Assad, Russia, China, Iran and Hezbollah win, Trump loses

[Jimdamick]

Syrian President Bashar Assad has blasted the West, rejecting any security cooperation or reopening of embassies in Damascus before those countries cut relations with opposition groups. Assad's defiant comments on Sunday come at a time when his troops are gaining ground around the country and many countries have ceased calling for him to step down. In a speech before dozens of Syrian diplomats in Damascus, Assad praised Russia, Iran, China and Lebanon's Hezbollah for supporting his government during his country's six-year civil war. He said Syria will look east when it comes to political, economic and cultural relations.
So it seems that Trumps efforts, like shooting down Syrian planes and launching cruise missiles against Syrian airbases has achieved nothing, except to diminish the role of the USA in it's effort to help to defeat ISIS.
If you can believe, I agree with Steve Bannon on one level, in the sense we (USA) should stay the fuck out of regional conflicts in the ME, it is none of our business, and all it does is cost American lives, and make the USA a primary target for terrorist actions.
Oh well, I know it's only wishful thinking, but all you can do is hope, but there is always that elephant in the room (Israel) that will keep us there forever, and that is sad, because an emboldened Assad, I doubt will allow Israel to continue to attack Syria in the Golan Heights with impunity for much longer.
That's a scary thought

 

[dagwood45431]

Syrian President Bashar Assad has blasted the West, rejecting any security cooperation or reopening of embassies in Damascus before those countries cut relations with opposition groups. Assad's defiant comments on Sunday come at a time when his troops are gaining ground around the country and many countries have ceased calling for him to step down. In a speech before dozens of Syrian diplomats in Damascus, Assad praised Russia, Iran, China and Lebanon's Hezbollah for supporting his government during his country's six-year civil war. He said Syria will look east when it comes to political, economic and cultural relations.
So it seems that Trumps efforts, like shooting down Syrian planes and launching cruise missiles against Syrian airbases has achieved nothing, except to diminish the role of the USA in it's effort to help to defeat ISIS.
If you can believe, I agree with Steve Bannon on one level, in the sense we (USA) should stay the fuck out of regional conflicts in the ME, it is none of our business, and all it does is cost American lives, and make the USA a primary target for terrorist actions.
Oh well, I know it's only wishful thinking, but all you can do is hope, but there is always that elephant in the room (Israel) that will keep us there forever, and that is sad, because an emboldened Assad, I doubt will allow Israel to continue to attack Syria in the Golan Heights with impunity for much longer.
That's a scary thought

I'm so tired of winning. I can't take any more of it.

 

[heckler73]

I'm so tired of winning. I can't take any more of it.

 

[ttystikk]

Assad can't stop Israel from doing shit. Neither can any of the other above listed nations. That won't change anytime soon.

The US has absolutely fucked up our plays in Syria, not a surprise considering the fucking idiot we have calling the shots this year.

Like it or not, the US is going to be deeply involved in the Middle East for a long time to come, for reasons both good- and bad.

There's too much at stake and unfortunately for the poor bastards living there, too much money to be made by Fortune 1000 corporations and private firms (such as whatever Blackwater is calling itself this week) for this nation to walk away.

 

[heckler73]

Like it or not, the US is going to be deeply involved in the Middle East for a long time to come, for reasons both good- and bad.

The ME is a playground/testbed for the MIC.
Perpetual war is the logical outcome. How is a representative politician supposed to stop that?

 

[CriticalCheeze]

Trump lost the day he was born.

 

[Jimdamick]

Assad can't stop Israel from doing shit. Neither can any of the other above listed nations. That won't change anytime soon.

The US has absolutely fucked up our plays in Syria, not a surprise considering the fucking idiot we have calling the shots this year.

Like it or not, the US is going to be deeply involved in the Middle East for a long time to come, for reasons both good- and bad.

There's too much at stake and unfortunately for the poor bastards living there, too much money to be made by Fortune 1000 corporations and private firms (such as whatever Blackwater is calling itself this week) for this nation to walk away.

