Middle East Conflict Megathread (Syria, Iraq, Yemen, etc)

[Shofercia]

It's a good thing we didn't fund and promote islamist groups in Afghanistan that would later go on to make the country as conservative as it is today.....

<.< >.>

Whodunnit?

Money's on the Soviets, those jokers are always destroying democracy.

He was being sarcastic. MERIZoC - you really should start using the tags

[The North Polish Union]

Turns out that, as usual, the Russians are the problem.

[MERIZoC]

<.< >.>

Whodunnit?

Money's on the Soviets, those jokers are always destroying democracy.

He was being sarcastic. MERIZoC - you really should start using the tags

never

[Shofercia]

Turns out that, as usual, the Russians are the problem.

He's saying that he doesn't know who's providing weapons. He's not saying that the Russians are doing it. Taliban's fighting against CSTO allies - so I doubt that Russia would be providing weapons.

He was being sarcastic. MERIZoC - you really should start using the tags

never

Not even if you were misinterpreted over 9000 times?

[The North Polish Union]

Turns out that, as usual, the Russians are the problem.

He's saying that he doesn't know who's providing weapons. He's not saying that the Russians are doing it. Taliban's fighting against CSTO allies - so I doubt that Russia would be providing weapons.

From the linked article:

A senior U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that intelligence showed that Russia was providing monetary and weapons support to the Taliban, specifically weapons such as machine guns.

The supply of weapons has accelerated in the past 18 months, the official said.

Shof plz

[MERIZoC]

Turns out that, as usual, the Russians are the problem.

He's saying that he doesn't know who's providing weapons. He's not saying that the Russians are doing it. Taliban's fighting against CSTO allies - so I doubt that Russia would be providing weapons.

never

Not even if you were misinterpreted over 9000 times?

The more I bamboozle, the better

[Shofercia]

He's saying that he doesn't know who's providing weapons. He's not saying that the Russians are doing it. Taliban's fighting against CSTO allies - so I doubt that Russia would be providing weapons.

From the linked article:

A senior U.S. military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that intelligence showed that Russia was providing monetary and weapons support to the Taliban, specifically weapons such as machine guns.

The supply of weapons has accelerated in the past 18 months, the official said.

Shof plz

I have 25 anonymous sources saying that Putin banged Trump. Cannot revealed them on condition of anonymity, but one of them specifically said that you were there - salivating.

I am, of course, joking, just to show you how much stock I give to "anonymous source said XYZ" and so on. Plus, machine guns? Unless he's referring to AK-47s, I doubt it, and if he's referring to AK-47s, everyone has those by this point. Over 75 million were built. Want one? I think it's sold at Walmart; not sure about that though.

[The Empire of Pretantia]

<.< >.>

Whodunnit?

Money's on the Soviets, those jokers are always destroying democracy.

He was being sarcastic.

Thank you Shofercia. I know.

[Shofercia]

He was being sarcastic.

Thank you Shofercia. I know.

And now that I reread your response - I can see that you were being sarcastic too. Damn it people, why don't you use tags!

[The North Polish Union]

From the linked article:


Shof plz

I have 25 anonymous sources saying that Putin banged Trump. Cannot revealed them on condition of anonymity, but one of them specifically said that you were there - salivating.

I am, of course, joking, just to show you how much stock I give to "anonymous source said XYZ" and so on. Plus, machine guns? Unless he's referring to AK-47s, I doubt it, and if he's referring to AK-47s, everyone has those by this point. Over 75 million were built. Want one? I think it's sold at Walmart; not sure about that though.

The difference here is that Reuters didn't deem any of your 25 sources to be credible, whereas they did deem this report to be credible enough to to put their name.

Unless you're saying that you honestly believe that Reuters is intentionally publishing stories they know to be false, which would put you in the same boat as classy fellows like Trump & Co. with regards to your view of the media, and I doubt that's a road you want to go down.

[Kennlind]

Turns out that, as usual, the Russians are the problem.

what's wrong with this? They're just doing what the US did in the 1980s and 90s.
Keep spreading this russophobic bullshit, we all know the baby boomers need another war to send 20~ year olds to die in.

[Shofercia]

I have 25 anonymous sources saying that Putin banged Trump. Cannot revealed them on condition of anonymity, but one of them specifically said that you were there - salivating.

