It is a probably a very good thing that we are friendlier with Iran and Syria.
Who would have ever thunk it that Iran and Syria would be joining our side, fighting against the thugs .. It's truly amazing! .. .;)
don't you just love life sometimes? .. I mean the things that pop up.. to let you k now .. that you really don't know ..____t .. lolol, and probably never did ... it's just true! .. strange things are happening ... ;)
and truly most are good, IF we just wait around awhile ... omg... laugh laugh laugh and smile .. that's the best that's left for all of us! ......;)
Key Arab member of anti-ISIL coalition reportedly stopped conducting air strikes in Syria over fears for pilots' safety.
.. yes, good for Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the UAE .. i think it's been a long time since any Australian government has been so adamant with the US regarding how to run a war .. lol, i didn't want just to say that so .. hmm .. this is posted for the photo and for the bottom info ..
05 Feb 2015 03:29 GMT | War & Conflict, Middle East, Syria, United Arab Emirates, ISIL
The United Arab Emirates, a key Arab member of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has not flown combat missions over Syria since last December, US officials say.
The Gulf Arab state dropped out of the group of countries conducting air strikes against ISIL targets in Syria after a Jordanian pilot was captured, citing fears for their pilots' safety in the case of downed planes.
"I can confirm that UAE suspended air strikes shortly after the Jordanian pilot's plane went down," AFP news agency quoted an unnamed US official as saying.
"But let me be clear that UAE continues to be an important and valuable partner that is contributing to the coalition."
The US officials spoke on Wednesday only on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced and they were not authorised to speak on the record.
Kassasbeh's fighter jet was shot down in December, and efforts by Jordan to secure his release ultimately failed.
UAE 'demands'
The UAE has demanded that the US improve its search-and-rescue efforts, including the use of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, in northern Iraq, closer to the battleground, instead of basing the missions in Kuwait, the New York Times cited officials as saying.
The country's pilots will not rejoin the fight until the Ospreys, which take off and land like helicopters but fly like planes, are put in place in northern Iraq, the report said.
Even after the UAE stopped flying the missions, the US military has continued to state in daily news releases about the air campaign that the UAE is among coalition partner nations "conducting air strikes in Syria".
Apart from the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia take part in US-led air raids in Syria, which began in September.
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom participate in the air campaign in Iraq, which was launched on August 8.
The US plays a dominant role in the air war, carrying out at least 80 percent of the raids, according to officials.
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