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Putin Pulls Out of Syria and Guess Who Pulls in? (Video)
Gun Enthusiasts – Let Your Voices Be Heard
3-17-16
Russia is pulling out of Syria and Iran is stepping in. But make no mistake, Putin knows full well how to play this game of chess. “At the very least, Putin has learned that there are no strategic bargains in the Middle East. That puts him one up on us.”
The Syrian war just taught Putin to worry about Iran
Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised the world by announcing on Monday that most of his troops would leave Syria. Military analysts were flummoxed.
I, for one, had expected all of the forces backing the regime of Bashar al-Assad to catch their collective breath, then resume the offensive.
What happened?
In retrospect, it looks obvious: Putin finally met the Middle East. And unlike President Obama, the Russian czar faced reality.
Allowing that Putin could re-engage in the future, and that his forces accomplished their primary goal of propping up the regime and giving it breathing space, the announcement still came as a cold-water shock to all — except the Iranians.
Initial Western reactions have stressed the recalcitrance of Assad, who has refused to consider stepping aside. Instead, Assad’s latest pronouncements have been defiant bordering on megalomania. Putin had every reason to be fed up.
Russian cargo planes and fighter jets leave the Hmeymim air base as Russia pulls out its air force from Syria
Putin didn’t go into Syria because Assad was a pal. He sent in his air power and his commandos to expand Russia’s regional influence as American power ebbed. He thought he saw a not-to-be-missed strategic opportunity.
And he certainly expected Assad to be grateful for his salvation at Russian hands.
But gratitude isn’t in the Middle East’s repertoire. As Americans discovered painfully, the region’s thanks resemble the bite of a cobra.
There’s even a cost factor: Russia’s economy’s shrinking, and Putin’s been forced to slow his cherished military renewal. Even the dumb bombs dropped on civilians in Syria carry a price.
Still, Putin’s abrupt departure has to have more behind it than a spurious desire to further peace talks, the need to save money or personal pique at Assad.
The long bet is that his generals, diplomats and intelligence hands on the ground were shocked by the degree to which Iran already and irrevocably dominates Syria. And Iraq. And Lebanon.
With a shudder, Putin recognized that his air campaign would ultimately benefit an emerging Persian/Iranian empire, rather than expanding Moscow’s influence. Similarly, our air campaign and special operations against ISIS, although necessary, will inevitably strengthen Tehran’s regional dominance (we gave away Iraq, but we still do the maintenance).
We’re trapped, but Putin wasn’t. So he got out.
Those of us who’ve warned of a burgeoning Iranian empire haven’t found much traction in Washington, where the current president clings to his appalling nuclear deal. And the Middle East still seems far away from the Potomac’s prospering shores. But it’s a very different deal for Putin.
Russia’s newest czar thought he was playing the Iranians, using them as leverage against US influence, selling them arms at a premium and using them as cannon fodder on the ground in Syria — while his combat aircraft soared invulnerably overhead.
But to paraphrase Shakespeare, Putin drank and only then saw the spider in the cup.
Contrary to his expectations of finding a pliable ally in Iran, he found the Iranians in control, glad to borrow his air force, arrogant and disdainful in Damascus (and Baghdad) and well on the path to dominating a vast stretch of strategically vital territory. And Iran has no interest in playing junior partner to anyone — least of all a traditional Christian enemy.
Suddenly, Putin had a vision of a nuclear-armed, radical-Shia empire on Russia’s southern flank. Those Iranian missiles that can reach Israel? They can reach major Russian cities, too.
Putin’s initial bet on Shia Iran also backfired by turning the Islamic world’s Sunni majority against him — not least Saudi Arabia, which can continue to hold down the price of oil and gas, punishing Russia’s economy far more than it wounds American fracking efforts. And Sunni terrorists have taken a renewed interest in Russia.
After Putin’s Syrian adventure, he may be re-prioritizing his enemies.
Of course, Putin also promised to withdraw from eastern Ukraine. Didn’t happen. And his trumpeted withdrawal from Syria could be no more than a temporary gambit — his remarks footnoted that “some” Russian troops will remain at their Syrian naval base and air base.
But Putin, whose view of the world has been bounded by the Caucasus in the south and Europe to the West (with occasional nods to China in the east), may have discovered the frightful threat under his nose.
At the very least, he’s learned that there are no strategic bargains in the Middle East. That puts him one up on us. (Excellent point! DD) SOURCE
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Gun Enthusiasts – Let Your Voices Be Heard
Um. Assad is the elected president of a sovereign country.
