SURVEY: Will Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict bring stability to Syria and the ME?

[craigt3365]

Russia sure thinks they're going to help! LOL

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34498862

"Russia is saving Europe from barbarism for the fourth time," the notorious anchorman Dmitry Kiselyov crowed on his weekly show.

"Let's count: the Mongols, Napoleon, Hitler - and now Islamic State."

The criticism from abroad, that Russia is actually ignoring IS targets to focus on opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, is dismissed as propaganda.

Talk about propaganda! LOL

[Incobart]

The Americans and partners are supporting small rebely groups to get rid of Assad, but they are to small to divided and fighting each other. This way is a long war and a end story of more trouble.

Russia tries to help the existing government and army to get control back over their country. In my opinion the best way of the all bads, later there can be time for negotiation to new election or how to prevent this drama from starting again.

If the rest of the world only have to concentrate to destroy ISis it will lead to a better result.

A government can help another government in trouble if they are at tact by rebels or terrorist. if they not like that government they should stay out.

[Incobart]

mistake

Edited October 12, 2015 by Incobart

[konying]

Stability? No

Balance of power ? Yes

Saudi's would be the next hot spot in my opinion.

Isis are paid contractors, they will move to whoever or wherever pay is higher.

Hmm makes one wonder who is paying them. One of my conspiracy theory friends made mention of this same thing to me a couple days ago. Yes the Saudi's look ripe for the next big hit and that will surely try to draw America back into the thick of things again. Why we do business with such a culture is beyond me but then I have no need for oil. The oil argument is now running a little thin as America has found abundant? oil reserves in shale. Now they are distancing themselves somewhat from the Saudi's as they no longer need their oil. Its the American way just look at how they are now calling the oilsands dirty the same oil they were begging for a few decades ago. The Saudi's are now looking to align themselves with another country to try and change the settlement of oil contracts into another currency besides the Greenback. Guess who those country(s) are. The knives are definitely out now.

[ABCer]

konying <quote> "Isis are paid contractors, they will move to whoever or wherever pay is higher."

I sincerely hope they are genuine believers or simply a bunch of criminals with unhealthy psycho.

Because they are incurable. They do inhuman things. And the normal humane treatment is not warranted. They can and must be only exterminated.

Please, konying, think what you are saying. Because if you are right - their employers must be exterminated with the same finality!

[konying]

konying <quote> "Isis are paid contractors, they will move to whoever or wherever pay is higher."

I sincerely hope they are genuine believers or simply a bunch of criminals with unhealthy psycho.

Because they are incurable. They do inhuman things. And the normal humane treatment is not warranted. They can and must be only exterminated.

Please, konying, think what you are saying. Because if you are right - their employers must be exterminated with the same finality!

Ok ABC , you appear to always know better,

Do tell who buys the oil from ISIS? and why has not US or any of the allies imposed any sanctions on them? or done anything to cut it off?

Do tell, how is it that Russia managed to wipe out more ISIS in few days than the allies did in over a year?

ISIS drives brand new Toyota Hilux, where did all the cars come from and keep coming from? and once again why no sanctions or any actions against those selling or providing the cars

[Publicus]

Whatever the outcome it has gotta be better than the Americans and their Khazar buddies running the show.

Your choice of words is clearly indicating you are a person of one singular thought. Reference to Khazars (one branch of Jews) can only be compared to another "intellectual" poster here

who used a word "kulaks" referring to Russians. Also a term related to long gone cruel Russian history. Also clearly demonstrating a one track singular "intellectual" thought person.

Both of you can not think. Just have read something that impressed you, but no mental ability to think on the basis of facts.

I am sure if you are prodded just a bit you will tell us about Jewdo-Zionist world conspiracy. Posters like you should be not allowed into adults exchanging ideas. Kindergarten is your place.

Most likely the same Kindergarten when little kids of 3-5 years are talking about growing up enough to "kill Jews" because Koran says they are bad pigs. No difference. None!

Despite common belief real intellect is ability to think on the basis of learned facts, concepts and realities. I pity you. But do not despair - there far too many of your ilk.

Lot of sudden pronouncements going on and summary scoldings too.

Complaining along with a bunch of deductive and arbitrary declarations, denunciations. Sort of a judge, jury hangman thing.

After reading a few lines it'd seemed Putin had already lost in Syria, but then a quick check of the Index showed no such thing. Not yet anyway.

Musta been something somebody ate cause the one thing it ain't is intellectual. Don't know of any intellectuals around these parts btw.

Starting with Putin and the Fanboy Chorus.

