Russia New Key To Middle East Peace

[Big Guy]

Now that Russia has decided to get involved and flex its muscle in the Middle East we have a new and pivotal player. There has been a complete change in power structure and Putin is already starting send messages.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/nato-warns-russia-jet-strays-turkey-151005155403930.html

Russia has now formed a formidable alliance of Russia, Iran, Syria and Iraq. BTW - Protection of Iraq was supposed to be the reason our coalition went in the first place and has now switched to Russia.

Why are we still there?

http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/21/world/russia-israel-netanyahu-putin-meeting/

Israel's Netanyahu has launched a pre-emptive meeting with Putin so Putin does not confuse our coalition with Israel - Way to watch our backs Netanyahu, good to see that we can keep depending on Israel for support - NOT!

With the new Russian coalition, ours pales by comparison. We are already applying silly sanctions on Iran, Syria and Russia as they start to take control of the region. Iran and Syria (and soon Iraq with American weapons) will be the only ground troops opposing the Sunni ISIS. If when Russia wants to it can waltz in and drive ISIS back underground for a few years.

Meanwhile Assad is re-arming, Iran is gaining power and prestige in the region, the Iraqis are using American trained soldiers and American weapons against ISIS and we Canadians are still in the air dropping bombs on somebody or not. The Americans seem to be taking direction from their Afghanistan ground spotters and bombing hospitals - well at least it was not a Canadian plane - yet.

We might be in the wrong coalition in this war.

[sharkman]

There are many odd assumptions you are making here for some reason. But riddle me this; why and how is it that Russia is now bombing targets and preparing to send in ground troops?

Second, do you assume that Russia's goals and strategies would be the same as the US? Canada is not a player there, we can project no power, never could and only ever step in as a minor role player, so to suggest that Israel is betraying us doesn't make any sense. To suggest they are betraying the US is also wrong for the many examples of Obama betraying them.

Anyway, Russia is there to expand its power and influence and it may yet prove to be Obama's biggest disaster, which was done on purpose as was his neutering of the former strongest economy in the world.

[bush_cheney2004]

So which is it....Iran key to the Middle Easy or Russia key to the Middle East ?

When will the actual Middle East be key to the Middle East ?

[TimG]

Now that Russia has decided to get involved and flex its muscle in the Middle East we have a new and pivotal player. There has been a complete change in power structure and Putin is already starting send messages.

You have a ridiculous double standard. You decry western meddling and now you are cheer leading Russia for doing the same. According to your logic Russia will only make things worse. Or do different rules apply to autocrats? Edited October 6, 2015 by TimG

[Freddy]

It reminds me of playing risk, when everyone took a turn to invade Middle East to collect a easy card

[sharkman]

You have a ridiculous double standard. You decry western meddling and now you are cheer leading Russia for doing the same. According to your logic Russia will only make things worse. Or do different rules apply to autocrats?

Is that so. I'm not cheer leading Russia nor am I decrying western meddling. Hey Carrie Ann, what's your game now, can anybody play?

[GostHacked]

So which is it....Iran key to the Middle Easy or Russia key to the Middle East ?

When will the actual Middle East be key to the Middle East ?

When other nations decide not to be the 'key' anymore.

[Signals.Cpl]

Israel's Netanyahu has launched a pre-emptive meeting with Putin so Putin does not confuse our coalition with Israel - Way to watch our backs Netanyahu, good to see that we can keep depending on Israel for support - NOT!

Why should Israel have our backs in this situation? We live far away from the whole mess while they live right in the middle of it so it is in their best interest to find any solution with anyone they can.

With the new Russian coalition, ours pales by comparison. We are already applying silly sanctions on Iran, Syria and Russia as they start to take control of the region. Iran and Syria (and soon Iraq with American weapons) will be the only ground troops opposing the Sunni ISIS. If when Russia wants to it can waltz in and drive ISIS back underground for a few years.

If Russia is the leader of the new Coalition, wouldn't it make sense for Israel to try and make nice with Russia? After all if sanctions and empty threats are not working maybe Russia keeping its ally in check might work to keep the tensions between Iran and Israel down.

