- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Why the US cannot partner with Russia in Syria
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:00 pm
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:00 pm
Article from Commentary
quote:
...
Carlson bristled with indignation over the attack on his character, and the conversation fell off a cliff. Carlson’s premise is, however, worthy of a dispassionate and comprehensive response. “Why does it contravene American interests to make common cause with a group that is trying to kill ISIS?” the Fox host asked. The answer to his question is simple: It does not. The problem is that Carlson’s is not an accurate description of Russia’s behavior in Syria.
...
Russia rarely executes any strikes on ISIS targets. Why should they? The regime they are defending has little interest in neutralizing the ISIS threat entirely. “Oil and gas sales to Mr. Assad’s regime are now Islamic State’s largest source of funds,” the Wall Street Journal reported in January. This follows a pattern; Assad looked the other way when Islamist terror groups began coalescing into the organization that became ISIS because he assumed such groups would shock and scare the West out of intervening in the conflict. He was correct. Both Moscow and Damascus continue to view ISIS as a useful entity that allows them to frame the conflict as one between the forces of civilization and savagery.
...
To cooperate with Russia in any effort to impose peace in Syria, such as jointly-monitored “safe zones,” is to be complicit in the regime’s crimes. As long as the Assad regime is in power, there will be a Sunni-dominated insurgency against his regime. To ally with Russia in Syria is to align with rogues like Assad, Hezbollah, and the Islamist radicals they claim to oppose. That would create a schism between the U.S. and the Sunni actors (both sovereign and non-state), relationships that are already strained as a result of the Obama administration’s overtures toward Iran. Those are unacceptable moral compromises that are not justified by any rational strategic consideration.
The kind of cooperative relationship the U.S. and Russia can navigate is the one in which they are presently involved—the kind typified by mechanisms designed to keep one another apart and to de-escalate conflicts should they arise. That means post-ISIS Syria will be characterized by some kind of soft partition. This is hardly an optimal outcome, but more palatable alternatives have been precluded by seven years of war.
To millions of Americans, Syria is a charnel house best left alone. Those Americans are wrong. The fact is that the sorry state of affairs in the Levant is largely a result of America’s efforts to extricate itself from the region under Donald Trump’s predecessor. The notion that the U.S. should, or even can, partner with Russia in Syria now is a dangerous fantasy. The president is better served when those who wish his presidency to succeed decline to reinforce his preconceptions, particularly those founded in ignorance.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:01 pm to TN Bhoy
Russia isn't our friend and doesn't want to be. Wasn't NATO pretty much created as a counter alliance to the USSR? They occupied and annexed part of Ukraine a few years ago. Why would we want to be friends with them?
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:03 pm to TN Bhoy
Congrats on using the flagship neoconservative political magazine to make your point.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:03 pm to AggieDub14
quote:
Russia isn't our friend
quote:
Wasn't NATO pretty much created as a counter alliance to the USSR?
While I agree that Russia is not our friend.....that second line is a bit silly considering Germany and Japan ARE our friends. I mean, things CAN change.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:06 pm to BlackHelicopterPilot
Japan is our friend after we dropped 2 nukes on them, decimated 2 of their cities (and most of Tokyo as well), disbanded their military, and told them we would protect them while we helped rebuild their infrastructure and economy. We also completely changed the structure of their government so the military was no longer calling all the shots.
Germany is our friend because we saved the world from their tyrannical leader, and again, helped them rebuild after totally wiping out infrastructure and economic zones. Germany also had 2 controllers. The Allies who did good for them. The Russians who fricked them over. We fought to save them from the Russians. So naturally they are our allies.
Russia would likely be our friend if we took part in a government of Russia reset.
Germany is our friend because we saved the world from their tyrannical leader, and again, helped them rebuild after totally wiping out infrastructure and economic zones. Germany also had 2 controllers. The Allies who did good for them. The Russians who fricked them over. We fought to save them from the Russians. So naturally they are our allies.
Russia would likely be our friend if we took part in a government of Russia reset.
This post was edited on 7/19/17 at 4:09 pm
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:07 pm to AggieDub14
quote:
They occupied and annexed part of Ukraine a few years ago
Research the demographics of Crimea. It's population is overwhelmingly Russian speaking and adheres to the Russian Orthodox faith. Crimea was part of Russia from the early 1700's to the 1950's when it was ceded overnight to the Ukraine with zero input from Crimean residents. The Crimean population wants to be a part of Russia. This isn't a secret.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:07 pm to TN Bhoy
That article is thoroughly dishonest.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:08 pm to SCLibertarian
Okay, you have a good point. But does that make it okay to just send troops into another country and occupy/annex it? No. This is 2017. The world isn't supposed to work that way anymore.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:09 pm to SCLibertarian
quote:
Research the demographics of Crimea. It's population is overwhelmingly Russian speaking and adheres to the Russian Orthodox faith. Crimea was part of Russia from the early 1700's to the 1950's when it was ceded overnight to the Ukraine with zero input from Crimean residents. The Crimean population wants to be a part of Russia. This isn't a secret.
Again with the Kremlin line.
Odd.
This post was edited on 7/19/17 at 4:10 pm
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:11 pm to AggieDub14
Oh I agree with you. The problem is that the Ukraine would have never consented to a referendum in Crimea and, without it, the West would have never accepted any election result. Still doesn't justify an invasion, but we've maintained common ground with worse allies over the years.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:11 pm to Decatur
Don't let facts get in the way of your fearmongering. Nothing I said is factually inaccurate.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:12 pm to SCLibertarian
If Truman wasn't such a frick up, things after the war probably would have gone a lot better. But stopping the spread of communism was more important than peace. Even if communism was chosen by an electorate.
This post was edited on 7/19/17 at 4:12 pm
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:18 pm to AggieDub14
quote:So you want to invade Russia, destroy their economy and culture, and then occupy them for 75 years?
Russia would likely be our friend if we took part in a government of Russia reset.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:20 pm to GeauxxxTigers23
Did I say that? I don't think I said that. Nope, never said that.
I simply explained why Japan and Germany are our allies.
I simply explained why Japan and Germany are our allies.
This post was edited on 7/19/17 at 4:21 pm
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:22 pm to AggieDub14
You live in a fantasy land if you think we can mold Russia in our image.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:23 pm to Lima Whiskey
I don't think that. Nor did I even slightly imply it. People need to quit that today.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:24 pm to AggieDub14
quote:You certainly implied that that's the only way we can become allies with Russia.
I don't think that. Nor did I even slightly imply it. People need to quit that today.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:26 pm to AggieDub14
quote:
Russia would likely be our friend if we took part in a government of Russia reset.
We did....
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:30 pm to TN Bhoy
I've been looking for an explanation to this question for a while.
Posted on 7/19/17 at 4:56 pm to Stingray
quote:
We did....
Not exactly. At least, no where near the hand holding we did in rebuilding German or Japanese governments.
This post was edited on 7/19/17 at 4:57 pm
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News