Cold War II: The Donald warns Russia of missile strike in Syria

[Skybird]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43727829

Lee Child writes the Jack Reacher novels. In one of them he describes his hero as somebody who does not like boxing as a sports. Because, translated from the German version of the book "Trouble", "padded gloves and a prohibition of deep hits had no place in Reacher's world".

Aiming the strikes such that they do not cause havoc on Russian troop accumulations should be enough. Explicitly warning the intended target area of an incoming strike has no place in my kind of thinking at least. Do it or don't. But dont make those many words. And do not help your target to escape your blows.

To me, such a strike is still just a reassuring about one's own bad conscience, but it does not mean to intervene in strength and bring a regime change to the place, and war criminals being held responsible, and risking a major war with Russia. America wants to reassure itself that it reacted to something its ethics label as evil. And more it probably does not plan to do.

This strike is sombolic policy once again, most likely. We should save the (American) tax money of "ours", stop supporting the "rebels" (which in no way are friends of the West, btw, but remain to be Islmaic fundamentalists), and by this help to cut the conflict time short. We should do this since we will continue to not wanting to get engaged in syria in all seriousness. So why this theatre act now? Why doing stupid acts that extend the war - and the misery of the civilian population?

[Catfish]

"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"

The Donald forgot to tell the exact time and place though.


I still wonder.. if it is so obvious that one man like Assad is responsible for violating international law and using 'forbidden' weapons, why kill his people and ruin the country and infrastructure for decades to come, instead of him? If those weapons and spooks are that smart...

[Jimbuna]

See: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...postcount=4541

[Dowly]

BTW, according to this BBC article from yesterday, Douma is controlled by a group calling themselves Jaysh al-Islam. Said group has been accused of using chemical weapons in 2016 in Aleppo.

And as Schroeder pointed out in the US politics thread, it doesn't make much sense for Russia/Assad to do it at this point.



Now, I'm not saying it was them, nor am I saying that it wasn't Russia/Assad, but perhaps it would be wise to investigate it a bit before hitting the 'launch' button.

[Mr Quatro]

As a humanitarian I don't like this eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth approach.

They say over five hundred innocent people were affected by this chemical attack ...

Why not help them with air drop aid and EMT's and air dropped vehicles and paratroopers
and Delta Force and Seal team troops and shoot down any helicopters or Syrian planes
that disagree with our presence in their country.

If the war escalated then bring in the heavy bombers and cruise missiles.

All we did last time is cause some holes in the runway and damaged one hanger that Russian planes use to be in, but took off after a warning.

I see on the news that the Syrian army is evacuating all suspected targets ... this a good thing and funny at the same time

[mapuc]

3-4 days back I said this to a friend

He had written a post about USA threaten to strike Syria

I wrote

If Russia decide to intervene and try to take down the tomahawks or whatever USA have planned to send against Assad, it could be real nasty, ´cause if Russia does this, then they have chosen to take active part on Syrian side against USA and its allied.

Markus

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by Catfish

I still wonder.. if it is so obvious that one man like Assad is responsible for violating international law and using 'forbidden' weapons, why kill his people and ruin the country and infrastructure for decades to come, instead of him? If those weapons and spooks are that smart...

first, you are assuming a man like Assad is easy to find. If he was, he would have been assassinated a long time ago. No doubt he is constantly on the move, SOP for dictators.

second, removing Assad will not necessarily solve the issue. The Assads are an extended clan, brothers, cousins and other relatives control the government. Remove one and another one will take over, who may be worse...

third, the Assads are part of the Alawite clans, around 2,000,000 strong, which have key position and know that if the Assads fall from power, all 2,000,000 men, women and children will most likely be killed and/or stripped of all their assets and/or tossed out as refugees, so even if Assad is killed, they will support his replacement since the alternative is unthinkable.

this is a very complex situation. Western politicians are always looking for the quick fix or the popular slogan, but there is no easy answer.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

this is a very complex situation. Western politicians are always looking for the quick fix or the popular slogan, but there is no easy answer.

The easy fix is for western countries to not get involved in these internal conflicts.

[Bilge_Rat]

Originally Posted by Dowly

The easy fix is for western countries to not get involved in these internal conflicts.

agreed, for once, you actually make sense...

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

agreed, for once, you actually make sense...

Like a broken clock, I too have my moments.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Dowly

The easy fix is for western countries to not get involved in these internal conflicts.

Meine Rede!

[Onkel Neal]

The Biggest US Navy Force Since Iraq Invasion May Be Sailing Toward Syria

Hmmm... does this sound right? Get ready, Russia.

The biggest U.S. Navy force since the 2003 invasion of Iraq may be headed toward Syria as President Donald Trump weighs a military response to the suspected chemical weapon attack in Douma, a town on the outskirts of Damascus.

The Times of London reports that the U.S. Navy is sending a total of ten warships and two submarines into the Mediterranean Sea. Any Navy task force will likely be led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman, which set out from Norfolk, Virginia, this week with a strike group of five escort warships, according to the Times.

The American aircraft carrier is capable of carrying 90 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets.

The guided missile destroyer the U.S.S. Donald Cook, which is capable of launching cruise missiles, is already in the area. There are believed to be three other destroyers and two submarines in the Mediterranean, as well, the Times reports. The French frigate Aquitaine has also been reported off the coast of Lebanon.

The Russian Navy has at least two Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates, which can launch cruise missiles, in the Mediterranean as well as submarines and support vessels, Reuters reports. There are also dozens of Russian warplanes stationed at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria. Russia also has an advanced S-400 anti-aircraft system, which is believed to be capable of shooting down both warplanes and cruise missiles.

So, does anyone know the balance of naval power in the region? How many US ships vs how many Russian ships?

This is like a Dangerous Waters scenario playing out in real life, I only hope if shooting breaks out, it ends when one force sinks the other force.

[Skybird]

Where is it written that the Russian reply in action in Syria? The world is big, and the US IT infrastructure is a wide, open place, and the Russians ally with many enemies of the US and Europe that could serve as their proxies.

I stick to it: American units attacking sites with Russian "advisors" present I will believe when I see it. Not one minute earlier.

No flight zone Hanoi, anyone?

[Onkel Neal]

I'm with you, but

Russian Army Colonel Gen. Sergey Rudskoy put a number to the claim, telling reporters that 71 of the cruise missiles were intercepted by Syria's air defense systems.

"It proves high efficiency of the Syrian armament and professional skills of the Syrian servicemen trained by the Russian specialists," Rudskoy said at a Ministry of Defense media briefing. "Over the last 18 months, Russia has completely recovered the Syrian air defense systems, and continues its development."

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

I'm with you, but

Eh - I miss your point, sorry...?