Russia does not have to play by the same rules as the US, so to me it seems like a good idea to let them deal with it after all we(the west) have been in the region continuously for 12 years and it seems the situation is not improving let Russia try their hand.

[TimG]

Is that so. I'm not cheer leading Russia nor am I decrying western meddling. Hey Carrie Ann, what's your game now, can anybody play?

Sorry - by comment was directed at BigGuy. I grabbed the wrong quote.

[sharkman]

Ah, I wondered where you were coming from!

[Freddy]

Once Russia invades Iraq, can Donald Trump start WW3 on Russia?

[Big Guy]

You have a ridiculous double standard. You decry western meddling and now you are cheer leading Russia for doing the same. According to your logic Russia will only make things worse. Or do different rules apply to autocrats?

Thank you for your opinion. I do not have a double standard and there is nothing funny about the situation.

I state what I read to be happening in that region. Why do you interpret it as "cheerleading"? I cheer for nobody. My opinion has always been that we (Canada) have no business there and should get out at the earliest opportunity.

The situation as I see it is this:

There are two coalitions fighting ISIS in the region - Russia, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Three of those four are in the region. Looks to me like the majority of nations involved are in the Russian coalition and have a vested interest in the results. Russia has a major sea port in Syria.

The other coalition - USA, Canada, Iraq (oops - Iraq has switched coalitions), and maybe Jordan and (according to the USA) 60 other nations. I cannot find out exactly who they are and what they are contributing. These folks are mainly outsiders who have no business there.

I agree with sharkman that Canada is insignificant in this coalition except to give legitimacy cover for the USA. Netanyahu has seen what is happening, is anticipating the results and has met with Putin personally to keep Israel out of this coming fiasco. As to Israeli participation, what kind of support does Israel owe to the USA for its support for the last multitude of years? It certainly is not part of the USA coalition.

And finally, if you really want my opinion, I would suggest that the USA accept the fact that their incursion into Iraq is a dismal failure and Iraq is now in the Russian sphere of influence. The Russian coalition is the only one which is prepared to send in ground troops against ISIS. For Canada, get our people the hell out of there. For the USA (who has not asked me for my opinion) declare victory (they are good at that) and leave that region to Russia and her new allies. Let them fight a lengthy and losing guerilla war against the Sunnis or let them partition Iraq to get a political solution for the region.

It would be nice if we could turn the clock back to just before Bush decided to take out Saddam and those invisible WMD's - but we cannot. What we can do is get the hell out of their civil wars, let Russia expend its blood and treasure in the region and perhaps return when the combatants finally get tired of killing each other and start looking for a political solution.

I do decry Western meddling because we are part of that. I want what is good for Canada. Our meddling there is not good for Canada. I do not decry Russian meddling because if the Russians think that is best for them then good for them - as long as we extricate ourselves from that building fiasco on the verge of catastrophic confusion.

According to what I can understand, in the skies over Iraq and Syria are fighter aircraft from France, Syria, Canada, USA, Russia, Turkey and Jordan (and a few Iraqi f-16's) . There are now anti-aircraft missiles on the ground ready to bring down ....? I hope that the folks on the ground who are directing our coalition targeting are a little brighter than the guys who led the USA air force to take out a friendly hospital in Afghanistan.

Yes, we are being played like a fine, fine fiddle.

Edited October 6, 2015 by Big Guy

[eyeball]

So which is it....Iran key to the Middle Easy or Russia key to the Middle East ?

When will the actual Middle East be key to the Middle East ?

When everyone leaves the place to it's own devices.

[Big Guy]

It is now official. Iran has begun a land war against ISIS:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-10-14-10-50-09

Iran has sent hundreds of troops into northern and central Syria in the first such open deployment in the country's civil war, joining fighters from its Lebanese ally Hezbollah in an offensive against rebels and taking advantage of cover from Russia's air campaign.

[GostHacked]

It is now official. Iran has begun a land war against ISIS:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-10-14-10-50-09

Iran has sent hundreds of troops into northern and central Syria in the first such open deployment in the country's civil war, joining fighters from its Lebanese ally Hezbollah in an offensive against rebels and taking advantage of cover from Russia's air campaign.