And if Iran is living up to its mutual-defense alliance with Syria, it’s about time. Syria has been under attack by our mercenaries since 2011.
I don’t know why some Russian forces are leaving Syria, and neither do you.
my guess its because the the turks were about to engage the ruskies and nato is very much on the move around russia–our friend putin decided its best to defend the homeland and not have two fronts going on..lets see what the fools in the west next move is in this stupid chess game is..you bible thumpers would not know if Jesus or satan is standing right in front on you because of all the insane thoughts rolling thru your brain..no way your gonna find him in the pages of any book!
Ouch. Sage.
Hey Paul, read this…
In John 8:42 …Jesus told them(Jews), “If God were your Father, you would love me.After all, I am here, and I came from God. I din’t come on my own. Instead, God sent me.43Why don’t you understand the language I use? Is it because you can’t understand the words I use?44 You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what you father want you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn’t know what the truth is, Whenever he tell a lie , he’s doing what comes naturally to him…God divorce the Jews and removed the Ark of the Covenant from them in 587 BC with the destruction of Jerusalem. God send his son Jesus to redeem the Jews and they crucified Him. 70 years later, the Romans destroyed the Solomon Temple.
Wasn’t sent to redeem something like Jews that were never his people but then one must define Jew and Judah and make a distinction as they are not synonymous as mist believe.
Matt 15:24
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
KJV
Matt 10:5-6
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
KJV
Today Jew is someone who believes in Judaism and has nothing to do with Judah.
In Yahshua’s time, a Jew was a resident of Judea as Paul can attest to that as he calls him self a Jew even though his tribe is Benjamin, why because he lived in Judea.
Ever notice in the New Testament, you won’t find phrases such as ” here came Jesus the Jew” The reason Yahshua was not a resident of Judea but of Galilee.
Careful, jew is a three letter word.
The applicable phrase is “According to the Times of Israel …”. It’s as real as Netanyahu warning us every single year since 1986 (for 30 years) that secret evidence shows Iran will have a nuclear bomb in 5 years.
Yep.
Break ~ Brake
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Breaking ~ Bear King
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Breaking News ~ Brew Snake Gin
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Break Act ~ Barack ET
This is what happens when you let politicians play a game that GENERALS SHOULD!!! The problem will NEVER get solved that way ensuring the political process and empowerment continues and Putin winks……
We need to work it out with Russia. We need them as partners on earth and space. Plus it will take both of us to manage China.
My couch pulls out. But, I don’t.
This guy sounds like a neocon nut case. Keep serving your Israeli master fool.
What you’re saying is utter B.S.
First of all Assad is elected by the people in his country (Just like the president of the Ukrain was)
Assad ASKED Putin for help. Russia was the only LEGITIMATE country in Syria.
The U.S wants Assad to go, because:
- Assad doesn’t have a Rothschild central bank
- Saudi Arabia and Yemen want pipelines through Syrian territory
- Israel sold illegal drilling contracts for the Golan Heights to Genie Energy (Cheney, Rumpfsfeld and Rothschild are in the board of Genie Energy) – This oilfield – The largest oilfield ever found on the planet – was discovered in 2011 – Conveniently since then there’s a civil war going on in Syria. – Coincidence?
The CIA was ordered to destabelize Syria.
Al kind of hate propaganda regarding Assad was spread through the Western media to mold the public opinion.
(The same game – smear campaign – was played in case of Gadaffi, Hoessein, etc.)
This game is going on for over 2 centuries now.
REAL history is completely different than the one we are told by the history books and the media.
And the ones who suffer are the ordinary people.
The real Putin is dead. Everything is just for show. The VATICAN runs both sides.
Good to see Iran poking it’s nose in just like the USA has been doing all over the world for the past 70 years.
Iran chops a lot less heads off than our Saudi freinds and unlike Turkey they are not supplying ISIS with weapons or Saring gas so good luck to them i say since Syria has attacked no one.
When Turkey is not doing pop-shoots across the Syrian or Iraq border they are killing their own people inside Turkey and are a lot more guilty of anything Mr Assad was accused of without any real evidance to back it up so why is NATO not attacking Turkey or is that because it’s an american tool in the middle east.
Iran clearly got rid of its 20% enriched uranium (90% required or nukes), 2/3 of its centerfuges and agreed to inspections in order to facilitate its manufacture of nuclear weapons. When it has them, it will nuke Israel and Russia and be reduced to rubble. It’s logical.