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Obama grants waiver for military support of foreign fighters in Syria – White House

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From RT

December 8, 2016

President Barack Obama has ordered a waiver of restrictions on military aid for foreign forces and others in Syria, deeming it “essential to the national security interests” of the US to allow exceptions from provisions in the four-decades-old Arms Export Control Act.

A White House press release Thursday announced that foreign fighters in Syria supporting US special operations “to combat terrorism in Syria”would be excused from restrictions on military assistance.

“I hereby determine that the transaction, encompassing the provision of defense articles and services to foreign forces, irregular forces, groups, or individuals engaged in supporting or facilitating ongoing U.S. military operations to counter terrorism in Syria, is essential to the national security interests of the United States,” President Obama affirmed in the presidential determination and waiver.

The order delegates responsibility to the US secretary of state to work with and report to Congress on weapons export proposals, requiring 15 days of notice before they are authorized.

Obama announced a similar waiver of the Arms Export Control Act in September 2013, following the Ghouta chemical attack in August of that year. That order facilitated the transfer of US military weaponry to “select vetted members” of opposition forces battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Thursday’s order appears less narrow in scope.

READ MORE: RT crew first to reach liberated area of Aleppo’s Old City (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO) 

Last year, Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2016, which allocated nearly $500 million to arm and train “moderate rebels” in Syria, despite a failed Pentagon program abandoned earlier in 2015.

The challenge of differentiating between terrorist forces, such as Al-Nusra, and more moderate forces in Syria has been acknowledged by press secretaries in recent State Department briefings.

The “counterterrorism” pretext is just a “convenient misappropriation of language,” aimed at arming various militants to battle the Syrian Army and its allies, believes geopolitical analyst Patrick Henningsen.

“Putting this under the banner of fighting terrorism … follows on [from] a sort of fantasy concept that’s been pushed out as a talking point for the last year and a half, that if we train and equip the ‘moderate opposition’ they will fight [Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL)],” Henningsen told RT.

“They want to open the floodgates basically for trafficking weapons to religious extremists and militants and terrorist groups, internationally recognized terrorist groups … it’s all being done still under this kind of false pretense of the fight against ISIS, that somehow ‘moderate’ rebels, if they even exist, will turn their weapons and fight against ISIS. And we know from the facts on the ground, from the beginning, that [this] simply has not been the case. This is to arm the opposition to fight the Syrian government and to fight Russian forces. This is a desperate move on the part of the lame duck president.”

President Obama’s decision could lead to an almost immediate escalation of the conflict and basically put the US in a situation of “waging a proxy war against the Russians and Syrians,” a former Pentagon official, Michael Maloof, told RT.

“The rebels, whom we cannot identify, are going to be getting some very sophisticated weapons. Potentially, I should say, man-portable air defense systems, which can knock down Russian and Syrian aircraft,” Maloof said. “And the fact too, that we have stocks already in Europe, that can easily be transferred with this waiver. Under the waiver, it’s supposed to be a 15-day notification to Congress, but Congress, as of tonight, Washington time, is going to be out of session until January. So these arms can go within hours.”

 

https://www.rt.com/usa/369702-obama-waiver-military-aid-syria-forces/

Conflict instigators must foot humanitarian crises’ bills – Russian Emergencies Minister to UN

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From RT

December 9, 2016
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© EMERCOM of Russia
© EMERCOM of Russia

