This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Russia, Iran Rack Up Gains In "Fiercest Syrian Fighting Yet"
Last week, we said the following about the next stage of Syria’s civil war: “In case it wasn’t clear enough what was set to happen soon after the Russian air force had spent a few days softening up anti-regime positions on the ground, allow us to spell it out: with the opposition on the run thanks to days of aerial bombardment, Iran will now send in the Hezbollah/Shiite militia/Quds clean up crew, who will personally ensure that whoever is left in the wake of the Su-34 strikes is swiftly eliminated at close range.
As we went on to explain, the Russians are providing air cover for what amounts to an Iranian ground invasion in support of the Assad regime.
Losing the country to the West would be a decisively bad turn of events for Tehran, which needs Syria in order to maintain the regional balance of power and preserve supply routes to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Of course the Iranians have been on the ground in Syria for years, but as we’ve explained on a number of occasions, Tehran needed to remain somewhat cautious about the optics, given the nuclear negotiations. Now that those negotiations have been largely concluded and, more importantly, now that Iran has the Russian superpower stamp of approval, all pretense that this isn’t effectively a ground incursion has been abandoned. Case in point, here’s Reuters with the latest:
Syrian army and allied forces supported by Russian warplanes made further advances as they pressed an offensive against insurgents on Monday, in the fiercest clashes for nearly a week, a monitor said.
Russian jets carried out at least 30 air strikes on the town of Kafr Nabuda in Hama province in western Syria, and hundreds of shells hit the area as the Syrian army and Hezbollah fighters seized part of it, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have in the past few days recaptured territory close to the government's coastal heartland in the west thanks to Russia's intervention, reversing rebel advances made earlier this year.
Pro-government forces including the Lebanese group Hezbollah on Monday captured the southern part of Kafr Nabuda, the Observatory's Rami Abdulrahman said.
The fighting, shelling and air strikes killed and wounded dozens of insurgents, he said.
"These are the most violent battles in the northern countryside (of Hama) since the start of joint operations several days ago" between the Russian air force and Syrian ground forces, he said.
Lebanese-based television station al-Mayadeen also reported the takeover of the southern part of Kafr Nabuda.
Kafr Nabuda's capture would bring government forces closer to insurgent-held positions along the main highway that links Syria's main cities. "The town is very important and strategic," Abdulrahman said.
And more from BBC:
Syrian forces backed by Hezbollah militants from Lebanon are said to have made significant advances against rebels after heavy Russian air strikes.
Government gains are being reported in Idlib, Hama and Latakia provinces.
Russia says its aircraft carried out more than 60 missions over Syria in the past 24 hours, and that the Islamic State group was its main target.
But the Russian strikes appear to have impacted heavily on rebels fighting both the government and IS.
The main battlefront is currently close to the key highway that links the capital Damascus with other major cities, including Aleppo, and President Bashar al-Assad's forces are believed to be seeking to cut off rebels in Idlib.
Before Russia's intervention, Idlib had all but fallen to a rebel coalition that had been seriously threatening Mr Assad and his heartland as well as fighting IS, BBC Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher reports.
Government forces are basically trying to win back areas they lost earlier this year, to the north of the city of Hama, and in the northern mountains of Latakia province near the coast. Rebels had penetrated there after unifying their ranks and with more concerted backing from their outside supporters, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
That posed a real threat to the heartland of Bashar al-Assad's regime, and it is almost certainly what triggered the Russian intervention and a stepped-up role by Iran.
Again, it's the Russians in the sky and Hezbollah on the ground and as everyone is well aware, Hezbollah is just Iran.
Meanwhile, Tehran's habit of denying its official presence on the ground suffers from the rather inconvenient fact that Iranian soldiers keep dying in Syria. On Friday, Reuters reported that Hossein Hamedani, an Iranian general and close friend of Quds commander Qassem Soleimani was killed while "advising" Syrian soldiers near Aleppo:
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards general has been killed near Aleppo while advising the Syrian army on their battle against Islamic State fighters, the guards said in a statement on Friday.
The Guards said General Hossein Hamedani was killed on Thursday night and that he had "played an important role ... reinforcing the front of Islamic resistance against the terrorists".
