Russian President Putin orders withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria

Those thinking this is the end for Russia, Assad should not think about Syria if you dont know the region very well.

originally posted by: Nikola014
a reply to: LABTECH767

Why are you not considering the option that they are withdrawing because their presence is no longer necessary in Syria, because they accomplished their goal to help the legal government against the western backed terrorists and + ISIS.

Western backed terrorists?

It's funny how things work, most of those "western backed terrorists" are regular people like you and me. The main difference I see though, is that they're not afraid of standing against a government they hate. Just because Assad calls them terrorists, doesn't mean that they are. Much like if Americans grew a pair, and did what so many here claim they want to do, they too would be labeled terrorists.

Does that make it true?

No. Same with most of the rebel groups in Syria.

dude this isnt news. this isnt BIG. they conducted operations. operations were successful. so they are pulling back. my god why do people jump to the top shelf when they cant figure something out.

a reply to: TaleDawn

The fragile ceasefire now will break up. The ISIS but also other groups will think they are stronger. Turkey most likely will attack the Kurds, without the danger to down another Russian plane or vice versus. If that happens, Plan B of Kerry will take in place.

More countries have nukes, not only Israel and Pakistan. I'd consider Turkey and Saudi already as "armed", and possiby rough groupings as well. They already have chemical weapons.

Prepare for a major war, not for a major peace, although I'd like it to be the vice versus.

originally posted by: TaleDawn
a reply to: MrSpad

You are wrong on all points. Just like the Western Pundits on social media.

As I have been saying for sometime Russia simply can not sustain a long term campaign in Syria

I will say this again as i said before earlier in this thread.

Its only Russia thats interested in a stably Syria and interested in bringing peace to the Syrian people. The airstrikes have being targeting both ISIS and Islamist rebel groups loyal to America, the Saudis.

As for your claims that Russia simply can not sustain a long term campaign in Syria that's simply not quite true. America has being bombing in Syria for two years and can you tell me what Western nations have achieved in Syria?

i thought as much..

If your Assad you have be getting nervous. First Iran starts pulling out and that is offset by Shia Iraqi militias but, nobody is going to replace the Russians. So Assad has to really push hard for Iran to send more and hope Hezbollah and the Iraqi and Lebanese militia's do not take off as well. To make matters worse the areas recaptured are wrecked because the Russian are still using dumb bombs. If Assad was smart he would fly to Russia and never come back. Otherwise he is going end up dead.

LOL So you prefer Syria to be another failed state like Libya is now? havent you learned anything from Libya? seriously what are you taking?

You seem to confuse analysis with want. You post what you want to happen. I post is and is going to happen by simply analyzing varies sources, having a long long relationship with that party of the world and understand geopolitics. Russia's only interest in Syria was as arms buyer. That is why Russia did nothing to help Assad until things in Ukraine went side ways and Russian economy began failing. Russia needed a distraction and Syria was it. The problem was Assads forces were in even worse shape than the Russian knew and for months they managed to do nothing. It took a build up of outside forces Hezbollah, Shia Iraqi militias, the remaining Iranians, and Shia Lebanese militias to score some advances against the rebels.

The situation now becomes, what does Russia do. The US and the forces it has been backing are the verge of finishing off ISIS in both Syria and Iraq. The rebels have been fighting a two front war stuck between ISIS and Assad. With ISIS gone that leaves all the rebels with one common enemy.

With the threat of the Turks and Arabs sending more advanced weapons systems, including anti air craft systems if peace talks fail Russia has two choices.

Choice A. Double down and send more to Syria knowing they are going to take some air craft losses, that supporting Assad is not popular at home, that is simply does not have the money to support a long term campaign and that much like Afghanistan the rebels will be given systems to bleed the Russian Air Force. Along with that any desperately needed trade or arms with the Arab League or its allies in Africa and Asia is dead in the water so long as Russia supports Assad. And their is no chance of OPEC working with Russia to cut production and raise oil prices.

or Choice B. Declare victory and leave. Russia can say it put Assad in a good position and if he loses it then it his own fault. It gets out of a long term conflict it can not win. Russia can then go back to working the Saudis and Arab League for arms deals and some sort of oil deal. If Assad goes one way or the other its not your fault your gone but, you would be happy to sell arms to whomever ends up in charge.

