Post: #76

The UN has their annual general debate meeting next week, it'll be interesting to hear what Putin has to say.

Post: #77

(09-27-2015 01:19 AM)flightofdeath Wrote:  

(09-26-2015 10:11 PM)Big Nilla Wrote:  Now, the possible problems with this is the Taliban is splintered, they still harbor foreigner terrorists, and they are into opium/heroin trafficking. But hey, nobody is perfect. I'd send out feelers to the Taliban if I were Russia and Iran. I'm imagining a Russian-aligned arc of Egypt/Syria/Iraq/Iran/Afghanistan. Another issue that I'm not sure about is Pakistan. They used to support the Taliban and now they're fighting it, but is there a distinction between the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban? Would Pakistan get on board with the Taliban in power, again?

It's something to consider from a Russian perspective.

There is definitely a distinction between the Pakistani Taliban and Afghan Taliban. The former is just a creation of various intelligence agencies, maybe involving the ISI itself, just like ISIS. Whereas the Afghan Taliban was created and trained by religious elements of the Pakistan Army in order to serve as freedom fighters during the Soviet invasion.
And yes, Pakistan would be on board with the Taliban gaining power in Afghanistan because the current Afghan regime is hostile towards Pakistan whereas the Taliban have always been in sync with them.

Well, given that the Pakistani and Afghan Talibans are still different entities then the convergence of Russia/China/Pakistan/Iran in Afghanistan could happen in regards to bringing the Afghan Taliban back to power. It would be a fatal blow to the US goal of using Afghanistan as a base for Islamic radicals to attack/destabilize Russia through the 'Stans, China's Uyghur region, and Iran.

Russia/Iran are getting closer with Pakistan already and the Taliban aren't hardcore enemies of Iran as they used to be. Pakistan is more prone to destabilization from the US so they'd have to ramp up their double-dealing ways while helping to push the US out of Afghanistan.

Post: #78

Good article:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info...e42983.htm

Quote:Syria Turns The Corner

The deployment of forces from Iran, Russia and Hezbollah along with the Syrian Army aims to recover key and strategic cities and areas under the control of al-Qaeda and ISIS in the first place. Damascus gave Hezbollah 75 tank to become part of this organized- irregular organization. It is the first Hezbollah armored brigade composed of new T-72 and T-55 tanks to support the group’ Special Forces on the ground.
The source ended: “The direct Russian intervention and involvement in the Syrian war was decided after Turkey’s violation of the undeclared red lines by giving facilities and supporting al-Qaida and its allies to enter Syria into Kessab and later to Idlib provoking the Russian bear who believed that national interests are threatened. The lost of Idlib upset the battle balance in all of Syria. Russia and Iran informed Turkey that such a support will have serious consequences and that Iran and Russia’s national security have been put in jeopardy. After having seen the reaction on the ground and the direct intervention of Russia and Iran, Turkish President’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Assad could be part of the future of Syria. It is a kind of late apology for the strategic mistake that needs to be rectified now. Turkey’s wrong move in Idlib led even the United States and Europe very close to chanting: Long Live President Assad.”

Israel has been told to go back into its corner and to shut up. It has no longer any role in Syria. Any further intervention by air, sea or on the ground would lead to harsh responses. Natanyahoo will comply. He understands that the Russian support for the Syrian government is unwavering:

Sayyed Nasrallah considered that Russia's support to President Bashar Al-Assad is inevitable, revealing that "even when Iran proposed finding a substitute for President Al-Assad, Russia refused."

Jordan has already pulled support for the southern mercenary flank which failed in its attacks on Deraa. The U.S. military now admits, after prior denials, that its "vetted" mercenaries gave weapons and other supplies to al-Qaeda. That fact is another argument against the various Gulf paid, hawkish "experts" who want to continue the war on Syria. The serious folks have lost all confidence in their judgement. The hapless CentCom commander General Lloyd Austin will be the fall guy for their failed strategy.

