After warning Russia on numerous occasions that Putin did not know what he was getting into and that his help was not welcome, Putin declared mission accomplished in Syria and announced Russia would pull all of its troops.
President Obama should be elated since this is precisely what the US asked, but the US state department had no response. Once again the Obama administration was caught like a deer in headlights.
Meanwhile, Al Qaeda rebels seized bases, stole weapons including a tank and anti-tank missiles, and arrested US-backed troops.
US intelligence? Where is it?
Surprise! Surprise! Putin Seeks Peace Talks
Please consider Putin Orders Russian Forces to Start Pulling Out of Syria.
Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered his armed forces to start pulling out of Syria on Tuesday after a six-month campaign, saying that they had largely met their objectives and it was time to focus on peace talks.
Speaking at a meeting with Sergei Shoigu, minister of defence, and Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, Mr Putin said that his objectives had “overall been fulfilled”, adding: “Therefore I order the ministry of defence to start the pullout of the basic part of our military group from the Syrian Arab Republic.”
The Russian announcement appeared to take much of the Obama administration by surprise.
A regional diplomat who is close to Russia and the Syrian regime added: “Everyone was shocked . . . I’m 100 per cent sure the regime didn’t know about this before today.”
The diplomat added: “We have to see how much they pull out in reality… It makes sense only if the[y] are dead certain they are going to make a deal in Geneva. So I think we are either going to have a sustainable deal soon in Geneva, or this is just theatre.
Moscow’s announcement also throws a spotlight on Mr Assad. According to Russian and foreign officials familiar with Moscow’s Syria diplomacy, Russia has been frustrated that the Syrian president has not been more flexible in accommodating efforts at a political solution of the conflict.
Al Qaeda Rebels Seize US Weapons
In yet another humiliating defeat for the war-mongers, neocons, the administration, and others including Hillary who backed giving weapons to “moderate” rebels …. Al-Qaeda Attacks US-Backed Syrian Rebels.
Al-Qaida militants swept through a rebel-held town in northern Syria in a display of dominance Sunday, arresting U.S.-backed fighters and looting weapons stores belonging to the Free Syrian Army.
The militants belonging to the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front along with allied jihadists have been moving to exert their authority over rebel-held areas in Idlib province since a partial ceasefire to the country’s five-year conflict took effect two weeks ago, extinguishing patriotic demonstrations and sidelining nationalist militias.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, said Nusra seized anti-tank missiles, armored vehicles, a tank, and other arms from the division, which has received weapons, training, and money from the U.S. government. It said Nusra and Jund al-Aqsa detained 40 fighters from the division.
The Nusra Front arrested U.S.-supplied fighters belonging to FSA’s 30th division last summer and seized their weapons in a major embarrassment to the U.S. government’s train-and-equip program which was meant to support carefully vetted “moderate” rebels.
Putin’s strategy has clearly worked better at stabilizing Syria than has Obama’s. Just don’t expect to hear that from Obama, from the neocons, or from Hillary.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
“… arresting U.S.-backed fighters and looting weapons stores belonging to the Free Syrian Army.”
We wuz robbed. ‘Bama, send us more guns ‘n ammo.
Why can’t these moderate rebels get guns at Wal Mart like the rest of us?
Obummer’s foreign policy has been and still is one big “Fustercluck”.
I am not sure about why Putin is withdrawing resources or if he is withdrawing them. According to Infowars, the peace talks sound grim for Assad with the Saudis still insisting that he “will have no part in a new government”. Kerry and the French are warning “the government of Bashar al-Assad about responding to attacks by groups that have not signed on to the ceasefire and Secretary of State John Kerry has warned the Syrian government (and Russia) against “testing boundaries”” in reference to Syria or Russia responding to attacks from non-participants.
If true, this sounds like a retreat or worse. Hopefully, it is just rhetoric to pacify USG warmongers.
Link to Infowars article:
http://www.infowars.com/russia-begins-withdrawing-from-syria/
Putin’s intention was never to get bogged down in another Afghanistan.
