United States ground forces in Syria?

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 10:00:01 -0400

I was watching the news last night and a couple of the people thought we should use U.S. ground forces instead of the Syrian and Iraqi ground forces. Is it a need that we send in our troops? Or do we just continue with the air strikes?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2014 10:00 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 10:00:44 -0400

We will have to be involved. We need to develop a coalition since COIN operations take a decade or more to be effective, but I can not see any force out there that can take on ISIL alone.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2014 12:26 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 12:26:49 -0400

Iraqi troops aren’t up to the fight, for whatever reason. Cultural, tribal/religious/ideological loyalties, or just an inability to wrap their heads around the idea. Training them for combat operations/COIN/stability operations is going to take a ground presence. Anyone that says otherwise is lying, ignorant, or delaying the inevitable truth.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 22 at 2014 7:16 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 22 Oct 2014 19:16:52 -0400

Iraq 3.0

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Oct 13 at 2015 11:58 PM

Maj Mike Sciales — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 23:58:41 -0400

I'd pull back from the airstrikes and concentrate on humanitarian aid because it'll get worse before it gets better. It's become clear that Moscow is interested in getting into the fight. Putin wants prestige to mitigate economic problems at home. He's been a patron of Syria since he's been in power and so were all those leaders before him going back to Khrushchev. Syria is of strategic importance to Moscow. Putin has the will and the troops (they don't hold policy debates over there) to go after any enemy of al Assad. He isn't shy about embedding combat troops with Syrian forces. His pilots will take over leading strikes. His Spetnaz will work with the Army. We really don't understand the region and our foreign policy isn't really very good in this area. So let Moscow bleed some billions of dollars and lives. Our money is better spent helping the 4 million displaced people.