All reports are that US and NATO military brass are surprised, in a big way, by the quantity and quality of Russian airstrikes in Syria. Russia has proven capable of launching large numbers of strikes on a daily basis, in a highly organized way, and with firepower that is proving formidable.
They are able to run day and night, and their weaponry has proven accurate and lethal.
Putin has one-upped Obama yet again. How can all those billions we spend on military intelligence be 'surprised' by this?
If anyone told Obama about Russia's capabilities, it would likely lead to their immediate dismissal. The last thing Obama wants to know is that Russia may be approaching the US' military capabilities. That would be a rather inconvenient truth.
(10-16-2015 08:11 AM)quo vadis Wrote: [ -> ]All reports are that US and NATO military brass are surprised, in a big way, by the quantity and quality of Russian airstrikes in Syria. Russia has proven capable of launching large numbers of strikes on a daily basis, in a highly organized way, and with firepower that is proving formidable.
They are able to run day and night, and their weaponry has proven accurate and lethal.
Putin has one-upped Obama yet again. How can all those billions we spend on military intelligence be 'surprised' by this?
Its simple. They don't care who they kill. Collateral damage is irrelevant. I was reading somewhere (maybe on here) that only 1/3 of our bombers dropped their loads because they couldn't get confirmation. We try to be precise and still sometimes make big mistakes (hospital in Afghanistan). The Russians don't care.
(10-16-2015 08:30 PM)bullet Wrote: [ -> ]The Russians are testing their capabilities and using it as an excuse to violate Turkey's air space and test our capabilities.
I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably if I lived in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. It might be just a matter of time before Putin declares that ethnic Russians are being persecuted in the Baltics and declares that Russia has every right to intervene. He has to test NATO's resolve and knows that an invasion of the Baltics could cause NATO to disintegrate.
(10-16-2015 08:16 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote: [ -> ]If anyone told Obama about Russia's capabilities, it would likely lead to their immediate dismissal. The last thing Obama wants to know is that Russia may be approaching the US' military capabilities. That would be a rather inconvenient truth.
JFC, are you just one big troll or do you really think that this is a believable position? Honestly, some of the regulars around here, like you, need to grow up and stop acting like this position is at all believable. It's downright silly, and it brings down the overall level of discussion.
(10-16-2015 08:16 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote: [ -> ]If anyone told Obama about Russia's capabilities, it would likely lead to their immediate dismissal. The last thing Obama wants to know is that Russia may be approaching the US' military capabilities. That would be a rather inconvenient truth.
JFC, are you just one big troll or do you really think that this is a believable position? Honestly, some of the regulars around here, like you, need to grow up and stop acting like this position is at all believable. It's downright silly, and it brings down the overall level of discussion.
(10-16-2015 08:30 PM)bullet Wrote: [ -> ]The Russians are testing their capabilities and using it as an excuse to violate Turkey's air space and test our capabilities.
I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably if I lived in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. It might be just a matter of time before Putin declares that ethnic Russians are being persecuted in the Baltics and declares that Russia has every right to intervene. He has to test NATO's resolve and knows that an invasion of the Baltics could cause NATO to disintegrate.
Watch out Brighton Beach.
He might sweep in and dare us to push him out. Its doubtful we could stop their initial attack. He would have to calculate that we wouldn't do anything military. It might be a good bet as long as Obama is in the White House. The Europeans can't do it without us.
Putin is getting his play time in and showing us all that he has better toys than the last time he came around.
The whole Russian inferiority complex is on full display every time Putin does much of anything. What's scary for us in the West is that he isn't showing inferiority off anymore.
(10-16-2015 08:30 PM)bullet Wrote: [ -> ]The Russians are testing their capabilities and using it as an excuse to violate Turkey's air space and test our capabilities.
I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably if I lived in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. It might be just a matter of time before Putin declares that ethnic Russians are being persecuted in the Baltics and declares that Russia has every right to intervene. He has to test NATO's resolve and knows that an invasion of the Baltics could cause NATO to disintegrate.
