Russia Withdraws from Syria

[TSA]

MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Monday ordered the withdrawal of the “main part” of Russian forces in Syria, a surprise move that reflected what he called the Kremlin’s achievement of nearly all its objectives in the war-torn country.

The news upended expectations in Western capitals and among ordinary Syrians, setting off fevered speculation about Russia’s intentions, much as Mr. Putin’s unexpected military plunge into the Syrian battlefield five months ago changed the course of the war.

Perhaps the most urgent questions were how the move would affect the war’s outcome and what it meant for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, whose rule had been increasingly threatened by a string of military losses before Russian forces backed him up.

The Russian decision could signal a new confidence in Mr. Assad’s stability or an effort to pressure him to negotiate with his political adversaries — or both.

Mr. Putin has made his move at a particularly critical moment, as the upheaval in Syria enters its sixth year and a United Nations mediator in Geneva tries to revive peace talks to stop the war, which has displaced millions and created a humanitarian catastrophe.

A Russian military pullback will not leave Mr. Assad’s forces completely alone, because he also has support from Iran and from Hezbollah in Lebanon. And the Kremlin made clear it was keeping its new air base in the coastal Mediterranean province of Latakia, in addition to the naval refueling station it has kept nearby in Tartus since Soviet times.



http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/wo...awal.html?_r=0

[Durag]

I was surprised at this, Russia was the only one making any headway there. We were told in the western media that they were targeting anyone that was anti government including western backed militia. I think that was the right thing to do, there is no difference between western backed militia and ISIS just coz the west backs them does not mean they are 'good guys'. The west has also backed Al-Qaeda in the past.

Getting rid of Assad would be absolutely the worst thing to do, no matter what the western propaganda machine says. After all, all the stories we were told at the start of the war that he was gassing and bombing his own people, and more recently starving them - all turned out to be lies told by our media. Russia was only one who went in there and done the right thing. Scores of liberated towns in the north holding signs saying 'thank you Russia' says enough to me.

[check two]

Is Assad a great guy? lol

[Durag]

Whats the alternative? Getting rid of Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein didnt work out so why would this? Plus most of the stuff we are told about Assad was all bullshit. He never gassed his own people.

Syria was a thriving country before any of this shit started.

[check two]

Whichever is the lesser of the two evils.

Is North Korea's leader an upstanding dude too?

[check two]

I don't know if I would trust news sources coming from dictator Putin either.

[TSA]

I was surprised at this, Russia was the only one making any headway there. We were told in the western media that they were targeting anyone that was anti government including western backed militia. I think that was the right thing to do, there is no difference between western backed militia and ISIS just coz the west backs them does not mean they are 'good guys'. The west has also backed Al-Qaeda in the past.

Getting rid of Assad would be absolutely the worst thing to do, no matter what the western propaganda machine says. After all, all the stories we were told at the start of the war that he was gassing and bombing his own people, and more recently starving them - all turned out to be lies told by our media. Russia was only one who went in there and done the right thing. Scores of liberated towns in the north holding signs saying 'thank you Russia' says enough to me.

foreign occupations are very expensive. They can collapse a state if the state isn't careful because it makes the military in-affordable. Idk how they were able to pull it off in Napoleon's time so willy nilly but a look at the cost of the Iraq war will make anyone cry. A country like Russia can't bare the brunt of something like that.

A lot of country have assumed power but in action the logistics of actually doing something to another country aren't sustainable. I really think the withdraw was a cost thing and assumed that's what would happen. Terrorists are a waste of time and that's their strategy.

The world is better off with Assad in power. The attempt to marginalize Iran by getting rid of him was stupid and not worth the tiny momentary gain it was supposed to bring. The US has this black and white thinking that needs to be reassessed. How can you ensure the person that will secede Assad isn't worst that Iran it's self? Iran is actually the most reasonable power in the middle east and we're doing ourselves a disservice acting like they're a problem.

[TSA]

Check two, what makes Assad bad in your eyes? TV?

[Durag]

foreign occupations are very expensive. They can collapse a state if the state isn't careful because it makes the military in-affordable. Idk how they were able to pull it off in Napoleon's time so willy nilly but a look at the cost of the Iraq war will make anyone cry. A country like Russia can't bare the brunt of something like that.

