As tensions over the April 14 US-led strike on Syria are developing, it would be interesting to compare results of the 2017 and 2018 US military actions against Syria:
- The 2017 US missile strikes on Shayrat military airfield operated by the Syrian Arab Air Force;
- The 2018 US-led missile strikes on various targets belonging to the Syrian government.
So, what results has the world’s superpower achieved with its military actions?
2017 Strikes
On April 7, 2017 the US Navy carried out a missile strike on Shayrat military airfield of the Syrian Arab Air Force. The move was publicly justified by accusations that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had been behind the alleged chemical attack in the town of Khan Shaykhun, Idlib province, on April 4, 2017.
Washington alleged that Shayrat military airfield had been the base for the aircraft that allegedly carried out a chemical weapons attack on Khan Shaykhun.
The USS Porter guided missile destroyer launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on the Syrian military airfield.
According to a statement by the United States Central Command, the missiles “targeted aircraft, hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, air defense systems, and radars”.
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis even claimed that the strike had resulted “in the damage or destruction of fuel and ammunition sites, air defense capabilities, and 20 percent of Syria’s operational aircraft. The Syrian government has lost the ability to refuel or rearm aircraft at Shayrat airfield and at this point, use of the runway is of idle military interest.“
The only problem with this statement is that Syrian warplanes resumed their operations from Shayrat miltiary airfield on April 7, few hours after the US missile strike:
VIDEO: Footage claims to show Su-22 taking off from Shayrat airbase after US missile strike – @ward_alyafe pic.twitter.com/o98YVGmGDc
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) 7 April 2017
A better video from April 8 (day later):
The US Navy launched 59 missiles [unit cost 1,870,000 USD] at the Syrian military airfield but it remained operational. The runways and the taxiways were not impacted.
The Russian Defense Ministry described the “combat effectiveness” of the attack as “extremely low” adding that only 23 missiles hit the target.
Later ImageSat International released satellite imagery allegedly showing 44 hits by the Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Click to see the full-size image
According to photos from the military airfield, 10 Syrian aircraft were destroyed on the airbase:
- Su-22 x 3
- Su-22M3 x 4
- MiG-23ML x 3
According to some sources, the number of targeted aircraft could be up to 15. However, photos of these aircraft have never appeared. Sources in the airfield also revealed that most of the destroyed aircraft had been already damaged or out of service.
Summing up:
- Launched: 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles;
- Missiles’ cost: 110,330,000 USD;
- Results: Shayrat military airfield remained operational; 10 Syrian aircraft (some sources say 15, but there are no photos) were destroyed. Most of the destroyed aircraft had been already damaged or out of service.
- The US leadership described the operation as a military success.
2018 Strikes
On April 14, 2018 the US, the UK and France launched carried out a joint massive missile strike on Syria. The move was publicly justified by accusations that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had been behind the alleged chemical attack in the town of Douma, near the Syrian capital, on April 7, 2018.
US Secretary of Defense James Mattis described the 2018 strike (source):
“Earlier today, President Trump directed the U.S. military to conduct operations in consonance with our allies to destroy the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons research development and production capability.
Tonight, France, the United Kingdom and the United States took decisive action to strike the Syrian chemical weapons infrastructure.
Clearly the Assad regime did not get the message last year. This time our allies and we have struck harder. Together we have sent a clear message to Assad and his murderous lieutenants that they should not perpetrate another chemical weapons attack for which they will be held accountable.”
According to the Pentagon, the US, the UK and France launched 105 missiles at the alleged “chemical weapons” facilities of the Assad government:
- 66 Tomahawk cruise missiles [unit cost 1,870,000 USD];
- 20 Storm Shadow/SCALP EG air-launched cruise missiles [unit cost about 1,053,000 USD];
- 19 AGM-158 JASSM air-launched cruise missiles [unit cost about 1,000,000 USD].
The Pentagon alleged the all the missiles had hit their targets:
- 76 missiles hit “Barzah Research and Development Center”
- 22 missiles hit “Him Shinshar Chemical Weapons Storage Site”
- 7 missiles hit “Him Shinshar CW Bunker”
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 71 missiles had been intercepted by the Syrian Air Defense Forces [according to experts, most likely with the Russian and Iranian assistance]. However, let’s follow the US version of the story.
