Saudi Arabia and Turkey prepare for Syrian invasion, expect 'massive escalation'.

and then there`s this:

Saudi Arabia and allies gather for major military exercises
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia says troops from 20 countries are gathering in the oil-rich nation for large-scale military exercises.

The kingdom announced the exercises Sunday on the official Saudi Press Agency, describing them as "the largest and most important" military maneuvers in the region's history.

It says the exercises in the country's north will include air, sea and land forces. They are expected to last 18 days, with participating forces arriving in "the next few hours." Most of the participants are Arab and African countries, and do not include the United States and other Westen powers.

Saudi Arabia leads a coalition fighting Shiite rebels in Yemen. It is also part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, and recently said it is willing to send ground troops to Syria.

www.foxnews.com...

pre-game warmup before the big show??

Saudi’s decision to send troops to Syria in an attempt to bolster and toughen efforts against militants is “final” and “irreversible,” the Saudi military spokesman announced on Thursday.

english.alarabiya.net...

looks like there might be a serious war in Syria pretty soon.Lets hope that Obama has the good sense to keep American troops out of it.

originally posted by: Tardacus
and then there`s this:

Saudi Arabia and allies gather for major military exercises
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia says troops from 20 countries are gathering in the oil-rich nation for large-scale military exercises.

The kingdom announced the exercises Sunday on the official Saudi Press Agency, describing them as "the largest and most important" military maneuvers in the region's history.

It says the exercises in the country's north will include air, sea and land forces. They are expected to last 18 days, with participating forces arriving in "the next few hours." Most of the participants are Arab and African countries, and do not include the United States and other Westen powers.

Saudi Arabia leads a coalition fighting Shiite rebels in Yemen. It is also part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, and recently said it is willing to send ground troops to Syria.

www.foxnews.com...

pre-game warmup before the big show??

Saudi’s decision to send troops to Syria in an attempt to bolster and toughen efforts against militants is “final” and “irreversible,” the Saudi military spokesman announced on Thursday.

english.alarabiya.net...

looks like there might be a serious war in Syria pretty soon.

LOL

Yeah very doubtful if anything as they shown what they have done in Yemen. They are training Sunni mercenaries dont hold your breath.

The fact is that Russia has been intentionally kept out of the middle east since WWII. However, due to Obama and his one charge as the POTUS to watch foreign affairs but all he's accomplished is to divide the country. Thanks to him Russia now will start a war with our "allies" of which really are not allies. So really, this is just tearing down the facade that has been for now, to this point, a funnel to poor endless amounts of money to. # it, let Russia get knee deep and eventually end up on Israel's front door. Then, and only then, someone will have the thought wow, we should have maybe kept Russia out of the middle east after all.

This is not going to be a great war between Saudi Arabia and the Muslim world vs Russia. The Saudi's are giving the Russians a clear message. Russia has to make a decision. It has been working very hard for closer ties with the Saudi's and through them the Arab League. The Russians see this as a vital first step in ending their international isolation, making some arms sales, getting trade deals and getting some kind of cooperation on oil prices. So Russia can chose to keep on that path and dump Assad or they can give that up and end up the Saudis and its allies pouring money, arms and trainers into Syria in to degree that they have not putting Russia in a position to stay and fight a never ending war in defense of Assad.

If your Russia you have think is spending money you do not have supporting Assad in a war for decades a better deal than giving him up and making some much needed cash. Or can Putin not afford to lose face by giving up Assad?

Well, Russia will be itching to give some payback at Turkey, and the Turks are lining themselves up for it. Russia should send a few well-placed tactical nukes along the Turkey/Syrian border where the Arab troops and equipment are being amassed. It would be the punch that shuts their mouths up! The Syrian people have entirely lost their country.

About 3-4 years ago Prince Bandar offered Lavrov a deal to cooperate on oil prices and on Assad, but the deal was rejected.

What we see today is a result of that exchange.

a reply to: MrSpad

I dont quite think that's the situation, giving up on Assad and siding with Saudi is a likely to happen as the US giving up on Israel and siding with Palestine.

