ISIS update 11/24/2015..Be careful what you wish for

Federica Mogherini calls for avoiding escalation after downing of Russian jet

Obama orders probe into intel’s alleged doctoring reports on ISIS

Pentagon Alters Internal Report Saying No Military Solution In Iraq/Syria

Gen. Flynn discusses intelligence Obama received on ISIS

Are intel manipulation claims a symptom of a deeper problem?

How the US fights ISIS: What does the real picture look like?

US Congresswoman Introduces Bill To End Illegal War In Syria! Wants Gov To Stop Arming Terrorists!

Obama, Hollande Meet To Discuss Fight Against IS

French jets bomb Daesh positions in Syria

French jets on sorties targeting ISIS from Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier

Russia Bombs 1,000 ISIS Oil Tankers As France Launches First Carrier Strikes Against “Evil Death Cult”

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-23/russia-bombs-1000-isis-oil-tankers-france-launches-first-carrier-strikes-against-evi

Two days ago, we noted that both France and the US were rushing aircraft carriers toward the Syrian coast.

The French dispatched the nuclear powered, $3.5 billion Charles de Gaulle on Saturday while the US sent the CVN-75 Harry Truman last Monday. The departure of the CVN-71 Theodore Roosevelt from the Persian Gulf a month ago had left the entire 5th Naval Fleet without a US carrier presence for the first time in a decade.

But not for long.

At last check, the Truman was already approaching Gibraltar.

“We will intensify our strikes, we will choose targets that will do the most damage possible to the terrorist army,” Francois Hollande proclaimed (a note to the French President: if that’s really your goal, you might want to source your “intelligence” from someone other than Washington).

Interestingly, France isn’t confining its strikes to Syria. As AFP reports, French warplanes engaged targets in Ramadi and Mosul on Monday:

:

France launched air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq on Monday in the first sorties from the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, newly deployed in the eastern Mediterranean.

“We carried out strikes in Ramadi and Mosul in support of ground forces that were pushing against troops of (the Islamic State group),” said army chief of staff General Pierre de Villiers, aboard the carrier.

He said planes from the Charles de Gaulle would launch strikes against IS targets in Syria, including command and recruitment centres as well as oil facilities, in “a matter of hours or days”.

Rafale jets catapulted from the carrier’s flight deck on Monday morning, an AFP reporter saw.

Meanwhile, the Russians have stepped up strikes on ISIS oil tankers as the debate heats up in the US about why the Obama administration is just now beginning to target Islamic State’s main source of revenue. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Moscow’s warplanes have destroyed 1,000 tankers carrying “stolen crude” to refineries in the last five days alone.

The Kremlin is also targeting depots and refineries near Raqqa, and because we’re talking about the Russians here, you know they took plenty of pictures.

Here’s the destruction of “an object at the terrorists’ oil production plant”:

We wonder whether the Russians, like the Americans, dropped leaflets 45 minutes ahead of time letting ISIS know that airstrikes were imminent.

In any event, both the skies above Syria and the waters off its coast are becoming quite crowded these days, and the “parking lot” in the Mediterranean will only become more cramped once the Truman shows up. And just in case things weren’t complicated enough,

David Cameron is now seeking Parliamentary approval to join the air campaign and has given the French permission to use Britain’s RAF base in Cyprus to launch anti-ISIS strikes. On that note, we’ll close with a rather amusingly hyperbolic quote from the British PM:

“The United Kingdom will do all in our power to support our friend and ally France to defeat this evil death cult.”

David Cameron pushing for Syria bombing within weeks

Iran Leader: Any solution to Syria crisis should be agreed upon by Syrian people, officials

Iran’s Leader calls for confronting plots to partition Iraq

Putin: Russia will continue cooperation with Iran in fight against terrorism

Ayatollah Khamenei: Daesh terrorism created, supported by certain countries

Russian air force flew 141 sorties, hit 472 targets in Syria over weekend

Russian Air Force workout in Syria. Briefing + (Drone footage) Nov 21-23, 2015

International Military Review – Syria-Iraq Battlespace, Nov. 24, 2015

Syria: Battlefield Aleppo

Wish Come True: US Candidates Who Called for Shooting Down Russian Fighters

Here are direct quotes, ladies first:

Hillary Clinton:

“I personally would be advocating now for a no-fly zone and humanitarian corridors to try to stop the carnage on the ground and from the air.”

Carly Fiorina:

“This is a tricky maneuver, it’s a dangerous maneuver, but it’s a maneuver that we must undertake. The Russians do not get to move into the Middle East and become the dominant outside power.”

Jeb Bush:

“We need to have no fly zones. The argument is, well we’ll get into the conflict with Russia, maybe Russia shouldn’t want to be in conflict with us. I mean, this is a place where American leadership is desperately needed.”

John Kasich:

“You enter that no-fly zone, you enter at your own peril. No more red lines, no more looking the other way. If any hostile aircraft should enter that, there will be a great consequence to them.”

Ben Carson:

“We need to stand our ground with the airspace. I would establish a no-fly zone along the border with Turkey. In no way would I back off.”

Chris Christie:

“My first phone call would be to Vladimir, and I’d say to him, listen, we’re enforcing this no-fly zone,” adding that he would shoot down Russian warplanes that violate the no-fly zone.

Lindsey Graham:

“I don’t know if there’s anybody left to train, but a no-fly zone would be a great relief to the Syrian people.”

Marco Rubio:

“The United States should work with our allies, both Arab and European, to impose a no-fly zone over parts of Syria.”

Before the Paris massacre that meant shooting down Russian planes flying over Syria either by U.S. military or by providing surface to air missiles like Stinger to “moderate” rebels.

Now, when France is working closely with Russia, will these presidential hopefuls flip-flop, or they will advocate shooting down French planes as well?

To be fair, some of the Republican and Democratic candidates opposed a no fly zone even before the French got into action.

Ted Cruz:

“Look, we have no business sticking our nose in that civil war”

Rand Paul:

“Setting up a no-fly zone is a recipe for disaster. It’s a recipe for confrontation.”

Donald Trump:

“I Support Russia Bombing ‘The Hell Out Of ISIS’ In Syria.”

Bernie Sanders:

“I oppose, at this point, a unilateral American no-fly zone in Syria which could get us more deeply involved in that horrible civil war and lead to a never-ending U.S. entanglement in that region.”

Martin O’Malley:

“This could lead to an escalation of Cold War proportions (!) because of an accident, and I don’t think that’s in the best interest of the United States.”

…Of course, there are more U.S. politicos in high places like Senator John McCain who want to escalate this conflict even further, and they have the enthusiastic support of the mainstream media.

At the same we hear more voices of reason urging the White House to join the real anti-terror coalition headed by Russia and France.

If only Obama could make up his mind!

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