THE LIMITATIONS OF SYRIAN MILITARY OPERATIONS:

I promised a few friends I would talk to the issue of the Syrian military and it's  tactical / strategic limitations.

I will also attempt to address the possible second order effects of these limitations and how the Resistance might be able to take advantage of the issues.

Lets start by saying any military is only as good as it's will to follow it's leadership.

The most advanced and deadly force in the world is powerless to defend the nation it serves if the nations leadership is not worthy of following.

Regardless of why or how an internal conflict starts, when a professional force is utilized to attack and kill it's own people, that force is bound to be taken to the brink of destruction.

What has become obvious in Syria is the necessity for the Resistance to break the will of the Syrian Military; thus taking away it's ability to  attack and murder it's own people.

Defeating the Syrian Military cannot be the goal of the FSA or the Resistance political groups.

Defeating the support of the members who make up the Syrian Military is the key.

Many of the Resistance members have understood this from the very beginning and as such realized the psychological  impact of defections being shown to the world.

Getting the defecting members on a  media network  was and is vital to the movement.

Getting senior members of the military and the Syrian government to state in a logical and professional manner why they left and why Al Assad's government must end is a pillar of wining the conflict.

As much effort must be placed on this process as is being placed on procuring weapons, if not more!

In the end, if Al Assad and his family are the only owners of massive amounts of equipment that is no longer manned ....... if the humans that made up the formidable Syrian Military are all but gone.. then Al Assad and his followers will be finished.

Now; in the meantime the Resistance must continue to fight for their survival and they must be seen as professional at all cost.

Being successful against a superior force is achievable, but doing so while maintaining  a professional, " Just" appearance is vital to the movement.

Lets look at some of the tactical issues that must be leveraged in order to break the will of the Syrian military.

Classic Hit and Run tactics are already a basic theme of the SFA, but the process must continue to improve.

Ironically, the Syrian Military was not designed, equipped or trained to conduct Asymmetric, Urban, Guerilla Warfare.

The Syrian military was developed to combat a  "Force on Force" operation; such as Syria would encounter in a conflict with Israel.

Nation State warfare is not what the Syrian Military has been or is currently facing and that is a major reason why they are not only unable to maintain momentum, but are losing badly in the public information war; again.. make no doubt.. the public information campaign is vital to the downfall of Al Assad.

When the Syrian military overreacts, and shells cities with field artillery units.. when they use Tanks to fire into apartment buildings.. they are falling back on the only true training their forces know... common kinetic operations.

Their problem, and they know it as well as the Iranians do, is the Resistance fighters can simply melt away into the surroundings and live to fight another day.

When the Syrian military spends four days pounding a city with indirect fire and the only casualties shown on TV are Children and innocent civilians, they are losing the war!

It's a classic example of, " You may win the battle, but lose the war"!!!!

Fighting an enemy that simply chooses to leave the battlefield never ends well for the aggressor.

General warfare Vs Guerilla warfare.. it is a well documented concept that many senior military leaders  and political leaders fall back on time and time again.

Taking ground to only give it back may seem senseless, but in the art of wearing down an enemy, thus breaking their spirits....... it's a brilliant tactic.

Guerilla warfare needs a baseline concept to maintain it's operational success.

The members must never compromise their professional, " Just" appearance.

Put simply.... do not kill just for the sake of killing.... do not murder in the name of revenge ... do not take revenge on the innocent.

Set standards for conduct and let the world know what standards you live by.

Last but not least... show compassion when known is expected, and let that compassion

( YOUTUBE) be seen by all. LIVE BY IT!!

Let me end by talking about a few tactical issues I'm not sure the Resistance movement is utilizing.

1.. Keep you enemies from getting sound sleep for more than just a few hours.

            A. Harassment is key to psychological fatigue. Simple.. .fast .. loud harassment.  

            B.  No Peace!!!  No days off

            C.  If your enemy is rotating units to give them time to refresh both mentally and equipment wise, find       those units and attack them.. Attack them where they rest..

2.  Train special units that can travel from city to city who are good at fighting at night.

            ( The Syrian Military is totally inept at night fighting.)

            A.  Equip them to fight at night.. train them or get them trained to fight at night.

            B.   Attack key sites at night.. late at night.. pre dawn... Fast.. in and out..

            C.   Use indirect fire such as rockets or mortars or heavy machineguns

            D.  Again.. be fast .. and be GONE! know where to hide and stay there until you move again.. and        know where the unit is going next.. prep the location.. not the movement.

            E.  Do not let these units " gloat".. No YOUTUBE.. NO  BLOGGS..

            F.  Let the reputation of these units build based upon the nightmares of it's enemies.

            G.  Let the word leak out these units exist in far greater numbers than actually exist.

FEAR... HOPELESSNESS.. These weapons are far more powerful than anything another country can sell or provide the Resistance in Syria.

I will come back to this topic of fighting, but there is much to talk about soon and some of it doesn't involve Syria.