“The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of ‘liberalism’ they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.”

Socialist Party presidential candidate Norman Thomas


Thursday, October 01, 2015

Putin bullies Obama and Obama takes it

Russia claimed that it was in Syria to help Assad destroy ISIS, and after establishing an air base there, Russian planes began attacking positions around Syria. Turns out, those positions weren't ISIS positions, but those held by anti-Assad Syrian rebels.

Obviously Russia is there solely to prop up the murderous Assad as an ally, not to kill ISIS. That may come later once Assad is once again firmly in control of Syria.

Putin knows that Obama is not only a weak metrosexual who cares more about imaginary climate change than American national security, but that he is hostile to the interests of his own country. Further, Putin knows that Obama cares only that his legacy includes that HE got the US out of the middle east, and that he cares not about the aftermath, which we now know includes a Russian political hegemony to replace the American presence there.

Unfortunately it's too late to do anything about it short of a limited fighting war with Russia in the air over Syria. We aren't going to get into that, Obama will pull back entirely before that happens.

Bottom line, Obama just got his lunch money taken away by the playground bully, Putin.

It's embarrassing.

23 comments:

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

There is an obnoxious bully in Syria for sure but that bully isn't Russia. It is the good ol' U.S. of A.

Ed said...

What are we doing in Syria that amounts to bullying? Isaac, we aren't operating there much at all except for a few drone strikes and spending $50Million to train exactly 5 Syrians to fight ISIS.

No, Russia is who you now have to worry about.

Bill said...

Breaking my rule here, but the estimable Ralph Peters expects Putin to order the shoot down of an American UAV or even fighter. And that's how wars start, people.

Remember Gaddiffi's "line of death" in the 1980's, where Reagan allowed our F-14's to shoot? We don't have Reagan anymore.

http://nypost.com/2015/09/30/putin-wants-to-humiliate-obama-with-airstrikes-in-syria/

Ed said...

Bill, how do you think Obama will respond if the Ruskies shoot down one of our drones....or heaven forbid, attempts to shoot down one of our fighters?

I'm not saying the Russians CAN shoot our fighters down, I doubt they can, but they can try, after which we'll probably shoot down the offending pilot. Then what?

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

"I'm not saying the Russians CAN shoot our fighters down, I doubt they can...."

That is an intriguing observation, Ed. What brings you to that conclusion?

Bill said...

I'll let the Russian internet troll answer your question, Ed.

I think we all know what Obama would do.

Ed said...

Isaac, Bill just called you a troll, how's that feel?

I base my statement on the fact that, with the possible exception of the Israeli's and I'm not saying they are better, American fighter pilots are the best in the world and we have far superior technology. Putin doesn't want to get in an air war with the US, at least if losing Mig's by the scores is a concern of his.

If and when the Russians shoot at one of our guys, I'm sure that Obama will pen a stronly worded letter to Putin and then whine about climate change, the wage gap, and gun control.

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

"...how does that feel?"
Is that the best he can do? My wife calls me worse things than that every day.

Most advanced 5th generation Russian combat plane T-50 shown to public (video)
( http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bc4_1440620189#fpjzLCb2Jpt6G3Lg.99)


david said...

Ed et al.,
The Russians are flying with live munitions. I would not be surprised to discover the U.S. is flying with "inert" air-to-air munitions because they don't want to look provocative.. Pretty hard to pose a threat with an unarmed aircraft.

Ed said...

I'll bet you are right David. Sending our guys up unarmed would be perfectly consistent with Obama's ridiculous rules-of-engagement.....be present, but not a threat to anybody.

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

Another take on America's presumed military superiority:

“A small memo to the House of Saud; your country's coffers are hugely drained because the price of oil having taken such a precipitous drop.

The weapons you have purchased from your 'Good friend in the West, the United States', may well be expensive; but they are no match for the quality of Russian weaponry we see on display in their blitzkrieg against ISIS in Syria.

You see, the Russian military and their weapons manufacturers have a tacit agreement that when weapons are deployed in the field, they will work as advertised; this is not quite how US weapons makers in the US see things.

