Deir al-Zor: Was it really an accident?

(coming soon)

 "The US has expressed regret for the strikes, while Australia, which says its planes were among a number of international aircraft involved in the operation, expressed condolences to the victims' families.

Russia said Sunday that the blunder could place the delicate Syrian truce, in place for less than a week, under threat.

"We consider what happened as a natural result of the persistent refusal of the United States from the establishment of close cooperation with Russia in the fight against ISIS, Jabhat al-Nusra and other affiliated terrorist groups," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement."  CNN

 

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So, we and the Australians admit that we "done it."  The body count this morning is up to 83 and presumably will go higher.  Could it have been a real targeting error?  Yes.  People here on SST who have participated in air targeting know how easy it is to make a mistake.  But, there are some unusual things about this "error."  The SAA has been occupying these positions for six months or so.  Presumably US imagery and SIGINT analysts have been looking at them all that time and producing map overlays that show who is where in detail.  These documents would be widely available especially to air units and their targeteers.  US coalition led air has rarely struck in the Deir al-Zor area.  Why now?  Were they asked to strike?   The US does not talk to the Syrian government.  How would they have been asked?  Who would have designated the targets?  They struck in the presence of SAA troops without any ground liaison?  And what of the timing two days before the US-Russian deal was to be expanded into active cooperation?

 

And then there is the performance of Ambassador Samantha Power at the UN last night and today.  Last night she threw a hissy fit for the cameras outside the chamber in which the Security Council was meeting.  She seemed outraged to have had her Saturday Night interrupted for something as trivial as the Deir al-Zor attacks.  One can envisage her snuggled up with a good book in her apartment in the Waldorf Towers only to be be ripped away for this meeting.  And then, today she made a longer statement on Tee Vee in which she first expressed the regret of the US government for the devastation we had wrought, and then set forth her bill of particulars against the Syrian government, a statement so fulsome in its loaded up R2P/Borgist assertions (routine Chemical attacks on THE PEOPLE, etc.) that it is obvious that for her the SAA are as much the enemy as IS.  I conclude that she must think that bombing the evil SAA was a good thing.  She does not exist in a vacuum.  SECDEF Carter is a thoroughgoing  Russophobe.  General Votel, the US commander in Iraq and eastern Syria has expressed doubt about the wisdom of cooperating with the Russians.

 

IMO it is an open question as to whether these air strikes on the SAA were accidental.  pl

http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/18/middleeast/syria-claims-coalition-airstrike-hit-regime-forces/

Comments

[Anna]

Yes, it does. Samantha Powers has displayed a willful betrayal of human dignity.
Listen carefully: she is a gifted propagandist and vicious opportunist. For instance, did not she imply that it was Russian federation that had started war in Syria and thus Russia is responsible for Syria' woes?
For those who took the proceeding of Nuremberg process seriously, Samantha Powers is a servant to the enemies of humanity. Of course she is just a useful peg in the machinery of the major war profiteers and "chosen" and yet her performance was exceptionally vile.

[Anna]

"A banshee, from Old Irish: ban síde, pronounced [bʲan ˈʃiːðʲe], "woman of the mounds," is a female spirit in Irish mythology who heralds the death of a family member, usually by shrieking or keening."
Unfortunately Samantha Powers is more than just a commentator but an active provocateur and poison-brew maker.

[Kerim]

Well this is getting a bit worrying. It would confirm the fact that the ideologists are getting the upper hand. It's also not particularly comforting if key military have jumped on that train.
At some point this is going to have a life of its own.
Powers show at the UN is beyond... words
The US has probably lost the little respect people had for it.
Frankly, it's just sad to watch

[Anna]

Here is an important observation re the US/Australia bombing of Syrian army:
"ISIS launched attacks on the Syrian army positions in Deir Ezzor only 7 minutes after the US-led coalition's airstrikes on Saturday, a military source said, adding that the air and ground assault were highly coordinated, According to FNA report." This seriously cuts against any US claims about this being an accident. additional information, in the below, also corroborates this...
Israel bombed the SAA earlier in the week and as a response from the SAA, had several of their crafts shot down. Of course the Obama administration is going to be pressured by its 'only democratic ally in the region' to take direct action against the SAA, diplomacy be damned. So of course the US had to do something." http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/09/major-development-russia-affirms-us.html

The above quote suggests that the US violated the agreement and bombed Syrian army in order to console the Israelis and ziocons. Israel is of course enraged by Russians fighting against the Israel-supported ISIS that has been helping Israel in grabbing the Golan Heights.
It seems as if Israelis have been using the US military might at their Israeli pleasure. Ugly.

[mike]

I have never been a fan of Samantha Power and her militaristic tendencies. How Obama ever made her an ambassador is mind boggling and way beyond my ken. She has always promoted the use of our military to solve diplomatic problems. How did a sweet little Irish girl born in Dublin get to be so bloodthirsty?