Russia’s victory in Syria: The real meaning of the Aleppo Hospital tragedy

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From Fort Russ

December 8, 2016 – Fort Russ –
Ruslan Ostashko – LiveJournal– translated by J. Arnoldski –
I am not surprised by the double standards of Western media and Western leaders who either don’t want to recognize the fact that our military medics were killed or are issuing statements to the effect of “serves you right.” I’m even more unsurprised by the absence or at least “cheesy” condolences that have been offered on the occasion of the murder of our military adviser. I’ll say something cynical: I would be very worried if suddenly Western media and Western politicians started doing otherwise. 
The point is that chivalry is a luxury that only the winners can afford, and the strength of the globalists’ forces in Syria are now suffering a very serious defeat with very far-reaching consequences. Therefore, when the Pentagon is grinning and the International Red Cross is actually spitting on the memory of our medics, this means that everything is in order. This means that we are doing what’s necessary. This means that our troops have found themselves on the right side of history and are very close to victory.
Our opponents have a long tradition of spitting on the graves of the dead when they can’t beat the living. This is a sure sign that they are losing and that we are winning.
The situation for the globalists sponsoring and coordinating the terrorist “Syrian opposition” is so desperate that they are going to do anything to at least spoil the approaching victory of Russian troops in Syria. Catastrophe is nearing for the globalists and the moment is approaching when they will be deprived of the leverage they now have. This includes the leverage of control over certain American military resources. 
A prudent commander would now be trying to quietly negotiate with Moscow on the withdrawal of American military instructors from Aleppo who are working there to coordinate the work of militants. But instead, the globalists are organizing mortar shelling of a Russian hospital as a farewell, perfectly knowing that the response will be maximally bloody. The chances of American and Western instructors exiting Aleppo alive are now equal to zero. 
It is evident that they don’t care about the fate of their instructors and could care less precisely because the Pentagon will soon come into Trump’s hands. They won’t be able to use such instructors anymore. So why protect them? According to the logic of the departing Clinton team, it is much more important and interesting to spoil the Russian celebration and make victory come at even a greater cost. There is nothing surprising here. The logic of the globalists, for whom both Syrians and Americans are cannon fodder for their personal wars, is reflected in this situation crystal clear. I don’t know about you, but this reminds me of April 1945 when we dealt with one maniac who behaved similarly. He finished very badly.
I am closely following the information wars against Russia, and I remember very well how they told us at every turn that Syria will be Russia’s new Afghanistan. I remember how specialists on the Middle East told us that Assad is doomed in any case. I remember how they told us that Aleppo is impregnable and that Turkey and the United States will fight to the end to protect their militants in Syria. They basically urged us to reconcile with these “facts” and not even try to interfere in the Clintonites’ plans to reshape the Middle East for themselves, lay down pipes carrying Qatari gas to Europe, and turn the region into a factory of terrorists to be used for attacks on Russia. 
But what do we see now? We are now witnessing not only the final battle for Aleppo, but the real triumph of the Russian army and Russian military advisers. We have learned to fight with maximum concern for the lives of our soldiers. That’s why those cases in which we fail to save our medics or military advisers are so painful.
It can already be said that their death is not in vain. Besides the obvious geopolitical advantages now at play and besides the serious reduction in the number of terrorists who could in other circumstances turn up in Russia, the operation in Syria has shown us ourselves and the entire world that Russia can defend its geopolitical interests beyond its own borders even better than the USSR could. 
 
25 years ago, the operation in Afghanistan contributed to society being indifferent towards or even welcoming the collapse of the Soviet Union. But now our operation in Syria is doing the opposite: strengthening our faith in our strength and our country. This is very good. Perhaps 25 years ago we really learned to draw the right conclusions from the mistakes of our past. 
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/12/russias-victory-in-syria-real-meaning.html

“We found them and destroyed them:” DPR special forces assassinate Elenovka war criminals

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December 6, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
Maksim Karpenko, PolitNavigator – translated by J. Arnoldski –
  Special forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic have successfully liquidated the perpetrators of the Elenovka checkpoint shelling from April 2016, when Ukrainian nighttime shelling killed several people waiting in their cars at the checkpoint to cross the border. This was announced by the head of the DPR, Alexander Zakharchenko, in an interview for Tsargrad TV.
  “You need to make the enemy understand that it won’t do these things with impunity. When the pregnant woman in Elenovka was killed, I swore to myself that I will find and eliminate those who participated in this attack. Let the Ukrainian military see now who has been killed over the last four months in all sorts of unknown cases. We found them and destroyed them,” Zakharchenko stated.
  The DPR head also promised that the same fate awaits the organizers and perpetrators of the assassination of Sparta commander Arsen Pavlov, a.k.a. “Motorola”.

 

  “We will do exactly what they did,” Zakharchenko warned. 
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/12/we-found-them-and-destroyed-them-dpr.html

‘Planned murder’: Russian colonel & 2 medics killed by West-supported attack on hospital in Aleppo

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From Fort Russ

December 7, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
RIA Novosti – translated by J. Arnoldski –
Russia’s defense ministry has reported that Russian military advisor and colonel Ruslan Galitsky has died from wounds sustained during the shelling of a residential bloc in Aleppo by militants from the so-called “opposition.”
The ministry said that military doctors fought for several days to save the officer’s life, but were unsuccessful. It was also noted by the ministry that Galitsky was part of a group of advisers fulfilling assignments in Syria. Russia’s command has posthumously presented Colonel Galitsky with the highest state award.
On Monday, the news came that militants had shelled a Russian mobile hospital in Aleppo, as a result of which two military medics were killed and a doctor was severely injured. Civilians being received for treatment also suffered.

