Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

[BillBoard]

http://news.yahoo.com/russian-anti-t...-abc-news.html

A Russian military unit has arrived in Syria, according to Russian news reports, a development that a United Nations Security Council source told ABC News was "a bomb" certain to have serious repercussions.

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So what does this mean?

[don]

Re: Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

If true, a deeper line in the sand has been drawn.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

Russia has had a long history of providing military support to its allies. Not just military equipment but also specialist military advisors.

It might we worth looking up how much Syria owes Russia from old weapons and trade deals as well as current/projected deals in the pipeline.

Military basing for lots of reasons not the least of which include quite well located regional surveillance/intelligence gathering would certainly be of value to try and keep.

While I'm no fan of the nepotistic Assad minority regime, I do wonder what comes next after it?

I wonder if the soft push for democracy in the region could have some serious unintended consequences?

I seriously doubt Russian SF advisors will result in a serious confrontation in the West.

Does the US/Israel actually want regime change and democracy in Syria?

Is it possible the west could openly complain but privately applaud Russian efforts?

The 2nd generation devil you know and all that.

[Verrocchio]

Re: Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

Russia has had a long history of providing military support to its allies. Not just military equipment but also specialist military advisors.

It might we worth looking up how much Syria owes Russia from old weapons and trade deals as well as current/projected deals in the pipeline.

Military basing for lots of reasons not the least of which include quite well located regional surveillance/intelligence gathering would certainly be of value to try and keep.

While I'm no fan of the nepotistic Assad minority regime, I do wonder what comes next after it?

I wonder if the soft push for democracy in the region could have some serious unintended consequences?

I seriously doubt Russian SF advisors will result in a serious confrontation in the West.

Does the US/Israel actually want regime change and democracy in Syria?

Is it possible the west could openly complain but privately applaud Russian efforts?

The 2nd generation devil you know and all that.

Good points re Russian assets in Syria. What comes next is the big question across the ME. Acknowledging the advantage of hindsight and that some of recent outcomes there were inevitable, US moves in the region so far this century have destabilized regimes that were more or less favorable to US interests. Without doing much to earn the title, Iran has emerged as the regional hegemon. More blood and bullets are likely.

[KGW]

Re: Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

"soft push".... You evidently eat nails for breakfast ;-)

I'm no fan of the nepotistic Assad minority regime, I do wonder what comes next after it?I wonder if the soft push for democracy in the region could have some serious unintended consequences?

[lakedaemonian]

Re: Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

"soft push".... You evidently eat nails for breakfast ;-)

Haha!

Maybe I should clarify.......I have no desire to see the Assad regime continue...but at the same time I'm fearful of the end result if a malignant anti-western democratic flavoured Muslim Brotherhood government develops.

In my opinion I think the US led west desire for "democracy" in the Middle East is largely a sham......in it's force ranked list of "geopolitical Maslow's hierarchy of needs"......I think democracy is ranked far lower than stability at the moment.

To me the region "feels" like a hybrid between the changing of the western supported ant-communist dictatorial guard in South America with the decolonization of Africa in the 60's and 70's.

In terms of "soft push" I'm thinking the US is SAYING one thing, but quietly HOPING for another.

For example, would the US administration REALLY want to see a fast collapse in North Korea? Or would it prefer some sort of peaceful-ish status quo(like previous administrations) to pass the hot potato to the next administration?

Imagine if the region sees several nations develop towards less dictatorial and more democratic based government while at the same time those governments/populations become more hostile towards the US/west.

I guess that what's I wonder about a bit.....what if we get what we SAY we want? Will we actually want it once we've got it?