Russia brings the fight to ISIS in Syria!!!

#1,201
#1,201
Vladimir Putin rides out of Syria as a victor

President Obama derided the Russian leap into the war in September as the prelude to a “quagmire,” just as he proclaimed that the annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donetsk region would be self-defeating.
Click to expand...

Moscow’s most obvious achievement has been to reverse the course of the civil war. The regime of Bashar al-Assad, which was reeling last summer, now has a clear upper hand over U.S.-backed rebels. By the Russian account, regime forces have regained control over 400 towns and almost 4,000 square miles of territory; they have cut off the main supply line to the rebel-controlled districts of Aleppo, the country’s largest city. The cease-fire negotiated by Mr. Putin’s foreign minister with Secretary of State John F. Kerry could lock those gains into place — and government forces have continued to attack key areas during the cease-fire, without consequence.
Click to expand...

Russia_Syria_Talks_-0fa1a.jpg
 
#1,202
#1,202
the cease fire talks are only for the rebels. not ISIS. the fight isn't over by a long shot. though if the peace talks do happen between Assad and the rebels that can only help Assad vs ISIS. But I am interested in what the peace deals include. If the rebels simply lay down arms and go home and Assad just assumes those areas I wouldn't see him as any stronger. More area to cover without boosting his troop support really. I would think any peace deal includes some clause about fighting ISIS. we have seen before what disarming a large group of militarized people will do over there. I could see ISIS picking up more troops from this than Assad.
 
#1,203
#1,203
LouderVol said:
the cease fire talks are only for the rebels. not ISIS. the fight isn't over by a long shot. though if the peace talks do happen between Assad and the rebels that can only help Assad vs ISIS. But I am interested in what the peace deals include. If the rebels simply lay down arms and go home and Assad just assumes those areas I wouldn't see him as any stronger. More area to cover without boosting his troop support really. I would think any peace deal includes some clause about fighting ISIS. we have seen before what disarming a large group of militarized people will do over there. I could see ISIS picking up more troops from this than Assad.
Click to expand...

As you've no doubt noticed, Russia's goal in both Ukraine and Syria has been to firmly entrench the status quo. In other words, to make sure that neither place completely slips from its grasp but not to waste time actually solving anything. In this regard, it's hard to argue they haven't been highly successful. With the exception of Afghanistan, Russia tends not to waste its time state-building, unlike the US, who wastes vast resources and energy often attempting the impossible. Russia tends to know better, but, frankly, that's probably more the result of their geographic and economic limitations than it is due to any lack of ideological zeal.

So the Russians are good at keeping the status quo around, as long as it is favorable to them, and they don't waste the time, energy, money, and manpower that we do in our Utopian attempts to remake the world into our own image, kind of like God. The problem, however, is that, while tactically superb, this Russian approach has the tendency to merely "kick the can down the road" in terms of long-term effect, so that they'll only end up having to deal with the problem (whatever the problem may be), perhaps even more dramatically, years later.
 
Last edited:
#1,204
#1,204
volprof said:
As you've no doubt noticed, Russia's goal in both Ukraine and Syria has been to firmly entrench the status quo. In other words, to make sure that neither place completely slips from its grasp but not to waste time actually solving anything. In this regard, it's hard to argue they haven't been highly successful. With the exception of Afghanistan, Russia tends not to waste its time state-building, unlike the US, who wastes vast resources and energy often attempting the impossible. Russia tends to know better, but, frankly, that's probably more the result of their geographic and economic limitations than it is due to any lack of ideological zeal.

So the Russians are good at keeping the status quo around, as long as it is favorable to them, and they don't waste the time, energy, money, and manpower that we do in our Utopian attempts to remake the world into our own image, kind of like God. The problem, however, is that, while tactically superb, this Russian approach has the tendency to merely "kick the can down the road" in terms of long-term effect, so that they'll only end up having to deal with the problem (whatever the problem may be), perhaps even more dramatically, years later.
Click to expand...

our "nation building" plan hasn't worked out much better than this.

I guess to tie in my previous post with this one I guess I am saying that a peace resolution that doesn't somehow incorporate the rebels into a plan to fight ISIS isn't going to maintain the status quo. if they aren't addressed it will be worse for Assad. so the Russians may have kicked the can down the road but Syria hasn't/can't.
 
