by Stephen Lendman

Russia’s escalated campaign against ISIS and other takfiri terrorists includes striking their fighters, facilities, command centers, bunkers, weapons and munitions sites - and now vehicles these groups use to transport stolen Syrian oil to Iraq and Turkey for black market sales, never bombed by US warplanes.

According to Russian General Staff spokesman Colonel General Andrey Kartapolov, “(i)n recent years, Islamic State and other extremist groups have organized the operations of the so-called ‘pipeline on wheels’ on the territories they control.” Russian warplanes already destroyed over 500 tanker vehicles used to transport oil for clandestine sales. It’s their main funding source along with what Washington and its rogue allies supply.

Russia now attacking their delivery system greatly impedes their oil exporting capability, Kartapolov explained. Still, their forces even on the defensive are far from being neutralized and eliminated as a major threat.

After UK defeats in Singapore and forced retreat from Dunkirk early in WW II, Churchill finally got a victory over Rommel at El Alamein. He won what he called “The Battle of Egypt” - promising only “blood, tears, toil and sweat ahead.”

Later in his November 10, 1942 address, he said “this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

Whether his well-remembered remark applies for embattled Syria today remains to be seen. Hopefully with committed Russian involvement, the corner is being turned at last. Yet with US support for ISIS and other terrorist groups, the battle of Syria has miles to go.

Putin called on Western and Middle East nations to work cooperatively against the scourge of terrorism - to locate and punish “criminals” involved.

He invoked Russia’s right of self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter - in the wake of the October 31 Russian Metrojet downing in Egyptian airspace, determined to be terrorism caused by an explosive device planted on board.

On Wednesday, Russian UN envoy Vitaly Churkin submitted a revised Security Council resolution, calling for cooperation among Western and Middle East nations in fighting terrorism along with Moscow - mainly ISIS.

The draft “includes both coordination and joint work to locate and bring to justice those responsible for terror acts,” he said. It “clearly articulates a concept of self-defense and Article 51,” he stressed.

Washington and rogue allies rejected a previous Russian draft resolution, opposing cooperation with Assad in fighting terrorism.

“We have tried to revise our draft so that our French co-workers’ sentiments would be taken into consideration, but we thought it was unreasonable to wait for a new draft,” Churkin explained.

Expect no cooperation from Washington and rogue allies in combating the scourge of terrorism. Despite Putin saying French President Francois Hollande agreed to coordinate operational strategy with Russia, he remains closely allied with Obama in insisting Assad must go.

He’s shown no willingness to combat ISIS in Syria. He’s allied with America’s scheme to destroy the country and replace its popular government with a Western-controlled puppet regime - what Russia and Syrians strongly oppose.

The well-orchestrated fear-mongering campaign following last Friday’s Paris false flag indicates escalated conflicts ahead, not efforts to resolve them in Syria or elsewhere.

A Final Comment

Tass reported Russia’s escalated real war on terrorism in Syria “delivered a second massive strike” Wednesday on ISIS positions “in the Syrian provinces of Raqqa, Deir-ez-Zor, Aleppo and Idlib…”

According to its Armed Forces General Staff spokesman, Col. Gen. Andrey Kartapolov, “Russia’s Aerospace Forces delivered a second massive strike at armed formations of terrorists in Syria at 05:00 am Moscow Time.”

Tu-22M3 long-range bomber aircraft were involved for the second day. Cruise missile were fired from Russian territory. Around 100 sorties flown struck 190 ISIS targets, destroying them.

“The delivery of air strikes continues in line with the approved plan. To ensure security of flights, the time of strikes and aircraft transit corridors are beforehand reported to representatives of the international coalition,” Kartapolov explained.

Putin ordered escalated war on terrorism. Expect no letup until its objectives are accomplished.

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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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