 

The Ministry of Defense has called the attack on the hospital “planned murder,” the responsibility for which lies with the so-called “moderate opposition” and its patrons in the West. 
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/12/some-gave-all-russian-colonel-killed-by.html

2400+ violations: full Donetsk front sit-rep

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From Fort Russ

December 7, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
RusVesna – translated by J. Arnoldski –
Russian Spring is publishing a complete summary of the military situation in the Donetsk People’s Republic for December 6th-7th. The data was compiled following today’s briefing by the deputy commander of the republic’s operative command, Eduard Basurin.
 
Ceasefire violations
Over the past day, the number of ceasefire violations by Ukrainian militants has doubled, amounting to 2,453 violations in total. 
The enemy fired at the territory of the republic 114 times with artillery of 152 and 122 mm, 617 times with mortars of 120 and 82 mm, 8 tank shots, as well as 1240 shots from various types of grenade launchers. In addition, infantry fighting vehicles and small arms were also used.
The Ukrainian terrorists Gruzevich, Shaptal, Nikolyuk, Sokolov, and Delyatisky subjected the following residential areas of the republic to shelling: Vasilevka, Verkhnetoretskoe, Yasinovatya, Zhabichevo, Spartak, Aleksandrovka, Yasnoe, Elenovka, Dokuchaevsk, Kominternovo, Leninskoe, Oktyabr, Sakhanka, and Trudovskie in the Petrovsky district of the city of Donetsk. 
 
Infrastructural damage
As a result of Ukrainian militants’ bombardments, three houses and a gas pipeline were damaged in Dokuchaevsk, and one house was damaged in the residential area of Staromikhailovka.
Also damaged were power lines in Elenovka, where more than 100 homes have been left without light. In Krutaya Balka, the Donetsk Filtration Station, which had only been working for two days before, has been left without electricity. 
At the current time, measures are being taken to renew the supply of electricity and gas to the affected residential areas.
 
Troop movements
The DPR’s intelligence has continued to record the strengthening of UAF positions close to the contact line. 
 
In Karlovka (19 km from the contact line), the positions of four 152 mm towed Giatsint-B howitzers have been identified. In Galitsinovka (17 km from the contact line), the location of four 122mm self-propelled Gvozdika artillery systems have been noted. In Krasnogorovka (3 km from the contact line), the location of two 122 mm self-propelled Gvozdika artillery systems has been recorded. Finally, in Konstantinovka (12 km from the contact line), four 122 mm self-propelled Gvozdika artillery systems and two 152 mm towed Giatsint-B howitzers have arrived. 
All information on violations of the Minsk Agreements has been sent to representatives of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire of the OSCE mission.
 
Foreign instructors
In the area of operation of the UAF’s 30th mechanized brigade, the presence of foreign instructors from Slovakia, who are directing tactical training for servicemen, has been noted. Judging by the increasing losses in UAF ranks, the foreign instructors are amateurs and do not receive full salaries.
 
Failed ‘offensives’
Over the past day alone, Ukrainian militants tried two times to break through our positions on the southern borders of the republic, namely, in the residential area of Vodyanoe, where they were repelled and driven back onto their territory with two killed and four wounded. On our side, one serviceman was wounded.
 
Conclusion

 

Thus, we can see that the Ukrainian military command is “with sheep persistence” continuing to send its people to slaughter despite knowing in advance the futility of such actions. 
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/12/2400-violations-full-donetsk-front-sit.html

