Trump Invades Syria

[Separatist]

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/pe ... des-syria/

written by daniel mcadams

1-us-troops-in-syria.jpeg (26.42 KiB) Viewed 1341 times

US forces in Manbij, Syria. March 5, 2017.

Although the Syrian army, with its ally Russia, has made significant gains against ISIS over the past week or so, the Washington Post is reporting tonight that President Trump has for the first time sent regular US military personnel into that country in combat positions. This is an unprecedented escalation of US involvement in the Syrian war and it comes without Congressional authorization, without UN authorization, and without the authorization of the government of Syria. In short it is three ways illegal.

According to the Post, US Marines have departed their ships in the Mediterranean and have established an outpost on Syrian soil from where they will fire artillery toward the ISIS "headquarters" of Raqqa. The Post continues:

The Marines on the ground include part of an artillery battery that can fire powerful 155-millimeter shells from M777 Howitzers, two officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the deployment. The expeditionary unit’s ground force, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, will man the guns and deliver fire support for U.S.-backed local forces who are preparing an assault on the city. Additional infantrymen from the unit are likely to provide security.

On March 5th, RT ran footage of a US military convoy entering Syria near Manbij. The US mainstream media initially blacked out the story, but the Post today confirmed that the troops were from the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment in Stryker vehicles.

What is important to understand about this sudden escalation of US involvement is that if this "race to Raqqa" is won by the US military rather than by Syrian government forces, the chance that the US will hand the territory back to the Assad government is virtually nil. In other words, this is an operation far less about wiping ISIS out from eastern Syria and much more about the United States carving out eastern Syria as a permanent outpost from where it can, for example, continue the original neocon/Israeli/Saudi plan for "regime change" in Syria.

The United States is making a military bid for a very large chunk of sovereign Syrian territory. Something even Obama with his extraordinarily reckless Middle East policy would not dare to do.

How will the Russians react to this development? How will the Russians react if increased US military activity on the ground in Syria begins to threaten Russian military forces operating in Syria (with the consent of that country's legal government)? With President Trump's "get along with Russia" policy lying in the tatters of a Nikki Haley at the UN and a Fiona Hill at NSC Staff, how differently might the Russians see US actions in Syria than they might have only a month or so ago?

Make no mistake: this is big news. And very bad news.

[Separatist]

Marines have arrived in Syria to fire artillery in the fight for Raqqa
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/che ... 55af145760

Marines from an amphibious task force have left their ships in the Middle East and deployed to Syria, establishing an outpost from which they can fire artillery guns in support of the fight to take back the city of Raqqa from the Islamic State, defense officials said.

The deployment marks a new escalation in the U.S. war in Syria, and puts more conventional U.S. troops in the battle. Several hundred Special Operations troops have advised local forces there for months, but the Pentagon has mostly shied away from using conventional forces in Syria. The new mission comes as the Trump administration weighs a plan to take back Raqqa, the so-called capital of the Islamic State, that also includes more Special Operations troops and attack helicopters.

The force is part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which left San Diego on Navy ships in October. The Marines on the ground include part of an artillery battery that can fire powerful 155-millimeter shells from M777 Howitzers, two officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the deployment.

The expeditionary unit’s ground force, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, will man the guns and deliver fire support for U.S.-backed local forces who are preparing an assault on the city. Additional infantrymen from the unit will provide security while resupplies will be handled by part of the expeditionary force’s combat logistics element. For this deployment, the Marines were flown from Dijibouti to Kuwait and then into Syria, said another defense official with direct knowledge of the operation.

The official added that the Marines movement into Syria was not the byproduct of President Donald Trump’s request of a new plan to take on the Islamic State and that it had “been in the works for sometime.”

“The Marines answer a problem that the [operation] has faced,” the official said. He added that they now provide “all-weather fires considering how the weather is this time of year in northern Syria.”

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the top U.S. general overseeing the campaign against the Islamic State, has previously said that a small number of conventional soldiers have supported Special Operations troops on the ground in Syria, including through a truck-mounted system known as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS. The defense official with knowledge of the deployment said Wednesday that the Marines and their Howitzers will supplement, rather than replace, those Army units.

The new Marine mission was disclosed after members of the Army’s elite 75th Ranger Regiment appeared in the Syrian city of Manbij over the weekend in Strykers, heavily armed, eight-wheel armored vehicles. Defense officials said they are there to discourage Syrian or Turkish troops from taking any moves that could shift the focus away from an assault on Islamic State militants.

The Marine mission has similarities to an operation the Marine Corps undertook about a year ago when the U.S. military was preparing to support an assault on the Iraqi city of Mosul. In that case, a force from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., established a fire base south of the city in support of Iraqi and Kurdish troops who were then carrying out operations to isolate Mosul from Islamic State-held territory around it.