[727Sky]

For the last two years we have seen ISIS grow in power and property. Russia in less than two weeks has blunted ISIS advances and some reports are saying 40% of ISIS is no more.. Something the USA and it's cohorts have been unable or unwilling to do themselves.

Any thinking person should consider when ISIS took over the first major city in Iraq and captured over 2 billion dollars in aide money stored in the bank and got a large portion of their 650 million dollars in military equipment from the Iraqi forces which left all intact on orders; something is not right.

Then with their newly captured equipment what did ISIS do ? They drove down the highway in huge convoys without a care. The oil ISIS is selling goes untouched or intercepted and no sanctions against who is buying ISIS oil is even talked about.....

Quote:

The squadron is doing fine. Everybody is happy to be here and we are doing some good work. The A-10s are holding up well and the technology we have on the jets now (targeting pods, GPS guided bombs, Laser Guided bombs, Laser guided missiles, tactical data link, satellite comms), and of course the gun, make the A-10 ideal for this conflict. We are killing off as many ISIS as we can, mostly in ones and twos, working with the hand we are dealt. I've never been more convicted in my career that we facing an enemy that needs to be eradicated.

With that being said...I've never been more frustrated in my career. After 13 years of the mind-numbing low intensity conflict in Afghanistan, I've never seen the knife more dull. All the hard lessons learned in Vietnam, and fixed during the first Gulf War, have been unlearned again. The level of centralized execution, bureaucracy, and politics is staggering. I basically do not have any decision making authority in my cockpit. It sucks. In most cases, unless a general officer can look at a video picture from a UAV, over a satellite link, I cannot get authority to engage. I've spent many hours, staring through a targeting pod screen in my own cockpit, watching ISIS perpetrate their acts until my eyes bleed, without being able to do anything about it. The institutional fear of making a mistake, that has crept into the central mindset of the military leadership, is endemic. We have not taken the fight to these guys. We haven't targeted their centers of gravity in Raqqa. All the roads between Syria and Iraq are still intact with trucks flowing freely. The other night I watched a couple hundred small tanker trucks lined up at an oilfield in ISIS-held northeast Syria, presumably filling up with oil traded on the black market, go unfettered. It's not uncommon to wait several hours overhead a suspected target for someone to make a decision to engage or not. It feels like we are simply using the constructs build up in Afghanistan, which was a very limited fight, in the same way here against ISIS, which is a much more sophisticated and numerically greater foe. It's embarrassing.

Be assured that the Hawg drivers are doing their best. End Quote:

I doubt anyone in the west has any idea of what has and is going on except for the very very few who thought they could run this show...

As far as I am concerned I hope Russia kicks some serious ISIS sand people's butt. You look at everything the USA and the coalition has touched since the first Iraq war ... Nothing but Mayhem and Chaos with a horrendous loss of life....... displaced people heading all over the world.... which will bring its' own set of cultural problems along with more mayhem.

Supposedly Syria was all about a pipeline which would have allowed middle eastern oil into Europe; basically cutting Russia's profit margin and making billions for the suppliers..

I actually had an Iranian college professor once tell me all wars, if you did deep enough, are about money.. He may have been correct...

China, Russia, Iran are all in this game on one side of the fence. Not just Russia.. Even Iraq is supplying intel to Russia... What a total mess the west's policies have made of the whole mid east affair.

With ISIS and insurgent bases in Turkey it will become seriously interesting if those camps are also bombed by Russia... Then the game might really get ramped up beyond anyone's control.. Hopefully that won't happen.

As far a P.R. Putin IMO is several steps ahead of the west's propaganda.. We will just have to see if he can keep it together... I keep waiting for some "stolen" (supplied) Stinger missiles to suddenly appear... Just to make things even more interesting in the skies over Syria.. It would be our luck we give them to the so called moderates who immediately turn coat to ISIS and start shooting down Brits, French, and USA aircraft. ..What a frigging mess !

It is late and I am tired so sorry for the ramble..

Edited October 12, 2015 by 727Sky

[Credo]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

[konying]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

Why were they fighting Assad government?

[Credo]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

Why were they fighting Assad government?

Probably because they do not support the Assad gov't. The point is they only had enemies in Syria. Russia has an ally in the Assad gov't, which includes logistical support.

[konying]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

Why were they fighting Assad government?

Probably because they do not support the Assad gov't. The point is they only had enemies in Syria. Russia has an ally in the Assad gov't, which includes logistical support.

So because US did not like Assad it was ok to attack?