The wannabe Sultan in Ankara started to change his language but will have to do much more. Should he be stupid enough to continue to supply Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, the Kurdish PKK -with which he is unnecessarily at war within Turkey- may suddenly find an excellent supply source for some serious anti-tank missiles and other goodies. The Turkestan Islamic Party, Uighur Islamists who were smuggled by Turkey from China to Syria, now trains child soldiers in Idlib. Does Erdogan believe that China will ignore them? Or will it rather send its navy and a special force brigade to eradicate that looming danger? Erdogan pissed off Russia, China and, with his war against Kurds, also the United States. All at the same time. You don't mess with all three superpowers at once without serious personal consequences.

The collapse of the Syrian government would be a disaster for everyone. Erdogan and his "western" friends made fools of themselves with their childish "Assad must go" blathering. With the grown ups taking over this nonsense has now, hopefully, come to an end.

Post: #79

http://news.yahoo.com/russia-keeps-build...41106.html

Highlights:

Damascus (AFP) - Moscow pressed its military buildup at a new airbase in Syria Saturday, as Washington admitted rebels it trained surrendered ammunition and equipment to Al-Qaeda in a fresh US policy setback.

A decades-long backer of the Damascus regime, Moscow has steadfastly supported President Bashar al-Assad throughout four and a half years of war that has killed more than 240,000 people.

Its recent deployment of troops and warplanes to Syria, combined with new arms deliveries to Assad's forces, appears to have prompted a significant shift in international efforts to end the conflict.

EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met Friday in New York to discuss "the need to bring the war in Syria, which has caused so much suffering, to an end," the EU said.

(Interesting now that Russia getting serious Europa flexing their mangina muscles)

- Russia aid 'turning point' -

US satellites have recorded increased activity by Russian forces at the base inside the Bassel al-Assad civil and military airport.

Washington and NATO say recent spottings of helicopters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, tanks and troops prove Russia is building an airbase in Latakia, the Assad regime's coastal heartland.

Russian military aircraft have conducted reconnaissance flights over Syria but not yet launched any strikes, the Pentagon said.

One senior Syrian official called Russia's military involvement a "turning point".

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which has fought alongside Assad's forces, said Russia's military support would "affect the evolution of the ongoing battle in Syria".

The United States has said it "could find areas of cooperation" with Russia if Moscow were to join the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group.

- New setback for Washington -

Moscow's intervention comes with Washington's own policy for fighting IS in Syria in increasing disarray.

The US has a $500-million programme to train and equip vetted moderates recruited from among the rebels fighting Assad, but it has faced repeated setbacks.

In a shock admission Friday, the Pentagon said a group of US-trained rebels had handed over ammunition and equipment to Al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, the Al-Nusra Front, purportedly in exchange for safe passage.

"Unfortunately, we learned late today that the NSF (New Syrian Forces) unit now says it did in fact provide six pickup trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected Al-Nusra Front," said spokesman Captain Jeff Davis.

The unit, which included about 70 rebels, was trained in Turkey and sent into Syria last weekend.

Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for Central Command, which is overseeing the campaign against IS, said the pickups and ammunition represented about 25 percent of the materiel issued to the group.

"If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to Al-Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria train-and-equip programme guidelines," Ryder said.

That was the latest blow for the troubled programme. The first 54 graduates were attacked by Al-Nusra in July, and the Pentagon says it is not sure what happened to them.

Last week, before the insertion of the new fighters, the US general overseeing efforts against IS drew disbelief from senior lawmakers when he told them only "four or five" US-trained rebels were on the ground fighting in Syria.

Are you effing kidding me after $500 Million spent only 4 or 5 US Trained Syrian Fighters on the Ground to fight ISIS... Sounds like they set up a Boy Scout camp not a credible fighting force. And - They think but have no clue where they are or if still alive????