The existence of the outpost near Mosul, originally named Fire Base Bell, became public after it was attacked by rockets March 19, 2016, killing Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin and wounding at least four other Marines. Defense officials said at the time that they had not disclosed the deployment of Marines there because the base was not fully operational, although photographs released by the Defense Department shortly afterward show Marines launching artillery rounds a day before Cardin’s death.

For the base in Syria to be useful, it must be within about 20 miles of the operations U.S.-backed forces are carrying out. That is the estimated maximum range on many rounds fired from the M777 howitzer. GPS-guided Excalibur rounds, which the Marines also used after establishing Fire Base Bell, can travel closer to 30 miles. Fire support for the Mosul operation has since been turned over to the Army.

[Durzan]

Trump has 30 days to get the job done before needing congressional approval.

The UN is little more than a joke now...unfortunately corrupted by those with evil designs.

ISIS is a threat to our allies, so its a good thing he is doing this. Now, I hope this can get wrapped up quickly, and that it doesn't spill over into other problems.

[Sirocco]

[Separatist]

...its a good thing he is doing this.

#-o

Now, I hope this can get wrapped up quickly, and that it doesn't spill over into other problems.

=))

We really don't learn $hit do we.

[Durzan]

...its a good thing he is doing this.

#-o

Now, I hope this can get wrapped up quickly, and that it doesn't spill over into other problems.

=))

We really don't learn $hit do we.

X(

I am allowed to hope, aren't I?

[brianj]

We really don't learn $hit do we.

Regardless of what we learn, I hope that we bomb the Shiite out of ISIS!

If there are any Sunnis in ISIS then let's bomb the Sunni out as well.

[Ezra]

We really don't learn $hit do we.

Regardless of what we learn, I hope that we bomb the Shiite out of ISIS!

If there are any Sunnis in ISIS then let's bomb the Sunni out as well.

Please show me in the instructions given to us in d&c 98 where that is Gods will.

Because it's my understanding that that is the exact opposite of what God has said.

[brianj]

We really don't learn $hit do we.

Regardless of what we learn, I hope that we bomb the Shiite out of ISIS!

If there are any Sunnis in ISIS then let's bomb the Sunni out as well.

Please show me in the instructions given to us in d&c 98 where that is Gods will.

Because it's my understanding that that is the exact opposite of what God has said.

Why do you focus on D&C 98? I think the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are the better example. What did the Nephites do when they and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis were threatened by Lamanites? Did they say "It's your problem, you deal with it?" Or did they say "We'll protect you?"

Renouncing war and proclaiming peace is a nice thing to do, but should that be the course of action when somebody else is attacking the innocent? We have the military might to protect Christians, particularly Yazidis, who are being raped and slaughtered by ISIS so why do you think we should turn a blind eye and let them suffer?

[larsenb]

If he is going to do that, he needs to be aware of where the funding and support for ISIS is coming from and make a quick end of that (Saudi Arabia, the U.S. in a clandestine fashion, Turkey and Israel). Once all this is done, he needs to get the heck out of Syria and support its moderate ruler, Assad.

[Ezra]

We really don't learn $hit do we.

Regardless of what we learn, I hope that we bomb the Shiite out of ISIS!

If there are any Sunnis in ISIS then let's bomb the Sunni out as well.

Please show me in the instructions given to us in d&c 98 where that is Gods will.

Because it's my understanding that that is the exact opposite of what God has said.

Why do you focus on D&C 98? I think the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are the better example. What did the Nephites do when they and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis were threatened by Lamanites? Did they say "It's your problem, you deal with it?" Or did they say "We'll protect you?"

Renouncing war and proclaiming peace is a nice thing to do, but should that be the course of action when somebody else is attacking the innocent? We have the military might to protect Christians, particularly Yazidis, who are being raped and slaughtered by ISIS so why do you think we should turn a blind eye and let them suffer?

There is a big difference between a war of aggression in foreign lands vs protecting people of your own country and self defense.

How many innocents were killed by the USA in the gulf war? How many in the Iraq war? How many in Afghanistan? How many innocent are killed in the conflict that are supposed to be for protecting the innocent?

You will find quite a few examples in the Book of Mormon of the lord only protecting his people who fight defensive wars. Not offensive ones.

But hey let's ignore some of the scriptures so that we can take other parts only to justify our actions.

And don't forget it's a commandment given in d&c 98. Not a suggestion..

And if we as a nation were interested in protecting the innocent. Don't you think we would be fighting to stop abortions. How many innocent baby's are killed every year in the USA??