It was always a short term situation to address issues at the request of Assad (and no doubt Assad paying for it).
He has done his bit – trained Assads motley crew – and so has Assad in buying the MIG’s.
Could Putin be withdrawing because all the US candidates for president avow to go in and attack ISIS, and thus doing the job for him?
Perhaps because Putin achieved:
A new airbase (or two) in Syria.
Sale and test bed (in the coming year) for anti-aircraft weapons.
Destabilized Turkey.
Left the Iranian/Syria forces able to retake Aleppo.
Shows the world he knows how to “limited intervention”, and then leave.
Demonstrated that Russian Navy cruise missles can strike anywhere in the Middle East, at-will, with no warning.
Has now left the door open to Turkish idiots to make war upon Syria, whereupon they will get kicked out of NATO and be “punished” thoroughly.
Will now create a Kurdish state, which the US and Saudis have denied them for so long.
Now, he will enjoy popcorn and watch.
In other news: The CIA is again hiring Arab speaking soldiers of fortune.
US intelligence? Where is it?
Reading your Grandmother’s emails.
… And boldly declaring how they won’t respect orders from a Trump administration.
It begs the question : who’s orders are they currently following, if there is any order flow at all?
“US intelligence? Where is it?”
There is no US intelligence, only a neocon powered Axis Of Evil that originates in Washinton DC, flows through London, Europe and ends up in US backed Middle Eastern countries…
Russia’s goal all along could have been to accelerate the Syrian refuge problem in Europe. Train some bad people, hide them in a humanitarian crisis, and then let them unleash their violence slowly over time.
Russia’s goal was to supply military hardware and MIG’s in the process re-training troops.
He did that – you are blinkered on the refugee problem because your head is planted where the sun does not shine – Obama, Israel, Turkey and Saudi have done the damage over the last 5 years by bombing infrastructure – not the apparent ISIS targets.
Do some research before you type this crap. In doing so stay away from MSM.
I take it that from your point of view Russia invaded the Ukraine as well – and has since retreated after the ceasefire came into effect and Arseny is to be replaced by Nuland.
Actually not suprising. Putin stated at the outset:
“Our objective is to stabilize the legitimate authority and create conditions for a political compromise”
“Syrian Observatory for Human Rights” is a one man outfit, widely quoted because there is so little real intelligence or journalsim, but by no means authoratative or unbiased.
It is very surprising, even for everyone in Russia. Back in February 2016, the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Lavrov said there would be NO withdrawal until the ISIS is destroyed. They were shelling Syrian cities as recently as a few days back, after the “Syrian deal” has been announced. So, this is a complete surprise for everyone.
I very much doubt that the US administration was caught by surprise! I am Russian and read about Russian politics a lot, although I do not live there at the moment. Putin and his aides were also looking a bit shell shocked and confused announcing the withdrawal. It is very clear if you see the video of the announcement. The Russian blogosphere conspiracy theory is that the US administration has some leverage over Putin, some information, that he would prefer not to be made public. Otherwise it is very hard to explain the withdrawal. There are some people who believe that late Mr Lesin, former Putin’s media man found dead in Washington in Oct 2015, cooperated with the US authorities, and that could be the hidden leverage over Putin. That Mr Lesin knew hell of a lot! In any case, true or not, I would not be so quick to accuse the US administration to be clueless about it. It could be quite the opposite!
Are you kidding – US “intelligence” is constantly surprised.
Mish
If Russia hadn’t intervened in Syria, Damascus would have fallen to ISIS. Middle East and North Africa are collapsing due to over-population. Syria, Yemen, Egypt and Tunisia are running out of oil. There is no hope for Syria.
Of course we only hand out these assault rifles after conducting a thorough background check, right?
Syria banned assault rifles in 2003. How’d that work out for the avg Syrian?
Reblogged this on John Barleycorn and commented:
The bad and the good.
Misha, as always it’s a brilliant analysis. Mr. Putin is superior to anyone in stabilization of the neighboring countries unless you are living there.