So, the US-led strike caused the following destructions:
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
Three main buildings were #destroyed as a result of the #strike at #Barzah #SSRC Research and Development Center #Damascus #Syria #Syriastrikes @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/roSnz4WVg8
— imagesatintl (@imagesatint) 14 April 2018
Barzah Research and Development Center, consisting of three relatively small buildings, was the main target of the strike. The scale of the destruction caused by the “76 missiles” raises an eyebrow:
A look at the scale of destruction in Barzeh
Scientific educational center in Barzah district, By SANA
Scientific educational center in Barzah district, By SANA
There is another interesting point.
According to the Pentagon, the center should be some major chemical weapons production and storage facility. A quote from the Pentagon’s briefing (source):
Q: General McKenzie, the three targets that you struck, were those manufacturing or researching chlorine or sarin?
GEN. MCKENZIE: A little of both. And particularly in the Barzeh target, but there’s a little of both.
However, on November 22, 2017 the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) conducted a round of inspections in Barzeh and found no traces of chemical weapons there (source):
A screenshot from the OPCW’s document released on March 13, 2018
This also explains why there was no chemical agent cloud disperse following the US-led strike on Barzeh.
According to reprots from local sources, the rest of the objects were not “chemical facilities” also. Nonetheless, nobody believes the Assad propaganda, right?
On the next day after the US-led cruise missile strike, the Syrian Arab Army launched a new military operation against militants, this time in the Rastan pocket.
Summing up:
- Launched: 105 missiles of different variants;
- Missiles’ cost: 163,480,000 USD;
- Results [If the Pentagon’s statement is true]: The 105 missiles were used to destroy 3 relatively small buildings and 6 small buildings. The biggest “chemical weapons facility” targeted by the strike [76 missiles spent] was officially inspected by the OPCW in late 2017, no chemical weapons were found there;
- Results [If the Russian Defense Ministry’s statement is true]: The US-led forces suffered a decisive failure. 71 missiles were intercepted. The rest of the missiles hit non-important targets. The Syrian “chemical weapons infrastructure” is a US-promoted myth.
- The US leadership described the operation as a military success. US President Donald Trump described the strike as “perfectly executed“.
Conclusion
In 2017, the US spent 110,330,000 USD in missiles to halt Syrian Arab Air Force combat sorties for a few hours. About 10 old-fashinoed (according to some sources, non-operational) aircraft were destroyed.
The scale of the 2018 strike was roughly two time greater than those in 2017. This time, the US, the UK and France spent 163,480,000 USD in missiles to destroy few buildings across Syria. Even if we believe in some Syrian “chemical weapons infrastructure”, the main target hit by the strike had not belonged to it.
In both cases, the US leadership described the results of strikes as a total success. However, it looks that it forgot to mention that this success was mostly achieved in the mainstream media.
What a Waste oF MONEY
The US/Zionist government are on a path to bankruptsy supporting criminal Izrael.
They just print some more dollars…it’s making Big Bucks for them Banksters & MIC…They take All the Profits…..ain’t that smart… they just Earned another Billion…at least…..U.S.Tax Payers finance the Rockets & the War..they just suck the U.S. bone dry….and leave for New Zealand…
My 401K says different! LOL Stop talking like you know US economics!
If you got em, use em. They have a best before date and there’s a budget appropriation for a bumper crop of em.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f493ce3b0b2317eec5db9460c7a2ddd4746db170b0a4a174903a366b14b8c84e.jpg
American Troll ?
Yes Trolling Americans.;)
no the picture! is that not an American Troll?
Yes Colin Powell is a troll with his bait out to reel in the suckers with his hook.
Rumor has it Carl Rove (recently pardoned by Trump) came out of a bathroom after providing the ‘sample’. That might explain why Colin Powell is holding it so.
Colin Powell was not a troll. He was in fact one of the few sane persons in the Bush government at the time, when neo-cons were running rampant and pushing for the Iraq invasion. They sent him to the UN because the neo-cons knew that Powell enjoyed the respect of other nations, because these nations knew Powell was the voice of reason.. Alas, Colin Powell, which was the tragedy of it all, was also a loyal soldier. So loyal he did as ordered and went to the UN. Of course they had no evidence whatsoever for him to present so that only served to make him into a joke and ruin what had been an exemplary career.
