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NEWS Russia building barracks at Syrian airport

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
My prediction is that they turn Raqqa into the Syrian Grozny - in another year or so, it won't exist. That's Russian COIN.

It worked so well for them the first time they tried it in Chechnya and in Afghanistan. Of course in Chechnya they had Russian troops, I doubt they make the needed commitment (more than just a few volunteers) in Syria.
 

armada1651

Hey intern, get me a Campari!
pilot
It worked so well for them the first time they tried it in Chechnya and in Afghanistan.

I wasn't arguing that it worked particularly well, much less that it was ethical. As for troops, I guess we'll see. The Russians are making a habit lately of doing things that anyone would have been called crazy for predicting a few months prior.
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
A break from the "impending Air War" talk:


It's nice to see Russians look just as bored during a VTC as we do (even with Centcom and the OSD.)

No audio, and illegally obtained (according to CNN) and posted on Youtube. I'd guess a ploy by the Russians to show they are at the adult table.

Pickle
 

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Putin will push us. He will not act in a way that we think is irrational. Militarily, the Russians are still a basket case compared to the glory days of the Soviet Union, but with nothing the check his aggression he will continue to take bold moves. I think that if he commits ground forces of any meaningful size, he will get sucked into what every western power has been sucked into in that god forsaken corner of the globe. Maybe he's counting on the Iranians, or their proxies to do the dirty work on the ground, I just don't know. In any event, as long as we have assets in the same airspace as Russian assets, bad things will happen.
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
Putin will push us. He will not act in a way that we think is irrational. Militarily, the Russians are still a basket case compared to the glory days of the Soviet Union, but with nothing the check his aggression he will continue to take bold moves. I think that if he commits ground forces of any meaningful size, he will get sucked into what every western power has been sucked into in that god forsaken corner of the globe. Maybe he's counting on the Iranians, or their proxies to do the dirty work on the ground, I just don't know. In any event, as long as we have assets in the same airspace as Russian assets, bad things will happen.

Honestly, and maybe I'm just an optimist, I'd like to think the acumen of a professional aviator, with a strong dose of self preservation, would help prevent such an incident.
Pickle
 

nittany03

Recovering NFO. Herder of Programmers.
pilot
None
Super Moderator
Contributor

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
I know that we are professionals Pickle........pretty sure the Russiuns are (unless ordered otherwise)..........the Turks and Syrians........Meh. And remember, there's UAVs in the mix, they don't shoot back.
 

picklesuit

Dirty Hinge
pilot
Contributor
The sky is not falling gentlemen.

Disciplined restraint dictates a cautious ROE and standoff. We always use kid gloves with the countries that would benefit from a "misunderstanding."

The media enjoys the Eagle versus the Bear narrative.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Did someone mention the Bear Cavalry?

Bear+Cavalry.jpg


Frankly, I'm just waiting for more of this...

4-putin-riding-a-bear1.jpg
 

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
My money's on the cats. The one's that I have had were stone cold operators. Killed for the fun of it, we need more of these heros............and 5th generation clumping litter, write your congressman.
 

wink

War Hoover NFO.
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
The Russians don't have to roll through Raqqa to make this worth their while, although with the loyal Syrian Army and their heavy weapons they will be far more effective than any coalition effort. They will also kill ISIS more effectively than US coalition forces because they do not operate with the morality of our ROE or rejection of Syrian coordination. They will kill anti Assad militia setting back one of the only stated US goals for the conflict. They will strengthen their interoperability and support of the Syrian Army and Iranian "expeditionary forces". They will embarrass the US and weaken our influence in the region. They are setting the narrative (with the help of the Syrians) and that means the full truth of their effectiveness and actions will not be known to the public. Putin will strengthen his base at home and deepen the fear in western leaning countries in the Caucasus's and Baltic states, let alone the mid east.
 

villanelle

Nihongo dame desu
Contributor
Opps. (Link) I like how they admit that there was an object that crashed into a village on the missiles' path, but of course deny that it was a missile. What that? No, not that's not a missile.
 
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