NEWS Russia building barracks at Syrian airport

[nittany03]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-appears-to-be-ramping-up-its-presence-in-syria/

Hrm. This is murky as shit. They wouldn't technically be opposing OIR operations, seeing as ISIS is opposed to Assad's government. Yet it's the stated policy of the Obama admin that Assad needs to go. And this could potentially lead to Russian and US jets arcing around the same airspace that, for all intents and purposes, it doesn't seem like anyone owns. Seems like in this case, the enemy of my enemy is still, at best, my frenemy.

Between this, Ukraine, the migrant crisis in Europe, the potential for shenanigans in the Baltics, and the Norks and the Chinese playing fuck-fuck games in the Pacific . . . yeah. "May you live in interesting times," indeed.

 

[Brett327]

Everyone is freaking out about the Russian presence in Syria. For those who have been paying attention, this is not a new development.

 

[Flash]

Fun fact, Syria is the only country outside the FSU that has a permanent Russian military presence.

 

[Brett327]

And has for decades. They may, in fact, be ramping up their presence, but the OMG factor in the press is a bit ridiculous.

 

[Randy Daytona]

Everyone is freaking out about the Russian presence in Syria. For those who have been paying attention, this is not a new development.

Not a new development - but the exploding refugee problem is. The question is: will military operations exacerbate the flood of refugees into Europe?

This year, Germany is accepting 800,000 refugees - 1% of its population. Different countries - and different political parties within those countries - have vastly different opinions. If you look at the population number projections, proximity, cultural differences, economic incentives - Europe is threatened with a tsunami.

 

[nittany03]

And has for decades. They may, in fact, be ramping up their presence, but the OMG factor in the press is a bit ridiculous.

Yes, Russians in Syria is not new. They had the base in Tartus forever. But given the clusterf*** there and Putin's propensity for "little green men," it may not be something to freak out over, but it may not be nothing either.

 

[IRfly]

It's all fun and games until an American plane drops a bomb on a Russian truck.

 

[JIMC5499]

There's this group that wants to see Russia step into the Middle East and slap down the US. So anything that Russia does is exciting to them.

 

[Brett327]

Just saw a bit of this jem... GEN Austin getting his ass kicked in open session. McCain leading the charge, per standard procedure.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Who are the jackasses who keep walking in after the chairman has begun speaking...?

 

[Hopeful Hoya]

Who are the jackasses who keep walking in after the chairman has begun speaking...?

Staffers/other Senators. Unless it is a high profile hearing (think Hillary Clinton Benghazi hearing in October), Senators and their posses will pop in, ask their questions, and leave, so people are always coming and going.

 

[xj220]

It's all fun and games until an American plane drops a bomb on a Russian truck.

Or the "separatists" shoot down a commercial airliner.

 

[jmcquate]

Just saw a bit of this jem... GEN Austin getting his ass kicked in open session. McCain leading the charge, per standard procedure.

The poor bastard was trying to defend a White House dumpster fire........... I can't pay attention right now.........Trump said someone was ugly.

 

[Brett327]

Austin isn't our most inspiring leader, IMO, but I really felt sorry for him as members were laying into him. Perhaps it's futile at this point, but he could have done a better job of saying, "given the left and right limits I've been given by policy makers in the administration, my military advice has been, X, Y and Z."

 

[IRfly]

Or the "separatists" shoot down a commercial airliner.

Crazy talk. Never gonna happen.