I dont know whats happening, but Russia aren't even considering a trade or to give up on Assad and why should they?

Assad is the rightful leader of Syria.
Western interests started this war under the guise of protests.
The propaganda machine is in full tilt against Assad and the naive are sucked right it.
Its a strange world when Russia has the morale high ground.

It says the exercises in the country's north will include air, sea and land forces. They are expected to last 18 days, with participating forces arriving in "the next few hours." Most of the participants are Arab and African countries, and do not include the United States and other Westen powers.

pre-game warmup before the big show??

It seems there's also been a lot of 'War Games' in the West as well, One has to ask WHY? and Why Now?

It's becoming all to obvious what's going on behind the big Purple Curtain.

hmmm...how long is 24 hrs. in Turkey?
not much happening...perhaps a change of heart?

Turkish official denies Saudi fighters are deployed as yet.

originally posted by: Agit8dChop
a reply to: MrSpad

I dont quite think that's the situation, giving up on Assad and siding with Saudi is a likely to happen as the US giving up on Israel and siding with Palestine.

I dont know whats happening, but Russia aren't even considering a trade or to give up on Assad and why should they?

Assad is the rightful leader of Syria.
Western interests started this war under the guise of protests.
The propaganda machine is in full tilt against Assad and the naive are sucked right it.
Its a strange world when Russia has the morale high ground.

Russia has talked up dropping Assad a few time in particular with Saudis. Iran has strong objections to it though and of course Russia would have to convince Assad. As is Assad has little to nothing to offer Russia. The lack of support among Syrians means the only people he can conscript are the Alawites which is why Assad needs the Russians, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanese and Iraqi Shia militias. Where as the rebels have tons of potential man power, they just need it to be armed and trained properly. So Assad will never be able to hold on his own. Unless either Russia and the other stay for ever to prop him up or some sort of peace deal gives him a small territory among what is left of his supporters but, that would be very unlikely. The one thing every group in Syria agrees on is Assad has to go. That may be the only thing most Syrians have in common at this point. For Russia there is not way to win with Assad around. All they really want is some arms and trade deals, they have no real loyalty to Assad who created this mess to begin with. And Syria has a long history of protests, blaming this one on the West ignores everything about Syrian, it people and its history. And frankly this idea that people can do anything on there own, and that everything is a plot by somebody else gets really silly over and over again.

originally posted by: MrSpad

originally posted by: Agit8dChop
a reply to: MrSpad

I dont quite think that's the situation, giving up on Assad and siding with Saudi is a likely to happen as the US giving up on Israel and siding with Palestine.

I dont know whats happening, but Russia aren't even considering a trade or to give up on Assad and why should they?

Assad is the rightful leader of Syria.
Western interests started this war under the guise of protests.
The propaganda machine is in full tilt against Assad and the naive are sucked right it.
Its a strange world when Russia has the morale high ground.

Russia has talked up dropping Assad a few time in particular with Saudis. Iran has strong objections to it though and of course Russia would have to convince Assad. As is Assad has little to nothing to offer Russia. The lack of support among Syrians means the only people he can conscript are the Alawites which is why Assad needs the Russians, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanese and Iraqi Shia militias. Where as the rebels have tons of potential man power, they just need it to be armed and trained properly. So Assad will never be able to hold on his own. Unless either Russia and the other stay for ever to prop him up or some sort of peace deal gives him a small territory among what is left of his supporters but, that would be very unlikely. The one thing every group in Syria agrees on is Assad has to go. That may be the only thing most Syrians have in common at this point. For Russia there is not way to win with Assad around. All they really want is some arms and trade deals, they have no real loyalty to Assad who created this mess to begin with. And Syria has a long history of protests, blaming this one on the West ignores everything about Syrian, it people and its history. And frankly this idea that people can do anything on there own, and that everything is a plot by somebody else gets really silly over and over again.

Assad has nothing to offer Russia? How about military bases and all kinds of contracts. Maybe not now but if the conditions stabilize.