A lot of country have assumed power but in action the logistics of actually doing something to another country aren't sustainable. I really think the withdraw was a cost thing and assumed that's what would happen. Terrorists are a waste of time and that's their strategy.

The world is better off with Assad in power. The attempt to marginalize Iran by getting rid of him was stupid and not worth the tiny momentary gain it was supposed to bring. The US has this black and white thinking that needs to be reassessed. How can you ensure the person that will secede Assad isn't worst that Iran it's self? Iran is actually the most reasonable power in the middle east and we're doing ourselves a disservice acting like they're a problem.

Yeah, I think Russia are suffering economically as well with the price of oil so yeah probably a cost thing.

I seen a map recently of the countries of the world and what country they think will bring an end to world peace. All apart from the US, Canada and UK said that America was the biggest threat to world peace. US Canada and UK said Iran, which I find odd to be honest. Iran hasnt invaded anyone lol. More propaganda.

[TSA]

The US has to create a 'threat' to increase it's own global value as a 'protector' among many other internal motives, so the US is the best answer. Americans say Iran because they've been told to. Even Check Two is here trying to stump you for being ridiculous enough to not thing Assad is deh devil.

The idea of countries fighting is becoming less and less probable outside of the US fighting countries to keep them from fighting. War is expensive politically and economically and there's cheaper ways to reach objectives now. At most you'll see civil wars now but the cost of fighting another country is undoable in this day and age for everyone but the US. I saw through Putin's joke of an 'intervention'. Russia is strong and can make an impact but it doesn't have the economy and global reach to prolong any action beyond a strike or sustain advances.


Iran is of no threat what so ever. They're only as dangerous as their location and if you don't plan on ending human life in that area then you'll never take away that 'threat' all you can do is make sure it's not a threat by not threatening them day in and day out.

[Rev Jones]

Is Assad a great guy? lol

he never made it beyond the nice guy stage. there sure are no winners in the friend zone

the whole syria situation is a clusterfuck and it's hard to see what's the best way to proceed. personally I think assad is a dictator pig and should be deposed. it seems he's banking on hanging in there long enough till western countries will say 'just let him clean up his own mess'. I can see how it would be very difficult to not have syria turn into jihadi heaven after the pig is gone though. it's depressing to think that the easiest way out for the western countries would be an egypt type situation where the army took over in the end (bye bye to a democratically elected - hardcore islamic - government) and installed a de facto dictator. then again some people in Egypt would understandably just prefer the relative peacefulness and predictability of day to day life. there are no easy solutions damn

[Rev Jones]

would you get tortured if you tweeted his wife

WHUT DAT MOUTH DO MA?

[The Hound]

The Americans who say that Iran is a global threat probably couldn't find Iran on a map

[SL33]

Actually, Russians still have two bases in Syria and the only difference is the utilization of those Kamov helicopters with coaxial rotors since Su-25's are useless in open desert. SPETSCNAZ is on the outskirts of Palmyra and that is a well known fact to anybody who's been following this war. Russians have learned a lot from their Afghan war.

Also, there are rumors of escalation of the Ukranian crisis cause neo-fascist regime in Kiev is having difficulties of various sorts and they will undermine Minsk agreement just to buy few years of time for themselves.

Ceasefire in Syria will eventually fail anyway. But Assad is the best option for Syria regardless.

When it comes to Assad, Check Two, be honest, and tell me, have you ever heard of him prior to this war?? I mean, there are far worse ppl in the US sphere of influence, even in Europe, let alone Middle East.

[check two]

It's been known for a while that Assad is a piece of trash. So is Putin. If I was in Russia, I would have been poisoned by now for saying that.

Obese sloth will hate the US no matter what. If he was around in the 1940's, he'd probably be saying Germany isn't a threat to anyone.

I'm not sure how anti US and anti west propaganda is anymore legit than pro west propaganda. Intead of browsing dieyanksdie.com, ISIS Weekly, and The life and times of GLORIOUS leader Kim Jong-un, you might want to look into some other sources.