Russian forces retreat from Syria

[Symmetry]

Following a series of disasters, including the bombing of hospitals, and the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey, Putin has ordered a retreat to the motherland.

Expensive foreign policies have weighed on the Russian economy, already heading towards yet another example of disastrous mismanagement.

What will Putin do next?

[saxitoxin]

Putin has ordered a retreat

lolololol

Did Putin once again outfox Obama?

But Russia's air campaign in Syria has undoubtedly bolstered Assad, Moscow's only close Middle East ally, who was in danger of falling to advancing rebel forces — including relative moderates backed by the CIA — before Russia began bombing them last fall.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/v ... z42x2ay7f4

[saxitoxin]

What will Putin do next?

nada - mission accomplished ... according to official British state media -

When Russian airstrikes began in Syria, President Assad's regime was on the brink of collapse. Less than six months later, its action allowed Syrian government troops to retake 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of territory.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35807689

Assad's position is solidified, he's there forever and ever and ever now. We win, you lose.

[Symmetry]

What will Putin do next?

nada - mission accomplished ... according to official British state media -

When Russian airstrikes began in Syria, President Assad's regime was on the brink of collapse. Less than six months later, its action allowed Syrian government troops to retake 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of territory.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35807689

Assad's position is solidified, he's there forever and ever and ever now. We win, you lose.

A baffling position. Assad's biggest ally just backed out of an ongoing conflict. Cute video though.

[saxitoxin]

What will Putin do next?

nada - mission accomplished ... according to official British state media -

When Russian airstrikes began in Syria, President Assad's regime was on the brink of collapse. Less than six months later, its action allowed Syrian government troops to retake 10,000 sq km (3,860 sq miles) of territory.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35807689

Assad's position is solidified, he's there forever and ever and ever now. We win, you lose.

A baffling position. Assad's biggest ally just backed out of an ongoing conflict. Cute video though.

LMAO. That's like saying the U.S. retreated from the war with Germany ... in 1948.

It's over. ISIS is redeploying into Iraq and the FSA now only exists on paper. The Russians aren't needed for a simple mop-up operation. This is V-Day - time to celebrate!

[Symmetry]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally, and the other international powers who aren't in retreat want to see him gone.

YouTube vids won't help Assad on this one.

[saxitoxin]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally

Symmetry in 1991 -

The U.S. just closed the last of its bases in the Philippines! How long before the Japanese recapture Manila?

The neocons were defeated. Syria won. The war is over. Syria is now focused on peace, some remaining mop-up operations, and then MAKING SYRIA GREAT AGAIN!

[Symmetry]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally

Symmetry in 1991 -

The U.S. just closed the last of its bases in the Philippines! How long before the Japanese recapture Manila?

You and the neocons were defeated. The Socialist Ba'ath won. The war is over. Syria is now focused on peace, some remaining mop-up operations, and then rebuilding the SAA to liberate Jerusalem.

Does Assad even have any allies left? Iran, maybe.

[saxitoxin]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally

Symmetry in 1991 -

The U.S. just closed the last of its bases in the Philippines! How long before the Japanese recapture Manila?

You and the neocons were defeated. The Socialist Ba'ath won. The war is over. Syria is now focused on peace, some remaining mop-up operations, and then rebuilding the SAA to liberate Jerusalem.

Does Assad even have any allies left? Iran, maybe.

Does Britain have any allies left against France and Spain? It seems like all of them - Savoy, Prussia, etc. - don't exist anymore. Now that Britain is isolated, I'm predicting it will lose the War of the Spanish Succession. You might become a refugee. Thoughts?

[Symmetry]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally

Symmetry in 1991 -

The U.S. just closed the last of its bases in the Philippines! How long before the Japanese recapture Manila?

You and the neocons were defeated. The Socialist Ba'ath won. The war is over. Syria is now focused on peace, some remaining mop-up operations, and then rebuilding the SAA to liberate Jerusalem.

Does Assad even have any allies left? Iran, maybe.

Does Britain have any allies left against France and Spain? It seems like all of them - Savoy, Prussia, etc. - don't exist anymore. Now that Britain is isolated, I'm predicting it will lose the War of the Spanish Succession. You might become a refugee. Thoughts?

France is anti-Assad mate. Supports the opposition.

[saxitoxin]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally

Symmetry in 1991 -

The U.S. just closed the last of its bases in the Philippines! How long before the Japanese recapture Manila?

You and the neocons were defeated. The Socialist Ba'ath won. The war is over. Syria is now focused on peace, some remaining mop-up operations, and then rebuilding the SAA to liberate Jerusalem.

Does Assad even have any allies left? Iran, maybe.

Does Britain have any allies left against France and Spain? It seems like all of them - Savoy, Prussia, etc. - don't exist anymore. Now that Britain is isolated, I'm predicting it will lose the War of the Spanish Succession. You might become a refugee. Thoughts?

France is anti-Assad mate. Supports the opposition.

What opposition? It was destroyed. It no longer exists.

So, sure, France can support the "opposition" just like they can continue to support the Jacobites. No biggie.

[Symmetry]

Hmm, he's lost his main ally

Symmetry in 1991 -

The U.S. just closed the last of its bases in the Philippines! How long before the Japanese recapture Manila?

You and the neocons were defeated. The Socialist Ba'ath won. The war is over. Syria is now focused on peace, some remaining mop-up operations, and then rebuilding the SAA to liberate Jerusalem.

Does Assad even have any allies left? Iran, maybe.

Does Britain have any allies left against France and Spain? It seems like all of them - Savoy, Prussia, etc. - don't exist anymore. Now that Britain is isolated, I'm predicting it will lose the War of the Spanish Succession. You might become a refugee. Thoughts?

France is anti-Assad mate. Supports the opposition.

What opposition? It was destroyed. It no longer exists.

So, sure, France can support the "opposition" just like they can continue to support the Jacobites. No biggie.

The retreat is a boon to the opposition:

http://m.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Syrian-opposition-says-Russian-withdrawal-would-be-positive-447918#article=6126Mjk1M0RCNTRDQTcxMjc0RUQ5Mjg1NUQwRDY5RjlCMDM=

[saxitoxin]

The retreat is a boon to the opposition:

Yes, the opposition, the hobbits, the Martians, and all other manner of make-believe fairy folk who exist only on paper.

[saxitoxin]

All western media continue to trumpet the historic Russian victory, bemoan their own humiliation -

Vladimir Putin’s announcement on Monday that he will withdraw the bulk of Russian forces from Syria tells us something we already suspected: that he is very good at war.

Putin’s war is a textbook case of how to fight: using overwhelming force for clear political objectives in the most cost-effective means possible, on the back of reliable local allies.

The Russian intervention was never about ISIS. It was intended to shore up the friendly regime of Bashar Assad, which it has done. Together with Iranian and Hezbollah forces, Russian airstrikes have devastated the non-ISIS rebels and allowed Damascus to retake vital territory along the Turkish border, nearly cutting off Aleppo.

The fall of Aleppo, the largest rebel-held city, would effectively end any threat to the regime.

Even more important than Assad, however, is Putin’s message: that political outcomes, like Assad staying in power, could be achieved through Russian military power. That’s an old Soviet message to the Middle East, but never sent as effectively as today.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/andr ... -1.2564263

[Symmetry]

The retreat is a boon to the opposition:

Yes, the opposition, the hobbits, the Martians, and all other manner of make-believe fairy folk who exist only on paper.

Was it the article or the source that you had a problem with?

[saxitoxin]

The retreat is a boon to the opposition:

Yes, the opposition, the hobbits, the Martians, and all other manner of make-believe fairy folk who exist only on paper.

Was it the article or the source that you had a problem with?

Neither. In its three sentences it confirms what everyone else is saying. That all that remains of the once vaunted opposition is a couple dudes issuing press releases out of a hotel room in Geneva. I love it!

The Russians bombed them to death and then bombed them some more. Good move to go home after victory as the's no point in continuing to bomb corpses. They can't get any deader.

[saxitoxin]

The Independent has a great analysis of how it all went wrong for the West and what led to the Russo-Syrian victory and the defeat of America and Europe:
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle ... 29186.html

[Symmetry]

The retreat is a boon to the opposition:

Yes, the opposition, the hobbits, the Martians, and all other manner of make-believe fairy folk who exist only on paper.

Was it the article or the source that you had a problem with?

Neither. In its three sentences it confirms what everyone else is saying. That all that remains of the once vaunted opposition is a couple dudes issuing press releases out of a hotel room in Geneva. I love it!

The Russians bombed them to death and then bombed them some more. Good move to go home after victory as the's no point in continuing to bomb corpses. They can't get any deader.

How odd that you edited it out. Are you trying to say that the article I posted completely confirmed your points, and that you removed it from your reply asserting those points?

Gonna have to call BS on that one, ST.

[saxitoxin]

In an op-ed for official British state media, former Obama Asst. Secretary of State PJ Crowley confirms the west is in a tailspin after Russian victory in Syria:

There are no winning hands in the great game being played in Syria, but Vladimir Putin has reaped a positive return from his military intervention to shore up the position of President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Their paths are vastly different. One envisages the survival of the existing Syrian regime, with some symbolic accommodation with its political opposition. The other one involves an inclusive political process that results in genuine power-sharing. Given the events of the past six months, Mr Putin is far closer to his goal than Mr Obama.

While Mr Obama is fond of calling the United States the indispensable nation, it is President Putin who has repeatedly made himself indispensable in Syria. Washington was content to play Huck Finn and let Moscow be Tom Sawyer and paint the fence.

The problem with the White House analogy is that in regional geo-politics, who actually paints the fence matters. Mr Obama over the past three years has been far too dismissive of the importance of the perceived decline in the credibility of American power.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35809507

Meanwhile the Russian Federation confirms it will keep residual forces in Syria to bomb the "opposition" back into the grave if it tries to crawl out -

Russia will continue air strikes in Syria despite the withdrawal of most of its forces, a senior official has said.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35812371

[Bernie Sanders]

Russia had a hard time maintaining their planes in Syria. Actually most of the planes were actually sitting idle, due to maintenance problems.

