Does Putin want a coalition in Syria?

ΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΗΣ · September 16, 2015, 11:03:58 AM

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Mr. Psychologist · September 16, 2015, 11:12:00 AM

One can hope, or hell even if the yanks just step out of the ring and let Putin go ham on isis that'd be good.

eggsalad · September 16, 2015, 11:27:10 AM

So you're saying we should start bombing Assad too? Daring but America needs this.

gats · September 16, 2015, 12:47:50 PM

It's just another fucking proxy war for the West and Russia, albeit a minor one. You have the West supporting the rebels and Russia supporting Assad, and then all of them against ISIS. Nothing new tbh just this time round a caliphate in the equation

Thun · September 16, 2015, 12:48:31 PM

Putin wants a coalition with everyone the US doesn't like.

Sandtrap · September 16, 2015, 02:16:51 PM

He's Putin on a ritz.

challengerX · September 16, 2015, 05:02:10 PM

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Risay117 · September 17, 2015, 10:26:06 PM

I feel like he is planning to use the narrative that has been pushed of ISIS being the defacto evil badguy and using them as a way to first clean up his foreign affairs image with the recent Ukrainain conflict which he has successfully placed into a frozen conflict (seems like he never intended to capture Ukraine but leave it in limbo unable to join nato or the EU). With the second focus being shutting down the US and the gulf powers, though also trying to gain some prestige and relationship points with the Syrians, as they fear losing quite a bit of influence with the sudden rise of Iranian prominence in the Middle East.

This way they can still have a foot in the affairs here, while at the same time deal with a diminishing sphere of influence, where countries like Iran and China are starting to take from them.

Another big reason is that they want to secure their naval base on the Syrian coast. The base has been there for a long time, dating to communist era, and with Russian expansionism Warm Water Ports are of great importance to Russia with Crimea in the Black Sea and this naval base in Syria. Getting some browny points helps them secure it in the long term instead of having to deal with a new government where the chance of them getting kicked out is high.

Also with new tech they may be trying to reinvigorate their military complex and this could help them bring some life to it, and maybe battle test some of their new designs, as well as tactics. Actually depending on how they train the Syrian Army they could end up testing new tactics for unconventional warfare that they can use elsewhere. After all hybrid warfare is all the rage these days. Trying to create new doctrines in a world where their sphere of influence in both military and economic might is waning.