Point is US created ISIS, paid for ISIS and under the pretense of fighting ISIS was in fact trying to over throw Assad

Russia on the other hand, was invited by the official government and has miraculously managed to do more damage to ISIS in couple days than US & Co did in over a year.

Good reason why US is refusing to share intelligence and is rather quite, besides a few silly statements to keep the face.

[Credo]

I am not wishing to get into a peeing contest over this issue. The US and Syria have had strained relations for the past several decades. The US has no business interests to protect or defend in Syria. There is and was little backing for the Assad gov't.

The primary battle is with ISIS and it spilled over into Syria, as conflicts often do. We are seeing Russian incursions into Turkey. It's what happens when you are fighting.

The US is not going to share intelligence with the Assad and the Russians are backing Assad.

It should also be noted that there is no way of knowing what information is or isn't being shared with the Russians at the lower levels.

[konying]

I am not wishing to get into a peeing contest over this issue. The US and Syria have had strained relations for the past several decades. The US has no business interests to protect or defend in Syria. There is and was little backing for the Assad gov't.

The primary battle is with ISIS and it spilled over into Syria, as conflicts often do. We are seeing Russian incursions into Turkey. It's what happens when you are fighting.

The US is not going to share intelligence with the Assad and the Russians are backing Assad.

It should also be noted that there is no way of knowing what information is or isn't being shared with the Russians at the lower levels.

If US was fighting common enemy ISIS, US would not have problem sharing intelligence. unless US has other interests besides ISIS.

Clearly ISIS is the last thing on US mind, despite what US claims, as with all that self proclaimed military might, surely they could deal with few thousand ISIS fighters, as Russian with its inferior military might as claimed by so many on here managed to do the job pretty well.

So which one is it then? No interests? or Vast interest?

Russian incursion into Turkey? NATO US just loves to blow things out of proportion. And aircraft flew into Turkish airspace, hardly an incursion,

But then again, if the enemy is ISIS as you claim, then it really should not be a problem,, should it?!

Edited October 12, 2015 by konying

[Scott]

This topic is about Russia's involvement in Syria.

[55Jay]

By Russia getting involved with Iran it has checkmated the US who have if you care to have a look at a map of the Middle east being actively destabilising the entire region with political and military intervention in several nations, history shows us when this happens a vacuum appears hence IS and the Taliban become new players in the region.

Western media paint Putin as a devil and Assad of Syria a tyrant, well folks until the spring uprising and the US envelopment in Afghanistan and Iraq there was peace through out the area, if anything the US and the world should stop backing Israel to pressure them into a long lasting settlement of the Palistine issue, this is all related one goes with the other.

The Arab Spring uprisings we caused by the general population being tired of abuses by their leaders. It had nothing to do with Russia, the US, China, etc. So no, there wasn't peace in the region. It's been a mess for a long time. Mainly due to religion, brutal dictators, corruption, etc.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring

The Arab Spring is widely believed to have been instigated by dissatisfaction with the rule of local governments, particularly by youth and unions, though some have speculated that wide gaps in income levels may have had a hand as well.^[43] Numerous factors led to the protests, including issues such as dictatorship or absolute monarchy, human rights violations, political corruption (demonstrated by Wikileaks diplomatic cables),^[44] economic decline, unemployment, extreme poverty, and a number of demographic structural factors,^[45] such as a large percentage of educated but dissatisfied youth within the entire population.^[46][47] Catalysts for the revolts in all Northern African and Persian Gulf countries included the concentration of wealth in the hands of autocrats in power for decades, insufficient transparency of its redistribution, corruption, and especially the refusal of the youth to accept the status quo.[

You forgot to include England on the list of middle east screwer uppers.

[craigt3365]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

Why were they fighting Assad government?

Probably because they do not support the Assad gov't. The point is they only had enemies in Syria. Russia has an ally in the Assad gov't, which includes logistical support.

So because US did not like Assad it was ok to attack?

Point is US created ISIS, paid for ISIS and under the pretense of fighting ISIS was in fact trying to over throw Assad

Russia on the other hand, was invited by the official government and has miraculously managed to do more damage to ISIS in couple days than US & Co did in over a year.

Good reason why US is refusing to share intelligence and is rather quite, besides a few silly statements to keep the face.

It's been pointed out many times that Russia is NOT attacking ISIS. One or two times, yes. But 90% of their missions are against anti-government rebels. NOT against ISIS. Which is fine, but please don't say Russia is fighting ISIS. They are propping up the brutal dictator Assad.

[hawker9000]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

Why were they fighting Assad government?