For example, the F-22s still have a 'minor problem' asphyxiating their pilots, which has never, ever been fixed. The F-35 has numerous problems, and can be shot down by 1970s- vintage aircraft.

Crown Prince Salman, I very strongly, urgently caution you not to go down in the history of your country as the Prince who generated World War III, leaving your country devastated and destroyed as a result, because the US government and military could not protect you.

And right now, Your Highness, the US military does not have the troop strength, the manufacturing, or the money to insure a successful outcome to a conventional war against Russia. That means, eventual use of nuclear weapons, if this gets out of hand.”

~Michael Rivero

Ed said...

This is horse-shit! Russia didn't blitzkrieg ISIS, they blitzkrieged anti-Assad rebels. Isaac, where do you find this nonsense?

To be fair, America accidentally blitzkrieged Doctors Without Borders killing 19, so we aren't exactly precise either. But the Russians attacked the "wrong" people on purpose.

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

Oh? The rest of the world didn't get the same memo, Ed.

HEADLINES
“Footage of Russian air strikes targeting ISIL positions near Jisr al-Shughur, Syria”
“Closer look at Russian fighter jets bombing ISIS”
“Combat Cam: Russian jets hit 10 ISIS targets in Syria in last 24 hrs”
“… ISIS Now On The Ropes As Fighters Desert After 60 Airstrikes In 72 Hours”
“Russian Air Force hits 50 ISIS targets in Syria over 3 days, ‘significantly’ damaging militants”

ANTI-ASSAD REBELS: AKA AL QAEDA MILITANTS/TERRORISTS
“Russia Uses High Tech Smart Bombs to Wipe Out US Sponsored Al Qaeda Terrorists. Panic in Rebel Ranks”
“Israel Supports Syrian Al Qaeda Rebels including the Islamic State (ISIS). UN Report”
“How The US Helped To Create Al Qaeda and ISIS”

Ed said...

The only item on that list that is true, is the last one, "How the US Helped to Create ISIS and Al Qaeda".

These "headlines" are undoubtedly from some anti US conspiracy rag you read, no?

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

MORE HEADLINES

Idiot US Launches Disinfo War On Russia Anti ISIS Strikes
Russia Pounds ISIS, Western Media (e.g. The Right Rant) Pours Lies On Moscow
ISIS Fighters Deserting After Russia Pounds Them
Saudis Mull Regional War As Russia Destroys ISIS For 4th Day
Great Russian Air Force Hits 50 ISIS targets in Syria – Vid
Sukhois Obliterate ISIS C/C Centers; Western Press In Frenzy
ISIS And 'Moderate Rebels' Same Same – Vid
Idiot Obama Claims Russian Airstrikes ‘Strengthening ISIS’
Russian AF Destroys ISIS Command Center, Training Camp
Russia Did More Damage To ISIS In 1 Day Than US In 1 Yr
Russia’s ISIS-Fighting Force, By The Numbers
First Footage Of Russian Planes Bombing ISIS
Russian Strikes Destroy Huge ISIS Weapons Cache
Russian Parliament Unanimously OKs Military Hitting ISIS In Syria
Trump - Let Russia Fight ISIS…US Should Stay Out [It should – but it won’t. – IAN]

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

PREVIEW OF WORLD WAR III? RUSSIA IS PUTTING ON A DISPLAY OF FIREPOWER THAT IS SHOCKING THE WORLD
By Michael Snyder

The Russians have unleashed their own version of “shock and awe” in Syria, and the brutal efficiency of their airstrikes against ISIS targets has stunned many observers around the globe. For more than a year, the Obama administration has claimed that its bombing campaign in Syria has been a “success”, and yet ISIS has continued to grow stronger and gain more territory. But now just over a few days the tide of the conflict appears to have turned. The whole world has gotten a chance to see what a global superpower can truly do to a bunch of radical Islamic terrorists when it is focused and determined.

Ed said...

