When writing a post I try to consider all possible outcomes/tactics because it's unimaginable the psycho war makers are not. Yesterday I broached the possibility, again, of a no fly zone aka mass bombing/slaughter destruction campaign. (US Backed Terrorists in Syria VOW To Intensify Aleppo Fight. Recall the All Go Syrian No Fly Zone?) I did so because it's obvious the psycho war makers have planned for that possibility/opportunity and the latest baloney about chlorine may give them the excuse they are looking for. It's very obvious the western media is playing up the plainly false chlorine story. This morning there are still dozens and dozens of headlines about this alleged incident (Russian Helicopter Shot down by US TOW- Chlorine attack retribution?) And that chlorine bombing stuff is plainly, obviously and blatantly false- It's just another lie. Having paid heed to all possibilities, including a no fly zone, this NYT's article came as no surprise:
There is an alternative: Punish the Syrian government for violating the truce by using drones and cruise missiles to hit the Syrian military’s airfields, bases and artillery positions where no Russian troops are present.
And of course civilians! And civilian infrastructure. Mass casualties and displacement
Opponents of these kinds of limited strikes say they would prompt Russia to escalate the conflict and suck the United States deeper into Syria. But these strikes would be conducted only if the Assad government was found to be violating the very truce that Russia says it is committed to. Notifying Russia that this will be the response could deter such violations of the truce and the proposed military agreement with Moscow. In any case, it would signal to Mr. Putin that his Syrian ally would pay a price if it did not maintain its side of the deal.
If Russia does want to limit its involvement in Syria, the threat of limited strikes should persuade it to make Mr. Assad behave. Conversely, if the skeptics are right that Mr. Putin will get serious about a political solution only if he sees the costs of backing Syria’s government increasing, the threat of such strikes is probably the only way to start a political process to end the war.
Authors of above excerpted editorial?
Dennis B. Ross, a former senior Middle East adviser to President Obama, and Andrew J. Tabler, the authors, are fellows at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
Yugoslavia, redux. As mentioned here yesterday. It's a real possibility. Recall? NATO Enforces No Fly Zone Aleppo Updates: Civilians killed as terrorists shell Aleppo, use toxic gas – Syrian officials
At least seven civilians died and 25 more were injured as terrorists fired shells, some containing toxic gas, at Aleppo, local health officials said as cited by Syria’s official SANA news agency. The shelling occurred amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the city.
The US/NATO backed terrorists did very likely fire shells containing some sort of toxic agent harming civilians-Reports indicate the aerial campaign was substantial overnight in Syria- causing the terrorist advance to fail:
A “last chance” offensive against government forces in Aleppo has run into major setbacks, as Russia reportedly increased air strikes to roll back rebel advances. "The Russian raids didn't stop all night on the front lines," the monitor added. "This has slowed the offensive and allowed regime troops to retake five of the eight positions that rebels had taken since Sunday.”
Jeish al-Fatah gathered over 9,000 terrorists to prevail over the Syrian Army positions and open a way into the militant-held districts in the Eastern parts of Aleppo city but failed and pulled its forces back after leaving scores of casualties behind. "In the end, the third phase of Jeish al-Fatah's operation to save their comrades in Eastern districts of Aleppo was completely unsuccessful," several army and Hezbollah commanders confirmed in Eastern Aleppo on Wednesday afternoon.
Syrian Regime Forces Close In On AleppoSyrian forces are reported to have recaptured land close to Aleppo from rebels with the help of heavy Russian air raids.
Government fighters have taken control of two hilltops and two small villages in the southwest suburbs, said monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.The advance turns back Sunday's gains from a rebel offensive launched to ease the regime's siege of eastern opposition-held districts of the divided city.
The rebels are seeking to gain control of Ramussa district in the southwest suburbs, to try to cut off government forces and open up a new route into the city for rebel fighters.
Russia Steps Up Air Strikes on Terrorists in Aleppo, Idlib
The intensified Russian aerial attacks come amid an extensive ground operation by the Syrian military forces to recapture the northern city of Aleppo from the terrorist groups.
Sources at Aleppo battlefield said on Wednesday that Syrian troops have repelled successive attacks by the terrorist groups desperately trying to break the siege of the city.