Obama should fire her and needs to do it soon. If elected Hillary will surely ask her to resign because of the "Hillary is a monster." comment that Ms Power made back in 2008. Who turned out to be the real monster? Obama should get rid of Ms Power now to save face for both of them later.

[Charles Michael]

This ''error'' hapening just after the public humiliations of US boots on the ground, broadly videoded, is bad, very bad.
I lean to think it was deliberate, as reminded, the US do not give air support to SAA, could not ignore the positions in Der El Zor; then we add Ash Carter and Pentagon mouth piece. Samantha Power performance at the UN is ugly.

It is to Obama to bring to reason these mutineers.
I have little hope that in his new (?) lame-duck status he will for the first time show character.

I am rather outraged.

Considering the very tense and polarized situation amongst US citizen, the strong rejection in fact of both candidates, any adventure after November or even before could now be a possibility.

[turcopolier]

rjj

Like SWMBO you were probably always the smartest girl in the class. This is heady stuff for anyone but you both handled it better than Rice (NSC), Rice (State) or Power. IMO she cannot accept the idea that like the other kids in the class who always gave in to her, the Russians don't give a s--t about her. pl

[Balint Somkuti]

Somehow I cant believe it was an accident.

May God have mercy for all of us.

What is next? Direct action against the russians in Syria?

Has everybody gone nuts?

Even tho the Red Army raped all females between 7-77 in the parts of Europe ""liberated"" by them it is still preferable to a nuclear holocaust.

[gemini33]

RT reported that US airstrikes killed Syrian soldiers in Deir Ez-Zor on Dec. 7, 2015, killing 4 soldiers, 14 injured. The coalition said they had no airstrikes in Deir Ez-Zor. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI9vi3Siuzo

I thought today's report on yesterday's airstrikes was interesting. I'm not sure if these are different strikes than the ones that hit the Syrian army but the Operation Inherent Resolve CJTF describe them as:

"Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed seven ISIL oil tanker trucks and damaged eight supply routes."

http://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/947856/inherent-resolve-strikes-target-isil-in-syria-iraq

I'm curious about the Dec. 15 denial because one time, an OIR spokesman denied strikes on al Nusra, and made it clear that the coalition only targets ISIS, but said that CENTCOM has targeted al Qaeda. So apparently CJTF coalition could deny airstrikes in a particular area even though another US command could have done them. I reported this and cited Col. Garver's statement here: https://shadowproof.com/2016/08/23/next-cold-war-roundup-82316/

This is what he said on Aug. 16:

Garver: “No, that’s not true. The coalition has not done that. When you say CJTF, we have not done that. And the targeting of Khorasan Group, Nusra, that’s handled at CENTCOM and higher. It is not us that does that. We are focused on Daesh. If you go back and look at the press releases that CENTCOM puts out, they’re focused on the other operations ongoing in Syria. So that’s not a coalition operation.”

I wonder if we have the same kind of situation with the strikes on Saturday. I find it confusing.

[turcopolier]

b

I am sure you know that SECSTATE has zero authority over the armed forces or the CIA unless POTUS gives him power in a particular matter. What his particular inclinations might be I know not, but his personal history of conniving deception is not a good sign. Rebellion in the military chain of command is unlikely in the US armed forces. These generals are all careerists in the worst sense of the term.. They made their way by kissing a-s and are unlikely to do anything else. IMO the decision to do this probably started with tha cabal of neocons and R2Peres at the top. Votel would not IMO have the balls to ask for presidential guidance before doing this. I am being driven towards Trump. I doubt that he is a risk taker. pl

[gemini33]

Power is an embarrassment to this country, from my view. I can't wait until she's out of that position, or at least I hope she'll be replaced by a better ambassador. I found it interesting that she was bending over backwards to try to persuade the UN journalists and the camera audience to her position. Doth protest too much. I was embarrassed by her.

[mike]

Were all the casualties from the SAA? Or were they from the Hezbollah and Iraqi Hashd Al-Sha'abi that are helping to defend Deir Ez Zor?

And is there any truth to the rumor that a US drone took AAA fire earlier in the day before the attack?

[Tyler]

Putin's patience is the stuff of legends, it seems. Thank God no Russians were killed.

He seems to be channeling Reagan, letting the US over extend itself more and more until it finally stumbles over the cliff.

[rjj]

I was appreciating how well suited she is to represent a different official cabal of Deplorables.

[gemini33]

I'm seeing reports that the ISIS offensive began 7 minutes after the airstrikes on the Syrian Army.
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/09/major-development-russia-affirms-us.html

The source is an anonymous military official, so grain of salt. But other reports said the ISIS offensive was "immediate" or "within an hour".

Flores (in that FortRuss article) suggests this US strike on the Syrian Army was retaliation for the missiles fired at the Israeli fighter jet and drone last week. I hadn't even considered that. Not sure if it's credible but it is an interesting speculation.

