Posted on Sep 2, 2015
COL Ted Mc
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From "I24 News"

Russian jets take to Syrian skies to combat IS

http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/84069-150831-russian-jets-in-syrian-skies

Russian fighter pilots, jets and helicopters will begin arriving in Syria in the coming days to join in the offensive against the Islamic State (IS) and rebel-aligned targets within the failing state Israeli news site Ynet News reported Monday.

According to Western diplomats, Russian expeditionary forces have already arrived in Syria to set up camp in an Assad-controlled airbase near Damascus, and will operate as a Russian forward operating base.

Thousands of Russian military personnel are set to arrive in Syria over the coming weeks, including instructors, advisors, logistics personnel, technical personnel, members of the aerial protection division, and the pilots who will operate the aircraft said Ynet.

While the exact make-up the expeditionary force is unconfirmed, past reports had stated that Russia was in talks to sell Syria a package of MiG-29 fighter jets, and Yak-130 trainer jets which can also operate as attack aircraft. The new presence of Russian pilots operating combat missions over Syria is expected to drastically challenge the dynamics of the region.
Posted in these groups: Isis logo ISIS100 War on Terror1ed105b8 RussiaIraq war Warfare
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MAJ Ken Landgren
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I have a brilliant idea. We give money to Syrian Rebels, and they buy Russian hardware.
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COL Ted Mc
COL Ted Mc
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MAJ Ken Landgren - Major; That would be a serious reversal of American foreign policy which is based on giving money away so that the recipients can buy high-priced American hardware.

[This, BTW, is absolutely nothing like the practice of other countries which give the money directly to their armaments industries (in the form of subsidies) so that their armaments industries can sell goods (roughly) equivalent to the high-priced American goods at lower prices - EVEN THOUGH the net cost to the governments giving the money away (as either "foreign aid" or "Subsidies" is the same).]
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1SG Civil Affairs Specialist
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Good.
Let them expend ordinance on the ISIS bastards.
Hard to find a down side in the near-term for this one.
Long-term, Syria was already close to the Russians.
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1SG Senior Enlisted Advisor
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Edited >1 y ago
I would like to hope this is a positive step toward controlling ISIS. But it is more likely the Russians are staking new grounds. Russia is taking a more aggressive role across the globe. I would like to think that they are just doing their part as a global power to help bring ISIS under control. We’ll have to see as things progress which way this is going to turn.
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COL Ted Mc
COL Ted Mc
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1SG (Join to see) - Master Sergeant; It isn't NEW ground.

The Syrian Air Force flies these aircraft

Attack - MiG-23, Su-24, Su-22, Mi-25, and Gazelle
Electronic warfare - Mi-8
Fighters - MiG-29, MiG-23, and MiG-21
Interceptors - MiG-31, and MiG-25
Reconnaissance - MiG-25, and MiG-21
Trainers - L-39, MBB 223, and MFI-17
Transports - An-26, An-24, Il-76, Mi-17, and Mi-8

You will note that not one of them is an American brand.

Actually the odds on the Russian government being any more concerned about ISIS than the US government would be if ISIS was targeting Russia (and not the US) are pretty low.
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