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Special Report
Bashar’s Iron Fist Goes Airborne and Thermobaric
Assad is now resorting to fireball bombing, on the Russian model in Chechnya.
Huge balls of fire and mushrooms of smoke seen on the latest videos from Homs indicate that the Syrian army is using more powerful weapons in its assault on the remaining rebel strongholds in the city.
This is what the daily shelling of Homs used to look like when the Baba Amro district was still under rebel control:
February 8, 2012
Explosions seen on the latest videos look rather different:
March 24, 2012
There is an oil pipeline passing through Homs that can produce similar effects when hit with shells. However, it seems unlikely that so many shells would repeatedly hit the pipeline or that the refinery is still operating.
One YouTube video identifies these as napalm bombs. Well, the balls of fire are certainly not entirely unlike videos of napalm bombing that can be found on YouTube. However, napalm is normally delivered with bombs and these are probably thermobaric or fuel-air bombs of the kind the Russians used in Chechnya. Given the regime’s connections to Russia, it comes rather natural that Mr. Putin would share with Bashar Assad his rich experience in waging counter-insurgency in the Caucuses.
March 24, 2012
To the best of our knowledge, the first video starring a fireball in Homs hit YouTube on February 14. By now they have become a regular feature in opposition videos.
February 14, 2012
Though the Syrians usually call them rockets, they actually appear to be shells. At least in the next video some kind of a howitzer exit clearly precedes the shriek and the explosion.
About the Author
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi is a Shillman-Ginsburg Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a student at Brasenose College, Oxford University. His website is http://www.aymennjawad.org.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (21) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi
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numbatdog| 4.2.12 @ 8:51AM
Oskar, well done drawing attention to a barbaric regime which uses advanced military weaponry to mass murder it's own citizens.
Unfortunately neither the Obama regime or the MSM gives a damn, no matter how many civilians are slaughtered.
This is an old story- The Soviets mass starvation of millions of Ukranians was similarly ignored by leftist editors who decide what news you should see and what isn't important.
As was the nazi Holocaust despite eye witness accounts.
This is how to get noticed. Make the headline
"Israel does nothing as Bashars iron fist......"
Paul Kotik| 4.2.12 @ 10:41AM
You mean like:
ISRAEL DOES NOTHING AS BASHAR'S IRON FIST THINS RANKS OF FUTURE SYRIAN ARMY UNITS" ?
Alan Brooks| 4.2.12 @ 7:49PM
Assad wont end up dead, though; he'll flee eventually and live in Moscow or somewhere, with guards up the kazoo.
Alan Brooks| 4.2.12 @ 7:53PM
... Assad isn't a desert rat such as Gaddhafi was, Assad has connections, will do well for himself wherever he goes. If the Shah hadn't died soon after leaving Iran, he would have lived the life Assad will live.
Paul Kotik| 4.2.12 @ 9:53AM
How about a no-sticking-our-nose-where-it-doesn't-belong zone?
Or a no-fly zone where WE don't fly?
The residents of Homs are paying a just price for decades of focussing their passions and energies on an imaginary enemy while tolerating - nay, willfuly serving - the regime that is now ( and has in the past) trerated them this way.
All regimes govern by the consent of the governed. If the residents of Homs want something different, and if their aspirations are shared and acted upon by others in Syria, they'll get it. They'll pay for it, to be sure, and pay much more now than if they'd fought for it 50 years ago, but they'll get it.
It is, however, none of our business. The present unrest inside Syria is good for the US and good for US allies. It's already denied the Syrian army hundreds of future soldiers, eliminated some unknown number of present soldiers and tied down thousands.
Paul Kotik| 4.2.12 @ 10:40AM
How about a no-sticking-our-nose-where-it-doesn't-belong zone?
Or a no-fly zone where WE don't fly?
The residents of Homs are paying a just price for decades of focussing their passions and energies on an imaginary enemy while tolerating - nay, willfuly serving - the regime that is now ( and has in the past) trerated them this way.
All regimes govern by the consent of the governed. If the residents of Homs want something different, and if their aspirations are shared and acted upon by others in Syria, they'll get it. They'll pay for it, to be sure, and pay much more now than if they'd fought for it 50 years ago, but they'll get it.
It is, however, none of our business. The present unrest inside Syria is good for the US and good for US allies. It's already denied the Syrian army hundreds of future soldiers, eliminated some unknown number of present soldiers and tied down thousands.
sinanju| 4.2.12 @ 11:22AM
I'd go along with the thermobaric bomb explanation. The trouble is we've never seen footage of one detonated outside of the Military Channel. It would be more obvious if we could hear the shriek of the jet delivering it but that is explanatory in itself as napalm is always dropped from low altitude and it makes a splash rather than a shattering blast.