“Soft” Genocide: Kiev shuts off water and electricity to Lugansk

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From Fort Russ

December 3, 2016 –
By Eduard Popov for Fort Russ – translated by J. Arnoldski –
In addition to regularly shelling the territories of the Donbass republics and firing missiles over the airspace of Russian Crimea, Kiev has also not forgotten to use energy weapons. While Russia is helping the residents of the Ukrainian city of Genichesk (Kherson region) to survive the harsh winter by supplying them with free gas, Ukraine is using any and every opportunity to implement policies of socio-economic genocide against the people of Donbass. 
Today, I received fresh information from the front of the “energy war” being waged by Kiev against the Lugansk People’s Republic. This information is courtesy of Cossack Media Group from the city of Stakhanov in the LPR. The LPR’s authorized representative to the Minsk talks, Vladislav Deynego has reported that Ukraine has cut off Lugansk’s water supply from the Petrov reservoir. However, he assured that this has not harmed anyone in the LPR. In response to Ukraine’s disconnection of the water supply, a new water supply schedule has been introduced in Lugansk.
At the same time, the first deputy director of the Lugansk Water Company, Igor Ometov, has reported that the water shutdown has absolutely not affected any other districts of the Lugansk People’s Republic, which will continue to receive water according to the normal schedule.
But that’s not all. In December 2016, Ukraine plans to turn off not only water, but also electricity to the LPR. This has been announced by the director of the Lugansk Energy Association, Vladimir Gritsai, live on Hromadske Public Radio.
Earlier, the head of the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Alexander Hug, stated that 600,000 people in the LPR could be left without heating and electricity for Christmas. According to representatives of the Cossack Media Group whom I asked for clarification, Lugansk had actually signed a formal contract with Ukrainian energy providers and regularly pays them for their services. During this upcoming harsh winter (such are the forecasts), the deprivation of such a huge population of light and heating is a form of genocide.
I believe that the Donbass republics are obliged to submit a complaint on such behavior at the next meeting of the Minsk group or call an emergency meeting insofar as Ukraine, with these and other actions, is grossly violating the spirit and letters of the Minsk Agreements. Paragraph eight of the agreements concerns the need to “fully restore socio-economic ties, including social transfers such as pensions and other payments (receipts and income, the timely payment of all utility bills, the renewal of taxation within the legal framework of Ukraine).” 
The republics of Donbass are honoring and fulfilling their part of the obligations and are paying Ukrainian power companies for their services. Yet now Ukraine has refused to provide even those services that have been already paid for. 
Ukraine’s actions are no surprise. The only surprise is the actions of the leaders of the Donetsk republics, especially LPR head Igor Plotnitsky. In October of last year, the Minister of Fuel, Energy, and Coal Industry of the LPR, Dmitry Lyamin, was arrested for ordering enormous volumes of coal produced in the republic to go to Ukraine. This helped Ukrainian energy stations keep running thanks to acutely scarce Donbass coal. As a result, Ukraine was saved from energy collapse last winter. This problematic situation was compounded by the fact that the LPR received no money or tax revenues from the coal supply. Lyamin’s arrest was made in the absence of Plotnitsky and aroused his anger. The next day, Lyamin was released from custody on the personal order of Plotnitsky…
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Foreign Minister Lavrov warned terrorists in Aleppo: leave or you will be destroyed

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December 6, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
RusVesna – translated by J. Arnoldski –
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that militants who refuse to leave Aleppo will be destroyed. 
“In any case, if anyone refuses to leave politely, then they will be destroyed, as I understand. There is no other way,” he said on the results of talks with Council of Europe General Secretary Thorbjorn Jagland.
The Russian defense ministry also noted that, resultant of the December 2nd meeting between Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry, “on the proposal of the American side in Gevena, in the coming days Russian and American experts should begin work on the problem of Eastern Aleppo.”
“The goal is the complete withdrawal of all militants from the eastern part of the city, which Russia has long been standing in favor of. We will also have to agree on routes and the timing for militants to leave. Once this happens, a ceasefire will enter force to begin their evacuation,” the defense ministry’s report reads. 
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/12/lavrov-gives-last-chance-to-aleppo.html
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December 6th, 2016 – Fort Russ News- –
– Joaquin Flores –
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The Syrian Arab Army has now successfully broken through remaining terrorist strongholds, following the liberation of Aleppo International Airport earlier in the week – being able to push in two directions, west and south.  Within the last hour, the Fatah Halab terrorist group has now surrendered the primary remaining districts of Old Aleppo
A previous rebel counteroffensive Karm al-Qaterji and Karm al-Maysar, as well as indiscriminate shelling of locations of humanitarian aid workers, killing Russian medical staff, failed to create an opening. Gulf state news agencies, as well as ‘activists’ on the ground in Aleppo have also confirmed this.
At the time of publication, we are still waiting to hear confirmation that a Russian-Syrian-Turkish tri-lateral agreement on the status of ‘armed insurgent’ (terrorist) groups remaining in one last district, and their surrender or evacuation.
Barring some unforeseen development – which has characterized much of this conflict – reports coming from the ground in Syria strongly indicate that the battle for Aleppo is in its last day, perhaps hours.

