TLDR20
Verified SOF
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- Jan 7, 2009
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Im getting so old my memory sucks...remind me when Gen Mattis and President Trump took over!?!?!!???!?!
Half way through that..
Iraq and ISIS Discussion
- Thread starter Kraut783
- Start date
Half way through that..
I agree and I don't. Entities like ISIS...we can kill men but we can't kill ideas. We are going to have a global commitment for perhaps ever fighting these guys and the next generation+ of terrorists. With that said, some fights we should stay out off, especially anything devolving into a pure Sunni-Shiite war with minimal impact to the West.
Our problem though is the state of our military. We have battle-tested ground forces, perhaps the best in the world, but our heavy armor's readiness is on the low end. Our aviation assets are hosed, be it spares, flight time, or manning; the AF alone is down by 2000 pilots/ aircrew. Dig up the readiness numbers for Marine and Naval aviation...they are horrible. The recent 3 carrier surge off Korea had to pull in a/c from training squadrons to fully staff the fighting squadrons. The Army's stuck in uniform and small arms procurement hell. The F-35 and Ford-class carrier programs are among the most mismanaged and wasteful in history. In short, we are both bad and badass. We need to address these issues if we're to remain a true global powerhouse militarily.
We also lack a long term foreign policy across multiple administrations. If we can't fix this then our military's problems won't matter in the long run.
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ISIS: Haters will hate, but Obama put the right pieces into play, they just weren't properly utilized. I've watched this from the air perspective and how amazingly well we've done despite blatant Russian interference and Iraqi incompetence. Our artillery, especially HIMARS, have done ridiculous things you rarely hear about in the press. We've dropped bodies like cholera, almost reminiscent of Afghanistan 2001, and reduced ISIS from a pseudo-state to a soon to be underground terrorist organization. We and the locals need to keep our foots on their throats or we can repeat this in a few years.
Im getting so old my memory sucks...remind me when Gen Mattis and President Trump took over!?!?!!???!?!
I didn't want to make that political interpretation...as tempting as it may be. As @AWP says, the pieces were in place. But it wouldn't surprise me if those pieces were shuffled into a more lethal efficiency by The Warrior Monk.
While not entirely confirmed, a Russian media outlet says that 7 Russian planes were destroyed in Syria via indirect fire.
Report Says Multiple Aircraft At Russia's Air Base In Syria Destroyed In Attack
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/at-le...-at-syrian-air-base-kommersant-20180103-01061
Putin's said Russia will begin pulling out now that ISIS is defeated, but I don't see that happening after this attack. Pride won't allow him to cut and run just yet,
Report Says Multiple Aircraft At Russia's Air Base In Syria Destroyed In Attack
http://www.nasdaq.com/article/at-le...-at-syrian-air-base-kommersant-20180103-01061
Putin's said Russia will begin pulling out now that ISIS is defeated, but I don't see that happening after this attack. Pride won't allow him to cut and run just yet,
More low level attacks from the Bashi Bazouks was anticipated & it won’t be the last.
Canada's reevaluation of our mission. Sadly with the current government, I doubt they'll authorize our guy's to go on the offensive.
What Canada's Iraqi military mission makeover could look like
What Canada's Iraqi military mission makeover could look like
Florida173
SOF Support
You say that, but don't forget that he was elected on the idea of reducing their footprint.. I remember our LNO saying that he doesn't know if he'll be here in the morning... Then he ended up increasing the footprint.
It'll be interesting to see what happens
Not sure Russia was pulling out of that airfield, as they have a lease of it (perpetuity?)
Russian Generals screwed the pooch on this one. No revetments, aircraft parked wing tip to wing tip (a-la Pearl Harbor circa 1941).
One lucky shot could have done all the damage.
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Yeah, pretty sloppy defensive set up.
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The other day airstrikes and artillery blasticated a convoy heading for our guys. 100 dead, some believed to be Russian contractors, an all around good day, but the Russians denied they were involved until today.
Russia admits heavy casualties in Syria
I wonder how many of those guys were "sheep dipped" Spetsnaz...
Russia admits heavy casualties in Syria
I wonder how many of those guys were "sheep dipped" Spetsnaz...
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
Deir Ez Zour being the last stronghold of ISIS in Syria, why are we bombing Russians?
My understanding was that the Euphrates River was being used as a “line in the sand.” The opposition forces (Russian mercenaries) started their movement/attack on an oil field probably not knowing that American units were there and they were dealt with. I also read that US personnel have a direct line to the Russians for deconflicting the battle-space but Russian denied its forces were involved.
Bold move Russia, that’s a dangerous situation. Hoping our Canadian friends are ready to help..
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That is an ABSOLUTE fact. There's no debating that at all.
This isn't the first time our guys were challenged, not even close to the first time. This is one of the few times where they didn't pull back and took a bloody nose for their efforts. Those men were sacrificed by their leadership; no more, no less.
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
From the moment this thing started with funding of rebel groups our country's policy has been shit. We didn't need to be in Syria, then add all of the redlines and the pussy footing around. We've been at War in a place that doesn't have pizza or bikinis on the beach for a very long time. It wasn't our fight, staying there does nothing for us except continue to waste blood and treasure.
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