Russia’s Not Joking Around: US Reshuffles Forces After Pentagon Expresses Concern for ‘Aircrew Safety’ in Syria
The Pentagon is taking Russia's warning in Syria seriously
Russian air defences such as the dependable S-400, are now on alert for any objects intruding into their areas of operation. The days of Mr Nice are over.
Safe to fly over Syria?
Don't be so quick to dismiss Russia's warning to the US about Syria's airspace. The Pentagon certainly isn't shrugging it off.
Not only is the Pentagon working to re-establish the deconfliction line, it's also reshuffling its own forces after expressing concern about "aircrew safety" in Syria.
Citing comments made by General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, AFP reports that the US is already working diplomatic and military channels in an attempt to re-establish the deconfliction line with Moscow. We doubt they'll have much luck.
Russia has suspended the deconfliction line before—but there's excellent reasons to assume Moscow isn't in a very forgiving mood at the present moment. Recall that Russia was warned beforehand about April's Tomahawk missile strike—allowing Russian and Syrian forces to prepare accordingly. Yes, the deconfliction line was later suspended, but that was more about political posturing. Frankly speaking, the deconfliction line allowed Trump to look "tough" on Assad while inflicting minimal casualties. In this case, the deconfliction line was immensely beneficial to both parties.
This time around, there was no warning about the shoot-down, and Moscow has obviously lost its patience.And the Pentagon clearly understands what's at stake. Now without guaranteed safe passage over much of Syria's airspace, the US has been forced to "re-position" its forces:
"We have taken prudent measures to re-position aircraft over Syria so as to continue targeting ISIS forces while ensuring the safety of our aircrew given known threats in the battlespace," Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said "we are going to do what we can to protect our interests," adding that the United States would keep an open line of communication with the Russians.
Are the Russians eager to shoot down a US warplane? Definitely not, for a multitude of very good reasons.
But the Pentagon understands the severity of the situation—and has responded accordingly.
Some American allies, like the "little Brits", who always join US imperialist packs, following their mother country despicable example, are also getting cold feet. Australia just suspended her air force ops in Syria. See the report posted on ZeroHedge below:
Australia Suspends Syria Airstrikes Citing Potential Threats From Russia
A mosque destroyed by U.S.-coalition airstrikes in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa. (Aamaq News Agency via AP)
Crossposted also with MintPress News
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]ussia’s Monday decision to suspend a memorandum of cooperation with the US-led coalition in retaliation after a US jet shot down a Syrian Army plane has rattled some US allies, who fear escalating tensions between Russia and the coalition. In what it called a “precautionary measure,” Australia became the first coalition member to suspend flights in Syria, claiming it’s too dangerous for its planes to fly without the agreement, according to BBC.
“As a precautionary measure, Australian Defense Force (ADF) strike operations into Syria have temporarily ceased,” Australia’s Department of Defense said in a statement, adding its operations in Iraq would continue as part of the coalition.”
“ADF personnel are closely monitoring the air situation in Syria and a decision on the resumption of ADF air operations in Syria will be made in due course.”
“Australian Defense Force protection is regularly reviewed in response to a range of potential threats,” the Department of Defense said.
Australia has deployed about 780 military personnel as part of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
The BBC notes that Australia has a small but highly capable contingent of six F/A-18 strike aircraft; a tanker; and an E-7A Wedgetail early warning aircraft, all based at Al Minhad in the United Arab Emirates.
Most of the Australian strikes have been in Iraq, though its aircraft do also operate over Syria. Australian commanders will reassess the situation in due course. The more fundamental question is what the Russian threat actually amounts to. Is it just rhetoric or does Moscow want to deny certain areas of Syrian airspace to US-led coalition aircraft?
Australian aircraft will continue to fly missions in Iraq.
As reported yesterday, Russia suspended cooperation under the “Memorandum on the Prevention of Incidents and Ensuring Air Safety in Syria” on Monday after the US shot down a Syrian Army fighter jet.
The Russian Defense ministry called the attack “an act of aggression,” on the part of the US-led coalition. The US military neglected to use a communication line with Russia concerning this attack, despite the fact that Russian warplanes were also on a mission in Syrian airspace at the time, the Russian Defense Ministry alleged, conflicting with the Pentagon’s explanation of events.
The bilateral memorandum of understanding was signed between the United States and Russia signed in October 2015 to ensure the safety of flights during combat missions over Syria. In retaliation for the US attack, the ministry warned that Russian missile defense would intercept any aircraft in the area of operations of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria.
“In areas where Russian aviation is conducting combat missions in the Syrian skies, any flying objects, including jets and unmanned aerial vehicles of the international coalition discovered west of the Euphrates River will be followed by Russian air and ground defenses as air targets,” the Russian Defense Ministry announced, quoted by Sputnik.
Contrary to the earlier statement by the US, according to which it “contacted its Russian counterparts by telephone via an established “de-confliction line” to de-escalate the situation and stop the firing”, Russia claims the US-led coalition command didn’t use the deconfliction channel with Russia to avoid an incident during an operation in Raqqa:
“Russian Aerospace Forces’ jets were conducting operations in Syrian airspace [at] that time. However, the command of the coalition forces didn’t use the existing channel between the air command of the Qatari airbase al Udeid and the [Russian] Hmeymim airbase to avoid incidents over Syria.
“We now wait to see which other US allies – Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Jordan and the UK also are contributing men and arms to the task of “liberating” Syria – will announce that they’re temporarily pulling out of the conflict until tensions once again de-escalate.
© ZeroHedge.com
Russia has suspended the deconfliction line before—but there’s excellent reasons to assume Moscow isn’t in a very forgiving mood at the present moment. Recall that Russia was warned beforehand about April’s Tomahawk missile strike—allowing Russian and Syrian forces to prepare accordingly. Yes, the deconfliction line was later suspended, but that was more about political posturing. Frankly speaking, the deconfliction line allowed Trump to look “tough” on Assad while inflicting minimal casualties. In this case, the deconfliction line was immensely beneficial to both parties.
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