Iran is the main regional ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has provided military and economic support during Syria's four-year-old civil war.
Hamedani, a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, was made deputy chief commander of the elite forces in 2005.
What all of the above suggests is that the tide has quite clearly turned and while there will undoubtedly be more Iranians going home in body bags before it's all said and done, it's now just a matter of time before the US and its "coalition" partners will have to decide on whether to see Assad back in power or else put boot to ground to counter the offensive because suddenly, the "freedom fighters" aren't doing so well.
- 49112 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -



The ISIS "Basketball Shoe Army" (BSA) can sure put up a fight..you'd think Russia would have finished by now...BSA must have a really deep pocketed backer.
On one side, the Government of Syria.
On the other side, a bunch of basketball shoe wearing (BSA) "Islamic Groups"...the USA isn't backing the Syrian Government....hmmm....I guess that means...
Great, so now all these freshly arrived muslims in Europe can go home.
People on ZH were discussing this the other day that Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3267595/Russian-jet-shot-Turkish-forces-flew-country-s-airspace.html
Yesterday on “Meet the Press”
HUGH HEWITT to Dave Brat:
“Yesterday a Russian jet was set down in Turkey. Yesterday almost 100 people were killed in Ankara, Turkey. The world is on fire.”
Then, a few minutes later, he said it again, “Turkey, a NATO ally shot down a Russian jet this morning. We have no idea what this world’s going to be like in a year.”
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/10/conservative-radio-host-tells-rep-david
Yet nothing else in the MSM about it! Was a Russian jet shot down in Turkey or not? Is this story a plant or a cover up?
http://warmonitor.net/news/2015/10/11/if-turkey-shot-down-a-russian-jet-why-the-silence/
There is a LOT of shit happening that is either false flag or deliberately blacked out. US .gov has fucked up the economy to such a degree that the lunatics probably view a large scale war as a credibility saving manuver, as well as a justification for asset seizure/other agenda.
Agreed. When it comes to ISIS, we can assume everything the USSA MSM propaganda bullhorns is a LIE.
Syrian forces backed by Hezbollah militants from Lebanon are said to have made significant advances against rebels after heavy Russian air strikes.
Notice how Russia and Allies have caused more harm to ISIS than neary 2 years of USSA bombing (read re:supply) missions ever accomplished.
We know that the ME's armies are cowards - are they traitors to their allies too?
We'll see if LebanonHezbollah decide to partition a part of Syria as compensation.
First of all, this:
...is horseshit. Hizballah is a homegrown army of Lebanese Shiites and related subsects. Hizballah no doubt received support from Iran but to say "everyone is well aware, Hizbollah is just Iran" means everyone is ignorant of history, I guess.
As for the taqfiri scum now littering Syria with their bodies, everyone should be glad Hizballah (whether supported by Iran or not) and friends are there to clean them up, so they don't end up later in Europe and beyond.
I am Chumbawamba.
Very good point my friend. Tyler gets often sloppy in these articles and doesn't show a very deep interest in the manifold layers of ME culture/religion and society.
I wonder if surrendering in Syria, and the chaos that will grow in the Middle East because of it, was among the issues that Obama meant when he mentioned to Medvedev about having more flexibility in his second term?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/26/us-nuclear-summit-obama-medvedev-idUSBRE82P0JI20120326
Medvedev told later he had not idea what O was talking about..
Well its nice to know Chumbz has some friends left hmmm....Sam be careful he will steal your soul and render you into another souless puppet he will add to his chat collection dolls. You will then become part of the puppet audience which will applaud on cue when he makes a lame comment.
Come back to the side of the Republic Sam dont patronize the Caliphate of Chumbba the Wutt
True to the letter, but it is really just semantics. Whomever controls your funding ostensibly controls you.
could be
The type of plane claimed to have been shot is not part of what Russia currenly uses, but I doubt that news is for real. A lot of wishful thinking.
No russian jet was shot down by Turks. It's a propaganda peddled by UK media with no substantial proof. Moreover Russians aren't flying Mig-29 in syria. It's a plain lie with no evidence just like few days back CNN claimed 4 cruise missiles went haywire in Iran destroying buldings. Ah! West can't even lie straight .
I'm honestly starting to think that western journalists don't want to lie anymore, so when their boss tells them to make a story demonizing Russia, they on purpose do something that only an idiot would believe.
That was originally from private social media account that in past claimed Armata tanks in Ukraine (in quantity more than
exists) and has put many other out that just as crazy. Media likes make flames with these.
Thanks to an unlimited supply of Raytheon made TOW missiles that Saudi Arabia gave ISIS (on orders from Obama), ISIS neutralized Syrian tank forces. According to the Washington Post, the presence of those TOW missiles on the battlefield is the reason Russia ratcheted up its support of Assad, bringing in attack aircraft. Now NWO follower Obama has to decide whether to provide ISIS with manpads, possibly Stinger anti-aircraft missiles that can shoot down Russian transport and ground attack helicopters or, if ISIS loses, the missiles can be sold on the black market to terrorists to shoot down U.S. passeneger jets. Obama and his Muslim henchman Brennan will, of course, decide to provide the manpads to their proxy killers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/did-us-weapons-supplied-to-syrian-r...
Not a hard decision at all because it's already been done in Libya. Why was Stevens and the CIA there? To get back or destroy the very missles we gave them. No doubt we will do it again because let's face it, they just know better.
Look up the story of Chief Warrant Officer Thalia Ramirez, a black woman pilot of a Kiowa Warrior helicopter. Shot down or crashed? Shot down by what? Hmmm...
When Russian planes start to fall in Syria, the US planes begin to fall in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The jokes are over. Now Russia will respond appropriately. If the United States somehow transfer their MANPADS enemies of Russia, the Russian answer will as mirror. New Russian MANPADS "Verba", far superior to any counterparts from the United States and NATO. We will see these MANPADS in the hands of America's enemies very quickly, if the United States will make a mistake in the hope of impunity.
This article does a great job of carefully parsing words and twisting the truth to try to erase the fact that just weeks ago articles were appearing here essentially saying that assad had been abandoned in favor of new gas pipelines.
Did i miss in the article where some huge increase in iranian ( or hezb. for that matter) is in play?
Assad was never as embattled as you guys continually lie he was. Russia has focused on buttressing the legitimate government / military installations firstly which both protects their interests / assets as well as gives the best chance of success.
Now, the ruaf and saa are coordinating to make huge gains. As opposed to the former saa small gains. Not the collapsing defensive beseigement zerohedge goes with.
I feel sorry for people who dont follow this conflict outside of this place and the msm because they all miss the mark and they do so intentionally no matter how true overall the story is.
I hope the reason here is because of the unending need to always be right in the face of ignoring the fact that albeit close, youre not right. But its too painful to clarify the situation and self shame than it is to propagate nuanced fallacies.
"I feel sorry for people who dont follow this conflict outside of this place and the msm..."
have us your links please, ill check.
Here is good starting point:
http://syrianperspective.com/
Sorry man but if you look at the progression of maps displaying held territory then it is clear to see that Assad has been continualling and steadily pushed back.
"...'they' pray to a false God; otherwise, 'they' wouldn't be killing innocents...".
Isn't that just choice!
https://youtu.be/XzjCHlRA_Yc
well at least the usa has the moral high ground [/SARCASM]
You can't close sarcasm without opening it first :)
If they want Assad dead so bad, why don't they just bomb him? Not like this situation isn't already a clusterfk.
Remember the bomb that went off in Syrian army HQ ?
Assad was supposed to be there but wasn't.Believe me, they've tried hard.
"If they want Assad dead so bad, why don't they just bomb him?"
Are you fucken crazy!
That would set a terrible precedent!
The people that start and run the wars are not suppose to be in any real danger of dying! If they feared for THEIR LIVES, well, well, it just wouldn't be as much fun...
Arafat? Ghaddafi? Sadam?
Too late for that. New sheriff owns the sky.
Stunning vid from Russians via Lebanese TV. 5 hours ago.
Link gets redirected. To something inane.
Use the Utubbie search function with this string
/watch?v=5wrvaxjixec
traduction?
Interesting that the fighter camera footage is flashing things in english. I call B.S.
Man, you'd have thought driving in those convoys would have become a thing of the past. I guess after watching US forces fly overhead time and time again doing nothing but bombing the desert, they thought they weren't targetable.
Classic mistake...
This is the correct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wrvaxjixec
BTW, the video is definitively not Russian, Russians don't use latin script and English language to display information to their drone operators.
Probably vids of Saudi drone operators bombing Yemeni weddings
The American taxpayer (well those that are left anyway) are tired of fundng endless "wars" that only enrich the MIC/bankers and their political puppets.
That which cannot be sustained, won't be. Let the oligarchs send their own children for a change.
Many former vets are now training their children for a completely different kind of war.
Nothing of great value comes without sacrifice..
same as it ever was, nothing new under the sun "folks".
The American taxpayer is preparing for the change. Gearing up capabilities, making as much hay as possible before the picture darkens. Taking worthless paper and using it to stockpile goods.
At the local shooting range, the talk is all about getting ready. Mindsets aren't changing, they have changed. Interesting times.
I have noticed 2 of the already large, independent "outdoor" stores have been jammed this fall. They are always busy in this part of the world, but now the parking lots are full all the time. Kinda like everybody suddenly wants to become a deer hunter, and the ranges at both places stay very busy.
so confused on regime change... http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/ kinda hoping Alaska Crimean War would have been simple if Saudi 911 pilots were the target but NOOOOOO third biggest war machine..
USSA USSA USSA USSA
"Sweet Caroline" "Sweet Caroline" "Sweet Caroline" "Sweet Caroline"
America is safer at home.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2BfqDUPL1I
Behind all these lies -- all the buildings destroyed by terrorists, all the lives lost in senseless wars, all the new taxes taken from your paycheck, and all the decline in America's greatness -- is The Biggest Government Lie of All Time.
When I read an article that describes the Syrian government as the "Regime" I know it is biased.
Exactly!
I was wondering why the article is rated so high.
Following main streams lead as to the languaged used to impress opinion upon the reader.
This is also sort of a casual, broad, not terribly accurate aside...
Hezbollah is just Iran...
Appreciate the geopolitical analysis Tylers, but be extra tight on editing and accuracy. You wouldn't want to be seen riding the short bus with Wolf Blitzer and the other McNews clowns.
"Syrian Government" is correct, "Assad Regime" is agit-prop.
how does,, the western global banker+MIC regime in washington sound?
Well, it sounds accurate to me. Good description, but don't hold your breath until you hear it in the American media.
Propaganda is what it is, not bias.
The US is upping the ante and the chance for a major war increases.
Obama initially confirmed on Friday that the White House will support new rounds of military assistance to militant groups fighting in northern Syria. In an interview with the CBS News program 60 Minutes on Sunday, Obama further acknowledged that the White House is abandoning restrictions that confined US military assistance, at least officially, to “moderate” militias.
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/10/12/syri-o12.html
Good luck, spending money without congressional approval?
That is in fact treason.
Take his fucking head!
Never trust a nigger with a printing press.
"spending money without congressional approval?"
WTF? The REPUBLICAN Congress fully approves of the MANY TRILLIONS spent on war....haven't you been paying attention...it's the $100B annual "ObamaCare" cost that is bankrupting us...
"spending money without congressional approval?"
con-gressional approval....
Hahahahahahahahahahahahhaahahahahahahah
Thanks,,, Made my day!
Absolutely.
The US is going to pull out the weenie card out and redouble efforts to arm and assist their proxy army.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is engaging in pure fantasy.
Gotta cheer for the good guys here -- the Russia and the Iran.
The good guys in action. watch this recent vid on youtube. You'll like it.
This is hilarious brave chatter. So far the record has been that Russia bombs the stuffing out of the moderate groups and ISIS gains territory.
Watch some action shots buddy. These aren't moderates. Al nusra left some areas and killed a bunch of civilians on the way out. And lit towns on fire
Yeah every other word uttered in videos I've seen is "allah akbar"
doesn't sound too moderate to me. That's just USSA / UK MSM spin 'cause Russia is fucking up their shit.
"allah akbar" translated to English means "Aloha Snackbar"..they're hungry; low blood sugar is driving them mad..dropping in a couple tons of Snickers bars would really help calm the situation.
Moderate Jihadists. How quaint.
Russia knows that only God can sort out the moderate Jihadists from the radical Jihadists. I sure can't.
moderate islamists want the radical islamists to kill you
Does anyone think the US/MIC were really dumb enough to think that they could capture Afghanistan and Iraq on each side of Iran? To then install puppet governments? To then squeeze Iran, who would then be isolated in the middle, like a pimple? To then also be able to use Iraq as a base to take over Syria so they could ensure the gas pipeline to Turkey was constructed the way the US wanted? Could they have been that dumb only to watch everything blow up in their faces?
yes
Psycopathic Bullies REALLY "believe in their abilities"... especially if "God is on their side" because they are "Exceptional"....
So that means McCain won't likely be going in for more photoshoots with ISIS?
It probably means a lot fewer Congressional Critters dressing up in boots ahd desert garb and running around places they don't belong in the ME. Their personal safety is paramount, and only a very smal handfull ever put on a military uniform and served.
According to ZH after just a week Pootin is just about to declare Mission Accomplished. I salute the New Mid East Overlords.
Seeing the way the "well-intentioned" AmeriKans & their partners fucked the place up since 2003, I imagine the people living there would as well.
Putin isn't that stupid.
If you have to publicly "declare it"; you probably ain't got it...
Good updates available on this site.
http://www.almasdarnews.com/
http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-sacrifices-hundreds-of-militant...
I am totally confounded here. Obama and Kerry claim that Iran means no harm when it chants death to America yet within weeks of agreeing sanctions relief and massively strenghthening Iran morally and materially, it vigorously engages in actions that run precisely counter to the Obama-Kerry narrative. I am a mere dwarf next to these intellectual giants and visionary thinkers.
I agree. We pale in comparison to such staggering genius.
Someone ought to tell Iran that since they made a deal with AmeriKa they no longer need to have any strategic interests or regional goals they feel the need to accomplish. Just disarm, give us the rights to their oil, walk out to the desert and shoot themselves in the heads twice. We got dis.
I understand your confusion. Was at Harvard yesterday. Most of these guys are of Ivy League indoctrination. Anyway, the parking ramp had the usual take-a-ticket machine at the entrance and a pay-here machine at the exit - fully automated. Being a simpleton I do not understand why they have a human attendant standing at each machine to help the drivers use both automated systems. Oddly, there was no attendant at the ATM.
Them boys sure is smart.
How long before ISIS retreats into Iraq and Iraq asks Russia and Iran for help?
At this rate, it'll likely be before Winter. ISIS is falling apart as they get bombed to hell 24 hours a day. They have no current way to counter the RuAF, so running to Iraq would be in their best interest, though some aparently have already fled to Turkey and Jordan.
They've long gone to Germany as "refugees"
Excuse me, but if I were part of ISIS, I would not run to Iraq. Russia, Iraq, and Iran are all collaborating.
Remember, it was a Russian General in BAGHDAD who announced to the American Embassy there that the bombing Syrian rebel forces would begin in 1 hour.
The reason they're running to Iraq (I believe), is because ISIS somehow thinks they'll have better success in Iraq, so for them, it is in their "best interests" to go there. The fact that they're going to get slaughtered, means that it is in our best interests that they go there and meet their fate.
Hopefully that's Phase II.
At which point the whole world will know that countless USD billions spent, countless lives lost, vast destruction of Iraq's infrastructure and untold damage to America's global reputation since Iraq was invaded have all achieved nothing, absolutely nothing.
War crimes arrest warrants for GW Bush & HRH Tony Blair are long overdue.
There a funny side to every thing: Obuma says that Putin's actions are ruining the Russian economy!
He should know something about ruining things, shouldn't he.
In his latest interview he responded about Russia
"If you call ruining your economy good leadership, well go ahead".
Pot, kettle....o wait, black.
BBC: "But the Russian strikes appear to have impacted heavily on rebels fighting both the government and IS."
Good. Having "Made in USA" stamped on their forehead doesn't make them good guys.
