13APRIL2018: OPTIONS ON SYRIA
The window of opportunity to attack Syria with a pinprick precise strike is closing or some may say have already closed. The options for a US-led attack on Syria are as follows:
- Tomahawk Missiles on Shyrat (or around): Donald Trump launched 59 Curise missiles on Syria in 2017 and it did nothing! This would have been the safest and the least effective option. The window for this option is closed because Syria has moved most of its Assets from plain view
- BIGGER Tomahawk Strike: This option would include a bigger strike on Syria and strike more bases. It would damage some of Syrian capability but may not cripple it. There are plenty of Russians/Iranians in Syria and this risks causing Russian/Iranian casualties as well
- Decapitating Syrian Air force: This option definitely will bring Russia and Iran into the nucleus of war. It will cause devastating damage to Syria but has the greatest risk of US-Russia confrontation.
Let’s see what Trump does. There is no oil in Syria and Americans have no appetite for war in the Middle East, Donald Trump won on a promise of “America First” so this is an interesting conundrum.
This may be the first war in which Saudees and Isarelees will fight side by side.
Why America is not acting?
US Capability - USS Doland Cook (Destroyer)
This is USS Donald Cook which has just arrived in the Mediterranean, it is well capable of launching missiles while being way out of anything Syrian military possess.
US Capability - USS Harry S. Truman (Aircraft Carrier)
USS Harry Truman will be in the Mediterranean soon to support air-sorties over Syria if required.
US Capability - TomaHawk Missiles
Any American attack will 100% involve Tomahawk missiles, each of these costs close to $3 million Dollars.
Russian Capability - S-400 missile system
This is S-400 which Russia has deployed in Syria since the last Donald Trump attack, it is the worlds most advanced system in the world. These are stationed at Khmeimim Air Base and are capable of shooting down anything US throws at Syria and it can shoot down US aircrafts fairly easily too.
It would be very smart for Syria to move all of its aircrafts within 200 miles of and have all of it protected by S400 from Khmeimim Air Base. Damascus is just on the outer edge of S400 range so will Damascus be targeted?
Russian Capability - K-300P Bastion-P
It is capable of sinking American ships from the Russian Naval base in Syria. This cannot, should not and will not happen, no way Russia will fire these on American ships because this will be all out war.
Why this is important to Russia?
Russian economy is in doldrums and they want to sell a lot of advanced military weaponry to countries around the world. S-400 has long been touted as the best in the weapons, can it shoot down Tomahawk? This will be an ideal opportunity for Russia to demonstrate its capability and sell it. Shooting down missiles has minimal consequences and a lot of publicity for your weapons so lets see what happens.
Its showtime for Russian weaponary to the world.