Posted on 10/14/2015 8:25:19 AM PDT by mulder1
Russia Sends Its Only Aircraft Carrier To Syria, Signals It Is Just Getting Started
The strategy of the US and its allies seems to go something like this: 1) covertly arm and train groups who you know might ultimately become terrorists because arming and training these groups may be a way to destabilize unfriendly regimes, 2) wait for blowback, 3) launch serious effort to combat terror if unfriendly regime has been “successfully” replaced by puppet government, or launch half-hearted effort to combat terror if situation still fluid and regime still clings to power.
Obviously, that strategy is prone to all types of problems, and sensing that the US and its allies might have finally met their foreign policy blunder Waterloo in Syria, Russia decided to call everyone’s bluff by launching a real war on terror. Of course, this war conveniently restores the regime of one of Moscow’s allies, but in the end the result is the same: anyone who is a terrorist and who is also fighting Assad in Syria is in for big trouble because Russia is using this is as an opportunity to reassert itself on the world stage and also to fire up a long-dormant military juggernaut.
Does Syria need an Artificial Reef ?
I had no idea that Russia was down to its last carrier.
Is it being towed?
The Russians are looking forward to testing their military hardware in Syria. It is an ideal place to hone their military capabilities. The Russians have not been in a shooting war since Afghanistan. They are using proxies and “volunteers” in Ukraine. Now they can test their air and naval forces in Syria.
Their last shooting war was Chechenia.
I don’t think they ever had more than two.
The technology and operational requirements are so massive, only the United States can make them work. Even if plans wer stolen, no other nation can actually build one that works.
It’s a pre-season game for what’s going to happen in Ukraine, AND it’s a demonstration of the two invaluable maxims of war 1) “If you’re going to take Vienna, take Vienna (Napoleon); 2) “More rubble, less trouble” (Churchill).
How long does it take to replace one lost in combat?
HAHA....great post
Internal conflict rather than a foreign war.
ping.
It’s one more than the UK has.
How many tug boats are they sending with it?
Depends on low long it takes to take one out of mothballs and have it ready for service.
For now.
7 years or so to build one once you start. Add on another couple for the paperwork on the front end. About 9 or 10 years. Russia could probably move a bit faster.
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