by Stephen Lendman

In over a year of Washington’s phony war on ISIS, they’re stronger with more territory than when US bombing began - targeting Syrian and Iraqi infrastructure, not terrorist forces or facilities.

On September 30, things changed markedly. Washington wants no interference in its policies. Putin’s intervention leveled the playing field.

ISIS forces are panicking, retreating, hiding in residential areas and mosques, using area residents as human shields - knowing Russia won’t attack noncombatants or civilian infrastructure, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov explained, citing video evidence.

Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said terrorists may bomb mosques or other civilian targets, blaming Russia for their crimes, eagerly reported by Western media - spreading Big Lies their specialty, governments they represent doing the same thing.

War strategy includes winning heart and minds, no matter how deceptively. Effective propaganda works this way, especially with proliferators like The New York Times and US cable TV channels, blasting out Big Lies round-the-clock - in print, on air and online.

Antonov said Russia uses information from reconnaissance, satellites, and Syrian military intelligence before choosing targets - checking and rechecking to be “100% sure” the right ones are struck, so far with impressive results, Washington getting a closeup view of Moscow’s formidable military strength.

On October 7, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said 112 ISIS targets were struck since September 30. “The intensity of strikes is growing,” he explained.

“Many targets were discovered in the past two days, command posts, ammunition and military hardware depots, militant training camps. All the targets were destroyed, no civilian facilities were damaged” - including “19 command posts, 12 ammunition caches, 71 military hardware pieces and six explosive device making facilities.”

On Wednesday morning, 23 aircraft struck terrorist positions. Russia’s navy is involved. Four warships fired 26 cruise missiles from Caspian Sea positions, 1,500 km away, hitting 11 targets with pinpoint accuracy, destroying them, harming no civilians, an impressive display of military might, perhaps enough to give Pentagon commanders pause on challenging Russia head-to-head, madness if dared.

Flight paths passed through Iraqi and Iranian airspace with their permission, all three countries working cooperatively with Syria against ISIS and other takfiri terrorists.

Putin praised initial results so far. He’s coordinating Moscow’s efforts with Damascus, Iran and Iraq - partnered against terrorism, waging real war to defeat it, challenging Washington’s phony war, an agenda for conquest, domination and exploitation.

Washington and Moscow have polar opposite objectives. Putin wants peace and stability throughout the region. He wants terrorism defeated.

Obama wants endless wars and instability, using ISIS and other takfiri terrorists to achieve his aims. A classic good v. evil struggle is unfolding.

This one has a long way to go with no way to predict the outcome. Stay hopeful. Maybe this time the good guys will win. Washington is long overdue a stiff comeuppance.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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