Syria

Yes .. except they can’t go that way because of the War on Ukraine. First, I believe Turkey does not allow warships to transit during time of war. Second, there’s nowhere for them to go. All of the Russian naval facilities in the Black Sea are in range of Ukrainian weapons. The Russian ships would have to go all the way to Murmansk, St. Petersburg, or Archangel (at least two of those ports might already be frozen in, too) with no NATO countries letting them stop along the way … or all the way around Africa and Asia to Vladivostok, relying on the tinpot dictators to supply them along the way.

This is a big deal.

 

An even greater Hell than before. Maybe they can forge some kind of rump state around the Alawite areas and the Russian naval base? Also, if I'm Israel, I'm not happy. A weak Assad is good. Psychopathic Jihadists is NOT a good thing, especially when their strings are pulled from Ankara not Riyadh.

 

We're not doing shit here other than protecting the Kurds. We're not involved in any of this. Blame Erdogan if you want to point the finger at someone.

 

Actually, this is being done for the opposite reason. Erdogan wants to get them OUT of Turkey and needs there to be places in Syria where they can go.

 

So do Iran, China, Russia and, in this case, Turkey. Welcome to the world.

 

Where are the resident Russia-lover apologists to explain why their big, bad leader is abandoning one of his best friends, and potentially a crucial navy base? I can only imagine their nonsensical rationales.

 

They're headed to Damascus, not taking a right and going for that base. This is also the Alawite region (where Assad is from and where a core of his army is from), so I could see that piece hanging on. If the Jihadis DO take it, expect mass slaughter, rape, etc. of the Alawites by the usual scum.

Homs is where the action is now. Major hub and crossroads. If they get this (it's going down this weekend) it's all but over for Assad. Which, whatever you think of Assad, is NOT a good thing for anyone outside of Turkey and Jihadist sympathizers.

 

Jesus! That's crazy.

Again, where are our resident Putin apologists? Explain this one away boys. Just walking away?

 

Let's be honest here, they are.

 

Apparently Russia is fleeing Syria the way we fled Afghanistan ? Why can’t Russia use our excuse that you can’t win for a people that won’t fight for themselves ?

 

Best article I’ve seen on the consequences for Russia of losing Tartus.

If Putin loses his Tartus base, he may need a ceasefire in Ukraine

 

Turkey is in NATO

 

It looks like everyone has just bailed on that part of the country. Kurds, I guess, will just try to hold their own in the NE part.

 

I guess when the gig is up, the gig is up. This is kind of stunning though. Maybe they'll try to work a deal with the new government (and Turkey) to keep the naval base. IDK, I'm shocked (and not) at how quickly this is going down.