Putin orders Russian troops to begin pulling out of Syria
 

I'm at a loss? Money problems? Over extended? Someone making secret deals? US paying Mr. Putin to leave? Mr. Trump already scaring the Russians?



Putin orders Russian troops to begin pulling out of Syria
Published March 14, 2016
· Associated Press

DEVELOPING: Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the start of the pullout of the Russian military from Syria starting Tuesday.

Putin said the move should help serve as a stimulus for Syria's political talks. The president said he coordinated the move with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Putin said that the Russian airbase in Hemeimeem in Syria's coastal province of Latakia and a naval facility in the Syrian port of Tartous will continue to operate.


http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/03...out-syria.html

I'm wondering what Iran will gain out of this development and how they fit into this decision.

Bomb some shit, declare victory, skip the nation building, go home. Write up the lessons learned from their first real attempt at expeditionary warfare in a locale that doesn't share a land border with the Rodina.

Wasn't expecting that but thinking about it, it does make sense (from their point of view).

They saved Assads ass, his military regained the initiative and his government can't be fully ignored when it comes to negotiations. Additionally Putin himself turned into a crucial player and will have a part in any negotiation.
The majority of western democracies public isn't that well informed and still thinks the VVS was mostly bombing ISIS. So he definately improved his global image. The Russians are pulling out while they're in the initiative and after claiming that all their goals have been achieved, the leadership won't appear weak or loose credit at home.
In the end they'll be able to sell it as a success. Assad was about to be defeated and now he's more or less calling the shots.

Another important factor here, most of the upcoming, decisive battles in Syria will be ground combat and it will get ugly. Just imagewise it might be better not to have an active role.
And of course there's also the fact that he leaves "The West" a decent shit salad with some chaos dressing.
Just the power vacuum itself will be an imense challenge for everyone involed. Riad might see a chance to enter the arena and Tehran will most likely increase its involvement.

Anyways, he doesn't look too bad and leaves us an awful lot of stuff to deal with.

That's because he's playing masters level chess and our current leadership can't competently play checkers.

I wonder where they went? Or perhaps, where they are going?

Putin withdrawing from Syria? Au contraire

I think they are really taking an operational pause to focus on SHARP training and to more fully gender integrate their combat forces.

Kind of sounds like our policy in Iraq all to the benefit of ISIS. Just do a simple search of ISIS using American equipment. Russia needs to pack all their stuff up and take it home with them lest they be facing their own equipment on the battlefield someday.

Bingo! :cool: