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Russia gave up on Syria because they knew ISIS can't be beaten.

Last week Russia suddenly pulled forces out of Syria knowing that ISIS was winning, can't be beaten and scared of a backlash and trouble from the Daesh.

ISIS have been gaining vast amounts of territory daily and scaring other countries with terror if they get involved. Now Russia has left large parts of Syria will fall back to ISIS control. The Syrian regime is on verge of collapse and Damascus is on the verge of falling. :frown:

Is there any way the world can defeat ISIS if a superpower like Russia has given up the fight?

Is ISIS about the get its dreamed global caliphate?

We hope not.
ISIS is in retreat though?It has lost much territory in Iraq and Syria.

Putin intervened only to stabilise and shore up the Assad regime to ensure a Russian ally in the middle east with access to the Med. Now that he has achieved those aims, he has no reason to be there.
russia werent going affter IS , they bombed the syrian nat alliance and a few other groups that directly threaten assad - specifically at his request. IS have no influence on the syrian civil war and have no real interest in facing assad, they stick to attacking villagers and plotting terroist attacks, occassionally clashing with yazidis and kurds
Either bomb the **** out of the entire area, or stop any people or weapons from going in or out.
Reply 4
Original post by Ambitious1999
Last week Russia suddenly pulled forces out of Syria knowing that ISIS was winning, can't be beaten and scared of a backlash and trouble from the Daesh.

ISIS have been gaining vast amounts of territory daily and scaring other countries with terror if they get involved. Now Russia has left large parts of Syria will fall back to ISIS control. The Syrian regime is on verge of collapse and Damascus is on the verge of falling. :frown:

Is there any way the world can defeat ISIS if a superpower like Russia has given up the fight?

Is ISIS about the get its dreamed global caliphate?

We hope not.


Russia only really intervened to strengthen its own position. It expanded the Naval base, it got an air base and it kept a Russia friendly government in power. Like the USA and Europe, they never committed the ground forces required to actually purge ISIS.

The truth is that people are trying to avoid the truth.. to defeat ISIS we need the occupation of Syria by a lot of ground forces and that's not something that anybody is prepared to get bogged down with.
Original post by Ambitious1999

ISIS have been gaining vast amounts of territory daily and scaring other countries with terror if they get involved. Now Russia has left large parts of Syria will fall back to ISIS control. The Syrian regime is on verge of collapse and Damascus is on the verge of falling. :frown:


Pretty much everything you said there is wrong, completely worthless.

ISIS has been losing territory since last year, it is 40% smaller now than it was at its peak. Thousands of its most experienced soldiers have been killed, and have had to be replaced by unmotivated conscripts.

Far from being close to falling, the Syrian regime is in a better position than it has been at any time since 2012 having cut off the Turkish supply route to the rebels. And maybe you didn't notice, there's a ceasefire at the moment anyway.

Why do you even bother commenting if you don't even have the most basic clue about the Syrian conflict?
Original post by BeastOfSyracuse
Pretty much everything you said there is wrong, completely worthless.

ISIS has been losing territory since last year, it is 40% smaller now than it was at its peak. Thousands of its most experienced soldiers have been killed, and have had to be replaced by unmotivated conscripts.

Far from being close to falling, the Syrian regime is in a better position than it has been at any time since 2012 having cut off the Turkish supply route to the rebels. And maybe you didn't notice, there's a ceasefire at the moment anyway.

Why do you even bother commenting if you don't even have the most basic clue about the Syrian conflict?


1) Russia pulled out of Syria (Fact)
2) Without Russian support ISIS will take back territory and capture new territory from the regime forces, and America or Britain isn't going to defend Assads territory. Neither will Turkey defend Kurdish territory.
3) Western airstrikes are very few compared to Russian airstrikes.
4) Specualtion that Saudia Arabia and Turkey will send in ground troops is likeky to attack Assads forces and Kurdish forces rather than ISIS.

All 3 mean ISIS might win :frown:
Reply 7
Original post by Ambitious1999
Last week Russia suddenly pulled forces out of Syria knowing that ISIS was winning, can't be beaten and scared of a backlash and trouble from the Daesh.

ISIS have been gaining vast amounts of territory daily and scaring other countries with terror if they get involved. Now Russia has left large parts of Syria will fall back to ISIS control. The Syrian regime is on verge of collapse and Damascus is on the verge of falling. :frown:

Is there any way the world can defeat ISIS if a superpower like Russia has given up the fight?

Is ISIS about the get its dreamed global caliphate?

We hope not.


Frankly, I think it was the right thing for Russia to do.
No offence or disrespect, but in my opinion, Russia should not have been involved in Syria in the first place. It was not really right. At least definitely not in this capacity / manner. Except maybe in a peace keeping role / force, providing medical or food aid or diplomatic efforts .. etc. That would be fine.
And indeed, the same probably goes for other countries too.
Just my own opinion anyway.
Reply 8
Lol at Russia being scared of ISIS. Russia pulled out of ISIS because they were bombing FSA rebel groups and using ISIS as a buffer to keep the Assad government in power as the least worst option. In other news, Russia left because the FSA is weaker, ISIS is weaker, and Assad is stronger.
ISIS is not gaining vast amounts of territory. They haven't had any major victories since capturing Ramadi and Palmyra last May. Since then, the most they've captured is a few little towns and villages in Syria.

It is absolutely clear that air strikes can defeat ISIS if done in conjunction with a capable ground force. Russia has mostly focused on non ISIS rebels, but they have been involved in some anti-ISIS efforts, with ISIS losing ground east of Aleppo and an ongoing government push towards Palmyra. Russia hasn't withdrawn its forces completely, and air strikes on ISIS seem to be continuing. US air strikes have helped the YPG drive ISIS out of much of the border region with Turkey over the past year or so.

In Iraq, they've lost Tikrit, the parts of Baiji they held and Ramadi to Iraqi government forces. Kurdish forces have driven them out of large parts of the north, like Sinjar and around Mosul.

And the Syrian government is stronger than it's been in a while. Damascus is in no danger of falling.
Original post by Ambitious1999
1) Russia pulled out of Syria (Fact)
2) Without Russian support ISIS will take back territory and capture new territory from the regime forces, and America or Britain isn't going to defend Assads territory. Neither will Turkey defend Kurdish territory.
3) Western airstrikes are very few compared to Russian airstrikes.
4) Specualtion that Saudia Arabia and Turkey will send in ground troops is likeky to attack Assads forces and Kurdish forces rather than ISIS.

All 3 mean ISIS might win :frown:


1. Its pulled most of its air assets out, but it can ut them back just as quickly.
2. Russia spent most of its time attacking the western backed opposition and not ISIS. ISIS are shrinking.
3. This is rubbish Western airstrikes and assets out number what Russia probided, although they are limited in what they can attack becayse of restrictive rules of engagement, which the russiands didnt bother with.
4. Speculation is not a way to back up your argument.

So thats your 2nd post which is absolute rubbish. I cna back up my points and will do so if needed, but you have to back up yours.
Original post by whorace
Lol at Russia being scared of ISIS. Russia pulled out of ISIS because they were bombing FSA rebel groups and using ISIS as a buffer to keep the Assad government in power as the least worst option. In other news, Russia left because the FSA is weaker, ISIS is weaker, and Assad is stronger.


It was agreed with Assad beforehand and he thanked them for their support and has done enough to prevent assad's regime from collapsing.
They've also been accused of attacking moderate opposition groups in the name of fighting ISIS
Russia has achieved what it aimed to do.

a) It has strengthened Assad's buffer zone around Damascus;
b) Russia is actually seen in the foreign policy world as a 'peacemaker', and for bringing a much needed reduction in destruction;
c) The opposition has been forced to the negotiating table; they may not want to accept it but Russia does have a part to play in this;
d) It has upstaged the West and many now view it as a major global power.

Russia's involvement in Syria was never about defeating ISIS. If this was a consequence of their actions, then so be it but it was not their principle aim.
Original post by Aceadria
Russia has achieved what it aimed to do.

a) It has strengthened Assad's buffer zone around Damascus;
b) Russia is actually seen in the foreign policy world as a 'peacemaker', and for bringing a much needed reduction in destruction;
c) The opposition has been forced to the negotiating table; they may not want to accept it but Russia does have a part to play in this;
d) It has upstaged the West and many now view it as a major global power.

Russia's involvement in Syria was never about defeating ISIS. If this was a consequence of their actions, then so be it but it was not their principle aim.


But putin has also made it clear Russian forces could make a come back in Syria if necessary and continue with air strikes against ISIS and ANF and other terrorist organisations within Syria
Its debatable as to whether defeating ISIS was Russia's main goal in Syria. Probably not, so it seems unlikely that they're the main reason for their withdrawal.
Original post by Ambitious1999
Last week Russia suddenly pulled forces out of Syria knowing that ISIS was winning, can't be beaten and scared of a backlash and trouble from the Daesh.

ISIS have been gaining vast amounts of territory daily and scaring other countries with terror if they get involved. Now Russia has left large parts of Syria will fall back to ISIS control. The Syrian regime is on verge of collapse and Damascus is on the verge of falling. :frown:

Is there any way the world can defeat ISIS if a superpower like Russia has given up the fight?

