http://www.zerohedge.com/news/...no-one-knows-what-do

In a bizarre twist to an already unusual story, a convoy of 17 buses carrying Islamic State terrorists and their families has remained stranded since Thursday in the Syrian desert as the US, Russians, and Syrians discuss their fate: attack the convoy or allow it to pass? Regardless of what happens, emerging photos and video depicting ISIS' retreat from Lebanon as well as their current helpless plight stuck in the middle of Syria constitutes perhaps the most significant blow to ISIS propaganda to date.

Earlier this week we reported on the unusual deal which allowed a large convoy of Islamic State fighters and their families to exit their contested stronghold along the Syrian-Lebanese border under the watch of the Lebanese and Syrian armies and Hezbollah after being defeated. As first announced by Hezbollah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in a speech Monday night, the deal involved the transportation of 26 wounded and 308 ISIS fighters, along with 331 civilian family members via buses and ambulances to Syria's eastern province. The controversial deal was struck in return for the bodies of 9 Lebanese soldiers, kidnapped by ISIS in 2014.



That convoy was allowed to enter Syria but was attacked by the US-led anti-ISIL Coalition on Wednesday as it crossed open desert on its way to the Islamic State stronghold of Deir Ezzor. Per coalition statement, the convoy wasn't attacked directly - just outlying ISIS vehicles which were attempting to join and bolster the transport. Part of the highway in front of the convoy, including a key bridge, was further targeted in order to stop its movement.

According to the latest update (released Friday afternoon) from the US coalition (@CJTFOIR), the buses remain stranded. Apparently, deliveries of food and water have been made:

After turning around and heading back west from the Abul Kamal area, the convoy of 17 buses containing hundreds of armed ISIS fighters and their families remains in the Syrian Desert between Humayma and As Sukhnah.



...In accordance with the law of armed conflict, the Coalition has struck ISIS fighters and vehicles, including a tank, armed technical vehicles, and transport vehicles seeking to facilitate the movement of ISIS fighters to the border area of our Iraqi partners. Food and water have been provided to the convoy.

The ISIS convoy had reportedly been on an indirect and lengthy route through Syria, likely in order to avoid air strike, before being halted. On Friday the Syrian and Lebanese governments extracted another concession as part of negotiations over the fate of the convoy: ISIS handed over the body of an Iranian Revolutionary Guard officer to Hezbollah.

Meanwhile Hezbollah's Nasrallah revealed that he personally negotiated the deal with Syrian President Assad, who displayed initial reluctance. As Fox News reports:

At the moment, terrorists and their families remain sitting on chartered buses in Syrian no-man's land awaiting the decision of regional and foreign militaries controlling land and air over Syria. Will the convoy be destroyed or allowed to pass? Will the US coalition strike and kill over 300 civilian ISIS family members in the process? Simple imprisonment could prove difficult as the ISIS militants were allowed to carry small arms as part of the deal and will surely go down fighting at this point. Or there's the remote chance that the Syrians and Hezbollah actually desire for the US to attack the convoy: the Syrian and Lebanese governments could maintain they upheld their end of the bargain (this becomes important for potential future battlefield deals brokered with other groups), while the US would claim the moral high ground of fighting terror.

Kill them all

We all know the right answer: kill them all. That our leaders can't pull the trigger on such an obvious decision makes this incident a microcosm in explaining our overall failure to resolve these conflicts favorably during the last 16 years.

It is an easy decision. That convoy needs to be hit with sufficient ordinance to wipe any evidence of its existence completely away.

One MOAB should do the trick.

Napalm or WP should do it on the cheap.

They were promised safe passage, so they should be allowed to go to whichever state puts up with IS and offers them support. Then they should be bombed as heavily and for as long as possible.

You can bet the cargo bays are filled with propaganda teddy bears, so make sure that it is bombed, burned and pulverized to unrecognizable smudges in the sand. What innocents??

Why is anyone sending supplies to them? Just let them fend for themselves and starvation or dehydration will do the rest.

I'm sure they always keep their word, so we should honor the deal to let them have safe passage...no, screw it Napalm and WP should clean the area of this vermin.

Yes, devastate the convoy. Follow the example of the Mongols and the Order of the Assassins.

At least Mattis and Trump are in charge. So a competent decision is likely to be made.

quote:

the deal involved the transportation of 26 wounded and 308 ISIS fighters, along with 331 civilian family members via buses and ambulances to Syria's eastern province. The controversial deal was struck in return for the bodies of 9 Lebanese soldiers, kidnapped by ISIS in 2014.

There must be more to it that we aren't privy to, because that's a terrible deal on its face.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Hmmm. I will trade my used bicycle for your mansion and fleet of cars. Sounds like somebody was a better negotiator here.

quote:

Originally posted by Shifferbrains:
One MOAB should do the trick.

I agree.

Another possible choice (though admittedly highly improbable): In the middle of the desert? The smallest tactical nuke wouldn't leave any trace of what was (or wasn't) destroyed. Wonder what kind of range the EMP would have if it were a ground strike or a very low airburst?

I bet it really stinks in those buses.

quote:

26 wounded and 308 ISIS fighters, along with 331 civilian family members

So 650+ people for 9 dead guys? Who brokered that deal, Obama? (couldn't be, there's no mention of millions in cash)

They will hide behind their women and children.

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:

quote:

the deal involved the transportation of 26 wounded and 308 ISIS fighters, along with 331 civilian family members via buses and ambulances to Syria's eastern province. The controversial deal was struck in return for the bodies of 9 Lebanese soldiers, kidnapped by ISIS in 2014.

There must be more to it that we aren't privy to, because that's a terrible deal on its face.

I wonder if we are even a party to this deal or not?