One scenario has no real ending and does nothing but, continue to harm Russia, the other gives Russia an out and chance and fixing some economic problems. Which do you think is more likely. Not what you want but, what you see as more likely.

a reply to: TaleDawn

I know your Anti Russian on here.

No you think you know what I am,but you have no clue.

Putin has shown he cares about the stability of Syria, the west has only being interested in chaos in Syria, and nothing more.

No he cares about his own agenda it has nothing to do with the stability of Syria. If he was he could have helped in Syria long before he did.

Killing, removing Assad doesn't wont bring stability to Syria

Keeping Assad will not either.

it seems the Saudis and this fake Opposition haven't gotten the memo what happened with Libya.

Ah yes fake opposition that live there and are tired of the Syrian regime that has been responsible for more civilian deaths than anyone and you think that is who needs to stay...amazing.

Someone has being quite busy trying to turn Syria into another Libya.

SO says someone who believes Assad is a victim in this conflict...when it's the people who he supposedly served as president that are suffering at the hands of the man you think should stay.

And nobody is trying to make this anything, but it's always fun making things up.

Well this is no good. I was promised WW3 for real this time. Oh well, there's always next year.

Putin's smart, sure a sugar a hell of a lot smarter than most on here.

He's learnt all he can about the US positions, capabilities and goals.. he gave his pilots and his military men some real world experience... Syria paid for it and gave them future guaranties.. all the while assisting Assad stop another Iraqi invasion from occurring..

The simple minded would blame Obama.. probably in between the birth certificate accusations and snipes about golf or what ever..

Truth is the US got itself heavily involved in a number of Middle Eastern Countries during the 2003 - 2008 period.. Libya to Syria this is all a long line of CIA/Military activities designed to build a fanatical Muslim entity. It wasn't white square jawed CIA mercs on the ground.. it was middle eastern, military trained men from Saudi, Somalia, Yemen and Egypt..

Syria was the Stalingrad of the campaign.. the end of the line where supplies are hard to get, the ultimate evils of warfare are committed and the propaganda is the thickest.

The west cannot give up their goal to remove Assad, it would unravel the entire thing and be a long trail back the culprits.

Putin has realized that the west is in this for keeps... it isnt running, its taking a moment to prepare!

a reply to: TaleDawn

The majority of Syrians do not want the opposition nor do they wanted the Arab Spring to happen, Syrians in Aleppo were pretty much agaisnt the rebels.

Nor do they want Assad.

That is what started this war in the first place...the actions of the Syrian government.

You know why Syria wasn't able handle those fighting against them?

Because they didn't have the Russian's backing them up.

Turkey has being a supporter of terrorists in Syria.

And so is Syria, as they are the home to the PKK...you know the ones terrorizing Turkey.

If Anything all these small attacks in Turkey are false flags so they can use as an excuse to attack Kurds towns.

Obviously because there is never any terror attacks on countries they make it all up so they can fight those who have been fighting with them since the late 70's.

But hey that doesn't matter as long as you can bash Turkey for protecting themselves from those who seek to terrorize them.

a reply to: Agit8dChop

He's learnt all he can about the US positions, capabilities and goals..

That has pretty much been known for a while...so what do you think he was supposed to learn?

he gave his pilots and his military men some real world experience... Syria paid for it and gave them future guaranties.. all the while assisting Assad stop another Iraqi invasion from occurring..

WHen did Iraq invade Syria?

The west cannot give up their goal to remove Assad, it would unravel the entire thing and be a long trail back the culprits.

If they do SYria becomes even a bigger hell for citizens than it was before. WHich is a reason the Syrian people want him gone.

a reply to: MrSpad

Yea, your analysis is wrong on this one bud.

2nd line.

a reply to: tsurfer2000h

ITurkey supports Isis, that much is known. Even going as far as helping them move their black market oil, for cut of the profits of course.

The war was started as another color revolution, since saudia arabia disnt want a pipe going through there country.

