Following Russian warning of American aircraft being shot down, White House spokesman confirms plan for U.S. air strikes on Syria has been rejected.
Following yesterday’s Russian warning that Russia stood ready to shoot down US aircraft or missiles attacking Syria, the US has confirmed all plans for military action against Syria have been dropped.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest confirmed this speaking to reporters on Thursday 6th October 2016.
“The president has discussed in some details why military action against the Assad regime to try to address the situation in Aleppo is unlikely to accomplish the goals that many envisioned now in terms of reducing the violence there. It is much more likely to lead to a bunch of unintended consequences that are clearly not in our national interest.”
The US will never admit that it was the Russian warning that deterred it from carrying out air and missile strikes, and it is still pretending that the option of military strikes is still on the table. In Josh Earnest’s words
“I’m not going to take any options off the table. I am not going to be in a position [we’re] taking options off the table for the commander-in-chief.”
However these are face-saving words.
Military strikes against Syria would have happened long ago had it not been for the strong opposition of Russia. The fact the Russian military is now physically present in Syria with advanced surface to air missiles and is warning that it stands ready to shoot US aircraft down if the lives of Russian personnel are put in danger has taken the idea of US military strikes off the table.
I would add that these warnings would have been given by the Russians to the US in private before they were made public yesterday.
Russia has begun moving nuclear-capable missiles into Europe after America threatened to shoot down Russian planes over Syria, greatly raising the risk of all-out war.
Russian military appears to be moving nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles from Saint Petersburg to Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave situated between NATO members Lithuania and Poland, according to sources inside Estonia.
The Iskander-M, which can fire a nuclear-armed missile over 300 miles away, is reportedly being transferred to Kaliningrad by ship approximately two years ahead of its previously scheduled deployment to the enclave.
In addition to its military deployments in Kaliningrad, Russia has deployed the S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Syria after the Obama administration indicated covert air strikes on Syrian government forces are being considered to stop their advances in Aleppo.
“The options under consideration, which remain classified, include bombing Syrian air force runways using cruise missiles and other long-range weapons fired from coalition planes and ships,” an administration official told the Washington Post.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson General Igor Konashenkov said “any missile or air strikes on the territory controlled by the Syrian government will create a clear threat to Russian servicemen.”
In another sign of increasing tensions, the Russian embassy in Washington posted a photo of White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest and a S-300 missile system on Twitter with a caption noting Russia will use “every defensive measure necessary” to defend its military personnel in Syria.
Russia’s military buildup comes after Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley issued a thinly veiled warning that the United States was prepared to “destroy” its enemies.
“I want to be clear to those who wish to do us harm….the United States military – despite all of our challenges, despite our [operational] tempo, despite everything we have been doing – we will stop you and we will beat you harder than you have ever been beaten before. Make no mistake about that,” Milley said.
Milley suggested the next major conflict would be “highly lethal, unlike anything our Army has experienced at least since World War II.”
US Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, walked out on stage at the US Army’s annual meeting this Tuesday in Washington D.C, puffing out his chest full of medals and barking like a rabid drill sergeant.
Milley warned the enemies of this nation: Russia, China, North Korea, ISIS and Iran; “I want to be clear to those around the world who want to destroy our way of life, and that of our allies and friends, the United States military, despite all our challenges, despite our off-tempo, despite everything we have been doing, will stop you, and we will beat you harder than you’ve ever been beaten before. Make no mistake about that.”
The US military isn’t off-tempo General, the US military has no tempo with Obama as its commander in chief.
He also admitted that the US Army’s readiness to fight had been eroded recently.
Here are some of the developments in the last week:
The Russians are sending their top of the line S300 surface to air missiles to Syria. They also threatened to shoot down US aircraft over Syria in response to the US military’s call for airstrikes on the Assad regime.
The Kremlin also Tweeted an array of insults to the US, mocking our weakening role in Syria.
Our response; perhaps John Kerry will dispatch James Taylor to Aleppo with his guitar and a truckload of Kumbaya candles.
The Russians have continued to shadow and harass US aircraft across the world.
The Russians also stated this week that they would seek to establish new military bases in Cuba and Vietnam.
Yesterday, a Russian SU-27 Flanker violated Estonian airspace, while reports confirmed that the Russian military is sending Iskander-M missiles to Kaliningrad on a civilian freighter. It’s expected to dock in Kaliningrad todaywith its alarming cargo.
The Iskander-M system, called SS-26 by NATO, is the replacement of the Scud missile of American Gulf War memory. It has a range of 300 miles and can carry either a conventional or a nuclear warhead. An Iskander-M based in Kaliningrad can strike targets deep in Poland and across the whole Baltic region. Make no mistake, this is primarily an offensive weapons system.
Most distressing is the four day Emergency Management Drill the Russians have been running that involves more than 40 million citizens, more than 200,000 specialists of rescue units based in regions, organizations and enterprises, as well as some 50,000 units of equipment.