He is also a secular dictator for the most part not a religious fanatic. Much easier to deal with. I am sure Iran is a pretty big head ache to deal with already.

No we don't need to train anymore religious nuts that come back to fly planes into buildings. Your suggestion has literally never worked in the middle East no matter when it's been tried. First time we ended up with Shaw crisis. Every time after a total failure. Assad as bad as he is will be better than religious nutbags that would fill his place.

a reply to: MrSpad
Syria rejected the Qatar-pipeline offer so whats left? the Iranian pipeline.

As is Assad has little to nothing to offer Russia

What does the Syrian opposition and its backers offer Russia? pretty much nothing at all. Don't forget Assad's gov is a secular dictator whatever westerns hate him or like him.

Our governments since the Arab Spring had started had being lying about its real nature and the Syrian opposition as well.

Syria's Assad and its Syrian government offers Russia not only geopolitical interests but also a protection for the minority groups in Syria.
Should the so called FSA ever take over or kill Assad, the Syrian minority groups in Syria would be threaten or in some cases the FSA and other opposition groups would force them into a mass expel.

I and so many readers in the west have failed to see what offers so thus far have the opposition offered the Syrian people.

But we do know in a post Assad Syria, Syria would be proxy controlled by both Saudis and Turkey basically Saudis would toying with Syria as they were with Yemen.

Nothing is going to escalate. We are past that point. No one will overtly put boots on the ground for this. Everyone would rather sit back using other means to manipulate. It's in the best interests of the 'free world'.

Just not the Syrian and Iraqi populations who have been suffering for years.

By our hand and others.

Medvedev just said the Russian troops won't stay in Syria forever or help Assad regain all theritory. That seems to be a major shift in Russian policy, or a major agreement with the West. Turkey on its turn said it doesn't intend to send ground troops. All in twitters still.

originally posted by: MrSpad
The one thing every group in Syria agrees on is Assad has to go. That may be the only thing most Syrians have in common at this point.

That's just Western propaganda

The Syrian Army, backed by pro-Iranian militias and Russia, which has been conducting air strikes targeting Daesh positions in the country, was welcomed with open arms by the residents that support the Syrian government and Bashar Assad. Streets are now decorated with posters of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with photographs of the Syrian President beaming down from the front of the town hall in Nubl and hanging outside its main mosque.

'Thank you Russia!' - Residents of Liberated Syrian Towns

Contrary to what the western media would have you believe there are a lot of Syrians who actually like Assad, both stuck in the hell hole the West has turned Syria into and stuck in soon to be other hell holes scattered through out Europe

originally posted by: 2012newstart
Medvedev just said the Russian troops won't stay in Syria forever or help Assad regain all theritory. That seems to be a major shift in Russian policy, or a major agreement with the West. Turkey on its turn said it doesn't intend to send ground troops. All in twitters still.

That was taken out of context.

That seems to be a major shift in Russian policy

Dont believe that for a minute. As long Russia has a second base in Syria and they have placed and positioned S400 in place.

Russia isn't shifting its policy, after Libya Syria wont fall like Libya.

a reply to: stosh64

Actually the middle east has been a problem ever since a farce religion started spreading through violence and fear approximately 1300 years ago. Modern problems stem from colonial cessation in a way because the western powers at the time found the easy way of dividing the desert was to use maps from antiquity. Really we just wanted tho leave them to their goats and camels and hoped they Would just self contain and remain busy with their generationally inbred ideas and hatred for one another. Don't believe me then research Churchill's thoughts on the area and it's inhabitants. The problem is systemic and ideological. Socially they're a good 800 years behind the West. Probably even farther behind if you consider that slaves in ancient Rome had more rights than a woman living under Islamic law now

originally posted by: luthier

originally posted by: MrSpad

originally posted by: Agit8dChop
a reply to: MrSpad

I dont quite think that's the situation, giving up on Assad and siding with Saudi is a likely to happen as the US giving up on Israel and siding with Palestine.