This is what you get when you have Marxist Feminists community organizers experimenting with the DoD with rules of engagement tying their left wrists behind their backs to their right ankles - a hobbled Defense Department being run with more concern for LGBTQ recruitment and civil rights than in victory against Radical Islam. This level of incompetence could easily considered dereliction of duty.

Obama is either detached and texting it in while flying around the globe on Air Force one to Golf Games and fund raisers looking to tee himself up for after he is retired with his own Clinton Style Universal Foundation slush fund - or More sinister - Obama is a domestic enemy of the constitution enabling radical islam for a Victory in the Middle East, absorption of Chrsitian Europe and eventual Sharia law for the USA - Sheikh Barack Hussein Obama makes Grand Mufti Mullah Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam look like a patriot by comparison.

Post: #80

Funny how the US was content to allow this conflict to drag on forever, but now that Russia has gotten involved the attitude has changed and now it must be ended ASAP.

And who are we kidding about anti Assad moderates? Those "moderates are now what we know as ISIS.

As for those 50+ "moderates" that the US spent millions to train, I'm sure they can be found over at bestgore.com getting their heads cut off by ISIS, or they're members now, and we can see videos of them cutting the heads off of Assad's soldiers.

I think the reason the US is now hellbent on getting this issue over and done with is because they want every member of ISIS rounded up and killed ASAP, before any of them have a chance to say "we were all put in business by the CIA."

Post: #81

U.S. official: Russia launches first Syria airstrike:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world.../73072884/

Post: #82

Caught On Tape: Dramatic Footage Of Russia's First Airstrikes In Syria

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-09-30...ikes-syria

Post: #83

(09-27-2015 06:42 PM)Deepdiver Wrote:  The United States has said it "could find areas of cooperation" with Russia if Moscow were to join the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group.

If Russia were to join the fight of the US?



Who has allowed this conflict to go on for years, probably caused it, not taking action and making excuses by giving out unrealistic and unreasonable demands?
And who has for years now been in favor of an international intervention to eradicate this islamistic cancer? Only to time and time again be brushed off by whom exactly?
Who has boots on the ground in Syria now and is actually trying to do something?

And now Russia is all of a sudden invited to join the US? How generous and noble! Give me a break!

Post: #84

I hope Russia just annexes the whole shitty country, drains them of their natural gas and oil and implements the standard Russian No bullshit, No excuses rules.

Post: #85

The Chechen's who were too young to experience the full onslaught of their home country by the Russians better get ready for round two. And there is very few hiding places to run to.

Post: #86

It would be a good "muscle-flexing" public show of the best russian units.

Post: #87

US is getting exposed here as an evil power, now bitching about Russia supposedly hitting 'rebels'.

Watch out, I don't think the public is this stupid anymore. On one hand you have secular, western looking people like Assads and the US call them evil, while the so called rebels are long bearded Allahu Akbar people.

What is so incredibly infuriating is the massive betrayal of the US and Israel, with allowing mass immigration into Europe as long as Assad is taken down for the benefit of Israel alone. Does anyone buy this anymore?

Post: #88

About goddamn time, it was coming, I was hoping sooner.

Now that they got logistics locked down, they can bomb with impunity, shitty things that they'll of course have collateral damage.

Since these ISIS pussies will run away and blend in with the civilian population.

Post: #89

(09-30-2015 03:47 PM)kaotic Wrote:  About goddamn time, it was coming, I was hoping sooner.

Now that they got logistics locked down, they can bomb with impunity, shitty things that they'll of course have collateral damage.

Since these ISIS pussies will run away and blend in with the civilian population.

Lot of "shock and awe" from Russia's attacks today. Just wondering how easy it really is too root out ISIS. Probably easier than the West are making it out to be.

As I understand this whole crazy thing, the US has been trying to somehow simultaneously a) destroy Assad b) destroy ISIS c) somehow get Turkey back in line and stop Turkish attacks on Kurds (and/or allowing (helping?) ISIS to kill them) d) support the "rebels" to eventually overtake Assad and e) make sure too many Kurds/innocent civilians don't get killed in the process by (Turkey, Assad or ISIS, or G*d knows who else).