I am, of course, joking, just to show you how much stock I give to "anonymous source said XYZ" and so on. Plus, machine guns? Unless he's referring to AK-47s, I doubt it, and if he's referring to AK-47s, everyone has those by this point. Over 75 million were built. Want one? I think it's sold at Walmart; not sure about that though.

The difference here is that Reuters didn't deem any of your 25 sources to be credible, whereas they did deem this report to be credible enough to to put their name.

Unless you're saying that you honestly believe that Reuters is intentionally publishing stories they know to be false, which would put you in the same boat as classy fellows like Trump & Co. with regards to your view of the media, and I doubt that's a road you want to go down.

No they didn't, they simply quoted the "anonymous source" without putting any of their own stock into the quote. It didn't say "Reuters confirmed" or "Reuters was able to verify" or "Reuters totally trusts this random individual who also might have found WMDs in Iraq". Every paragraph is attributed to someone else, someone besides Reuters. If Reuters quoted Alex Jones, does that mean that Reuters confirmed what Alex Jones said?

Turns out that, as usual, the Russians are the problem.

what's wrong with this? They're just doing what the US did in the 1980s and 90s.
Keep spreading this russophobic bullshit, we all know the baby boomers need another war to send 20~ year olds to die in.

Unless I missed something, Taliban is fighting Russian Allies in CSTO. I doubt that Russia would support anyone fighting Russian Allies.

However, as to the second part - WWIII is pretty much the goal of Russophobic bullshitters. Remember Bana Alawed's Tweet? "It's better to start WWIII than to let Putin and Assad commit #HolocaustAleppo" - that's the level of bullshit they're quite comfortable with. And, of course, Holocaust Aleppo never happened, but to be a Russophobe also means that one is afraid of the facts.

[Empire of Cats]

The war in Syria is, for all practical purposes, over. The SAA has wiped out the remnants of ISIS that escaped Raqqa and those in the deserts. Der-ez-Zour awaits. The opposition has been basically forsaken, told that Assad is going to stay, and left to their own devices. They can't win the war.

I guess I knew it since Aleppo fell. I've just been in denial, but watching the SAA crush ISIS just kind of showed me how bad it was.

So what now? Final stand in Idlib? Peace talks? Truce deals and reconciliation? Prolong the war and the inevitable or accept it?

Assad is going to stay.

Rest in Peace, FSA....what's left of it, between HTS and other factions.

[Empire of Cats]

As of today, September 3rd, the Syrian Arab Army has broken the siege of Der-ez-Zour.

[Greater Cesnica]

As of today, September 3rd, the Syrian Arab Army has broken the siege of Der-ez-Zour.

GG.

[Western Pacific Territories]

Nice. How many years were the soldiers at Dez-ez-Zour under siege?

[Empire of Cats]

Nice. How many years were the soldiers at Dez-ez-Zour under siege?

Five. Technically the longest siege in modern history, from what I hear, but Leningrad, which was the longest until now, was much more brutal and fought in much harsher climates with a much more well-organized and well-equipped enemy.

EDIT: Also, I take that back, ISIS counterattacked but the battle is ongoing. It's only a matter of hours, at most a day, until it is finally over.

[MERIZoC]

I guess I knew it since Aleppo fell. I've just been in denial, but watching the SAA crush ISIS just kind of showed me how bad it was.

Killing jihadists—actually bad

[Empire of Cats]

I guess I knew it since Aleppo fell. I've just been in denial, but watching the SAA crush ISIS just kind of showed me how bad it was.

Killing jihadists—actually bad

Who, ISIS? That's not bad. The SAA can drive 'em to the gates of h-e-double toothpicks for all I care.

I meant that seeing how easily ISIS was dispatched by the SAA once they turned the full brunt of their force towards them was eye-opening.

Yes, I support the FSA. And the SDF. But what the opposition has become is not encouraging: a slew of squabbling, pseudo-al-Qaieda factions (think HTS, for example) while the true moderates have either surrendered, defected, been killed, or joined the SDF. So much for a democratic Syria. I'm guessing that you might view Assad as the right choice for Syria moving forward? You may be right. But I just cannot unsee how Assad was so willing to butcher his countrymen (not to say that the rebels are innocent, before someone calls me out for hypocrisy). Once the jihadists are gone - then what? Do we ignore the crimes of the victor?

