US Officials: Troops To Only Fight ISIS, Russia Risks Fueling Syrian Quagmire

[Purveyor]

Source: Guardian UK

Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday American special operations troops being sent to Syria would only fight Islamic State militants and would not become involved in the country’s long-running civil war. As he did so, US-backed rebels attacked Isis in the north-east of the country.

Deputy secretary of state Antony Blinken, meanwhile, told a policy conference in Bahrain Moscow’s intervention in the Syrian conflict would have the unintended consequences of drawing Russia into a quagmire and alienating Sunni Muslims across the region.

Russia began airstrikes a month ago, changing the balance of forces in the war in favour of President Bashar al-Assad and against rebel groups that include both jihadists and non-militants backed by the West, Turkey and Gulf countries.

In Syria, a newly formed US-backed rebel alliance launched an offensive against Isis in the north-eastern province of Hasaka. It was the first declared operation by the Democratic Forces of Syria, which joins a US-backed Kurdish militia and several Syrian Arab rebel groups, since it announced its formation earlier this month.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/31/john-kerry-us-troops-fight-isis-not-civil-war

[enlightenment]

1. Cluster

fuck.

[Purveyor]

2. And they haven't even passed around the 'lube' yet. eom

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. Quagmire, meet quicksand. n/t

[doc03]

3. There will be some kind of confrontation with Russia

it has got to happen. Then what?

[uawchild]

6. Well, the US and NATO feel we have overwhelming conventional forces compared to Russia...

As does Russia, apparently. Russia's "plan B" if it starts losing a conventional fight that they deem an existential threat is to use tactical nuclear weapons.

"Insight - Russia's nuclear strategy raises concerns in NATO
Concern is growing in NATO over Russia's nuclear strategy and indications that Russian military planners may be lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons in any conflict, alliance diplomats say."
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/02/04/uk-ukraine-crisis-russia-nuclear-insight-idUKKBN0L825A20150204

Russia has more deployed tactical nuclear weapons than the US and NATO and see them as their ultimate deterrent against NATO's conventional weapons superiority.
.
https://books.google.com/books?id=zd8cAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA158&lpg=PA158&dq=number+of+Russian+tactical+nuclear+weapons&source=bl&ots=moXKSmrLXy&sig=F__SkHgHcmspkAUh4gzCZnBZOoc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAzgeahUKEwjdl9D7r-3IAhXLox4KHfCUBbc#v=onepage&q=number%20of%20Russian%20tactical%20nuclear%20weapons&f=false

[louis-t]

5. I see, so only Russia will be in a "quagmire"?

Giggety goo.

[hobbit709]

7. Here we go again.

[cprise]

8. Rep. Gabbard says 'Stop CIA war against Syrian government' !

[Francois9]

9. Tulsi's position on this is exactly right.

She expressed it with great clarity. And she handled Blitzer's tough question about Assad's alleged atrocities perfectly, by comparing them to Saddam's and Kadhafi's alleged atrocities, which were (a) probably exaggerated, and (b) not as bad as what happens when the US moves in with overwhelming firepower.

[cprise]

10. Yes, and she seems to be calling out State Dept. as liars...

re: "not attacking Syrian government"

[daleo]

13. You can't defeat your enemy if you arming and helping him

As she says, it is a simple concept.

[KoKo]

17. ...!

[sulphurdunn]

11. Thank god there are some members

of congress not gung-ho to start WWIII.

[polly7]

14. She knows exactly what's going on.

Good for her for having the guts to speak out!

[doc03]

16. Damn what an attractive and intelligent lady. Our answer to

Sara Palin. We don't have to worry we can trust old Puty Put.

[OldHippieChick]

15. ISIS now claiming responsibility for

downing the Russian jetliner. They have poked the bear. This could ensure the Russians go after ISIS better than anything we might do. Very stupid on the part of ISIS.

[bemildred]

19. Clearly, the headline writer has no sense of irony. nt