More specifically in an e-mail dated December 7, 2011, a Stratfor analyst - who goes by the electronic name "bhalla" - states his conclusions from conversations he had at the US Pentagon with officials from the Department of Strategic Studies (US Air Force strategic studies group) of USAF. "Guys who spend all their time understanding and then explaining to the US Air Force chief the big picture of the areas in which the US operates," the Stratfor analyst described in an e-mail to his interlocutors.
This USAF team consisted of four people at the level of lieutenant colonel, but the interesting thing is that out of these four people, two were representatives from Britain and France, which makes this information even more valid due to the existence of British bases. in Cyprus.
It is certain that the British representative in the strategic studies department of USAF had secured the approval of his government - at least at the political level - for the use of the British bases in Cyprus (and more specifically of the RAF AB in Akrotiri) in case of air raids in Syria. An approval that is considered equally certain that it would have been informed, or at least the British would have taken care to inform the Cypriot government, considering of course its cooperation.
As "bhalla" describes in his e-mail, the discussion revolved around the choice of an air campaign in Syria and what its objectives should be, saying that in the event that it occurs, the operation in Libya will look "like a walk in a park ", due to the strong anti-aircraft forces of Syria. In fact, if Pentagon officials were aware of the imminent arrival of the S-300 - which had not yet taken place - then they would have doubly considered the possibility of a raid on Syria.
"The main base they will use will be Cyprus and this without any effort. The British and French will fly from there. In fact, they all constantly emphasize how many means they have there and how many reconnaissance missions are carried out from there. "There is going to be a lot of confusion about military intervention and air strikes and what they will eventually achieve," bhalla said in an e-mail to a senior at Stratfor.
Another interesting fact that has become known today is the groups of special forces from various countries operating on Syrian soil.
"After some hours of discussion, they admitted without saying openly that special forces from the United States, Britain, France, Jordan and Turkey are already (December 2011) on Syrian territory, carrying out missions focused mainly on reconnaissance and reconnaissance. training of guerrilla forces. "They have been informed that they are ready for any eventuality and ready to act within 2 to 3 months, but my interlocutors stressed that the mission of the special forces in Syria has the character of an alternative plan and not the main plan of attack."
Source: defencenet.gr