If there is a troll associated with that picture it was not Colin Powell, but the Bush administration, which sent him to the UN with fuck all. If anything that picture does represent a troll, it represents a joke. Which makes your first statement the correct one. Trolling Americans with their biggest diplomatic embarrassment…
But still a troll his sample came from Carl Rove, rumor has it he will be pardoned. Should watch OANN Pearse Sharp and another Robert Fisk on Douma, Nikki Haley wanted to impose more sanctions but Trump stopped her.
In a later interview, Powell said that he regretted his actions in those events as the most shameful of his life. or something similar
I reckon he did. It effectively ruined his reputation. Or his future career. Maybe because he expressed his regrets. After all, the Iraq war tarnished the neo-cons as well, as it did Bush and Blair, but they never expressed any regret. On the contrary, they stubbornly maintained they were fully in the right. And it seemed to have worked as they remained in power, or returned to power. Blair even became a peace envoy for the region he turned into chaos. And continues to be a war monger. Like some Catholic priest that everybody knows is a child molester, and yet he remains a priest and they continue to let him be near children.
Then again comparing Tony Blair to Catholic child molesting priests is probably an insult to the latter.
Powell took his thirty pieces of silver.
Respect of nations? Voice of reason? A loyal soldier?
He was also a man who went to the UN and convinced others to go bomb a people and destroy a country for something their govt was said to be doing.
I’m not sure who’s more reprehensible – he and his – or those who listened and followed? Both I suppose – all following the dollar signs before their eyes.
IMO he deserves his ruined career and reputation. They all do. That and a whole lot more. (Like hanging drawing and quartering.)
ahah total failure the systeme defense occidental great news!!
Russia/ President Putin wins. Putin’s strategic plan to develop weapons that with out a doubt destroy the US navy; and for his speech on March first. worked very well. Wanting only peace in the world, Putin chose a path of stating clear warnings against all who attack and kill Russians will suffer a destroyed ship or fleet of ships or aircraft. The US/Zionist government will not stop with that attack. The atheist Zionist Nazi Izrael state is in a corner I opine doomed; because of their murder of palestinians and continous threats against Iran. I am not a Russian Troll.
If now it takes to be a Russian Troll to tell the truth as it is than let be it.
Russian trolls!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2131dd9697e31f51b280569c464d2d9596727acca4f6cf8631fd424813cc5902.jpg
they have putins eyes
Funny I bought some Russian trolls just like these at WalMart a few years back. They were spying on America from every kid’s school bag for a whole year or so.
The only problem is that they know their missiles can be intercepted in great numbers, making the fight more difficult when things get real.
Russia would need someone like Bismarck.
“Making the fight more difficult when things get real”. While I am happy to hear this and the previous strike were largely intercepted, and ineffective, that was in part, the USAF and or Trump’s gift by design. The whole thing is just a media show to get the war hawks happy with a bit of cash from the US tax payers. It might be wise to learn a bit from the Zionists and occasionally play the “victim” card thereby allowing the “mighty US” a media victory, while at the same time refining the capabilities of the defensive systems without allowing the US to know too much. As Dr. Ronald Cutburth said, this might be the first strike, not the last.
unfortunately, these russian staelth weapons are so much invisible, that also the russian military staff does not see them….
“The atheist Zionist Nazi Izrael…” lol wft did you just say? You just went full retard! lol
If you give me $100k I would be able to build a Cessna-like aircraft armed with machine guns and unguided rocket launchers, but the problem with the weapons is that there is no IR range finder on the aircraft that would be compatible with the homemade rockets and machine guns, so you should aim the weapons WW2 style.
Syrian and allies don’t inform these MF that we don’t have chemical weapons. This is weakness. Tell them yes we have chemecal, biological and nuclear weapons and ICBM too. Then US, UK and France will never invade Syria. Be smart. Saddam and Qazzafi both have done this mistake that assure them that we have no weapons and come attack on us.
The US knows very well they don’t have CWs. The best Syria can do is not to bluff. There is no point to bluff when everyone knows what’s in your hand
They know nothing. That is why they force them to confess.
Force them to confess? Lol :D!
putin must go. he cant stop us agression
You have a suggestion who can?
important is, putin told, russia will hit back. and putin lied. russia has no weapons for backfire. therefore putin must go. must come strong man like stalin.
