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Realistic or Modern A Lesson Unlearned (A Modern Conflict RP)

A Lesson Unlearned

"As long as there are sovereign nations possessing great power, war is inevitable."

The year is 2023 and the mistakes of the past two decades have yet to be learned. From the failure of the occupation of Iraq (post 2003 Iraq War), the semi-successful insurgency war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and the continued bombardment of the Islamic State, that still continues to this day, it is still the belief of the Western people that continued offensives against such ideologies can result in success and only success regardless of casualties, both civilian, military and economic.

The sovereign nation, Syria, had collapsed in 2022. President Assad, once regarded as a despotic dictator yet the only shining beacon within the State, had been removed and Syria had been reduced to leaderless anarchy between several contesting factions all fighting for supreme control over the country. Like all national collapses, the people paid the price. The price had been set by foreign competitors; mainly, the United States and the Russian Federation. These two nations, despite undergoing serious reforms to leadership and economic strategy, still contested their power between one another showing the world the futile gesture of 'peace', nicknamed now by alternate media as 'failed peace', would never work between these two nations.

The United States financially and politically backed two opposing groups (although with similar ideologies) in Syria. These two groups were known as the Syrian Democratic Front (SDF) and the Syrian Organisation for Peace and Democratic Liberalism (SOPDL). Although these groups were armed, they were seen by the international spectators, who observed the conflict like opportunistic hawks scouting for their prey, as the most likely to succeed in the conflict, the best for the international community to work with and the safest option, socially, for the people of Syria to live with.

The Russian Federation, however, backed a completely different side. They chose a single group and aided this group with arms, money and soldiers; Russia had decided this war was to be won by this group and that was the only acceptable outcome for the once strong and proud ally of the Russian Federation; Syria. They had chose the group Syrian Front for Nationalists (SFN). The SFN were backed by international outcasts; Iran, North Korea, Russia and China; although Spain and Ireland, both nations undergoing radical political and social reforms, were flirting with the idea of joining Russia in supporting (financially) the Syrian Front.

A year had passed since the support of these groups, from Russia and the United States, had begun. It had caused skirmishes between these two nations and a whole new missile crisis yet had not sparked the war that the tension, across the globe, demanded. A right-wing British government had chosen to support the Russian Federation over Ukraine (which had now been fully annexed) and had left NATO, a left-wing French government had supported the United States and had begun to meet the NATO spending plan and was funding a whole new military campaign in North Africa to clear Libya of terrorists.

The war in Syria was about to provoke a very new Cold War. But this time it wouldn't be so cold... Each side yearned for action, each side demanded to prove that it was the strongest and that their could only be a single superpower among the nations of Earth. This is war.

It wasn't long until the United States, with the backing of NATO, deployed troops into Western Syria, the coastal territories, and along the Iraqi border (to protect ally, Iraq, and to stage an important invasion post within Syria). Except, this wasn't an ordinary deployment. The US had garrisoned 95,000 troops in Syria; more than the entire mobilised forces of the SDF and SOPDL combined (discounting militias, of course). It had also deployed hundreds of tanks, artillery pieces, armoured personnel carriers, fighter jets, bombers (the mighty B-1B Lancer) and an entire fleet to stage an aerial bombardment from within the Mediterranean.. The United States was showing power and only power; it was not prepared to negotiate with the Russians or Syrian Opposition - the United States' foreign policy must come first and will always come first.

Russia didn't take too kindly to this deployment. The SFN, Russian-backed Opposition in Syria, requested additional financing and military supporting for a future offensive to drive deep into the Western lands of the Syrian Democratic Front; the future of Syria and the end of this conflict depended upon this relentless assault, an endless offensive, to succeed and for Syria to see the peace that the people, who had been locked in continuous war for a decade, deserved.

Russia agreed. It chose to deploy 115,000 specially-trained soldiers to the region of Syria held by the SFN. Hundreds of helicopters, fighter jets, bombers, tanks, APCs, artillery pieces were also deployed to this region. All under the command of Russian Generals whose orders were to assist in the SFN offensive westwards; this was do or die. If the United States was prepared to risk neutrality and war for Syria, so was Russia. This is the beginning of all-out war. War that shall be relentless across, not only the Asian continent but, the world - Russia and the United States.

NATO sided with the United States. A combined force of 80,000 soldiers and specialist military equipment (the majority from France, Germany and Poland) deployed into the US-Syrian Democratic backed areas. The personnel were to be used defensively, only, but that only stood for the beginning of the war. What happens after the war is declared, after the first battle is over, is a completely new story; will the NATO forces be expected to sit and wait to die?

The United Kingdom, China, Iran and North Korea deployed a joint force of 45,000 soldiers and equipment, with the UK solely committing the most, for the aid of the Syrian Opposition rather than assisting the Russians; who the UK, despite improving relations, still refused to completely side with. The coalition would act defensively until provoked and then would maintain an offensive strategy to bring a swift conclusion to the war. The British and Chinese, specifically, also provided ships and aircraft to assist with the operation.

The clock strikes 12AM on the 1st January 2023. Happy New Year! The Russian-backed SFN offensive begins. Three battles, with intense artillery and aerial bombardments and engagements, begin.

Manbij - The city stands firmly under Democratic occupation. The people, however, are more sympathetic to a nationalist cause. They famously supported President Assad until his dying days and the support still remains for the Assad family, despite them no longer being in contention for power within Syria. An intense motorised offensive by, primarily, the Russians swept the SOPDL defenders by surprise. Almost a blitzkrieg, a pre-strike artillery barrage killed hundreds and destroyed key defensive positions across the region, an aerial bombardment and continuous engagements with defensive aircraft (owned by the United States) saw the sky resemble a western skyline, almost like city lights from the burning aircraft and the glowing hail of bullets and missiles in the sky, caused heavy casualties for both the military and civilian population within the region. This battle sees 12,500 Russian and Syrian Nationalists with tanks, artillery and air support take on 2000 specialist United States operators as well as 8750 SOPDL militiamen and a weakened yet experienced 3500 soldiers who act as defenders.

Kobane - The town of Kobane stood as a key resistance zone, against Islamic State, by Kurdish militias spanning between 2015 and 2017 when the Islamic State was still a considerable force in the northern region of Syria. However, the battle of Kobane is between the Syrian Democratic Front and the Syrian Front for Nationalists. Each side, supported by either United States or Russian equipment, provided 20,000 soldiers. This was a battle for the city and was the most likely battle to end early and with massive casualties as both sides fight for what they believe will be a better Syria.

Palmyra - The city of Palmyra a struggle between three opposing forces. The remnants of the Islamic State, the Syrian Nationalists (pro-Russian) and the United States. The destruction of the old Roman monuments took place between 2013 and 2018 by the Islamic State and continue to take place to this day. Palmyra, a hotspot for Islamic fundamentalism within Syria, remains a shining fortress for the Islamic State, who have yet to taste a complete collapse and defeat within Syria. They provide a mere 4500 soldiers and technologically inferior equipment to the battlefield, although their entire positioning; as an army; is defensive and heavily fortified atop a hill.
The United States provides 5000 experienced infantrymen and equipment to the battlefield as well as potential air support later into the battle once key locations, scattered across the battlefield, are taken.
The Syrian Nationalists, who are supported by Russian equipment, provide 12,500 poorly trained soldiers whose lack of experience is made up for in commitment to die for a nationalist Syria similar to the nation controlled by Assad prior to the civil war. They lack conventional air support although they have more armour capabilities on the ground.

It's time for boots on the ground, soldier. High Command will issue orders across the battlefield and for the future offensives. Good luck!
 

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