Only 177,000 so far this year after 2 months of killing.

Your straw man innocent argument not holding much water.

If you want to know the real reason for modern war. Look up just one interesting fact. What banking institution is put in place in every county we go to war with. And what they had prior to that war.

You will find the driving force behind war.

[Silver]

Regardless of what we learn, I hope that we bomb the Shiite out of ISIS!

If there are any Sunnis in ISIS then let's bomb the Sunni out as well.

Please show me in the instructions given to us in d&c 98 where that is Gods will.

Because it's my understanding that that is the exact opposite of what God has said.

Why do you focus on D&C 98? I think the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are the better example. What did the Nephites do when they and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis were threatened by Lamanites? Did they say "It's your problem, you deal with it?" Or did they say "We'll protect you?"

Renouncing war and proclaiming peace is a nice thing to do, but should that be the course of action when somebody else is attacking the innocent? We have the military might to protect Christians, particularly Yazidis, who are being raped and slaughtered by ISIS so why do you think we should turn a blind eye and let them suffer?

There is a big difference between a war of aggression in foreign lands vs protecting people of your own country and self defense.

How many innocents were killed by the USA in the gulf war? How many in the Iraq war? How many in Afghanistan? How many innocent are killed in the conflict that are supposed to be for protecting the innocent?

You will find quite a few examples in the Book of Mormon of the lord only protecting his people who fight defensive wars. Not offensive ones.

But hey let's ignore some of the scriptures so that we can take other parts only to justify our actions.

And don't forget it's a commandment given in d&c 98. Not a suggestion..

And if we as a nation were interested in protecting the innocent. Don't you think we would be fighting to stop abortions. How many innocent baby's are killed every year in the USA??

Only 177,000 so far this year after 2 months of killing.

Your straw man innocent argument not holding much water.

If you want to know the real reason for modern war. Look up just one interesting fact. What banking institution is put in place in every county we go to war with. And what they had prior to that war.

You will find the driving force behind war.

Good stuff, Ezra. Too bad many will reject your message.

[larsenb]

We really don't learn $hit do we.

Regardless of what we learn, I hope that we bomb the Shiite out of ISIS!

If there are any Sunnis in ISIS then let's bomb the Sunni out as well.

Please show me in the instructions given to us in d&c 98 where that is Gods will.

Because it's my understanding that that is the exact opposite of what God has said.

Why do you focus on D&C 98? I think the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are the better example. What did the Nephites do when they and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis were threatened by Lamanites? Did they say "It's your problem, you deal with it?" Or did they say "We'll protect you?"

Renouncing war and proclaiming peace is a nice thing to do, but should that be the course of action when somebody else is attacking the innocent? We have the military might to protect Christians, particularly Yazidis, who are being raped and slaughtered by ISIS so why do you think we should turn a blind eye and let them suffer?

In the same vein as Ezra, the Anti-Nephi Lehis had been relocated within Nephite-held territories, so the Nephite defense of this group fell within the bounds of what constitutes just war as defined by the Book of Mormon: defend your people within your own borders when suffering attacks by a foreign invader.

[Ezra]

Please show me in the instructions given to us in d&c 98 where that is Gods will.

Because it's my understanding that that is the exact opposite of what God has said.

Why do you focus on D&C 98? I think the Anti-Nephi-Lehis are the better example. What did the Nephites do when they and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis were threatened by Lamanites? Did they say "It's your problem, you deal with it?" Or did they say "We'll protect you?"

Renouncing war and proclaiming peace is a nice thing to do, but should that be the course of action when somebody else is attacking the innocent? We have the military might to protect Christians, particularly Yazidis, who are being raped and slaughtered by ISIS so why do you think we should turn a blind eye and let them suffer?

There is a big difference between a war of aggression in foreign lands vs protecting people of your own country and self defense.

How many innocents were killed by the USA in the gulf war? How many in the Iraq war? How many in Afghanistan? How many innocent are killed in the conflict that are supposed to be for protecting the innocent?

You will find quite a few examples in the Book of Mormon of the lord only protecting his people who fight defensive wars. Not offensive ones.

But hey let's ignore some of the scriptures so that we can take other parts only to justify our actions.

And don't forget it's a commandment given in d&c 98. Not a suggestion..

And if we as a nation were interested in protecting the innocent. Don't you think we would be fighting to stop abortions. How many innocent baby's are killed every year in the USA??

Only 177,000 so far this year after 2 months of killing.

Your straw man innocent argument not holding much water.

If you want to know the real reason for modern war. Look up just one interesting fact. What banking institution is put in place in every county we go to war with. And what they had prior to that war.