Watch out Brighton Beach.
He might sweep in and dare us to push him out. Its doubtful we could stop their initial attack. He would have to calculate that we wouldn't do anything military. It might be a good bet as long as Obama is in the White House. The Europeans can't do it without us.
Putin has already done that with Crimea and got the response from the US he expected.
(10-16-2015 08:30 PM)bullet Wrote: [ -> ]The Russians are testing their capabilities and using it as an excuse to violate Turkey's air space and test our capabilities.
I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably if I lived in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. It might be just a matter of time before Putin declares that ethnic Russians are being persecuted in the Baltics and declares that Russia has every right to intervene. He has to test NATO's resolve and knows that an invasion of the Baltics could cause NATO to disintegrate.
Watch out Brighton Beach.
He might sweep in and dare us to push him out. Its doubtful we could stop their initial attack. He would have to calculate that we wouldn't do anything military. It might be a good bet as long as Obama is in the White House. The Europeans can't do it without us.
Putin has already done that with Crimea and got the response from the US he expected.
(10-17-2015 10:10 AM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Romney would be smart to jump in the primary and play that exchange with Obama in a loop.
I think Mitt's days running for president are over. That being said, whoever wins the Republican primary might want to consider adding him as their running mate. As you indicate that exchange is remarkable for its accuracy.
(10-16-2015 08:30 PM)bullet Wrote: [ -> ]The Russians are testing their capabilities and using it as an excuse to violate Turkey's air space and test our capabilities.
I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably if I lived in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. It might be just a matter of time before Putin declares that ethnic Russians are being persecuted in the Baltics and declares that Russia has every right to intervene. He has to test NATO's resolve and knows that an invasion of the Baltics could cause NATO to disintegrate.
Watch out Brighton Beach.
He might sweep in and dare us to push him out. Its doubtful we could stop their initial attack. He would have to calculate that we wouldn't do anything military. It might be a good bet as long as Obama is in the White House. The Europeans can't do it without us.
Putin has already done that with Crimea and got the response from the US he expected.
Yes, but Ukraine isn't NATO.
Yes, but it seems America's response to the Ukraine invasion emboldened Putin to go into Syria. America is pretty powerless to do anything about Syria so that may empower Putin even more. IMO, I doubt the US would do anything if Putin went in a Baltic state.
(10-17-2015 10:10 AM)Machiavelli Wrote: [ -> ]Romney would be smart to jump in the primary and play that exchange with Obama in a loop.
I think Mitt's days running for president are over. That being said, whoever wins the Republican primary might want to consider adding him as their running mate. As you indicate that exchange is remarkable for its accuracy.
The exchange was accurate, but you are overestimating the neocon vote. Lindsey Graham is at 0%, Chris Christie is at 2%, Jeb is in 6th place and the top 3 (Trump, Carson, and Cruz) oppose intervention in Syria's Civil War. The lefties certainly aren't going to support a ticket with Mitt.
(10-16-2015 08:30 PM)bullet Wrote: [ -> ]The Russians are testing their capabilities and using it as an excuse to violate Turkey's air space and test our capabilities.
I wouldn't be sleeping comfortably if I lived in Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia. It might be just a matter of time before Putin declares that ethnic Russians are being persecuted in the Baltics and declares that Russia has every right to intervene. He has to test NATO's resolve and knows that an invasion of the Baltics could cause NATO to disintegrate.
Watch out Brighton Beach.
He might sweep in and dare us to push him out. Its doubtful we could stop their initial attack. He would have to calculate that we wouldn't do anything military. It might be a good bet as long as Obama is in the White House. The Europeans can't do it without us.
Putin has already done that with Crimea and got the response from the US he expected.
Honestly I look at the Russian taking of Crimea as essentially the same as the North Korean invasion of South Korea following Dean Acheson's "Defensive Perimeter" speech made it known that South Korea (and Taiwan) were outside of the United State's protective umbrella. Six months after he gave the speech at the Press Club in DC North Korea launched the invasion.
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