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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 19-Jun-2017
19-Jun-17 World View -- US shoots down Syrian warplane, as Iran launches missiles into Syria

Web Log - June, 2017

19-Jun-17 World View -- US shoots down Syrian warplane, as Iran launches missiles into Syria

Iran launches missiles at ISIS targets in Deir az-Zour in major escalation

by John J. Xenakis

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

US coalition warplane shoots down Syrian regime warplane targeting SDF
Iran launches missiles at ISIS targets in Deir az-Zour in major escalation

US coalition warplane shoots down Syrian regime warplane targeting SDF

Syrian Defense Forces (SDF)

Syrian Defense Forces (SDF)

The Pentagon has confirmed that the US coalition has shot down a Syrian regime warplane that was attacking Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) positions near Raqqa.

The SDF are a US-backed fighting force containing mostly Kurds and with some Arabs that the US considers to be the best fighting force to defeat the so-called Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh) in Raqqa, their last major stronghold in Syria.

According to the Pentagon statement:

"At approximately 4:30 p.m. Syria time, June 18, Pro-Syrian regime forces attacked the Syrian Democratic Forces-held town of Ja’Din, south of Tabqa, wounding a number of SDF fighters and driving the SDF from the town.
Coalition aircraft conducted a show of force and stopped the initial pro-regime advance toward the SDF-controlled town. Following the Pro-Syrian forces attack, the Coalition contacted its Russian counterparts by telephone via an established ‘de-confliction line’ to de-escalate the situation and stop the firing.
At 6:43 p.m., a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqa and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet. ...
The Coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian, or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend Coalition or partner forces from any threat."

A statement by the Syrian military said that the Syrian pilot was killed in the attack:

"“This attack comes at a time when the Syrian Arab army and its allies are advancing in the fight against ISIS terrorists who are being defeated in the Syrian desert in more ways than one. ...
The attack stresses coordination between the US and ISIS, and it reveals the evil intentions of the US in administrating terrorism and investing it to pass the US-Zionist project in the region."

According to a late "breaking news" report from the Syrian regime, Syrian Arab Army forces tried to cross SDF lines in order to recover the body of the pilot, resulting "a fierce confrontation that is currently ongoing between the two entities near the key town of Resafa in western Al-Raqqa."

Sunday's attack would be the second time recently that US warplanes have struct Syrian regime military targets. On May 18, American warplanes launched a series of airstrikes on Thursday against a military convoy of pro-regime militias fighting in Syria. That attack was on a pro-Syrian regime convoy headed in the direction of an American training camp at the border town al-Tanf in Syria, near the border with Iraq and close to the Jordan border. Washington Post and ARA News (Kurds) and Russia Today and Al Masdar News (Damascus)

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Iran launches missiles at ISIS targets in Deir az-Zour in major escalation

In a major escalation of its participation in the war in Syria, Iran has launched "a number of mid-range ground-to-ground missiles were fired from the IRGC aerospace force’s bases in Iran’s western provinces of Kermanshah and Kurdistan," striking ISIS targets in Deir az-Zour.

The missile attacks were in revenge for two coordinated terror attacks on Tehran targets on June 7. In the first attack, four gunmen, some dressed as women, burst into Iran's parliament armed with grenades and explosive vests. 12 people were killed after two vests had been detonated. After a five hour standoff, the four attackers were killed by police. A second, almost simultaneous attack, occurred when a suicide bomber exploded his vest near the mausoleum of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who was the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic. One person was killed, another wounded.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) blamed the attack on Saudi Arabia and America, and promised revenge. Sunday's missile attack was the promised revenged.

Up until now, Iran has participated in the war mostly by funding Hezbollah fighters, and providing military advisors. The missile launch marks an escalation in Iran's participation, and is likely to trigger new terror attacks by ISIS on Iran.

Iran has repeatedly said that Saudi Arabia was behind the June 7 attack. If Iran becomes convinced that it has irrefutable truth that the Saudis were behind a terror attack in Iran, then the next missile strike from Iran is likely to be on Saudi Arabia.

The two major events on Sunday -- the US downing of a Syrian warplane, and the missile launch by Iran -- shows how the war in Syria continues to spread and grow, almost on a daily basis.

As I've written many times, Generational Dynamics predicts that the Mideast is headed for a major regional war, pitting Sunnis versus Shias, Jews versus Arabs, and various ethnic groups against each other. Generational Dynamics predicts that in the approaching Clash of Civilizations world war, the "axis" of China, Pakistan and the Sunni Muslim countries will be pitted against the "allies," the US, India, Russia and Iran. Tasnim News (Tehran) and Mehr News (Tehran)

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(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 19-Jun-17 World View -- US shoots down Syrian warplane, as Iran launches missiles into Syria thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (19-Jun-2017) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 19-Jun-2017 19-Jun-17 World View -- US shoots down Syrian warplane, as Iran launches missiles into Syria

US coalition warplane shoots down Syrian regime warplane targeting SDF

Iran launches missiles at ISIS targets in Deir az-Zour in major escalation

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 19-Jun-2017
19-Jun-17 World View -- US shoots down Syrian warplane, as Iran launches missiles into Syria