MARCH 30, 2016 : Putin’s Attack Helicopters and Mercenaries Are Winning the War for Assad

foreignpolicy.com ^ | MARCH 30, 2016 | JAMES MILLER

[Trumpinator]

Putin’s Attack Helicopters and Mercenaries Are Winning the War for Assad

Taking advantage of a ceasefire, the Russian strongman is doubling down in Syria — not withdrawing.

BY JAMES MILLER MARCH 30, 2016

“The notion that somehow Russia is in a stronger position now, in Syria or in Ukraine, than they were before they invaded Ukraine or before he had to deploy military forces to Syria is to fundamentally misunderstand the nature of power in foreign affairs or in the world generally. Real power means you can get what you want without having to exert violence,” the U.S. president said.

Yet there was Putin, proudly proclaiming the opposite. According to him, Russia could draw down its mission in Syria because it had achieved its goals. The White House, and the U.S. intelligence community, appeared completely surprised at the announcement of Russia’s drawdown. Once again, Vladimir Putin had defied American expectations and seemingly came out on top.

Putin’s announcement was filled with lies and distortions, but one glaring truth underscored his words — unlike Bush’s now-infamous declaration from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the Russian president indeed may have accomplished his mission.

[Trumpinator]

Russian Spetsnaz tweets I found:

From #Syria with love. #RussianArmy #Spetsnaz #Engineers pic.twitter.com/9RazL9rCwq— Sergey Bobkov (@sbobkov) April 20, 2016

"The Three Faces of #Russia|n #Spetsnaz in #Syria":@MarkGaleotti:https://t.co/YUseDE0Rho #SOF #Army v @warontherocks pic.twitter.com/4rsYByXN5r— SpecGhost (@SpecGhost) March 28, 2016

Spot the Spetznaz amid the Syrian troops (hint: He is the taller blonde one):

Commander of #Russia'n forces in #Syria confirmed involvement of #SpecialForces https://t.co/CLPnAFqUao #Spetsnaz pic.twitter.com/w7ElnlgWeN— Real Russia Today (@RealRussiaTday) March 24, 2016

@yurybarmin @seeinginfrared #spetsnaz #latakia January 2016, already deep in the game #Syria pic.twitter.com/MRw2AjA8zN— Big El (@elemcee69) March 23, 2016

[Hugin]

"Real power means you can get what you want without having to exert violence,” the U.S. president said.

"Well let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine, or something."

[Pollster1]

“Real power means you can get what you want without having to exert violence”

Both Obama and Putin have real power. Obama is getting the destruction of American strength, culture, and influence. Putin is getting the outcome he wants in Syria.

[roadcat]

Putin’s announcement was filled with lies and distortions, but one glaring truth underscored his words — unlike Bush’s now-infamous declaration from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the Russian president indeed may have accomplished his mission.

The article repeats the lie about Bush. The banner stating "Mission Accomplished" had to do with the USS Abraham Lincoln returning from its 10 month deployment, and nothing to do with Bush's speech. Bush's speech referred to major combat operations ending, nothing about a mission being accomplished.

[Trumpinator]

Really? If so - and I don’t know if that is the case or after the fact spin - it was stupid of Bush because it created a perception in American minds that our job was over. Rather than being prepped for a long haul war we had to endure the drip-drip-drip of decade swallowing and budget busting nation building occupation.

[WilliamIII]

Bush’s invasion of Iraq was a disaster and a piece of stupidity from the get-go. Haggling over what he meant by doing a photo op under a “mission accomplished” sign, is irrelevant.

[MIA_eccl1212]

news yesterday, NETINJAHU was in Russia consulting with Putin.

Is it possible that Obama has been helping Iran overthrow and build a territory in Syria, to foundation the attack against Israel? while Israel plots with Russia to try and keep Assad in place and overthrow Iran, because the USA has betrayed Israel.

Assad can be “dealt with” as far as Israel is concerned.

[Bogie]

This is pure crap.

Hillary Clinton in charge of the State Department was the problem from the get-go. Why did Obama put her there???

[mvonfr]

Real power means you can get what you want without having to exert violence”

the wisdom of a community organizer.

[Bogie]

ISIS has festered because Obama allowed them to earn $3,000,000 a day selling stolen oil from Iraq and Syria.

McCain gave "the good terrorists" missiles to be dispersed among all groups, for exchange of money and cooperation, and may even be used to shoot down civilian aircraft, should any group choose to do so.

In the name of national defense?

[Kickass Conservative]

In the war between Perception ad Reality, Perception always wins. Mission Accomplished.

I lost count the number of times I spent trying to explain that the Banner was there because the Aircraft Carrier completed its Mission.

The hatred of President Bush wouldn’t allow the Facts to be considered by the People I was addressing.

[gleeaikin]

It is possible that what you describe as the reason for The Mission Accomplished statement as pertaining to the ship’s mission may be true. However, at the time, no attempt was made by the Bush administration to correct the impression it pertained to the War on Terror. My son was in the military and I was paying close attention.

[MIA_eccl1212]

in the promotion of support for Islamic Terrorism.

[agere_contra]

No.

Someone in the Bush administration understood that the enemy is Islam. Bush inflicted a grave wound to Islam by setting Iraq free.

Iraq largely squandered that freedom by voting itself an Islamic constitution. That’s on them.

Then Obama betrayed the nascent free country of Iraq.

Obama refused to negotiate a SOFA and so created a power vacuum in Iraq. And if we believe Saad Hariri (former Prime Minister of Lebanon) Obama also funded & armed ISIS.

Obama also betrayed the democratic revolution in neighboring Iran that was inspired by the newly free Iraq. He squandered a priceless opporunity - not because of ineptitude but because he’s working for the other side.

That’s been the pattern of American foreign policy since Vietnam. The Republicans achieve a stable situation, and then - just as in Vietnam - the Democrats betray American allies and turn stable nation-states into shifting quagmires of horror and death.

[dp0622]

How does such a devastated country rebuild after looking like that? do they have oil money?

So Russia saved Syrians and it will be remembered for a long time that we didn’t.

Not only that, we supported their killers.

Should help in the future involvement in the ME /s

[Joe Boucher]

What happened to all those stingers we left lying around Lybia?
Just the ticket for taking down a few Russian gunships?

[Former Proud Canadian]

Facts? Logic? Reason? Reality? You use these elements in political arguments? Are you insane?

Emotion, feelings, perception are all that matters.

[Gaffer]

the magazine should have LOTS of pictures. Words are hard!

[indcons]

Optics matter

[MikeSteelBe]

The guy in the first pic looks like he is wearing the old “woodland” US BDU from the 80s.