Food & Travel forum if I tried hard enough.

Go to a different thread if this annoys you.

Edited April 14, 2018 by mycox

[maninblack 7974]

We need to put one through Assad’s front door. 

Worked well in Libya and Iraq. Third times the charm.

[bolverk 29717]

1 hour ago, Beau Vine said:

Fuck that.

If this shouldn't be in this forum, then I have no idea what should be here.

The only "should be" about this thread is that certain overly-partisan assholes should be able to STFU and let everyone else use this thread as a source of info.

Exactly. This is the information thread. If you want to discuss policy, go to the "new & improved" CR sub where there's already a lively debate about the politics.

This thread is for information and "current events" only. 

[Mantis Toboggan, MD 1501]

I am satisfied that this bombing will stop Assad from making Chlorine gas. The same chemical that my pool chlorinator makes.

 

[berlinerbaer 678]

Was that earlier report of a Hezbollah C&C target getting hit accurate? Sounds like only 3 targets were actually destroyed.

Quote

• General Dunford detailed in the briefing tonight the first target was a scientific research center in the greater Damascus area, specifically for testing chemical and biological warfare.
• The second was chemical weapon storage facility west of Homs, Syria, Dunford added "this was the primary location of Syrian sarin...production equipment."
• The third target was in the vicinity Homs, and contained a chemical weapons equipment storage facility and was an important Syrian command post.

https://www.axios.com/united-states-strikes-syria-b81c0842-ba04-4278-a583-47207ecd840a.html?utm_source=sidebar

[msbesq 387]

Wag The Dog

[MNLonghornFUKM 8817]

7 hours ago, Mantis Toboggan, MD said:

I am satisfied that this bombing will stop Assad from making Chlorine gas. The same chemical that my pool chlorinator makes.

 

You better make sure you are stocked up on chlorine now that pool season is in full swing and your chlorine plant just got bombed

[bolverk 29717]

To give some perspective on the size of this strike, it's being reported that between 100-120 missiles were used. Last year, we lobbed 59 at them. I haven't heard anything regarding the number of sorties by warplanes.

[El Diablo 4232]

Heard that maybe 1 out of 10 coalition missiles were destroyed by Syrian/Russian defenses. I don't know how state of the art their shit is but taking out a missile is no easy task. Seems to me like that's probably a pretty good number on their side of things. 

I know it wasn't anywhere near a priority objective of the mission but I would think that a lot of intelligence was gathered re: their defenses in a strike like this. Knowledge that can be used at a future date.

[Anastasis 23484]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

To give some perspective on the size of this strike, it's being reported that between 100-120 missiles were used. Last year, we lobbed 59 at them. I haven't heard anything regarding the number of sorties by warplanes.

Just a few hundred million. Good time to be on the Raytheon government sales team. 

[El Diablo 4232]

20 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Just a few hundred million. Good time to be on the Raytheon government sales team. 

No better research than a live fire exercise with enough launches to get good data.

[Beau Vine 54416]

8 hours ago, msbesq said:

Wag The Dog

Oh that's exactly what's going on.  

And he even got the English and French to play along because they're such huge fans of him.

[GabrielsHorn 2186]

I don't think it's as much wagging the dog as it is the 'line' of chemical warfares being crossed. Macron supporting these strikes and releasing the preliminary information makes it pretty clear that Assad gassed his own people.

Here's the report: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-france-intellige/french-declassified-intelligence-report-on-syria-gas-attacks-idUSKBN1HL0N1

Minimal (or no) civilian deaths, manufacturing facilities hit, and no ground troops isn't the worst thing in the world. 

[Parliament 14292]

Heard that maybe 1 out of 10 coalition missiles were destroyed by Syrian/Russian defenses. I don't know how state of the art their shit is but taking out a missile is no easy task. Seems to me like that's probably a pretty good number on their side of things. 
I know it wasn't anywhere near a priority objective of the mission but I would think that a lot of intelligence was gathered re: their defenses in a strike like this. Knowledge that can be used at a future date.

I go back and forth on that. It's a "scrimmage" and both sides get scouting tape from it. I'm gonna trust that because out military is (probably) better, we (probably) learn more from it.

10% of our missles shot down is bad though. Did we use stealth aircraft as well?

[bolverk 29717]

19 minutes ago, GabrielsHorn said:

I don't think it's as much wagging the dog as it is the 'line' of chemical warfares being crossed. Macron supporting these strikes and releasing the preliminary information makes it pretty clear that Assad gassed his own people.

Here's the report: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-france-intellige/french-declassified-intelligence-report-on-syria-gas-attacks-idUSKBN1HL0N1

Minimal (or no) civilian deaths, manufacturing facilities hit, and no ground troops isn't the worst thing in the world. 

As a preface, I don't have cable so when it comes to these sort of "breaking news" items I rely on the CBSN channel through the Pluto TV app. That said, one of their reporters was saying that Macron was the driving force behind this strike. They also stated that he'd been in close and near constant communication with Putin over the last week.

Of course, another of their reporters were saying last night that B-1 bombers were fucking up Syrian military personnel in the field and that this was going to be a long, sustained campaign with the goal of imposing a "no-fly" zone over the country. So, take the original statement in this post with a grain of salt.

[bolverk 29717]

9 minutes ago, Parliament said:

I go back and forth on that. It's a "scrimmage" and both sides get scouting tape from it. I'm gonna trust that because out military is (probably) better, we (probably) learn more from it.

10% of our missles shot down is bad though. Did we use stealth aircraft as well?

The Pentagon is stating this morning that none of our missiles was affected by their air defense system, per NPR.

[El Diablo 4232]

4 minutes ago, bolverk said:

The Pentagon is stating this morning that none of our missiles was affected by their air defense system, per NPR.

Yeah, what I posted was from BBC coverage last night and I admittedly haven't followed the story today because I'm not getting bombed and I'm not Syrian. It did seem like a very high number to me if 1 out of 10 was accurate. As I said, hitting a missile ain't easy.

[Parliament 14292]

1 hour ago, bolverk said:

The Pentagon is stating this morning that none of our missiles was affected by their air defense system, per NPR.

K.  Cool.  The Military Industrial Complex is a nation on its own, but they DO make good stuff.*

*Other than the F35 Shitbird.

[Trey3216 15355]

9 hours ago, Parliament said:

I go back and forth on that. It's a "scrimmage" and both sides get scouting tape from it. I'm gonna trust that because out military is (probably) better, we (probably) learn more from it.

10% of our missles shot down is bad though. Did we use stealth aircraft as well?

The Russian anti-missile defense systems aren’t as good as ours, but they’re not bad 

[OiU 0]

Assad is worse than isis? 

Bombing kids is ok, gassing them is bad?

[El Diablo 4232]

7 minutes ago, OiU said:

Assad is worse than isis? 

Bombing kids is ok, gassing them is bad?

I don't know where you wanted to go with that line of questioning but if it was the Cloak Room you need to keep moving. You'll know you're close when you smell the shit.

[AnonymousInternetPoster 163]

Multiple sources reporting that Israeli jets have just bombed a Syrian airbase that was populated with Syrian government as well as Iranian troops:

 

Edited April 29, 2018 by AnonymousInternetPoster