Russian ground troops and MIGs in Syria.

[jgreiner]

Obama is the poster child for capitulation.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

US-backed Syria rebels say Russia strikes hit their base

 

[mrjarrell]

Reports of Iranian troops on the ground in Syria. This is new. And interesting.

Assad allies, including Iranians, prepare ground attack in Syria: sources | Reuters

 

[T.Lex]

The Alawites are basicall Shi'a, like Iran.

Daesh self-describes as more Sunni (basically).

Russia doesn't really care.

I wonder if Iran getting involved in Syria against Daesh (which is almost inevitable) directly portends a broader scale Sunni v. Shi'a war.

 

[Thor]

Vladimir just signed a decree drafting another 150k.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Who knew World War 3 would start so politely?

Military talks focus on ways to avoid U.S. and Russian forces firing on each other in Syria

 

[Thor]

The big ones almost always start small. They just keep getting bigger until some defining event happens and they can no longer be ignored.

 

[T.Lex]

Chamberlain was thrilled with how polite the Germans were.

 

[funeralweb]

Balls = Escalating tensions in the most tense region on the globe while in NYC to hang with your counterparts from around the globe.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Russia Air Force official: Data analysis shows air strikes only hit Islamic State targets in Syria - RIA via Reuters

https://twitter.com/BreakingNews/status/649600446215155712

Who's lying? The US? Syria? Russia?

FALSE FLAG, FALSE FLAG!

 

[pudly]

Who says anyone is lying at all?

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Russian FM Lavrov says Russia targeted 'depots and sites' of Islamic State militants in Syria air strikes

Rubio 9/16: "The Russians will begin to fly--fly combat missions in that region, not just targeting ISIS, but in order to prop up Assad..."

Who says anyone is lying at all?

Me, I guess.

US: Russia attacked US-backed Syrians.
Russia: We attacked ISIS.

I figure one of those is untrue.

 

[pudly]

US: Russia attacked US-backed Syrians.
Russia: We attacked ISIS.

I figure one of those is untrue.

I don't. The US is anti-Assad, knowingly helped create ISIS and has supplied at least some of their training and weaponry. The US claims to be attacking ISIS, but in truth has been such a spectacular failure (ISIS-controlled territory has grown massively since we've declared them the enemy) that is as if they aren't really trying. I don't believe that this administration is actively anti-ISIS at all at this point, but instead does just enough to keep the rubes at home quiet. Russia is pro-Assad and anti-ISIS. I don't see any conflict in those two statements.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Iraqi PM says Russian air strikes on IS in Iraq possible

 

[JTScribe]

Can anyone think of a more worthless reason to fight World War III?

What is our prevailing interest in Syria?

 

[pudly]

What is our prevailing interest in Syria?

Ummm... The moderates... who we train/supply and repeatedly see switching sides and/or giving supplies to AQ and ISIS....

/purple

 

[T.Lex]

Can anyone think of a more worthless reason to fight World War III?

What is our prevailing interest in Syria?

Well... now it is to prevent Russia from having more warm water ports.

 

[jgreiner]

I don't. The US is anti-Assad, knowingly helped create ISIS and has supplied at least some of their training and weaponry. The US claims to be attacking ISIS, but in truth has been such a spectacular failure (ISIS-controlled territory has grown massively since we've declared them the enemy) that is as if they aren't really trying. I don't believe that this administration is actively anti-ISIS at all at this point, but instead does just enough to keep the rubes at home quiet. Russia is pro-Assad and anti-ISIS. I don't see any conflict in those two statements.

Leading from behind always results in spectacular failures. Ask the French.

 

[T.Lex]

How Putin blindsided the US over Syria - BBC News

Isn't there something totally jaw-dropping, gob-smacking, eyebrow-arching, ear twitchingly extraordinary - and not to mention, casual - about the way the Americans learnt about Russian plans?
It began with a phone call from a Russian diplomat to his counterpart in Baghdad to say "we've got something interesting to tell you".
Then a three-star Russian general leaves the Russian embassy compound and knocks on the door of the American one, and asks to see the US military attache.
He tells the American military man that bombing starts in an hour, so you'd better get out of Syrian airspace now and move any assets you have off the ground. And 60 minutes later, the bombing started.
Wow. To say the Americans were blindsided by this unorthodox line of communication is to put it mildly. Having had their "clear the air" meeting on Monday night there was an anticipation that though there might be big policy differences, there would be a degree of co-ordination and openness.
Just consider this - the risks of a US fighter plane running into a Russian one with unimaginable consequences has just ratcheted up.

 

[funeralweb]

Can anyone think of a more worthless reason to fight World War III?

Along those lines, WWII should have been WWI.