The U.S. in panic mode; Assad to pay a visit to Aleppo

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From Fort Russ:

December 7th, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
– Katehon –

 

As of this morning, Syria time, (GMT +2) 85% of Aleppo has now been completely confirmed as liberated since last night. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stated his desire to visit Aleppo.
The liberation of the city
Over the last day, a few more neighborhoods in Aleppo were liberated, while the total number of areas that have fallen under the control of the government now amount to 85%. During the night, thousands of terrorists surrendered to the authorities and they with their families are being sent to Idlib. According to the Russian ceasefire center, about 3,000 terrorists across the whole country have surrendered their weapons.
The West in panic
After the planned shelling of the Russian hospital, which was expected to mix up Russia’s plans in Syria, the Obama Administration has revoked recent proposals to resolve the situation in Syria. These proposals were earlier described by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov as “in line with the approach long since advocated by Russian experts in negotiations with the Americans.” The Obama Administration has now also announced its refusal to meet for consultations with Russia.
However, all of this has turned out to have an entirely different impact. Instead of announcing the end of the mission or at least a truce, which the West and NATO called on Russia to do yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov has said that any and all terrorists who remain in the city will be completely destroyed. This has caused great panic among the terrorists and their patrons, who have begun to make contradictory statements and knee-jerk movements.
Despite the fact that the terrorists who wished to do so have already left the city, the Obama Administration is trying to achieve the withdrawal of all terrorists, some of whom may be, of course, American instructors whose presence was denied previously.
Agony and Anger
The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced the death of another Russian military officer, Russian Army Colonel Ruslan Galitsky, who was in Aleppo with a group of military advisers. He died in a hospital as a result of injuries sustained during a shelling of the city’s residential neighborhoods by the “armed opposition” terrorists.
Syrian calm
Syrian forces are continuing their offensive on all fronts. The Castello road in the north of Aleppo is now fully unblocked. Attacks by terrorists in the northern districts have been repulsed.
Despite the West’s information support for terrorists on social networks and in the media, the demoralization of fighters is reaching a devastating level.
In turn, government forces believe in a quick victory. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has already announced his decision to visit the city in the near future.
Expectations
Most likely, in the near future, the terrorists and the West will take some painful actions. Washington and, possibly, some other Western and Arab countries, will try again to mix up the plans of Russia, Syria, and Iran. The terrorists, in turn, will try to attack coalition forces. Moreover, these attacks will be aimed not at troops, but at Syrian civilian neighborhoods and representatives of Russia’s humanitarian missions, non-combatants. The main purpose of such will be lifting the morale of terrorists and intimidating the world rather than achieving military objectives. As for combat operations, Damascus’ victory is undoubtable.

ALEPPO OFFENSIVE: Terrorists surrender, evacuated from ‘Aleppo cauldron’ (PHOTOS)

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From Fort Russ

December 7, 2016 – Fort Russ News –
RusVesna reports – translated by J. Arnoldski –
Militants of the of the Fatah Aleppo coalition have surrendered almost the entire remaining part of the Aleppo cauldron and are leaving the city along with their families following an agreement reached last night between the Russian and Turkish governments.
 
 
The armed gangs have surrendered to units of the Syrian Army at least 4 districts of the largest Syrian city. 85% of the territory of all of eastern Aleppo is now under Damascus’ control.
The media and speakers of the illegal armed formations have already acknowledged the withdrawal of militants and their families. 
The bandits are being loaded onto buses for evacuation to the province of Idlib. A portion of them will be evacuated by foot through the specially prepared 700 meter corridor from northeastern Aleppo to the southeastern districts controlled by armed gangs. This passage is located between the Aleppo Citadel, the as-Safsafa district, and the al-Ayun hospital.
 

 

 

 
According to the Russian-Turkish agreement, control over the al-Farfra, Qarm al -Jabal, Bab-Khadid, and Afiun districts has been transferred over to the government of the Syrian Arab Republic. 

 

The remaining districts where the terrorist gangs do not intend to surrender are occupied by the Islamist coalition of Jaish al-Fatah. 
http://www.fort-russ.com/2016/12/aleppo-offensive-terrorists-surrender.html