Having recently read of the "Free" Libyans defilement of the British WWII cemeteries and the "Free" Syrian persecutions of the Syrian Christians I happily wash my hands of all sides here. Unless someone in the know can tell me otherwise, Libya looks like it is sinking into tribal anarchy, Egypt will be in the grip of mass famine within a year of two and Syria's Assad clan will be going down to defeat and bloody massacre and score-settling... after they depopulate half the country. Either way, it doesn't look like they'll be presenting much of a threat to either us or Israel in the forseeable future.
albert constantine jr.| 4.2.12 @ 11:36AM
It is after 10:30 a.m. EDT and John786 has not weighed in on this yet. Surprising...
Occam's Tool| 4.2.12 @ 2:14PM
It is obviously Israel's fault, as John786, Jack, and Clint will make clear...
Personally, Bashar should be hitting them harder, and they should becounterattacking better---both sides are worthless scum, who would back stab us after they gained power if we tried to help them.
Occam's Tool| 4.2.12 @ 10:20PM
Oh, and thanks to the Israelis, they have no nukes. Now, if Obama would de-ass his head and support covertly the Israelis taking out the Iranians, that might be useful, too.
Allen k.| 4.2.12 @ 3:34PM
Occam's tool - It's just easier to blame another nation than to actually stop and look at the facts. Today my car stopped working, it must of been caused by Israelis, and their influence on the auto industry!
modern apartment
gary siebel| 4.2.12 @ 4:37PM
If the bombing provides evidence of Russian/Syrian military collaboration in any way, that would be very bad news because it would put Syria, Russia, and Iran on the same team, and immediately call into question Russia's support for the Iranian nuke factory.
No fly-zones cannot be conducted without first completely suppressing ground based anti-air capabilities, so is an unrealistic request at this point. The Horn of Africa has greater priority, anyway. Significant amounts of oil do not flow through Syria. Let it go on; provide the rebels with light arms only, and some anti-tank weaponry. Medical aid and some recon, too.
Occam's Tool| 4.2.12 @ 5:32PM
Personally, I would stay out of it. No benefit for the USA if we go in, no harm to stay out---no friendly government would result if we support the rebels, as they, too, are Islamist scum.
The USA's job is to keep the maniac Iranians from getting nukes. We owe them a punch for 1979---a hard, groin area kick, with or without nukes.
Rantly McTirade| 4.2.12 @ 6:25PM
Bashir, like Qaddafi, is the lesser evil from the view of the best interests of the US and the vast majority of its' citizens. The two scribblers should haul it to Homs and actually do some fighting, instead of trying to get the US to throw away more money fighting for/agin' the useless of the Mideast.
Oh, and Iran is no threat to America or its' citizens, so no wasting cash or lives by the US there either.
Occam's Tool| 4.2.12 @ 10:19PM
Iran is a threat to the US because it hates us and is working on nukes. There are many Soviet ships that dock in US waters---I've seen a few in my time in Galveston. Nuke in lead lining under Soviet flag goes boom. Or under Syrian Flag goes boom.
The Iranians deserve a groin kick.
Frog in Uniform| 4.2.12 @ 7:49PM
On that first video, most of what you hear is a neverending:"Allah U Akbar!" So, I won't give a rat's ass about a bunch of crazy, Jew hating, goat molesters being slaughtered by another bunch of dumb bloodthirsty, Christian murdering, muslim pedophiles. G-d, I know they are your creatures like the cockroaches and the leeches but I can't stand those jerks!
Frog in Uniform| 4.2.12 @ 7:51PM
Amen.
Occam's Tool| 4.2.12 @ 10:17PM
From your mouth to G-d's ears, Frog in Uniform. I presume you are referring to the mighty Horned Frogs of TCU.
Marc Jeric| 4.3.12 @ 1:50PM
Nobody has called the real name for this war in Syria. It is a sectarian war between the Shiites under Assad and the Sunnis. That is why the Shia Iran and the majority Shia Iraq support Assad, and why the Saudis etc. support the uprising.
Dmitry Aleksandrovich | 4.4.12 @ 12:44AM
It's Shia Alawites and other Syrian minorities such as Druze and especially Christians who are backing Assad against the Sunni opposition that has the backing of the Wahhabist Qataris and Saudis not to mention Turkey, the United States, France, UK, Israel and what not.
Dmitry Aleksandrovich | 4.3.12 @ 2:50PM
It makes sense that American Spectator would become an anti-Assad propaganda tool like CNN and Fox News. Congratulations neo-cons your on the same team as Al Qaeda. It wouldn't be the first time though. It was the same during the Soviet Afghan war.