It’s looking like Syria has been a much harder sell to the Russian people than Crimea or the Donbas.

Well that’s pretty much exactly what the F-22s we have over there are doing.

France claimed it first.

Bold indeed, but it wouldn’t be done without significant provocation. The Russians would definitely get the picture though.

Something tells me I would be wasting time explaining the chemistry behind G-series nerve agents. Suffice it to say it’s not the kind of weapon a rag tag terrorist could store, prepare, and launch without someone noticing.

If Russia really pisses of Turkey, they can tell the Russians to turn around at the Dardanelles. It’s a long trip all the way back to Murmansk. I hope they brought their tug boats.

No clue, but he has a knack for citing sketchy blogs and making hilariously absurd statements like “Assad is an elected leader who’s been fighting a terrorist invasion sponsored by Israel, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia”

Considering that was right after Assad used sarin canisters on civilians, I’m not sure how angry I really am that Israel would do that.

Well you are going to have to find something more substantial than a blog if you want to call it evidence. Like maybe actually more than one source.

As far as I know Turkey and Israel are not violating government held airspace in Syria. If the Russians shoot down a NATO or coalition aircraft while it’s over ISIS held territory in western Syria, things are going to get ugly. And very tense.

That is a long way from evidence. It’s more like shady speculation.

“Just keeping a close eye (ear) on your fleet Mr. Putin”

Please show me some evidence of western mercenaries embedded with ISIS or Israel supporting ISIS. The Saudis probably did have a hand in creating this monster, but I think they pulled their support long ago (that’s my opinion, I could be wrong about that).

We aren’t firing on his forces. We aren’t even operating anywhere near the territory his forces still control. And Assad did not deploy those radar jammers, Russia did.

I was quickly called an idiot for asking what purpose they brought their SA-22 missiles.

Technically they are invading enemy held airspace, occupied by ISIS. At least that’s how they are pitching it to the UN.

You make some good points. I think the biggest problem is that we want regime change but we aren’t sure how badly we want it. Probably not badly enough to have to lead a peacekeeping force after Assad is ousted.

While technically Turkey did bomb the Kurds, the Kurdish people are not a monolith. Turkey has issues with the PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by most western countries and NATO. The PKK is a Marxist rebel group and much more radical than the Peshmerga, who are our allies in Iraqi Kurdistan.

The debate was in October of 2012, so three years ago. Much has changed, but I stand by my assertion that Russia was even then a bigger threat than Al Qaeda. And by definition Al Qaeda is stateless and not really a geopolitical entity.

And supposedly the CH-47 was painted with Pakistani markings. It makes sense that they send in the Chinook for evac since it really doesn’t matter if you make a ton of noise once the mission is over and you're hauling ass out of the area.