I'll believe it when ISIS is actually vanquished and the Iraqis and northern Syrians report it, not the pro-Assad/pro-Russian/anti-American media.

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

My personal view is that it is YOU who is anti-American, Ed. Why aren't you trying to get the U.S. to stop its counter-productive, self-defeating, enemy-making Pax Americana ways?

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

ANTI-AMERICAN HEADLINES

Arrogance, Hubris, Impulsiveness, and Death
The US threatens the world, says Paul Craig Roberts.

America’s Laughable Military Officials
Covered in innocent blood. Article by Jack Perry.

REMIND ME AGAIN WHY THE PROBLEM IS RUSSIAN AGGRESSION!!
Since 1979, the United States has carried out attacks, drone strikes, and coup d'etats against El Salvador (1980), Libya (1981), Sinai (1982), Lebanon (1982 1983), Egypt (1983), Grenada (1983), Honduras (1983), Chad (1983), Persian Gulf (1984), Libya (1986) , Bolivia (1986), Iran (1987), Persian Gulf (1987), Kuwait (1987), Iran (1988), Honduras (1988), Panama (1988), Libya (1989), Panama (1989), Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru (1989), Philippines (1989), Panama (1989-1990), Liberia (1990), Saudi Arabia (1990), Iraq (1991), Zaire (1991), Sierra Leone (1992), Somalia (1992), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1993 to present), Macedonia (1993), Haiti (1994), Macedonia (1994), Bosnia (1995), Liberia (1996), Central African Republic (1996), Albania (1997), Congo/Gabon (1997), Sierra Leon (1997), Cambodia (1997), Iraq (1998), Guinea/Bissau (1998), Kenya/Tanzania (1998 to 1999), Afghanistan/Sudan (1998), Liberia (1998), East Timor (1999), Serbia (1999), Sierra Leon (2000), Yemen (2000), East Timor (2000), Afghanistan (2001 to present), Yemen (2002), Philippines (2002) , Cote d'Ivoire (2002), Iraq (2003 to present), Liberia (2003), Georgia/Djibouti (2003), Haiti (2004), Georgia/Djibouti/Kenya/Ethiopia/Yemen/Eritrea War on Terror (2004), Pakistan drone attacks (2004 to present), Somalia (2007), South Ossetia/Georgia (2008), Syria (2008), Yemen (2009 and 2015), Haiti (2010), Libya (2011), Syria (2011), Ukraine (2014), Iraq (2015), Libya (2015), Yemen (2015), etc.

Did the US Bomb Doctors Without Borders
For opposing Obama’s crony trade scam?

The War Party Wants To Kill
Putin and Assad. Article by Patrick J. Buchanan.

Murdering Doctors and Nurses
Now the US is justifying its war crime, says Glenn Greenwald.

Conservative Values
Endless war for the generals and their industrial helpmates. Article by Laurence M. Vance.

CIA Crimes in Syria
Michael S. Rozeff on where all the horrors come from.

If the Imperial Military Is a PC Joke
Is the world safer? Article by Fred Reed.

The Implosion of US Military Morale
Is it a blessing for the whole world? Article by Jack D. Douglas.

Ed said...

Opinions are like ass-holes, Isaac. For every America-is-the-root-of-all-evil-in-the-modern-world article you can show, there are an equal number of people who have the opposite view.

Who's right? It depends on who you choose to believe. I probably fall somewhere in the middle.

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

I.A.N. - Water is wet.

Ed - Opinions are like ass-holes, Isaac. For every article which claims that water is wet....

Isaac A. Nussbaum said...

Excerpted from:
ADVANCED RUSSIAN AIR POWER, JAMMERS ARE FOCUS OF U.S. TROOPS
By Andrew Tilghman, Staff writer 11:50 a.m. EST December 10, 2015

“The Russian military’s advanced drone capabilities are forcing U.S. forces in Europe to abandon a long-held presumption of air superiority, according to the Army's top general in the region*.”

* U.S. Army Europe Commanding General Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges

(source: Marine Corps Times)