Somehow, I think when an emboldened Assad doesn't have to worry about the rebel forces anymore, which appears to be soon, he might turn his attention back to Israel and the Golan Heights and react more forcefully to Israel's actions there relating to the shooting down of Syrian jets and the bombing of Syrian military outposts, which Israel has gotten away with so far in the last six years
I think that when Assad wins and has all those weapons giving to him by Russia left over, has a battle hardened army and air force, and with Hezbollah well armed by Iran, and I was an Israeli living in the Golan Heights, I'd be a little bit worried.

 

[tampee]

Trump lost the day he was born.

Trump beat Hillary Clinton like a red headed stepchild.

 

[ttystikk]

The ME is a playground/testbed for the MIC.
Perpetual war is the logical outcome. How is a representative politician supposed to stop that?

By actually representing the will of the American People, the vast majority of whom are tired of funding such adventurism- nevermind paying the price in family members killed for MIC profits.

Sounds like McProfits... which doesn't sound like something we need to be getting people killed for.

 

[ttystikk]

Somehow, I think when an emboldened Assad doesn't have to worry about the rebel forces anymore, which appears to be soon, he might turn his attention back to Israel and the Golan Heights and react more forcefully to Israel's actions there relating to the shooting down of Syrian jets and the bombing of Syrian military outposts, which Israel has gotten away with so far in the last six years
I think that when Assad wins and has all those weapons giving to him by Russia left over, has a battle hardened army and air force, and with Hezbollah well armed by Iran, and I was an Israeli living in the Golan Heights, I'd be a little bit worried.

Google the 'Syrian Turkey Shoot' for an example of how things turned out the last time an Assad tried to beat Israel militarily.

I'm no fan of how Israel pursues its foreign policy but there is no denying the capabilities of its military forces.

 

[Jimdamick]

Google the 'Syrian Turkey Shoot' for an example of how things turned out the last time an Assad tried to beat Israel militarily.

I'm no fan of how Israel pursues its foreign policy but there is no denying the capabilities of its military forces.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5005470,00.html
Read this

 

[ttystikk]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5005470,00.html
Read this

Good stuff. Lots of interesting background there.

Of course Israel wants to limit Iranian influence in Syria! Of course they'll try to twist the ears of the United States and/or Russia to do it for them! Cheaper for them, they can maintain distance and deniability... it's always better to enlist others to do your dirty work for you.

But at the end of the day, they maintain an overwhelming military superiority over Syrian or Hezbollah forces and they can and will certainly go it alone if necessary. Not that they would ever be alone, America is always going to back them up.

 

[Jimdamick]

Good stuff. Lots of interesting background there.

Of course Israel wants to limit Iranian influence in Syria! Of course they'll try to twist the ears of the United States and/or Russia to do it for them! Cheaper for them, they can maintain distance and deniability... it's always better to bloodyenlist others to do your dirty work for you.

But at the end of the day, they maintain an overwhelming military superiority over Syrian or Hezbollah forces and they can and will certainly go it alone if necessary. Not that they would ever be alone, America is always going to back them up.

But Israel would still get a big time bloody nose, and being such a tiny nation, would it be worth the cost to antagonize Syria or Hezbollah further?
I just think they should, and will cool their heels for awhile as far as cross border attacks go.
Yes, America will always watch their back, but if shit happens quickly, they will still lose 100's, if not 1000's of Israeli lives.
Simply annexing the Golan doesn't mean they own it, just like they don't own the West Bank (Palestine), and they are paying a price for that every day, along with the US.

 

[ttystikk]

But Israel would still get a big time bloody nose, and being such a tiny nation, would it be worth the cost to antagonize Syria or Hezbollah further?
I just think they should, and will cool their heels for awhile as far as cross border attacks go.
Yes, America will always watch their back, but if shit happens quickly, they will still lose 100's, if not 1000's of Israeli lives.
Simply annexing the Golan doesn't mean they own it, just like they don't own the West Bank (Palestine), and they are paying a price for that every day, along with the US.

They'd take it, they'd keep it and both Israel and the United States appear to be ready to bear that cost every day.

Israel is a small country only in terms of territory. They have hands down the strongest and most advanced military in the region. They've handled the Syrians before and they're not afraid to do it again.