Syria Evacuates Most Army Buildings In Damascus In Preparation For Western Military Strike

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

By Khaled Yacoub Oweis
Posted: 08/28/2013 11:08 am EDT


President Bashar al-Assad's forces appear to have evacuated most personnel from army and security command headquarters in central Damascus in preparation for a Western military strike, residents and opposition sources said on Wednesday.

U.S.-led air or missile strikes on Syria look all but certain after the United States and European and Middle Eastern allies blamed a suspected poison gas attack that killed hundreds in the city on Aug 21 on President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

Army units stationed near the capital have confiscated several trailer trucks, apparently to transport heavy weaponry to alternative locations, though no significant movement of military hardware has been reported, possibly due to heavy fighting near major highways, one of the sources added.

Among the buildings that have been partially evacuated are the General Staff Command Building on Umayyad Square, the nearby airforce command and the security compounds in the Western Kfar Souseh districts, residents of the area and a Free Syrian Army rebel source said.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/syria-evacuates-army-buildings_n_3829847.html

[David__77]

1. Smart move.

I find it interesting that the US is making this pre-announcement to give Syria plenty of time to mitigate any damage from these missiles. They could always just take a page from the insurgents and place all their assets in densely packed civilian areas.

[hack89]

2. Or they want Syria to concentrate their military leadership in some "secret" bunker

where one bunker buster can take out the entire lot.

[David__77]

3. All manner of possibilities are out there, it is true.

If Syria did that, it would be highly foolish. Better to disperse broadly or even go to Lebanon for the time being, which is a real option as well.

[The Stranger]

4. Cue the prop about "human shields."

Will help quell any outrage about "civilian" casualties.

[jakeXT]

5. I bet the NRO is watching

http://vigilantcitizen.com/vigilantreport/top-10-most-sinister-psyops-mission-patches/

[happyslug]

6. I do NOT think there will be an attack, but if I was Assad I take no chances.

I suspect they will be no attack, for reasons I have stated elsewhere on DU. On the other hand if I was Assad, I would still hold that position but disperse my forces anyway just to be safe. I rather be laughed at for making a move I did not have to do, then have people mad at me if I did not disperse them and an attack occurred.

I suspect any attack will be limited due to a lack of usable air bases nearby. Turkey will NOT want to risk its oil supplies (which comes from Iran) so Turkish based attacks are out. That leaves cruise missiles from surface ships (There is no US Carriers in the Mediterranean right now) and those will be limited in number and duration. The Syrian Air Force is large enough to counter any air arm through against it (remember we have NO carriers in the Mediterranean) for they must fly from Sicily. Planes can fly from Cyprus, but if Cyprus vetoes such flights, Sicily is the nearest non-Greek, Non-Turkish air base.

Please note I do NOT believe Cyprus has the legal right to veto what Britain flies out of the two British Bases in Cyprus, but it has 54 105 mm Howitzers which can put shell into both bases, effectively shutting them down till the Howitzers are taken out. Thus Cyprus has a veto, it may be short term but it is still a Veto. Cypress gets its Oil from Greece who in turns gets it from Iran. Thus Cyprus has good reason to oppose such an attack. Thus, in my opinion, any Air Attack will come from Sicily, for that is the nearest secure NATO Air base.

Given the distance between Sicily and Syria, it is borderline for F-15s without refueling, thus an air attack will be limited until closer Air bases can be obtained (i.e. Turkey) OR US Carriers put off the coast of Syria. Thus an attack this weekend is unlikely, possible but unlikely.

One last comment, last week was the Full Moon. The US Air Force, likes to attack on the New Moon (Next New Moon Thursday, September 5, 2013) Given modern bombing techniques, seeing your target is not needed, unless you are unsure where it might be (i.e. a movable object like a Tank). Radar sites, Air bases etc can be hit on the new moon and hard to prevent given the lack of moonlight to aid detection of the attacker. This weekend you have a crescent moon, still a lot of moonlight compared to next week and the New Moon on Thursday.

http://www.moonconnection.com/moon-august-2013.phtml

On the "up" side for an attack is this coming weekend is the US Labor Day Weekend, three days to avoid the media due to the extended three day weekend caused by Labor Day in the US always being on the First Monday, after the First Sunday in September.