US military action against Syria

The United States has been waging a covert but largely exposed proxy war against the Syrian Arab Republic from 2011. From at least 2013 plans have been made for open military aggression against Syria. At the same time the U.S. has been waging a "phoney war" against ISIS with airstrikes in Syria and in Iraq.

2012

 * Obama nixes French-Saudi plan to finish Assad by bombing his palace - 'DEBKAfile Exclusive Report, May 30, 2012
 * 'DEBKAfile material is mainly disinformation.

2013

 * ''See Ghouta CW attack

2015

 * Airstrike on Saeqa military camp near Deir ez-Zor

2016

 * US airstrike on SAA in Deir ez-Zor

Plans for open aggression

 * The Pentagon Refused to Wait Until the Harridan Was Crowned - Wolfessblog, September 23, 2016
 * Vladimir Putin’s Outlaw State - Editorial Board, The New York Times, September 29, 2016
 * ''President Obama has long refused to approve direct military intervention in Syria. And Mr. Putin may be assuming that Mr. Obama is unlikely to confront Russia in his final months and with an American election season in full swing. But with the rebel stronghold in Aleppo under threat of falling to the government, administration officials said that such a response is again under consideration.
 * Kerry in leaked audio: 'I lost the argument' for use of force in Syria - CNN, October 4, 2016
 * ''Editor's note: CNN has taken down the audio recording at the request of some of the participants out of concern for their safety.
 * Leaked audio reveals John Kerry pushed for intervention in Syria - Al-Masdar News, January 4, 2017
 * Audio: Leaked audio of John Kerry's meeting with Syrian revolutionaries/UN (improved audio)
 * Stop Assad Now—Or Expect Years of War - John McCain, WSJ, October 4, 2016
 * Ground the regime’s air force, create safe zones for Syrian civilians, and arm the opposition. (By John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee).
 * Obama administration considering strikes on Assad, again - Josh Rogin, Washington Post, October 4, 2016
 * ''The options under consideration, which remain classified, include bombing Syrian air force runways using cruise missiles and other long-range weapons fired from coalition planes and ships, an administration official who is part of the discussions told me. One proposed way to get around the White House’s long-standing objection to striking the Assad regime without a U.N. Security Council resolution would be to carry out the strikes covertly and without public acknowledgment, the official said.
 * US Considering Air Strikes On Assad Regime After Top General Warns It Could Lead To War With Russia - Zero Hedge, October 4, 2016
 * What’s next for U.S. involvement in Syria? - PBS Newshour  October 5, 2016
 * ''JOHN KERRY: I have argued for use of force. I stood up. I’m the guy who stood up and announced we’re going to attack Assad because of the weapons. And then, you know, things evolved into a different process.
 * ''GOV. MIKE PENCE (R), Vice Presidential Nominee: The United States of America should be prepared to use military force to strike military targets of the Assad regime.
 * ''SEN. TIM KAINE (D), Vice Presidential Nominee: The notion is, we have to create a humanitarian zone in Northern Syria. It’s very important.
 * Syrian War Report – October 5, 2016: US Considers Military Strikes on Govt Forces - South Front
 * Covert strikes on Assad back on US table to prevent ‘fall of Aleppo’ – report - RT, October 5, 2016
 * Syria: What are we going to do now? - Rodger Shanahan,  Lowy Interpreter, October 5, 2016
 * Covert strikes on Assad back on US table to prevent ‘fall of Aleppo’ – report - RT, October 5, 2016
 * CONFIRMED: US backs down over Syria following Russian threat to shoot down US aircraft - Alexander Mercouris, The Duran, October 7, 2016
 * “Beating the Drums of War” at the UN Security Council: Russia Vetoes Resolution to Implement Syria “No Fly Zone” Carla Stea, Global Research, October 12, 2016
 * Obama Will Reach Final Decision on Military Action in Syria Tomorrow - Whitney Webb, True Activist, October 14, 2016
 * Obama to discuss bombing Syrian military positions – officials - RT, October 14, 2016
 * Stop the Next President From Waging the Next War - ZOLTAN GROSSMAN, CounterPunch, October 18, 2016
 * U.S. regime change and war against Syria, disguised as a war against ISIS - Afra'a Dagher, The Duran, October 19, 2016
 * Clinton Vows to Push for No-Fly Zone in Syria - Sputnik, October 20, 2016
 * The Arc of History is Long, But it Bends Toward Bombing Assad - Nick Danforth, War on the Rocks‎, October 20, 2016
 * U.N. Members Propose Bypassing Security Council on Syria - Farnaz Fassihi, WSJ, October 21, 2016
 * A Time To Stand - Robert Caruso, Huffington Post, October 24, 2016
 * ''While Russia’s involvement in Syria narrows options for the global coalition, it does not limit them. It’s time for a no-fly zone in Syria.
 * 3 big problems with plans to escalate in Syria - Zack Beauchamp, Vox.com, October 24, 2016
 * Washington War Party Urges Obama to Go to War against Assad & the Russians - Christoph Germann, Newsbud, October 27, 2016 (mirror)
 * For the S-300 in Syria, Raptors May be the Only Answer; U.S. Considers Using Lethal F-22 Jets to Suppress Damascus’ Air Defences - Military Watch, October 4, 2018 (mirror)
 * ''The F-22 thus may be deployed in response to the threat posed by Syria’s acquisition of the missile platform - which particularly threatens the position of neighbouring Israel by limiting its air force’s freedom to operate in Syrian airspace. While Israel lacks an analogue to the Raptor, an American strike on the S-300 using its air force's unique asset would be invaluable in facilitating future Israeli strikes on Syrian positions - thus ensuring that the balance of power in skies over the country remain favourable to both Washington and Tel Aviv.

