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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Putin 'sending 150,000 soldiers to Syria to WIPE OUT evil Islamic State'
2015-11-20
[Express] VLADIMIR Putin is preparing to send 150,000 troops to Syria in a bid to wipe out the evil Islamic State once and for all as he hints at joining the West following the Paris attacks.

The Russian leader is reportedly mounting an enormous military mission to take control of the terror group's stronghold of Raqqa. The city is the self-declared capital of ISIS in Syria and is patrolled by as many as 5,000 jihadi members.

Putin is set to mobilise 150,000 reservists who he conscripted into the military in September.
He can send them; can he supply them?
Yesterday, following the Paris attacks, Putin hinted he was ready to join forces with the West to tackle Islamic State.

He told David Cameron: "The recent tragic events in France show that we should join efforts in preventing terror."
Posted by:Besoeker

#14  Question, has Russia ever sent troops (not trainers/experts/etc) to a non-neighboring country to fight? Since WW2 and going all the way to Germany that is.

Afghanistan was a Soviet Neighbor. Beyond that I thought it was all advisors.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2015-11-20 16:39  

#13  Nixon bombed Hanoi....
Posted by: jvalentour   2015-11-20 12:14  

#12  AngH, we should not protect our borders?....hummm
Posted by: jvalentour   2015-11-20 12:05  

#11  I understand they are offering recruiting and travel bonuses to trained personnel.
Posted by: Skidmark   2015-11-20 12:05  

#10   (And protect it's borders). You're joking, aren't you?
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2015-11-20 11:12  

#9   jvalentour, agree with one exception.

Putin is NOT bombing just like Obama. Russian pilots aren't being given a red light on 75% of their missions cause their political leaders are worried about collateral damage. That's what US pilots are forced to endure, I doubt that Vlad gives a $hit.
Posted by: AlanC   2015-11-20 11:06  

#8  Syria is a client state of Moscow. It has been as long as I can remember. Their problems are not ours or EU problems. If Putin doesn't go in he will look like Obama, he has no choice. Right now he bombing just like Obama, no boots on the ground. Are there any reports of the Russians doing anything other than flying and taking mortar rounds? Let them fight it out.
In the meantime we should watch our back side. If it wasn't the IS then it would be some other Mo group trying to kill westerners. The West should sit back and watch the show. (And protect it's borders). If the EU or USA joins the Russians on the ground they are fools.
Posted by: jvalentour   2015-11-20 09:39  

#7  Make it look like Ozzymandias was the leader of Isis.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2015-11-20 09:31  

#6  can he supply them?

Kinda depends on how long they're planning on staying.
That kinda depends on what they're planning on doing.

I doubt they're going to waste a lot of time building libraries, schools, hospitals and mosques.

How long does it take a bulldozer to drive across the country?
Posted by: AlanC   2015-11-20 08:36  

#5  Russia has many reservists, probably close to 2 million but over 75% of them are too old, too addicted to alcohol or worse or otherwise incapable of a serious fight. Moreover, the Russian logistics for an overseas operation of this kind simply doesn't now exist

Whoever said 150,000 reservists could fight in Syria was blowing smoke.
Posted by: lord garth   2015-11-20 06:09  

#4  Russia doesn't have 150000 soldiers for things like this.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2015-11-20 03:38  

#3  Just in case ISIS and their fellow vermin don't realize, Russians aren't nice people like the US. They don't let lawyers right their ROE. In fact, I'm not even sure Russia /has/ lawyers.

Oh and Mossad, if they're listening. Given how much these ISIS wackjobs love their syrian made pills, maybe an infiltrator adding a non-standard ingredient would be amusing.
Posted by: Silentbrick   2015-11-20 00:44  

#2  I'm too old to shoot people well, but I do like bacon and can BBQ/smoke. Perhaps we can create a follow-up brigade of old folks to turn reclaimed land into pig farms and become the world's center of bacon? It would feed the troops and help morale for the shooters.
Posted by: Beau   2015-11-20 00:44  

#1  Well if his recent Blitz of Syria by his Air Force is any example, when he puts boots on the ground HE WILL PUT LOTS OF BOOTS ON THE GROUND in Syria.

I guess youknowwho got what he wanted, no US troops in Syria and ISIS gets a major ass-kicking. What is there not to like with that scenario??? Like maybe I am not sure our administration really knows what a major Russian presence plus a butt load of troops means to the ME.

Might better approve Keystone because if you piss off Vlad you might not get any heating oil this winter if he has his way.
Posted by: Mystic   2015-11-20 00:34  

00:00