Probably because they do not support the Assad gov't. The point is they only had enemies in Syria. Russia has an ally in the Assad gov't, which includes logistical support.

So because US did not like Assad it was ok to attack?

Point is US created ISIS, paid for ISIS and under the pretense of fighting ISIS was in fact trying to over throw Assad

Russia on the other hand, was invited by the official government and has miraculously managed to do more damage to ISIS in couple days than US & Co did in over a year.

Good reason why US is refusing to share intelligence and is rather quite, besides a few silly statements to keep the face.

"Russia on the other ... has miraculously managed to do more damage to ISIS in couple days than US & Co did in over a year."

[Boon Mee]

Russian involvement in Syria will provide more stability than the current administration in Washington can muster.

[Incobart]

" the brutal dictator Assad" can you give us a list of all brutal dictatorship facts, Craig ?

[craigt3365]

" the brutal dictator Assad" can you give us a list of all brutal dictatorship facts, Craig ?

Do a google search. Here's a start:

https://www.google.com/search?q=assad+war+crimes&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

And one of many, many articles about it:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-launches-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-investigation-into-bashar-al-assads-regime-a6673151.html

[konying]

It's been pointed out many times that Russia is NOT attacking ISIS. One or two times, yes. But 90% of their missions are against anti-government rebels. NOT against ISIS. Which is fine, but please don't say Russia is fighting ISIS. They are propping up the brutal dictator Assad.

Yet ISIS is disappearing, Go figure huh?!

PS, Pointed out by whom? US?

[derator01]

Please stick to the topic.

[simple1]

Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria

“overall, the risks from escalation go beyond Syria, he said. “The degree to which Tehran and Riyadh are now in a confrontation mode across a number of regional hotspots is worrisome,” said Levy. “Who can act now as the de-escalating mediator?

“Americans are not in a position to do that, nor Russians, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are not sufficiently talking to each other … you’re now left with almost no one at senior levels on the respective sides who can engage with each other. This is going to be a dangerous place.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/04/russia-bombing-syria-affects-ousting-of-assad?CMP=share_btn_tw&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=*Mideast%20Brief

[Thorgal]

Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria

“overall, the risks from escalation go beyond Syria, he said. “The degree to which Tehran and Riyadh are now in a confrontation mode across a number of regional hotspots is worrisome,” said Levy. “Who can act now as the de-escalating mediator?

“Americans are not in a position to do that, nor Russians, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are not sufficiently talking to each other … you’re now left with almost no one at senior levels on the respective sides who can engage with each other. This is going to be a dangerous place.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/04/russia-bombing-syria-affects-ousting-of-assad?CMP=share_btn_tw&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=*Mideast%20Brief

...Daniel Levy, Middle East and North Africa programme director at the European Council on Foreign Relations...

Do you think what I think ?

[craigt3365]

Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria

“overall, the risks from escalation go beyond Syria, he said. “The degree to which Tehran and Riyadh are now in a confrontation mode across a number of regional hotspots is worrisome,” said Levy. “Who can act now as the de-escalating mediator?

“Americans are not in a position to do that, nor Russians, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are not sufficiently talking to each other … you’re now left with almost no one at senior levels on the respective sides who can engage with each other. This is going to be a dangerous place.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/04/russia-bombing-syria-affects-ousting-of-assad?CMP=share_btn_tw&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=*Mideast%20Brief

Wow. Very interesting article. What happens when some rebel gets a hold of a surface to air missile and shoots down a Russian plane? Or one from any other country? Things will escalate very rapidly.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/11/vladimir-putin-saudi-defence-minister-syria-talks

How about the looks on these guys faces? Wow....doesn't look like the meeting went well. LOL

[simple1]

Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria

“overall, the risks from escalation go beyond Syria, he said. “The degree to which Tehran and Riyadh are now in a confrontation mode across a number of regional hotspots is worrisome,” said Levy. “Who can act now as the de-escalating mediator?

“Americans are not in a position to do that, nor Russians, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are not sufficiently talking to each other … you’re now left with almost no one at senior levels on the respective sides who can engage with each other. This is going to be a dangerous place.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/04/russia-bombing-syria-affects-ousting-of-assad?CMP=share_btn_tw&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=*Mideast%20Brief

...Daniel Levy, Middle East and North Africa programme director at the European Council on Foreign Relations...

Do you think what I think ?

Maybe I'm naive, but based upon his background I would think he's very much invested in identifying pathways to conflict resolution; what do you think?