More proxy war

 * US may be about to unleash 9,000 ISIS fighters on Russia - Daily Star (Tabloid), October 13, 2016
 * The (unnamed) 'military source in Moscow' said:'' "In preparation for the operation in Mosul, US intelligence agencies and Saudi Arabia agreed that before the assault all militants will be offered a safe route to leave the city with their families. “And at the time of the assault, coalition aircraft would only strike empty buildings, agreed in advance with the militants. "More than 9,000 ISIS fighters will be transferred to the eastern regions of Syria to follow a major offensive operation, which involves the capture of Deir ez-Zur and Palmyra.”
 * 'Proxy' War in Syria Comes to End. What's Next? - SouthFront, October 24, 2016

World War 3?

 * Vladimir Putin’s Outlaw State - The New York Times, September 29, 2016
 * ''President Obama has long refused to approve direct military intervention in Syria. And Mr. Putin may be assuming that Mr. Obama is unlikely to confront Russia in his final months and with an American election season in full swing. But with the rebel stronghold in Aleppo under threat of falling to the government, administration officials said that such a response is again under consideration.
 * Russia 'in danger of becoming a pariah nation,' says Boris Johnson, Independent, Oct.1, 2016 (some double bombing here).
 * Audio Reveals What John Kerry Told Syrians Behind Closed Doors, The New York Times, September 30, 2016
 * '' I think you’re looking at three people, four people in the administration who have all argued for use of force, and I lost the argument.
 * Noted: The leak audio appears to place the blame on lack of use of force on the Republican-controlled congress eg McCain-Graham

Explaining why the US is reluctant to directly join the fight like Russia has:
 * “The problem is that, you know, you get, quote, enforcers in there and then everybody ups the ante, right? Russia puts in more, Iran puts in more; Hezbollah is there more and Nusra is more; and Saudi Arabia and Turkey put all their surrogate money in, and you all are destroyed.”

He perhaps meant to say "and we all get destroyed." With everyone else on that list but the US already in, "you all get destroyed" remains the running situation, especially for the not-mentioned Syria.