#1,209
#1,209
Pacer92 said:
Doesn't look like anytime soon...

Aren't we done sending off our kids to die for this crap?
Click to expand...

I don't think countries like Russia or China have any noble plans for the world or do things out of nobility, but I do admit that they certainly have us whopped in the realist game of geopolitics. Russia, in particular, doesn't get involved in utopianist state-building. They've done that twice now: once with the Eastern bloc after WWII and once with Afghanistan. They got it handed to them in the end each time. They seemed to have learned their lesson as a result.

The US, on the other hand, still seems to think it can make viable states anywhere around the globe, even after nearly two decades of failure. We still haven't learned our lesson, and I will be glad once this current set of post-Cold War foreign policy idealists bite the dust, quite literally. Half of them are out-of-touch utopianists, while the other half are merely profiteers. All of them are 100 percent evil though, whether maliciously intended or not, as their actions have wrought far greater consequences than simply leaving well enough alone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#1,211
#1,211
Pacer92 said:
More US boots on the ground in Iraq..

US deploys more troops on the ground in Iraq to fight ISIS https://www.rt.com/usa/336370-us-marines-iraq-ground/
Click to expand...

maybe one of the military guys can correct me but isn't a detachment like a squad or two?

and I love the holier than though attitude you guys have currently after Russia gave up and had to tap out. We are in Iraq for the same reason Russia was/still is in Syria. prop up a national leader in a country we shouldn't be involved in in the first place.
 
#1,213
#1,213
Grand Vol said:
A detachment isn't a set size so to speak. It's typically mission oriented and can vary in size.
Click to expand...

:hi:

thanks, not sure where I came up with my idea of size, but the RT article even made it sound small imo. talking about how they were just part of a regiment. which i understand can still be hundreds of people.
 
#1,214
#1,214
LouderVol said:
maybe one of the military guys can correct me but isn't a detachment like a squad or two?

and I love the holier than though attitude you guys have currently after Russia gave up and had to tap out. We are in Iraq for the same reason Russia was/still is in Syria. prop up a national leader in a country we shouldn't be involved in in the first place.
Click to expand...

Russia gave up and had to tap out?

y4sv3mprfbsip8ngkzrk.gif
 
#1,219
#1,219
Why is David Cameron so silent on the recapture of Palmyra from the clutches of Isis? | Voices | The Independent

When Palmyra fell last year, we predicted the fall of Bashar al-Assad. We ignored, were silent on, the Syrian army's big question: why, if the Americans hated Isis so much, didn't they bomb the suicide convoys that broke through the Syrian army's front lines? Why didn't they attack Isis?

“If the Americans wanted to destroy Isis, why didn't they bomb them when they saw them?” a Syrian army general asked me, after his soldiers' defeat His son had been killed defending Homs. His men had been captured and head-chopped in the Roman ruins. The Syrian official in charge of the Roman ruins (of which we cared so much, remember?) was himself beheaded. Isis even put his spectacles back on top of his decapitated head, for fun. And we were silent then.

Putin noticed this, and talked about it, and accurately predicted the retaking of Palmyra. His aircraft attacked Isis - as US planes did not - in advance of the Syrian army's conquest. I could not help but smile when I read that the US command claimed two air strikes against Isis around Palmyra in the days leading up to its recapture by the regime. That really did tell you all you needed to know about the American "war on terror". They wanted to destroy Isis, but not that much.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
#1,220
#1,220
Rasputin_Vol said:
Why is David Cameron so silent on the recapture of Palmyra from the clutches of Isis? | Voices | The Independent
Click to expand...

uh, remember that whole thing about Syria and the US not wanting to work together, because neither would accept the others terms? Remember Syria telling the US to mind its own business and to leave? Your chopping on both sides dude. On the one hand America is doing too much by being involved in Syria. Then on this hand America didn't take action and they aren't doing enough? At least be consistent. I have no idea how you keep it all straight in your head.

The US was in Syria to help the Kurds, not Assad. especially after all the bickering between the two countries.

someone quote me so he can see it. TIA
 
#1,222
#1,222
#1,224
#1,224
although I guess he does have to recognize them as at least somewhat legitimate if he is going to be diplomatic with them.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top