You will find the driving force behind war.

Good stuff, Ezra. Too bad many will reject your message.

"Many" are called. I don't think it's just quintedence that they are not chosen. If we fail to listen that's the consequence.

[Silver]

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-1 ... aith-trump

"With the Trump administration rapidly shifting its foreign policy stance in recent weeks as the Goldman-led group inside the White House steamrolls all opposition, in the process dashing hopes of a detente between DC and Moscow which now appear set to continue the "cold war" diplomatic ways set under Obama and Hillary Clinton, another foreign leader who is losing faith that Trump will bring any notable change is Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who in an interview with Chinese TV station Phoenix said U.S. forces in Syria were "invaders" and that he had yet to see "anything concrete" emerge from U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to prioritize the fight against Islamic State.

Quoted by Reuters, Assad said he initially saw promise in Trump's vows to battle the Islamic State in Syria, where U.S. policy under President Barack Obama had mostly backed rebels fighting Assad and shunned him as an illegitimate leader. That promise, however, has now faded, especially after Trump recently stated he would boost US troops in Syria in an attempt to create "safe zones" in the nation, in the process likely further escalating the 6 year old proxy war in Syria.

"We haven't seen anything concrete yet regarding this rhetoric," Assad said in an interview with Chinese TV station Phoenix. "We have hopes that this administration in the United States is going to implement what we have heard," he said. Well, so do millions of Americans who are hoping that Trump will end Obamacare, not to mention all those still expecting Trump to unveil the "tremendous" tax plan. Maybe get in line.

In Syria, the US is currently working with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias and its biggest focus at this moment is to encircle and ultimately capture the ISIS capital of Raqqa. This week, the U.S.-led coalition announced that around 400 additional U.S. forces had deployed to Syria to help with the Raqqa campaign and to prevent any clash between Turkey and Washington-allied Syrian militias that Ankara sees as a threat. Around 500 U.S. forces are already in Syria in support of the campaign against Islamic State, which this week added several hundred, marines who were recently caught on video as they prepare for the Raqqa offensive.

Asked about a deployment of U.S. forces near the northern city of Manbij, Assad said: "Any foreign troops coming to Syria without our invitation ... are invaders."

"We don't think this is going to help"." (close quote)

The Crusades, Part 2? 3? 47?

[lundbaek]

I note that some people still need to be reminded that going to war, even to protect an innocent party, still requires a declaration of war by the US Congress. Maybe that's why President Benson told us so many times that we need to learn the principles of the Constitution.

[Silver]

I note that some people still need to be reminded that going to war, even to protect an innocent party, still requires a declaration of war by the US Congress. Maybe that's why President Benson told us so many times that we need to learn the principles of the Constitution.

Oh, lundbaek, constitutions are so 19th century. What we have now are an enlightened set of rules and, of course, our "national interests." America must be able to attack -- just enough to require more loans from bankers, but never enough to ever win -- at a moment's notice. We mustn't think of the ruined lives of our servicemen and women, or the unfortunate deaths of all the innocents in other countries because we've got debt to build and interest to be earned on that debt.

(The preceding statement was issued jointly by those friendly folks at the CFR and Goldman Sachs who have firmly ensconced themselves in the Trump Administration, just like all other recent administrations. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.)

[Different]

I note that some people still need to be reminded that going to war, even to protect an innocent party, still requires a declaration of war by the US Congress. Maybe that's why President Benson told us so many times that we need to learn the principles of the Constitution.

Oh, lundbaek, constitutions are so 19th century. What we have now are an enlightened set of rules and, of course, our "national interests." America must be able to attack -- just enough to require more loans from bankers, but never enough to ever win -- at a moment's notice. We mustn't think of the ruined lives of our servicemen and women, or the unfortunate deaths of all the innocents in other countries because we've got debt to build and interest to be earned on that debt.

(The preceding statement was issued jointly by those friendly folks at the CFR and Goldman Sachs who have firmly ensconced themselves in the Trump Administration, just like all other recent administrations. Same as it ever was. Same as it ever was.)

Globalists are winners.

[Ezra]

The only thing I really liked about trumps run for president was him saying he wanted to bring home the troops and focus on American frist.

I didn't place much hope that he would actually do that. And he is he is quickly proving my doubts right.

Looking like same tune to a different song. :((

[lundbaek]

It seems to me that President Trump does not understand the conspiracy he is up against, not its complete agenda. Remember in Ether 8:23 Moroni tole us to "suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain" ? Well, we have suffered them to get well above us, and I think we are beyond the point of no return. I believe rescue will come, but only after we crash and burn for a while, like maybe for three and a half years.