[Northern Monkey]

Just watching Newsnight and i can't see this ending well.
I think this could end up creating more tensions between Russia and the west.

It seems that Russia are'nt just targeting IS but also any opponents of the Assad regime.Some of these are US trained.

It seems the Russians are using 'dumb fire' weapons and are not accurate.

They are using big over powered bombs in built up areas where the west would have used smaller more accurate laser guided bombs to minimise civilian casualties.

Russian bombers killed 34 civilians just yesterday.Their could be tensions over this between the west and Russia.

Russia are'nt working with the US to select targets.They're selecting their own,They may well step on each others toes.

What happens when the Russians strengthen their position in Syria and possibly build air bases etc and the west decide it's time to take out the Assad regime?

I don't know.It seems to me that Russian and US/European military aircraft all operating in the same air space with so many conflicting interests can't be a good thing.
I can see there being disputes over targets and political interests.

What does everyone else think?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-34416978

[MTVN]

I think the US are a bit deluded about how much of a presence any 'moderate' rebels still have in Syria. The reality is any such forces became insignificant a long time ago and even those areas not controlled by IS tend to be dominated by various other Islamist groups like al-Nusra. Patrick Cockburn wrote a good article on it today:

One target appears to have been the town of Talbiseh on the main highway north of Homs city in Homs governorate. This was Free Syrian Army controlled about two years ago, but since then has been ruled by Jabhat al-Nusra and associated extreme Islamist groups. The “moderate” Syrian armed opposition has been a negligible force for more than a year as its advocate, Robert Ford, a former US ambassador in Damascus, admitted earlier this year, saying Isis, Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham had become dominant in rebel areas.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...-a6674271.html

Ultimately the reason the window is now there for Russia to influence events in Syria is because the Western response to the crisis has been such a shambles. Russia has not intervened in the Middle East since WWII but now they are finding themselves at the head of the response to IS.

[JoshBB]

Air Strikes in general are a bad idea

[Northern Monkey]

Originally Posted by MTVN

I think the US are a bit deluded about how much of a presence any 'moderate' rebels still have in Syria. The reality is any such forces became insignificant a long time ago and even those areas not controlled by IS tend to be dominated by various other Islamist groups like al-Nusra. Patrick Cockburn wrote a good article on it today:



Ultimately the reason the window is now there for Russia to influence events in Syria is because the Western response to the crisis has been such a shambles. Russia has not intervened in the Middle East since WWII but now they are finding themselves at the head of the response to IS.

I just wonder if there is more to Russian involvement than just IS.
I think it could have alot to do with making sure that the west don't get any ideas of going after Assad next.I think they have seen an opportunity and seized it with both hands just as they did in Crimea.They don't want the US to have free reign of the world and go unchallenged.
Let's hope we don't end up fighting a proxy war with Russia in Syria.

[empire]

syria is far better under assad, rather than a bunch of foreign mercenaries, who force children to fight and cut peoples heads off, saddam,gaddafi, knew how to keep trouble makers under control, because they knew how to keep the religious split tribe under the thumb, assad's father united the country because they had one enemy on its border, russia will only use laser guided bombs on isis bases, vehicles, ammo caches only, because they might not do enough damage to isis, and laser guided bombs are expensive, russia has alot of experience in the afghan-chechen wars, with aircraft firing 139 guided bombs on average, a year, with each aircraft having 360 sorties on their belts, they know as much about laser bombing as the west do, because the soviet union went, it caused alot of hardships, for the country, and its military, after their budget was cut too nothing.

[arista]

Yes Putin
will kill all against his mate

Life In The Fast Lane

[arista]

[It seems to me that Russian and US/European military aircraft all operating in the same air space with so many conflicting interests can't be a good thing.]

So long as Isis is Destroyed
in the End.
Thats All that matters now

[jennyjuniper]

I don't pretend to know much about politics, but it would be better for all the other arab nations to band together to fight the common enemy, which is isis. Isis has threatened, not just the west, but other muslims too.

[arista]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

I don't pretend to know much about politics, but it would be better for all the other arab nations to band together to fight the common enemy, which is isis. Isis has threatened, not just the west, but other muslims too.

Saudi Arabia
has a off the record , a understanding with Isis
as they have strict Muslim laws.
Meaning stay away from Saudi Arabia
and they will not attack Isis.


They have asked all nations near there
but they have there own problems . mini wars.


Isis will not kill a Muslim
if they join them
anyone against them , they say, will die
a horrible death.

[Nedusa]

Syria has asked Russia for help in fighting the terrorist problem in its sovereign territory. Russia has military bases there and is a long time ally of Syria.

The US is pissed because Russia is supporting Assad and helping him destroy ALL anti Syrian forces incl Isis. So all the covert work in formenting opposition groups to topple Assad has come to nothing.

So nice to see the US get a rare bloody nose ...

As I have said on here before , Obama plays draughts while Putin play's Chess....

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

Syria has asked Russia for help in fighting the terrorist problem in its sovereign territory. Russia has military bases there and is a long time ally of Syria.

The US is pissed because Russia is supporting Assad and helping him destroy ALL anti Syrian forces incl Isis. So all the covert work in formenting opposition groups to topple Assad has come to nothing.

So nice to see the US get a rare bloody nose ...

As I have said on here before , Obama plays draughts while Putin play's Chess....

I am really pleased to say I agree with you Nedusa.

The UK and USA are always quick to point out that we are engaged in Iraq with the invite and permission of the Iraqi govt.

That is the position of Russia now in Syria, Assad still governs Syria so if that argument is good for us in Iraq then Russia is doing nothing wrong.

I think we, the UK, should keep our noses out now and see what happens as to the Russian action.
Hopefully Russia and the USA can work some sensible strategy out.

[Northern Monkey]

Only a matter of time before an incident occurs between US and Russia in Syria
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a6693191.html

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

Syria has asked Russia for help in fighting the terrorist problem in its sovereign territory. Russia has military bases there and is a long time ally of Syria.

The US is pissed because Russia is supporting Assad and helping him destroy ALL anti Syrian forces incl Isis. So all the covert work in formenting opposition groups to topple Assad has come to nothing.

So nice to see the US get a rare bloody nose ...

As I have said on here before , Obama plays draughts while Putin play's Chess....

Yeah, and he's probably bare chested and posing while he plays.

I can't understand why everyone in the West isn't slightly unnerved about Putin.

[arista]

Yes USA Refuses to work with Putin
so he will take over more Bombing
killing all against his mate Leader of Syria

Feck USA

[empire]

the fact that obama thought that starting coups and supplying weapons, would make everything alright, america's obsession with trying to control the world, has made them weak and blind, to the real threat, obama is not the one who make's the decisons, it is the shadow people in the background of the whitehouse who make those decisons, they are the type of people who make money out of war, with arm sales, and some own weapon companies, obama is just a puppet leader,