Daniel was a member of the Israeli delegation to the 2001 Taba negotiations with the Palestinians and served on the Israeli negotiating team to the 1995 “Oslo B” agreement under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He was the lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative, a joint Israeli-Palestinian effort suggesting a detailed model for a peace agreement to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

http://www.ecfr.eu/profile/C128

[Thorgal]

Gulf states plan military response as Putin raises the stakes in Syria

“overall, the risks from escalation go beyond Syria, he said. “The degree to which Tehran and Riyadh are now in a confrontation mode across a number of regional hotspots is worrisome,” said Levy. “Who can act now as the de-escalating mediator?

“Americans are not in a position to do that, nor Russians, and Iran and Saudi Arabia are not sufficiently talking to each other … you’re now left with almost no one at senior levels on the respective sides who can engage with each other. This is going to be a dangerous place.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/04/russia-bombing-syria-affects-ousting-of-assad?CMP=share_btn_tw&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Campaign&utm_term=*Mideast%20Brief

...Daniel Levy, Middle East and North Africa programme director at the European Council on Foreign Relations...

Do you think what I think ?

Maybe I'm naive, but based upon his background I would think he's very much invested in identifying pathways to conflict resolution; what do you think?

Daniel was a member of the Israeli delegation to the 2001 Taba negotiations with the Palestinians and served on the Israeli negotiating team to the 1995 “Oslo B” agreement under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. He was the lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Initiative, a joint Israeli-Palestinian effort suggesting a detailed model for a peace agreement to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

http://www.ecfr.eu/profile/C128

Quote from your link :

"The European Council for Foreign Relations is a unique European strategic community of over 200 members - including serving foreign ministers, members of parliament, members of the European parliament, EU senior officials, former NATO secretary generals, intellectuals, journalists and business leaders - from the EU’s member states and candidate countries."

http://www.ecfr.eu/profile/C128

Quote from my link :

"Daniel Levy is a Senior Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Middle East Task Force at the New America Foundation and a Senior Fellow and Director of the Prospects for Peace Initiative at The Century Foundation. He serves as a co-editor of The Middle East Channel, an online initiative of Foreign Policy Magazine and the Project on Middle East Political Science at George Washington University together with NAF’s Middle East Task Force."

http://www.politico.com/arena/bio/daniel_levy.html

He left the UK for Israel in 1991 when elected Chair of the World Union of Jewish Students in Jerusalem, a position he served in from 1991 to 1994, after which he enlisted for a year of military service in the Israeli Defense Forces as a non-commissioned officer.

During the Barak Government of 1999-2001, Levy worked in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office as special adviser and head of Jerusalem Affairs.

Mr. Levy worked as senior policy adviser to then Israeli Minister of Justice, Yossi Beilin.

Now, he works for the European Council for Foreign Relations as geopolitical and strategic advisor for a EU organisation.

Furthermore, he's also active in New America Foundation. A US think tank who's sponsored directly by the US State Department. President of this organisation is no less than Anne-Marie Slaughter, Bilderberg member and personal adviser of Hillary Cinton.

In fact, he worked back in 1995 for the Oslo B accords with a green olive shirt and trousers from the IDF.

In fact, he's working as an Israeli citizen for a diplomatic EU organisation with links to NATO. We know that Israel is no memeber of EU and also no member of NATO.

In fact, he's also working for a strategic think tank linked to US States Department as an Israeli citizen.

Most organisations above that I've mentioned are active now in supplying strategic support to the coalition forces in Syria.

You cant receive these special assignments without political cards.

Israel didn't entered into the Syrian conflict, but it's not a secret that Netanyahu urged to visit Putin in Moscow after the US pulled its aircraft carrier from Mediterranean Sea to the Persian gulf.

Putin came with the largest submarine ever made, equipped with 200 nukes. Looks like Mavi Marmara, but much lower.

http://tomfernandez28.com/2015/09/09/russian-submarine-with-20-icbms-and-200-nuclear-warheads-is-sailing-to-syria/

Perhaps we should ask Daniel what EU and US should do now after creating such a mess ?

Edited October 13, 2015 by Thorgal

[Gene1960]

Russia's presence in Syria is with the consent of the Assad gov't. They have an ally in Assad. The Western coalition had no ally, they were fighting both ISIS and the Assad gov't.

I am afraid, the Western coalition has too many allies with conflicting interests. And nobody to rely on on the ground.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited October 13, 2015 by Gene1960

[willyumiii]

Glad to see it is the Russians and not the U.S for a change.

If the U.S. had a Republican President, the Russians would never beat them to the punch.

U.S. contractors like Haliburton are heart broken that they are not making billions in profit from yet another war the U.S. could have put on the credit card!