Not to mention that Isis and those other terrorists are funded and equipped by outside forces that want assad gone, the people dont want assad gone those that do are a minority and arent reprezentative of the people. the pkk suddenly became a problem when eurodragon, i mean erodagon started feeling the political pressure from the kurds. then he went full retard (eurodragon that is). you know arresting people who dont agree with me.

a reply to: TaleDawn

Obama is going to step down before Assad does.

That's because the United States has a Constitution that prevents one man from exercising power for life. Syria does not, making it, by definition, a dictatorship.

a reply to: DJW001

Except this constitution didn't prevent the Bush and Clinton family to do what most monarchs do.



Back to the topic.
I am not surprised that Russia was going to widthraw "something" soon, they weren't there to fight ISIS in the first place, as long as it wasn't a threat for the SSA, and after the ceasefire we safely say that Assad won some more time.
ISIS is back in Lybia, because you know, they appear where western countries feel the need to go steal resources.

Syria is a complete mess and nobody really achieved what they wanted. Now they are jointly leaving the place in a state of pre-war between kurds and turks, kurds and ISIS, SSA vs FSA, Hezbollah vs FSA and ISIS, IDF pressuring Hezbollah, Iraqi shia vs ISIS and in conflict with iraqi kurds, Saudi and turks against SSA, Iran vs the GCCs and many more.

If you can't have another Lybia, just go back to Lybia!

I always read comments about how Russia is broke etc. Well Russians and Russia's economy probably yes, but you can bet your ass Syria was the biggest military faire ever made, and was sponsored by the kremlin's mobs. Weapon sales will be a big boost for certain part of the economy, they are much cheaper and aren't unusable jewels.
So Russia can be broke, but they are surely not widthrawing for economic reasons.

The real question should be "where are these excess of troops going to be deployed?" Home? I don't think so. Ukraine? Most probably.
However I feel that the caucasus and central asia might be the next playgrounds. Russia is deploying troops in Tajikistan and Armenia, they are also semi-supporting the Talibans and closed arms deals with India and Pakistan, but they probably fear color revolutions and radical islamists in some of the major neighbouring countries or in Xinjang.

Russia isn't done at all in the Middle East, but for the moment it seems to me they have other places to reinforce. Either they know something or this is just a show.

a reply to: ReadLeader

Huh.. I must have missed it with Russia withdrawing from Syria. Was ISIS defeated? That was the reason Putin gave for the intervention.

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: ReadLeader

Huh.. I must have missed it with Russia withdrawing from Syria. Was ISIS defeated? That was the reason Putin gave for the intervention.

LOL, You have a point there but either Putin is setting a trap for the scumbags in Turkey who are behind ISIS or he knows he has weakened them enough and strengthened the Syrian army enough that they can handle most of it themselves.

I know this war is only just getting started as everyone is quietly moving major forces into position, including Russia so buckle up, its going to get bumpy. Russia is just moving their troops out of imminent danger because where they are now just makes them a speed bump for a big Turkish push into Syria. He is staging troops on the Georgian border you can bet while stacking everything in Armenia where he can.

Ukraine having Naval exercises with Turkey was a huge mistake.

But Mr Pankov said a Russian air group would remain. "Certain positive results have been achieved... However, it is too early to talk about victory over terrorism. A Russian air group has the task of continuing to strike terrorist facilities," he was quoted by Ria news agency as saying. Another senior official, upper house defence committee head Viktor Ozerov, said as many as two battalions - some 800 servicemen - could remain in Syria after the withdrawal to guard Hmeimim and the naval base at Tartous, Interfax news agency reported. Military advisers training Syrian government troops would also stay, he added.

www.bbc.com...

Sounds like some men and planes came back for leave lol.

a reply to: TaleDawn

The S-400 will indeed remain in place as long as the 'reduced' Russian presence stays there as well.
The Russians demonstrated at the early stage of their intervention, that they were able to reach Syrian territory with cruise missiles as well. Fired from either Mediterranean or Caspian sea.
Did you heard anything about their 'jamming system' ? This one really p***ed off NATO.

I think that Putin may have decided to pull out some troops to concentrate on NK. He did threaten to invade should lil Kim continue with his rhetoric, which he has.

This troop withdrawal is actually the culmination of smart strategy and the demonstration of impracticality of Machiavellian European war mentality. Machiavelli's trick of instilling civil war is still valid and that's exactly where the EU is headed to.