‘Management bodies and forces of the Emergency Ministry’s territorial bodies have been put on simulated high alert. ‘Representatives of federal executive authorities, heads of regions, local governments and organizations are taking part in the massive drill. ‘Emergency Ministry’s forces and facilities are fully engaged, including rescue military divisions, rescue units, paramilitary mine rescue units and State Small Vessels Inspectorate, fire departments and aircraft.
With all the Russian saber rattling and the war of words, enter General Milley and his barrage of threats.
Unfortunately, his tough talk is a day late and a dollar short. The great Cultural Revolution that Obama and his army of trendies think is so cool has burnt down the US military to nothing more than a façade of ash and wreckage.
The diversity and sensitivity and PC insanity plaguing our military: the transgender handbooks, the parade of male cadets in red high heels, the pregnancy simulators, the authorization to allow women to serve in special operations and in the combat arms, the lactation and breastfeeding memorandums for record have all been observed by our enemies and a conclusion has been made. We are pussies. Please excuse my French, but if the shoe fits…
You, General Milley, you and your fellow senior leaders let this all happen and now, when the boogeymen are coming out of the woodwork, when the Russian Bear is walking out of hibernation and looking for a fight, you are worried, for you now realize that you have been on duty while a Category Five Hurricane of absolute disaster has been brewing.
To keep your job, General, you openly and heartily supported women in special operations and in the combat arms and you double and tripled and quadrupled down by stating that it was a great idea to draft the nation’s young women, should a situation arise where a draft was again needed.
And, now, you are concerned and that concern causes you to bluster and make hollow threats. How exactly is the US Army, with its almost zero operational armored capabilities in 2016 going to fight and win a conventional war with the Russians in Eastern Europe?
The US Army has a big problem, for we have no armored capability anymore, because the Army has evolved into a light infantry force, where every officer over the rank of Second Lieutenant believes they’re Lawrence of Arabia.
This lends me to believe that any fight with the Russians will rapidly snowball into a limited nuclear exchange, which would devolve into global thermonuclear war.
The tension between the US and Russia is growing nearly every day. We are now in a situation where we need a strong military to do what the US military used to do very well, deter the bad guys so situations never arose like this.
Now, we have a hollow force, led by yes men, willing to march in lockstep with any lunatic directive that lands on their desks.
How many more indicators do we need to see to realize that a major confrontation between Russia and the West is approaching rapidly? Is World War III upon us? Because it’s certainly starting to look that way, and I am far from the only person saying it. The most alarming thing about it is that WWIII is most likely to involve nuclear weapons, which brings the destruction to a level that threatens the very existence of humanity.
Steve Rosenberg, Russia correspondent for the BBC tweets constantly about the situation in Russia. To quote him:
When 1 Russian paper talks about a war between US & Russia, that’s worrying. When 2 papers do it, it’s very worrying.
In no particular order, here are 8 warning signs that should grab your attention right now.
#1 The Epic Civilian Drill
This one worries the daylights out of me. Russia is currently conducting a drill that involves more than 40 million people and scenarios will cover biological, chemical, and nuclear emergencies.
#2 The Deputy Commander of NATO and a US Admiral are worried
Back in May the former deputy commander of NATO, General Sir Alexander Richard Shirreff, warned that a major confrontation between Russia and the West. US Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, echoed that view saying:
“Under President Putin, Russia has charted a dangerous course that, if it is allowed to continue, may lead inexorably to a clash with Nato. And that will mean a war that could so easily go nuclear.” (source)
#3 Peace talks about a cease-fire in Syria have broken down
Talks between Washington and Moscow that aimed to broker a peaceful solution in Syria broke down completely last week.
The rift between the U.S. and Russia deepened Monday as the Obama administration quit talks over the failed cease-fire in Syria, saying Moscow’s role in the bombardment of Aleppo left nothing more to discuss.
#4 Russia is no longer participating in a nuclear disarmament agreement that has lasted since 2000.
Russia has backed out of a deal to convert 34 tonnes of weapons grade plutonium into nuclear fuel each year.
In a statement, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United states of creating “a threat to strategic stability, as a result of unfriendly actions towards Russia.” (source)
#5 Russia is gearing up in Syria
It was reported that Russia has positioned a battery of S300 in Syria.
#6 Four different European militaries have had to head off Russian bombers.
A document released by the French Ministry of defense states that on September 22nd FOUR European countries scrambled fighter jets to head off two Russian Blackjack bombers. The bombers headed across the top of Scotland from Norway, before skirting Ireland’s west coast towards France and Spain. Norway, the UK, France and Spain all sent up fighters to intercept the jets.
#7 President Obama seems to be deliberately trying to provoke Putin.
This conflict is not just about Russia. Our own president has engaged in a peeing contest and has been every bit as provocative – possibly even more so. Obama has put boots on the ground in Syria, aiding the rebels who want to overthrow the current government of a sovereign nation.
#8 Putin is provoking right back.
Recently, Russian stationed troops a mere 50 miles from the US border in Alaska.
Russia has been building its forces in the Arctic due to the natural resources present in the region but the latest move takes things to a whole new level. The forces are scheduled to be in place in less than two years time.
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