Stalin is dead so you didn’t answer my question and also Russia threatened retaliation IF Russians were targeted which they were not. USA informed Russia of their targets. This was a PR stunt for USA, possibly means to interfere with OPCW, and also an excuse for taking more tax $$$ from Americans for more missiles to replace their stock. Deep State is what needs to go. Russia acted responsibly by avoiding unnecessary conflict.
Reckon Putin promised retaliation for more than Russian damage or death…. 100 missiles took out 9 empty buildings and stopped coming when Russian planes took to the skies.
All that new smart missiles coming for Russians, taking out Syrian war infrastructure and Asaad’s palace trumpeted by the horn in the WH – oh yeah and “destroying Asaad’s CW capabilities!”……….. Hmmph.
If it’s true that Russia helped Syria down that many missiles, sounds like Russia has done the best they can without starting WWIII which may be exactly what warmongering ole USA wants.
What are you DRINKING ?
Comment of the year! :)))
Have to commend Syrian civil engineers and the construction companies for building such rugged and robust structures, which could not be brought down by 76 Cruise missiles. Yankis should try employing them to rebuild ground zero…….
A couple of them were penetrated.
“This also explains why there was no chemical agent cloud disperse following the US-led strike on Barzeh.”
I clicked on that link and I’m not seeing any mention of no cloud dispersal. Is it in one of the rather long videos?
The place was a research and Development for Pharmaceuticals for medications such as cancer treatment drugs. You wouldn’t see people around there if it ever existed this cloud thousands would have died but people were around it safe as it was cleared by the OPCW in November 2017. Can’t find that anywhere in the video no harmful chemicals in use at all.
Yes and I saw the Reuters photo re: firefighter with no protective gear. I personally have no doubt Assad’s been framed yet again. But I still want the evidence re: no could dispersal so I can add to my collection.
Putin needs to get public opinion on his side. A good doing it. Sorry my English.
Putin has public opinion on his side. More than Trump has, for sure! MSM are not public opinion, they are Neocon propaganda.
They Could have used that money for our roads and poor underprivileged families… but noo.. they rather destroy an empty Building and get the rest of the money blown like fireworks
Doctors , nurses and hospitals too, no They’re mostly private for profit operations. How about teachers and much better schools? Have a ‘schools race’ rather than an ‘arms race’. It’s cheaper and the payoff is much better.
Education healthcare and roads are un-American, killing is what America does, world champion killer USA USA USA.
Let’s not loose sight of the basic point that these missile strikes were war crimes. The real result should be three nooses, one each for Trump, May and Marcon.
Deep State continues without their puppets.
Brought to you, and Syria by the same guys who invented “the Great Big Backfire Raid” back in the 80’s. (see Jeff Huber: “Bathtub Admirals”).
Keep in mind, as the ISISraelis are doing, pushing, testing etc, to see, from efficiensy of the weapons to the topography, etc, and this, with various missiles, and to shoot down an low flying jet, is not that easy, and anyway, the plains shoot away from the location, since they cant be sure, what comes next. Yeah, better safe than sorry. I know they will try again, or/and have an combined ground invasion, and air bombardments, since they hold 1/3 of Syria, I dont consder Turks to be more than an nusance, at worst. Think about this Russia, the next tome this Saudi-barbarian rat pack starts yapping, why not wipe RyHad of the face of our blessed earth, the Saudis will then them self deal with the rest, nice dream, isnt it, an robber baron keeping an entire nation as an hostage, just dump some Cruisers on them and presto, the problem is gone. And every living Saudi will be your freind, cutting the chains. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiDqyHNaJF0
peace
Burn Syria to the ground!
This isn’t about the chemical weapons.
This is about getting russia to turn on and engage with the S-400 as the data gleaned from such a engagement would be worth more than its weight in gold…
I guess they thought that flooding the airspace with missiles might sucker them into doing it….
So let me get this straight.. The only US “success” from this recent missile strike was to destroy a Cancer research center near Damascus?
Bravo to the US for being such fucking douche bags!
So they need 760 for 10 targets like that…3.800 for 50 targets…Syria have more than 70 military complex and 21 air bases…so USA need all US navy fleet and air forces….
Well, they were certainly precission strikes, note the lack of desctruction around the targets… chapeau! A good number of hits must have occurred (whatever ‘raises an eyebrow’ is supposed to suggest). The most important thing, however, is that weapons never used are, of course, ‘dead capital’… so they were used and our friends the weapons’ industry can make another killing…