I had thought it was more likely a way of sabotaging the US-Russia military cooperation aspect of the deal or to signal to the Syrian army to get out of Deir Ez-Zor before an operation to retake Raqqa and most of eastern Syria begins. Pro-Erdogan media reported that the Raqqa operation will begin soon (Yeni Safak article: http://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/turkey-saudi-arabia-qatar-us-to-sweep-daesh-from-syria-after-eid-2528904 )

[The Beaver]

@ rjj

Check this :
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Csn45gFWIAQphpB.jpg

the spox of Russian Foreign Ministry:
“Dear Samantha Power, in order to know the meaning of the word “embarrassed,” I highly encourage you to travel to Syria and talk to the people there for yourself. And by that I do not mean the Al-Nusra Front militants, nor the moderate opposition, whose humanitarian situation Washington seems to be so worried about. I likewise am not referring to the Western warriors for justice for Syria. I’m referring to the actual people that continue to live there in spite of the bloody experiment that has been waged on their homeland for over six years, with active participation by Washington.”
“Let’s go there together,” she said, promising she would shoulder the expenses of Power’s Syria trip.

“Do say yes. Don’t be frightened. Nobody will lay a finger on you in my presence. Unless, of course, your guys don’t again ‘mistakenly’ strike the wrong target. You’ll make lots of new memories. And find out what ‘embarrassed’ means in the process,”

[Sans racines]

Thank you rjj - I've only skimmed but it explains a lot. Cargo cult science.

[rjj]

Barbarossa ending in scorched earth and 10 million dead might bring the worst out in people.

[Chris Chuba]

Since our military has accused the Russians of intentionally bombing moderates, I consider it probable that they recklessly decided to settle a score for this non-existent offense.

I do not see any valid reason for us to bomb ISIS targets within 100 miles of Deir Ezzor unless the Syrian Army itself calls in the airstrikes.
1. We don't have any spotters on the ground, aerial drones aren't sufficient.
2. The SDF isn't within 100 or possibly even 150 miles of Deir Ezzor, we have no business there.

The Russians should install S300's so that a radar lock will be a signal to the Coalition aircraft that they have lost their way and are in the wrong place. This is my free advice to R+6, my free advice to the coalition is to leave if they detect a radar lock. Perhaps Samantha Power will call a U.N. Security Meeting and say [while squinting with that mile long face of hers] 'Really?'

[VietnamVet]

Colonel,

Nothing happens in isolation. We are all interconnected.

My take is that there are way too many wars in too many places for the White House to analyze and approve each bombing strike. The President could never sleep or play golf. Someone up in the chain of command decided to give Israel a freebie and bomb Dier al-Zor since they perceive that Israel’s enemies are America’s enemies. If ISIS attacked 7 minutes after the bombing ended, it was coordinated. In American media Russia is now portrayed as an enemy.

The primitives have taken control. Thousand year hatreds rule. Underneath is the insatiable craving to be one of the thousand families who have everything. All of the western democracies are in decline as their power is seized by transnational corporations, taxes cut and government privatized.

Tribalism is superseding science and rational thought. On the internet Kevin Drum, Brad Delong and Paul Krugman are hippy punching former Bernie Sanders supporters who have not jumped on the Hillary Clinton bandwagon. Lefties are another basket of deplorables.

[oofda]

Trump not a risk taker? His comments on nuclear weapons are terrifying. The problem is that he doesn't know when he is taking a risk. General Hayden is certainly not an HRC back but he expressed grave concern about Trump and nuclear weapons.

[turcopolier]

oofda

IMO it is all BS. I was in international business for ten miserable year at the corporate level. Were you or Haydon ever in a business that was not fed off the US government? People like him do not take other than carefully calculated risks. pl

[Jay]

It would be interesting to see what our reaction would be if the Syrians ordered us out of their airspace and off their turf?

[Sege]

US air has struck previously directly in the Deir al-Zor area, most significantly to my memory in the last most serious ISIS attempt to seize the airport in December 2014, in which hundreds of ISIS were likely amassed. A series of strikes “destroyed three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL excavator and struck an ISIL training camp,” 2 days into the 10 day offensive, and there were more following and further along along the iraqi border as reinforcements were being bussed in. This was a complete mistake on US part IMO, as there are precedents for them targeting massed up IS formations in the area. Although a few curious details such as australian participation,especially in this area, add an aura of strangeness to the whole thing(when, as I understand it,non-US participation in bombing raids is quite rare)

[robt willmann]

mike,

Samantha Power's husband is Cass Sunstein. He had taught at the University of Chicago Law School. He was appointed by Obama in his first term to be the head of the The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which is a statutory part of the Office of Management and Budget within the Executive Office of the President--

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/oira

There was some controversy over his appointment, but he was eventually confirmed by the U.S. Senate. As the description on the White House website says, "OIRA is the United States Government’s central authority for the review of Executive Branch regulations, approval of Government information collections, establishment of Government statistical practices, and coordination of federal privacy policy." If anyone does not like regulations issued by the Obama administration during his first term, guess who was in charge of the office to review them.