Russia sees them all as terrorists and all are up for being bombed.
This is where the west has sort of been clever (not enough but a little). The so-called moderates generally hold the ground between Assad and ISIS. Any logical offensive by Assad requires he attack the so-called moderates first. This allows the western media to call out the Russians for bombing the so-called moderates instead of ISIS. You will probably not see a map with territorial holdings by each side on the evening news because that would provide too much information for the average Gruberite to digest.
But everyone knows the moderates are Al Quaeda.
If the Russians wanted to employ the proper PR, they should stop calling them anything except Jihadists. Let America try to spin the good/bad Jihadists angle.
Dutch MSM this morning on an early morning show, one of our ministers (do not even know what department).
"Because of the Russian uncoordinated attacks, IS is gaining ground in Syria".
Yeah right, go back to sleep.
On BBC hardtalk some German cunt was saying that Germany is thinking supplying "Syrian moderate rebels" with arms.
Well, if your export collapses due to cheating VW's.........you have to export something else.
And the Dutch gouverment is in a yes/no/we don't know battle to send 4 (yes 4) F16's to bomb in Syria and we do not even have bombs, we have to "loan" them from partners.
The Dutch gouverment gladly pays you on tuesday for a bomb today.
We have many cunts, I mean only cunts in politics.
...and we inch that much closer to WW3. The wild card to all this mayhem are the Joos. Israeli defense minister has publically stated they will NOT allow Iran anywhere near the Golan border.
Israel finally found their oil on the Golan Heights. The fact it doesn't belong to them won't get in the way of the drilling.
We now have Syrian Government forces, along with their allies, more effectively protecting their country from ISIS and associated groups, funded with $ billions from US/EU taxpayers, Saudi Arabia and other GCC monarchies and provided safe havens in Jordan, Turkey and Israeli occupied Golan Heights, to attack Syria with relative impunity. According to the western narrative- anytime the US deems a sitting government an impediment to their geo-strategic aims, it is perfectly acceptable to overthrow said government and destroy the country (eg. Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, etc). It appears that Russia, China and junior partner Iran have said “enough”.
Iran may be a junior partner but.......
And you forgot N-Korea as one of the countries that really hate America.
Are US mini drones being used in South Syria? US Spec Ops?
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2015/10/there-are-us-special-forces-in-sout...
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.....
LOL....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxIZNscLHnc
Obama dude,
..... you told us the check was in the mail last week.
the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.....
You do realize that this "organization" is just ONE anti-Assad clown working out of his flat in surburban London, right??
OK... Obama administration have officialy gone insane. Delivered 50 tons of ammos to the "moderate rebels" (CNN) today. Feeding unicorns. Even on MSM nobody buys their bs anymore. What the fuck are they doing? Who bieleves them? A mix of neocon fairy tales and shady muslim brotherhood...
And don't forget:
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/09/24/us-armys-combat-patch-for-...
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK... Obama administration have officialy gone insane. Delivered 50 tons of ammos to the "moderate rebels" (CNN) today. Feeding unicorns.
It's not just the Obama administration that is providing weapons to ISIS/ISIL - you have John "The Traitor" McCain and his butt buddy Lindsay Graham wanting to provide Stinger anti-aircraft missles and TOW II anti-tank weapons to "the opposition" . . . . when everyone knows those weapons would end up in the hands of ISIS/ISIL within minutes of their being dropped. Oh, I forgot . . . there's no difference between the "opposition" and ISIS/ISIL to begin with.
"As we went on to explain, the Russians are providing air cover for what amounts to an Iranian ground invasion in support of the Assad regime."
For the last time, it's not an invasion.
They have been formally invited by the elected leader to fight foreign-funded terrorism.
What part of "perfectly legal" don't you understand?
If I were strategizing, I'd bring in gas at this point now that everybody has been chased in to bunkers, gotta figure everybody is playing to win cuz they are.
Good thing you aren't paid to "strategize".
The last thing they want to do is get caught on the wrong side of the Geneva Convention. The Western propaganda machine would eat them alive, and this would provide the excuse for all kinds of retaliation. Russia has the high road, and they need to keep it.
Forced conscription in U.S. in 3.....2.....