However, our rebel funding / training scheme blew up and now they are all dead except 5 of them and all the high-tech weapons went to ISIS (!).

As for the rest of the "rebels" well they are probably like the ones in previous interventions i.e. just a bunch of other extremist Islamists who just hate the local dictator and want to install a caliphate (just like ISIS). Or in Syria's case they want the minority sect Alawites to go (Assad's ground) and the majority to rule.

Or at least I think that's what's been happening. Whatever it is, it was/is an insane strategy and has had the effect of creating a stalemate (well since Russia intervened). And has created total chaos, killed lots of people and created a massive refugee/migrant crisis.

Going to be interesting to see where this goes from here, but could US ME foreign policy be any more misguided and inept than it's proven to be? What am I missing here?

Post: #90

It's being reported the Russian bombings today didn't even target ISIS:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/world/....html?_r=0

The bombings reportedly targeted the rebels who have been trying to topple Assad, i.e., our "allies" in Syria. The ones the USA have been supporting in an effort to overthrow Assad.

Well, Putin was a KGB apparatchik after all. The KGB were infamous experts of misinformation.

Who knows what Putin told Obama before they came out of that conference room and shook hands, but make no mistake, Putin owns Obama. Russia owns the frame.

Today, one of the Russian generals warned, yes warned, the US that they had one hour to give up the airspace in Syria before the Russian sorties began.

After saying that the US must surrender Syrian airspace, John Kerry rolls out and says, in typical word salad State Department speak: " we (the US and Russia) need to get together and have a de-confliction (wtf?) discussion. These talks will begin "as soon as possible, maybe even tomorrow"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...Syria.html


Within an hour of the Russian general's ultimatum, the Russians began bombing Assad's opponents in Syria under the guise of bombing ISIS.

A sad day for the U.S. and dangerous time thanks to a weak president.

Post: #91

Interesting analysis: http://fortruss.blogspot.rs/2015/09/kerr...licly.html

Quote:Kerry on live TV just publicly surrendered the US position on Syria to Russia

Russia has a lot to be confident about moving forward in Syria/Iraq, but I think this guy is a bit premature claiming victory and US surrender. The US is going to look extremely bad, and Russia great, if/when Assad quickly routes the terrorists in the next 2 months with Russia's help.

Post: #92

I don't see a problem with bombing these rebels, not even from the perspective of fighting ISIS. It can even be easily be explained to the international community. The so called 'rebels' are Al Qaeda operatives and Russia has said all along that Assad needs to be part of the solution, which means Assad's army is in the end the ones who need to move in and finish the job once Russia has bombed ISIS into pieces. Who else is going to clean up? My guess is that these so called rebel groups do not control much territory at all and that they would get eaten by ISIS anyway once they disposed of Assad.

The US and coalition has really screwed this up though. It will be very difficult to convince the Euro's that Russia should not target these people, while millions of refugees are on the move to Europe. No doubt Putin is gaining back public approval he lost after the Ukraine situation.

Post: #93

@robreke

Those rebels are not our allies, they are saudi-turkish puppets and although they don't carry the isis flag they are pretty much on board with everything they stand. From the russian perspective they are terrorists.

I don't see how this is a sad day for the US, the best thing to do is gtfo of middle east.

Post: #94

(09-30-2015 08:37 PM)8ball Wrote:  ... the best thing to do is gtfo of middle east.

@8Ball -- that won't work now. The deal was sealed back in '91 with the boot on Saddam's neck. Unfortunately, that boot lost it's foot in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq. Since then it has only been a matter of time until Russia, at a loss from their war in Afghanistan, stepped up. All of this should have been common-sense/obvious to anyone in the hierarchy with even a rote/learned piece of military mind. As they all cry foul for the news agencies now, to appease their various peoples, the final solution approaches... as the only solution to this mess. And it is a god-awful solution at that.