I dont know whats happening, but Russia aren't even considering a trade or to give up on Assad and why should they?

Assad is the rightful leader of Syria.
Western interests started this war under the guise of protests.
The propaganda machine is in full tilt against Assad and the naive are sucked right it.
Its a strange world when Russia has the morale high ground.

Russia has talked up dropping Assad a few time in particular with Saudis. Iran has strong objections to it though and of course Russia would have to convince Assad. As is Assad has little to nothing to offer Russia. The lack of support among Syrians means the only people he can conscript are the Alawites which is why Assad needs the Russians, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanese and Iraqi Shia militias. Where as the rebels have tons of potential man power, they just need it to be armed and trained properly. So Assad will never be able to hold on his own. Unless either Russia and the other stay for ever to prop him up or some sort of peace deal gives him a small territory among what is left of his supporters but, that would be very unlikely. The one thing every group in Syria agrees on is Assad has to go. That may be the only thing most Syrians have in common at this point. For Russia there is not way to win with Assad around. All they really want is some arms and trade deals, they have no real loyalty to Assad who created this mess to begin with. And Syria has a long history of protests, blaming this one on the West ignores everything about Syrian, it people and its history. And frankly this idea that people can do anything on there own, and that everything is a plot by somebody else gets really silly over and over again.

Assad has nothing to offer Russia? How about military bases and all kinds of contracts. Maybe not now but if the conditions stabilize.

He is also a secular dictator for the most part not a religious fanatic. Much easier to deal with. I am sure Iran is a pretty big head ache to deal with already.

No we don't need to train anymore religious nuts that come back to fly planes into buildings. Your suggestion has literally never worked in the middle East no matter when it's been tried. First time we ended up with Shaw crisis. Every time after a total failure. Assad as bad as he is will be better than religious nutbags that would fill his place.

Assad will never regain control of Syria so any bases he had to offer would be limited and always under threat. Not that Russia can afford foreign bases anyway. Assad also has no money to pay contracts. Assad for the Russian is a losing proposition. The problem with dictators in this part of the world is they create religious nutbags because life under them is so bad. They create the very problem that brings them down. As is we know who the radical groups are and they can be dealt with. The SDF is made up of Kurds, Turkmen, Christians, Syrian Arabs, and other ethnic groups. They are the most powerful force in Syria at the moment and the one that have ISIS on the ropes. They see Assad as just as bad as ISIS. And these are not my suggestions they are simply what is going to happen unless Russia cuts Assad lose and signs a peace deal.

originally posted by: Discotech

originally posted by: MrSpad
The one thing every group in Syria agrees on is Assad has to go. That may be the only thing most Syrians have in common at this point.

That's just Western propaganda

The Syrian Army, backed by pro-Iranian militias and Russia, which has been conducting air strikes targeting Daesh positions in the country, was welcomed with open arms by the residents that support the Syrian government and Bashar Assad. Streets are now decorated with posters of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with photographs of the Syrian President beaming down from the front of the town hall in Nubl and hanging outside its main mosque.

'Thank you Russia!' - Residents of Liberated Syrian Towns

Contrary to what the western media would have you believe there are a lot of Syrians who actually like Assad, both stuck in the hell hole the West has turned Syria into and stuck in soon to be other hell holes scattered through out Europe

Yes they just love him so much that they refuse to fight for him and when conscripted change sides. And one thing you will in the mid east that anytime a military force takes a place the people celebrate it like a victory and then if retaken by the other side do it all again. When you are used to living under dictators you make nice with anybody who roles in even if you can not stand them. The US has learned this on more than on occasion. If the vast majority of people in Syria did not oppose Assad he would have put down things very quickly. The large 350,000 man Syrian Army with its armor, air support and heavy weapons would have made mince meat out of any group of rebels with small arms. Except the military was not any more loyal to Assad than most people. Assads supporters are a minority and with out outside help doing most of the fighting for him he would have been long dead. You do not the media to tell you this, just basic logic and military knowledge.