Sorry about the rant.

[MERIZoC]

Killing jihadists—actually bad

Who, ISIS? That's not bad. The SAA can drive 'em to the gates of h-e-double toothpicks for all I care.

I meant that seeing how easily ISIS was dispatched by the SAA once they turned the full brunt of their force towards them was eye-opening.

Yes, I support the FSA. And the SDF. But what the opposition has become is not encouraging: a slew of squabbling, pseudo-al-Qaieda factions (think HTS, for example) while the true moderates have either surrendered, defected, been killed, or joined the SDF. So much for a democratic Syria. I'm guessing that you might view Assad as the right choice for Syria moving forward? You may be right. But I just cannot unsee how Assad was so willing to butcher his countrymen (not to say that the rebels are innocent, before someone calls me out for hypocrisy). Once the jihadists are gone - then what? Do we ignore the crimes of the victor?

Sorry about the rant.

Assad is bad, but I'd rather have an anti-Israel secularist in power that will keep stability than have Syria divided up between ISIS, whatever Al-Nusra decides to call itself on any given week, and a bunch of other salafists. I won't be sad to see them wiped out.

Best wishes to the YPG and their affiliates though.

[Empire of Cats]

Who, ISIS? That's not bad. The SAA can drive 'em to the gates of h-e-double toothpicks for all I care.

I meant that seeing how easily ISIS was dispatched by the SAA once they turned the full brunt of their force towards them was eye-opening.

Yes, I support the FSA. And the SDF. But what the opposition has become is not encouraging: a slew of squabbling, pseudo-al-Qaieda factions (think HTS, for example) while the true moderates have either surrendered, defected, been killed, or joined the SDF. So much for a democratic Syria. I'm guessing that you might view Assad as the right choice for Syria moving forward? You may be right. But I just cannot unsee how Assad was so willing to butcher his countrymen (not to say that the rebels are innocent, before someone calls me out for hypocrisy). Once the jihadists are gone - then what? Do we ignore the crimes of the victor?

Sorry about the rant.

Assad is bad, but I'd rather have an anti-Israel secularist in power that will keep stability than have Syria divided up between ISIS, whatever Al-Nusra decides to call itself on any given week, and a bunch of other salafists. I won't be sad to see them wiped out.

Best wishes to the YPG and their affiliates though.

I can sympathize with that statement. That said, the line between the literally hundreds of factions of rebels is one that overlaps each other, and oftentimes the SDF as well. I'm curious as to how FSA factions fighting with the SDF in Raqqah and elsewhere will take the end of the war. Take, say, Jaish-al-Thurwar, for example.

Really what this seems to boil down to is "Rock vs. Hard Place". Stability over fragile democracy that might lead to terrorists is what most people want, based on what I've seen. And thus we condemn the last remnants of a once peaceful protest to their doom and watch as the last flames of the Arab Spring, once called the "Fourth Wave of Democracy", slowly die out. Time will tell if we made the right choice; but we have earned the hatred of Syria for our support of the opposition and have abandoned most of our FSA allies to their fate as well. Almost something strangely, morbidly poetic to it all.

[Lonograd]

[Costa Fierro]

It's a good thing we didn't fund and promote islamist groups in Afghanistan that would later go on to make the country as conservative as it is today.....

Afghanistan outside the cities was as conservative as it is today. The Soviet-aligned government often tried to push for reforms in rural areas which were heavily opposed by local tribes. Afghanistan is a bit like the US in the sense that the urban areas remain liberal (or did) and the countryside is run by religious fundamentalists.

[Community Values]

It's a good thing we didn't fund and promote islamist groups in Afghanistan that would later go on to make the country as conservative as it is today.....

Afghanistan outside the cities was as conservative as it is today. The Soviet-aligned government often tried to push for reforms in rural areas which were heavily opposed by local tribes. Afghanistan is a bit like the US in the sense that the urban areas remain liberal (or did) and the countryside is run by religious fundamentalists.

Isn't that true of most countries?

[Rio Cana]

Seems the UK. is exiting.

Britain withdraws troops from Tanf camp and quietly halts training of Syrian rebels

This on Tanf camp -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Waleed ... _crossingh