Is ISIS about the get its dreamed global caliphate?

We hope not.


Russia withdrew from syria, because it achieved its objectives.
1. It stabilised and gave the Assad regime the upper hand in th civil war.
2. It got publicity it was a player on the international scene.
3. It made Assad aware that he needs them.
4. they withdrew becayse its public opinion are worried about the expense and they dont wnat to get bigged down like in Afghanistan.
5. the vast majority of attacks on ISIS have been by the west.

All your points are wrong.
1. They didnt give up see above.
2. Assad is much stronger now.
3. ISIS are losing territory.
Original post by queen-bee
But putin has also made it clear Russian forces could make a come back in Syria if necessary and continue with air strikes against ISIS and ANF and other terrorist organisations within Syria

And?
Original post by Aceadria
And?


They haven't left completely :wink:

It’ll be important for them to maintain a presence in the region and their negotiating positions with Syria.

They'll certainly continue to maintain an air presence
(edited 8 years ago)
I should like to intervene in this discussion, as a British-Syrian woman, I follow the developments in Syria very closely, as I am sure everyone here can imagine.

Russia has only partially pulled out, we are only talking about a handful of its forces, its naval base and air base not only remain in-tact but have been expanded. Russia military advisers remain in place and Russia military observers will remain on the ground to 'monitor' the partial ceasefire that has been in place for less than a month.

Russia focused on hitting anti-ISIS rebels and civil Syrian opposition movements, according to the Pentagon, 80% of the air strikes were against the Syrian opposition and not ISIS. Some of the rebel networks hit by the Russians were keen American allies and people who the Americans believed they could work with- but Russia has significantly weakened them- not defeated them.

Its not secret that Russia has saved the Assad regime from collapse in the immediate term, but even they realize that his regime can never take back the whole country, they only realized the dismal state the Syrian regime was in once they intervened. They were even more alarmed to hear Assad saying he will take back the whole country, I think the partial withdraw is a signal to Assad that Moscow does not share this ambition because they don't think he's capable of it. There are also economic reasons for this pullout too, Russia's dismal economy would be even worse hit, if they get bogged down in Syria.

The real aim for the Russians was the European Union. Prior to the partial ceasefire, Russian airstrikes against civilian targets in places like Aleppo (which included hospitals, schools, markets, energy plants etc) greatly increased the numbers of refugees, many of whom would make their way to Europe, placing greater burden on European member states already dealing with a deadly cocktail of mass refugee crisis, terrorism and the rise of xenophobic reactionary politics. Different European States are blaming each other and are unable to form a unified block against the Russians, which greatly increases Russia's political power.


On ISIS, the so-called 'retreat' of ISIS has been overstated, and there is a clear separation between Iraq and Syria in terms of how the 'fight' is going. ISIS has lost more in Iraq than in Syria. But on Iraq, we have to bare in mind a few things here, the figure of how much territory ISIS has lost is likely to be inaccurate. The Iraqi government is dishonest about its progress against ISIS, if often announces victories that have never happened, and it often expands its definition of who is ISIS against Sunnis who oppose the central Iraqi government. That said, it did have considerable success in Ramadi, but only when it allowed local Sunni forces to lead the fight and forbade Shi'i militia from the front line. This wasn't only a condition for Sunni support it was also an American condition who refuse to launch air strikes against ISIS areas, if Shi'i militias are involved in fighting.


The Syrian front has seen even less success, the Kurdish PYD faction, has had some success in pushing out ISIS forces in Kurdish majority areas, but a pinch of salt is needed here, as people keep overstating the PYD's fighting prowess. By enlarge, the Americans do most of the heavy lifting, they launch strikes against ISIS targets, ISIS stages a tactical withdrawal from the area to avoid being picked off by the Americans, and after their main forces have pulled back, the PYD enters the area and claims victory. But without the Americans this would not have been possible.


On Assad regime, he cannot win in Syria, he simply doesn't have the forces to regain control of the country. Aleppo's route to Turkey was not cut off by the Syrian army but by foreign Shi'i militia and Hezbollah. In truth, Assad's forces are depleted, they are anywhere between a third to a fifth of their 2011 strengthen in terms of their manpower. Much of that army the regime doesn't trust in any case, often the planning is done by Iranian generals and they issue orders to whoever they decide.

This is the situation as it stands.
Original post by queen-bee
They haven't left completely :wink:

It’ll be important for them to maintain a presence in the region and their negotiating positions with Syria.

They'll certainly continue to maintain an air presence


I never said they had but they have achieved their principle aims.

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