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NEWS Russia building barracks at Syrian airport

Pags

N/A
pilot
I'm not saying that he's correct. I'm guessing (all un-class, I've been out of the business for a while) that he see's a power vacuum that Iran will fill, and he want's to get in on the ground floor. Iran has a vested interest in saving Syria's ass and he's quite willing to help. I have serious doubts about Russia's ability to sustain an extended, or even a brief expeditionary force in Syria. There's a bigs ass Sunni/Shia war coming, and if the Russians are still there........I agree, they will get chewed up. Hell, I don't know. It's hard to analyze illogical actors. That's always been the west's achilles heel in that part of the world.
I was just digging around the papers to see if anyone had any decent analysis and an Aric,e in the Post mentioned that Russian corporations invested $20b in Syria over the past several years. That's not the kind of money you walk away from. Additionally it mentioned that Syria has the Russian Navy's last friendly port in the Med. Also not something to walk away from. I also wonder how much of a threat ISIS may be manifesting domestically (or to one of their closer allies in the 'stans) to Russia? They have a sizable Muslim population that they haven't always been on the best of terms with.
 

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Your right, the Russians have economic interests in Syria (as for the port, they need a blue water navy to use it) and guessing they see bigger ones with Iran. ISIS has been manifesting in the "Stans", as well as Dearborne, and Minneapolis. Russia's focus is on Syrian opposition forces, of which, for now, ISIS is not a major player.........yet. This will get ugly. The faster we rid ourselves of that backwater the better. Israel is the wild card.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
What's the benefit to Russia to fight on behalf of Iran? what does Iran give them in return?

Fighting on their behalf, not really. As an arms supplier, energy export partner, and benefactor?

If Russia can convince isolated states like Iran that they're a reliable counter to the US, they'll come running with money in hand. I'm sure Iran wouldn't mind putting their F-4s on sticks and getting some nice shiny Flankers instead.

Syria has been a Russian ally for a long time - intervening on their behalf makes good political sense. Plus, it's a stick in the West's eye. I read one analysis that said Putin can't solve the problem in Syria, but he's now ensured that no one can leave him out of the process, either.

Of course, that's assuming they can pull it off. There's a lot of doubt about Russia's ability to sustain a deployed campaign for any length of time. It's expensive, and the ruble's value has dropped by half in the last year. It's technologically difficult, and the Russian armed forces don't have the training or experience doing it. So if in three or four months the Russians have to fold their tents and go home without decisively putting down the Syrian opposition, it will have been a wasted effort.
 

Redux

Well-Known Member
Fear not, the incompetent bastard and his band of Merry Marxist has it well under control! Happy yet? :rolleyes:
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
Fear not, the incompetent bastard and his band of Merry Marxist has it well under control! Happy yet? :rolleyes:

You're awfully full of criticism (masked by incoherent blabble) of quite a bit of the decisions being made by senior officials. We got it. You don't like the president. Cool. How about putting more than a few disjointed ideas together and provide the rest of us with some ideas on what you would like to see done differently. I hesitate to open this can of worms because I'm quite certain the first item on your list will be "impeach the president." Morbid curiosity, however, is getting the best of me, so give it a shot. See if you can bring yourself to offer something substantive or constructive.
 
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Beans

*1. Loins... GIRD
pilot
You're awfully full of criticsim (masked by incoherent blabble) of quite a bit of the decisions being made by senior officials. We got it. You don't like the president. Cool. How about putting more than a few disjointed ideas together and provide the rest of us with some ideas on what you would like to see done differently. I hesitate to open this can of worms because I'm quite certain the first item on your list will be "impeach the president." Morbid curiosity, however, is getting the best of me, so give it a shot. See if you can bring yourself to offer something substantive or constructive.
COLLABORATOR!
 

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
From the New York Times:

Russia is not only bringing some of its most advanced hardware to the fight, it has also deployed large field kitchens and even dancers and singers to entertain the troops — all signs that Moscow is settling in for the long haul, American analysts said.


“They brought the whole package,” said Jeffrey White, a former Middle East analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “It showed me they could deploy a decent-sized expeditionary force.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/15/w...roving-ground-and-west-takes-notice.html?_r=0

As for Russia and the Ukraine...

 

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
and even dancers and singers to entertain the troops
......well, if the singers and dancers are coming, I guess they can sustain an extended expeditionary deployment. :cool: As for the video, I don't buy the ingress choke point argument, the demographics are true for western Europe, Japan, and us. Like most former IC analyst working in the private sector, they over think the problem. The Russians, nor anyone else is that calculated. Large bureaucratic governments won't allow it. I'm not sure of Russia's intentions, but I am pretty sure that Occam's Razor will be involved.
 
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Redux

Well-Known Member
You're awfully full of criticism (masked by incoherent blabble) of quite a bit of the decisions being made by senior officials. We got it. You don't like the president. Cool. How about putting more than a few disjointed ideas together and provide the rest of us with some ideas on what you would like to see done differently. I hesitate to open this can of worms because I'm quite certain the first item on your list will be "impeach the president." Morbid curiosity, however, is getting the best of me, so give it a shot. See if you can bring yourself to offer something substantive or constructive.
Impeach? Nice thought but ain't gonna happen, blew that wad on Clinton and that didn't work out so well did it? If my statement is babble or blabble I can at least spell criticism. Best that can happen......... ride it out and hope for a better outcome next November. Until that time.... display ones displeasure loud and clear. Fair nuff Roscoe? Oh, BTW not liking is far too kind, I detest the **** sucker. ;) Why? Because I'm still allowed to!
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Until that time.... display ones displeasure loud and clear. Fair nuff Roscoe?

Some insightful analysis, there, bub.

There's literally thousands of websites where you can 'display ones displeasure loud and clear' if that's your thing. You made your point about your opinion of the administration. You got anything better than a thesaurus? What do you think the US and NATO ought to be doing instead? What do you think Putin's up to with this deployment? How will Iran and the 'stans react?

This shit matters, and it matters a lot more than how many bad words you can come up with for the current president.
 

Recovering LSO

Suck Less
pilot
Contributor
Regardless of the vehicle's nationality, this (as well as several other airspace incursions) might serve to drive home the point made at Fallon so many times: air space/boundary awareness is more than just an administrative pain in the ass. We saw las tweek with the Russian airspace "spill-outs" that larger political and operational effects that stem from losing SA.
 
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