Fabricated Media Reports About Russia’s Syria Air Campaign against ISIS

Two weeks of Russian airstrikes against ISIS and other terrorist targets already had a devastating impact on their operations, turning the tide of battle so far, enabling Syrian ground forces to recapture lost territory.

They’re on the move, advancing, taking the initiative, imported US-supported death squads on their heels, routed in some areas, in disarray, facing a formidable force against which they’re defenseless – no matter how many US weapons airdrops follow.

Russia will target and destroy them, along with Syrian ground forces, finding abandoned weapons caches as they advance.

Western leaders and supportive media tell a different story. So does the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), fronting for Western interests, well funded to distort truth.

Willful Big Lies and distortion claim Russia isn’t targeting ISIS, just so-called “moderates.” None exist. Virtually all anti-Assad forces are mercenary cutthroat killers, ISIS and others, imported from scores of countries – common knowledge suppressed in the West, Israel and anti-Assad rogue Arab states.

Regular SOHR reports claim Russian airstrikes kill civilians. Not a shred of evidence proves it. Moscow scrupulously avoids hitting civilian areas. Pentagon warplanes and ground forces target them indiscriminately – longstanding policy in all US wars throughout its history, notably homeland ones, as well as during and since WW II.

Since Russian airstrikes began on September 30, regular SOHR reports claim civilian deaths. A falsified October 16 account claimed “Russian warplanes kill 60, 30 of them were women and children…the number of the dead is likely to rise because of the serious injuries.”

Western media regularly cite SOHR as a legitimate source of front line information. Yet one man reports from London, paid by his imperial sponsors, distant and detached from ongoing conflict – his information entirely gotten from powers benefitting from his propaganda.

Friday headlines claim Turkey downed a Russian drone near its border – or one believed to be operated by its military forces, more fabricated information, part of the daily anti-Russian drumbeat. Some sample reports include:

New York Times, America’s leading disseminator of state propaganda: “Turkish Jets Shoot Down Drone Near Syria…Turkey…complain(ing) several times of incursions by Russian aircraft airspace” failing to explain only one accidental nonthreatening incident occurred.

Washington Post: “Turkey downs drone near Syrian border; Russia denies aircraft lost. (A) senior US defense official said the drone…appears to be Russian made.”

Wall Street Journal: “Turkish Military Downs Drone That Entered Airspace from Syria…NATO and Ankara accused Russia of twice crossing into Turkish airspace” earlier. Only one brief nonthreatening accidental incident occurred, as explained above.

Reuters: “Turkey shoots down drone near Syria, US suspects Russian origin”

UK owned and operated BBC: “Syria crisis: Turkey downs ‘drone’ on Syrian border…A US official (claimed it’s) of Russian origin.”

Washington, Israel, Turkey, Syria and Russia operate drones in the area. Fingers automatically point at Moscow – most often about things that never occurred.

It’s unknown if Turkey downed any aircraft. Tass, Sputnik News and RT International all debunked falsified reports about downing a Russian drone.

Russian General Staff Deputy Chief Andrey General-Lt. Kairtiapolov said Turkey’s report has nothing to do with Russia.

I am telling you with full authority that our unmanned aerial vehicles are either performing combat missions in the assigned areas or are staying at the air base. You can only guess or find out whom the unmanned aerial vehicle belonged to.

Defense Ministry spokesman General-Major Igor Konashenkov said “(a)ll the aircraft of the Russian combat group in the Syrian Arab Republic returned (safely) to the Hmeymim base after completing their mission(s).”

RT International said “Russian manufacturer St. Petersburg Technological Center issued a statement refuting claims that the downed drone was of their production after seeing its photos published on social media.”

“It’s definitely not an Orlan shown in the published photos,” it said. “Russia doesn’t make UAVs with such gliders,” calling the incident “a provocation.”

Russia-bashing continues relentlessly. Propaganda substitutes for hard facts. Believe nothing Western politicians claim – or supportive news sources proliferating their misinformation and Big Lies.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected].

His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PMCentral time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

 


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Articles by: Stephen Lendman

About the author:

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.

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