Russian treasury reserves are running out quickly and Putin needed to rein in the costs. Russia is heading for economic ruin, with oil/gas prices at record lows.

Putin can't look for another war to distract Russians anymore. He may have to keep subsidizing fuel, food and vodka in the Motherland to keep dissent down. The ruble will continue to be devalued and inflation will turn it's ugly head in Russia.

[saxitoxin]

Russia had a hard time maintaining their planes in Syria. Actually most of the planes were actually sitting idle, due to maintenance problems.

Russian treasury reserves are running out quickly and Putin needed to rein in the costs. Russia is heading for economic ruin, with oil/gas prices at record lows.

Putin can't look for another war to distract Russians anymore. He may have to keep subsidizing fuel, food and vodka in the Motherland to keep dissent down. The ruble will continue to be devalued and inflation will turn it's ugly head in Russia.

That's the spirit. You gotta put some kind-of good spin on your defeat.

Doom-and-gloom predictions of the Russian economy collapsing tomorrow are a tried-and-true recipe for that (nevermind that the Russian economy has been "¡about to collapse!" for the last 300 years, but whatever - you seem pleased with your happy delusion so I won't upset it).

[2dimes]

the Russian economy has been "¡about to collapse!" for the last 300 years,.

The best part of this is throughout the last century, even though they lagged behind the US&A in apple products and Levi's.

They sent the first recorded modern human outside the atmosphere and built some great airplanes including the largest fully operational cargo plane ever.

If it were not for the corruption and their mafia it would be pretty great there.

[Bernie Sanders]

Russia had a hard time maintaining their planes in Syria. Actually most of the planes were actually sitting idle, due to maintenance problems.

Russian treasury reserves are running out quickly and Putin needed to rein in the costs. Russia is heading for economic ruin, with oil/gas prices at record lows.

Putin can't look for another war to distract Russians anymore. He may have to keep subsidizing fuel, food and vodka in the Motherland to keep dissent down. The ruble will continue to be devalued and inflation will turn it's ugly head in Russia.

That's the spirit. You gotta put some kind-of good spin on your defeat.

Doom-and-gloom predictions of the Russian economy collapsing tomorrow are a tried-and-true recipe for that (nevermind that the Russian economy has been "¡about to collapse!" for the last 300 years, but whatever - you seem pleased with your happy delusion so I won't upset it).

You said the last 300 years? What?

Soviet Union collapsed and the Russian economy is heading for disaster, just the facts Saxi.

Saxi is the apologist for Putin and Assad. But, the facts are this, with oil and gas prices as low as they are....Russia can't sustain their spending at current levels. Something has to give....

[waauw]

Russia had a hard time maintaining their planes in Syria. Actually most of the planes were actually sitting idle, due to maintenance problems.

Russian treasury reserves are running out quickly and Putin needed to rein in the costs. Russia is heading for economic ruin, with oil/gas prices at record lows.

Putin can't look for another war to distract Russians anymore. He may have to keep subsidizing fuel, food and vodka in the Motherland to keep dissent down. The ruble will continue to be devalued and inflation will turn it's ugly head in Russia.

That's the spirit. You gotta put some kind-of good spin on your defeat.

Doom-and-gloom predictions of the Russian economy collapsing tomorrow are a tried-and-true recipe for that (nevermind that the Russian economy has been "¡about to collapse!" for the last 300 years, but whatever - you seem pleased with your happy delusion so I won't upset it).

You said the last 300 years? What?

Soviet Union collapsed and the Russian economy is heading for disaster, just the facts Saxi.

Saxi is the apologist for Putin and Assad. But, the facts are this, with oil and gas prices as low as they are....Russia can't sustain their spending at current levels. Something has to give....

The Russian economy also collapsed during WWI.

[muy_thaiguy]

Russia had a hard time maintaining their planes in Syria. Actually most of the planes were actually sitting idle, due to maintenance problems.

Russian treasury reserves are running out quickly and Putin needed to rein in the costs. Russia is heading for economic ruin, with oil/gas prices at record lows.

Putin can't look for another war to distract Russians anymore. He may have to keep subsidizing fuel, food and vodka in the Motherland to keep dissent down. The ruble will continue to be devalued and inflation will turn it's ugly head in Russia.

That's the spirit. You gotta put some kind-of good spin on your defeat.

Doom-and-gloom predictions of the Russian economy collapsing tomorrow are a tried-and-true recipe for that (nevermind that the Russian economy has been "¡about to collapse!" for the last 300 years, but whatever - you seem pleased with your happy delusion so I won't upset it).

You said the last 300 years? What?

Soviet Union collapsed and the Russian economy is heading for disaster, just the facts Saxi.

Saxi is the apologist for Putin and Assad. But, the facts are this, with oil and gas prices as low as they are....Russia can't sustain their spending at current levels. Something has to give....

The Russian economy also collapsed during WWI.

Russia in general collapsed during WWI. Kind of what happens when a major civil war breaks out during an already massive war.