Apparently Cuba is kicking in it's chips as well.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/14/cuban-military-forces-deployed-to-syria-to-operate-russian-tanks-say-sources/?intcmp=hpbt1

Cuban military operatives reportedly have been spotted in Syria, where sources believe they are advising President Bashar al-Assad’s soldiers and may be preparing to man Russian-made tanks to aid Damascus in fighting rebel forces backed by the U.S.

Gen. Leopoldo Cintra Frias, head of Cuba's Armed Forces, recently visited Syria to lead a group of Cuban military personnel joining forces with Russia in their support of Assad, according to information received by the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies.

But then you see the line about Cuba would rather help its allies than form closer ties with the US. it took several decades before the US would even consider lifting it's embargo on Cuba, but the complaint goes on Cuba and not the US.

[Big Guy]

Looks like the OP of this thread is correct:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/10/russia-offers-coordinate-rebels-syria-free-syrian-army-usa-kerry-lavrov-151024220647655.html

Russia is now offering to coordinate with rebels and US in Syria.

"The Americans' refusal to coordinate their anti-terrorist campaign with us is a big mistake. We are seriously prepared for such a coordination," said Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovn on Saturday. We are ready to give air support to the patriotic opposition, including the so-called Free Syrian Army, but we need to get in contact with the people who will have the authority to represent certain armed groups."

Looks like the Russians have changed the whole USA directed Western intervention into the region.

Trudeau, get our folks out of there ASAP!

[eyeball]

Russia says its strikes are against ISIL and other "terrorists", but rebels and the US, which is conducting its own campaign against ISIL and some rebel factions, say Moscow has focused more on opposition forces than ISIL.

The whole US led coalition should either get out tail between it's legs or do the honourable principled thing and defend the rebels that are fighting Assad from the Russians.

I wonder what the chicken-hawks are squawking amongst themselves right about now?

Edited October 25, 2015 by eyeball

[bush_cheney2004]

...I wonder what the chicken-hawks are squawking amongst themselves right about now?

Maybe they are asking where all the Canadian "peacekeepers" are.

[eyeball]

Exactly.

[GostHacked]

Maybe they are asking where all the Canadian "peacekeepers" are.

It's in the same place where America's 'freedom' is.

[Big Guy]

For those bright lights on this board who questioned the effect of Russia on Syria and the Middle East as posted in the OP of this thread:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UNITED_STATES_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-05-01-16-51-26

Looks like it is Putin who will decide what happens in Syria.

Get our troops out of there!

[Rue]

You have a ridiculous double standard. You decry western meddling and now you are cheer leading Russia for doing the same. According to your logic Russia will only make things worse. Or do different rules apply to autocrats?

You have a ridiculous double standard. You decry western meddling and now you are cheer leading Russia for doing the same. According to your logic Russia will only make things worse. Or do different rules apply to autocrats?

Big Guy spews. There is no thought or reason. As long as he thinks Russia is pro Iranian its fine. The same Big Guy who will spend words claiming just how horrible Israelis are cheers on Iran and Russia as they destroy hospitals and kill innocent civilians.

Its why Tim G you should not bother responding. There's I doubt there's toilet paper thick enough to deal with him not even Charmin.

[Rue]

For those bright lights on this board who questioned the effect of Russia on Syria and the Middle East as posted in the OP of this thread:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UNITED_STATES_SYRIA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-05-01-16-51-26

Looks like it is Putin who will decide what happens in Syria.

Get our troops out of there!

Our troops? Ahahahah. Our? Right Moe. You are not and have never been "our" . Your allegiance and nationality are there for all to see. Save it.

[GostHacked]

Our troops? Ahahahah. Our? Right Moe. You are not and have never been "our" . Your allegiance and nationality are there for all to see. Save it.

Most here understand what they mean by 'we'. You never seem to get it.

[kactus]

Our troops? Ahahahah. Our? Right Moe. You are not and have never been "our" . Your allegiance and nationality are there for all to see. Save it.

With your provocative comments attacking just members here you don't to agree with everyone can see your motivations. Hopefully, the mods here can see that too.....