Post: #95

(09-30-2015 08:37 PM)8ball Wrote:  @robreke

Those rebels are not our allies, they are saudi-turkish puppets and although they don't carry the isis flag they are pretty much on board with everything they stand. From the russian perspective they are terrorists.

I don't see how this is a sad day for the US, the best thing to do is gtfo of middle east.

They're allies in the sense that we were funding their efforts to overthrow Assad.

It's a sad day in the US because we're being pushed around by Russia. Albeit, we kind of deserve it for a variety of reasons including how we were responsible for the mess in Ukraine. It's sad because our weak, bumbling, terrible at foreign policy president has brought us to a state where we are now being pushed around by Russia.

I'm not anti Russia and I respect Putin. He's a better nationalist president than the one way have as he truly looks out for the best interests of Russia. The same can NOT be said for Obama.

I also agree it would be good for us to have a much lower if not, zero presence in the middle east.

It's just that as an American, to see us be disrespected and pushed around now thanks to the damage Obama as done to our country, is a bit disheartening.

It's also potentially dangerous because you have a president who does not know what he is doing. You have a very indecisive man as POTUS going up against a capable, calculating, ruthless, highly intelligent leader in Putin.

In the end, I think Putin will have his way and Obama will just try to get out of the middle east with the Iran "Deal" under his belt.

Post: #96

I'm confused. How are the rebels and ISIS different entities?

Post: #97

(09-30-2015 09:49 PM)nek Wrote:  I'm confused. How are the rebels and ISIS different entities?

Well if the US said that they were training and arming ISIS, even the mouth breathers might get alarmed.

By contending that they are training and arming the rebels they can maintain a level of plausible(implausible) deniability.

Post: #98

(09-30-2015 09:49 PM)nek Wrote:  I'm confused. How are the rebels and ISIS different entities?

They aren't.

The media still clings to the difference they are different when they are both the same groups.

The Rebels were imports
ISIS were imports

The Rebels had Suadi and Turkey money/resource ties
ISIS has Suadi and Turkey resource/money ties.

Both are the same.

ISIS just has a lot more money and might behind it while Syrian Rebels have been depleted and thinned out from constant attack from Assad and Government troops.

ISIS is the western stooge army to upend Syria and its allies. This Russia and USA dance in Syria is passive aggressive war circa 2015, as essentially both countries are in a soft war in Syria but don't want to admit it. They will continually bomb back and forth targets from air and hope that chess pieces on the ground fall where they must.

This is what war between global strengths looks like in 2015. Russia is holding the ball here as it can re-enforce Assad and the USA can't do much about it in the sense that any over aggression to do so, makes them look like fools. They have to maintain support for ISIS and the Rebels which is just not politically palatable (it never was but America was able to sell it before much more easily).

Post: #99

This is some real Cold War shit going down right now. It it weren't all so fucked it would be hilarious/exciting. Still is really.

Putin has truly brought Russia back to strength with a fatherly hand, essentially proving that a boy from low means can rise up to greatness with strong, conservative parental guidance and beat the privileged trust fund kid from a broken, pandering family.

Post: #100

I believe that the solution for the Middle East is for Russia to get involved. Unlike the United States, Russia has friendly relations with all of the regional powers there and hasn't generated bad feelings due to a long history of massive violent interference. Putin is not only friendly with Iran but also has good relations with Israel. He could be an honest peace broker in the region. Go Putin!

The United States created, funded, and encouraged Islamic fundamentalism in order to harass the Soviet Union. Al Qaeda was created by the US to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. ISIS was created by the US to overthrow Assad. Islamic fundamentalism has been an ongoing geopolitical US strategy. Do you think it is an accident that all of the leaders who have been overthrown were running civil, non-religious states? We have all seen the picture of John McCain with his ISIS buddies so I won't repost it.