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Vladimir Putin is no master of strategy — his Syria plan was a disaster
The Telegraph ^ | March 21, 2016 | David Blair

Posted on 03/21/2016 4:22:15 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper

As Russian pilots fly home from Syria, they can look forward to triumphant welcomes.

Their commander-in-chief, Vladimir Putin, is the focus of almost as much fawning adulation — even from the supposedly hostile Western media. Once again, the Russian president is being portrayed as a strategic genius, adept at wrong-footing America and Europe.

Yet the self-congratulation conveniently ignores some awkward truths. Far from making a cool and calculated decision to intervene in Syria, Putin was compelled to deploy his forces in order to rescue a feckless ally. His campaign has yet to achieve any of its stated goals. Worse, Russia has now invested so much in saving Bashar al-Assad that Putin risks being manipulated by the trickster in Damascus.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalpost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Israel; Russia; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: commie; davidblair; disaster4erdogan; domestic; fatah; gaza; hamas; hizbollah; iran; iraq; isis; israel; jihad; jordan; kgb; kurdistan; lebanon; patricelumumbaschool; putin; putingaveiranthebomb; receptayyiperdogan; reds; russia; sympathizers; syria; turkey; waronterror
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That only took a couple of weeks since Putin started his retreat. Excuse me, his advance back to Russia.
1 posted on 03/21/2016 4:22:15 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Leave war to the generals. Politicians butt out.


2 posted on 03/21/2016 4:23:09 PM PDT by SkyDancer ("Nobody Said I Was Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I wish we could have disasters like that one. Putin gained in all respects, with minimal losses. That’s a big win, no matter how Obama’s cheerleaders portray the progress Putin made.


3 posted on 03/21/2016 4:24:02 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("A Bill of Rights that means what the majority wants it to meand over an is worthless." - Scalia)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Propoganda. Isis is getting creamed by the Syrian forces, Russia isnt spending a dime. Pure crap.


4 posted on 03/21/2016 4:27:53 PM PDT by DeathBeforeDishonor1
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To: SkyDancer

Propaganda. Putin accomplished stabilization of Assad and a political process in which the US backs off Assad.

He got both of those. Kerry looks stupid again, and Putin wins.


5 posted on 03/21/2016 4:29:49 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Prayer for Victory is the ONLY way to support the troops!)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Putin’s Syria plan was a disaster Obama-Jarrett-Soros.


6 posted on 03/21/2016 4:32:43 PM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: Berlin_Freeper

And yet still, there is no Saudi pipeline for oil through Syria to Europe, which the US wants to see as well.

That permits the oil to flow from Russia to Europe via a northern route. Hence the continued conflict in Ukraine, where Russia wants its pipeline to go.

It’s all about the oil.

Its always about the oil.


7 posted on 03/21/2016 4:34:48 PM PDT by LachlanMinnesota
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Assad is still in power, that was Putin’s goal. He may need to return if Obama somehow gets close to dislodging him, but that probably won’t happen now.


8 posted on 03/21/2016 4:35:08 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: LachlanMinnesota

ISIS is a construct to oppose the Syrian regime and to make it look like its about politics and religion, and to hide the fact that it is about the oil.


9 posted on 03/21/2016 4:36:22 PM PDT by LachlanMinnesota
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Putin wins regardless of what happens in Syria. If Assad collapses or is forced to make concessions then Putin shows how necessary Russia is. If Assad wins and the country reaches a stabilized point more or less as Putin left it, Putin gets the credit. A master stroke gained at minimal cost. Also, Putin’s limited assets are undamaged and ready to redeploy closer to home where they are needed.


10 posted on 03/21/2016 4:37:36 PM PDT by Gen.Blather
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To: Berlin_Freeper

His foray into Syria was a live fire exercise to show visiting genreal guests his wares.

on that basis his gambit was a salesman’s success


11 posted on 03/21/2016 4:38:59 PM PDT by Thibodeaux (leading from behind is following)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

I am skeptical of this article.


12 posted on 03/21/2016 4:39:16 PM PDT by samtheman (Trump For America.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Childish propaganda. Syria was on the ropes. Now they have the rebels under siege, pushed back hard. Before Russia there was no such thing as ISIS defectors, and ISIS leaving the battlefield. Also people spoke of the rebels as legitimate. Now everyone sees them as the terrorists they are.
Destroyed ISIS oil sales, and exposed the Turkish treachery of supplying ISIS.

Sure, a “disaster”.


13 posted on 03/21/2016 4:41:11 PM PDT by DesertRhino ("I want those feeble mined asses overthrown,,,)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

It looks to me like he achieved exactly what he set out to do. Assad was in imminent danger of collapse, and Russia was going to lose their naval base. Now the so called Free Syrian Army is spent, Isis and the other jihadis are pushed back and his naval base and Assad are no longer immediately threatened. And he’s not stuck in a quagmire. How is that a loss? Compare that to our trillion dollar fiascos in Iran and Afghanistan.


14 posted on 03/21/2016 4:53:03 PM PDT by Hugin (Conservatism without Nationalism is a fraud.)
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To: Hugin

Correction, that should be Iraq, not Iran.


15 posted on 03/21/2016 4:54:13 PM PDT by Hugin (Conservatism without Nationalism is a fraud.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

lol

whole article is complete BS from start to finish!

Putin accomplished EXACTLY what he set out to do, which was to stop halt the advance of ISIS and save Assad. With ISIS rocked back on it’s heals and Assad now back on the offensive, Putin has very smartly disengaged and claimed victory, and rightly so!


16 posted on 03/21/2016 5:05:59 PM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (You can't spell Hillary without using the letters L, I, A, R)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

The Russians killed a lot of Jihadis while they were there.


17 posted on 03/21/2016 5:17:34 PM PDT by Farmer Dean (168 grains of instant conflict resolution)
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To: Hugin

Putin has an advantage. He doesn’t have dimocrats in his administration working for his enemies like we do.


18 posted on 03/21/2016 5:18:41 PM PDT by Nuc 1.1 (Nuc 1 Liberals aren't Patriots. Remember 1789!)
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To: xzins

“Kerry looks stupid again.”
I’m trying to think of a time when Kerry didn’t look stupid.
Somebody help me out here....


19 posted on 03/21/2016 5:19:27 PM PDT by Farmer Dean (168 grains of instant conflict resolution)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

20 posted on 03/21/2016 5:20:41 PM PDT by McGruff (Just another "Low Information Voter" for Trump)
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