Islamists attack Grozny, Chechnya

[LimaOscarSierraTango]

Rebel gunmen have shot their way into the heavily fortified Chechen capital, Grozny, in a night-time attack which left as many as 16 people dead.

SOURCE

And an additional video to boot:

I would really like to see the Islamist groups poke Putin enough to where he rampages through them. I am also itching to see the U.S. and Russia come together and wipe out these extremist groups. Unfortunately, I am not so sure there would be enough trust between the two countries to even begin partnered operations of that magnitude. Not only that, there are too many sleeper cells and different groups out in the world, it would be impossible to wipe them out.

 

[DA SWO]

SOURCE

And an additional video to boot:

I would really like to see the Islamist groups poke Putin enough to where he rampages through them. I am also itching to see the U.S. and Russia come together and wipe out these extremist groups. Unfortunately, I am not so sure there would be enough trust between the two countries to even begin partnered operations of that magnitude. Not only that, there are too many sleeper cells and different groups out in the world, it would be impossible to wipe them out.

Same here, might force him to leave the Ukraine alone for awhile.
We could feed him data, and left his troops kick ass.

 

[Gunz]

I am also itching to see the U.S. and Russia come together and wipe out these extremist groups.

That would be great. But the first thing you'd need is an administration with balls.

 

[Brill]

I am also itching to see the U.S. and Russia come together and wipe out these extremist groups.

We should arm and train WHOMEVER fights against the Russians.

 

[racing_kitty]

We should arm and train WHOMEVER fights against the Russians.

I want to agree, but I can't when it comes down to arming and training Islamist rebels to go against Putin & Co. I know the old saying about the enemy of the enemy is my friend, but I don't see any friends at all in that situation. However, if I had to choose, I'd brush up on my extremely rusty Ah-Beh-Veh and cheer on the Russians on that one. My disdain for the Islamic faith is well and truly that great.

 

[LimaOscarSierraTango]

We should arm and train WHOMEVER fights against the Russians.

I agree in virtually every other instance. My exception would be Islamic extremists.

 

[racing_kitty]

I agree in virtually every other instance. My exception would be Islamic extremists.

One would hope that we'd have learned our lesson trying to get the Soviets out of Afghanistan all those years ago. Cue the platitudes about repeating history if we haven't.

 

[Gunz]

I never cared much for Russians, but they can smoke all the jihadist bastards they want. Putin may be a sinister KGB fuck but I find myself wishing our leadership had a tenth of his testosterone.

 

[CDG]

We should arm and train WHOMEVER fights against the Russians.

Like we did in the 80s?

 

[Gunz]

Like we did in the 80s?

...and the 50's, 60's and 70's.

At least we bared our teeth. It may not have done much good, but Russian/Soviet leadership during those decades had to factor the possibility of serious opposition into their moves, which gave them pause and cost them money. Putin does what he does, I'm convinced, because he has absolute contempt for weak Western leadership and wipes his formerly Commie ass with empty threats and sanctions.

Jimmy Carter was in the White House when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. If a Reagan or a Thatcher were in office now Putin might not be so bold. And it would probably take strong Western leadership anyway to ever realize something like a US/Russian partnered operation against Islamic extremists.

 

[pardus]

One would hope that we'd have learned our lesson trying to get the Soviets out of Afghanistan all those years ago. Cue the platitudes about repeating history if we haven't.

We have been arming Syrian jihadists up until very recently. We've learned no lessons.

 

[Mac_NZ]

Brothers and Sisters have died because of the fallout from arming any Tom, Dick and Harry who would oppose the Soviets. Having the Soviet threat to focus on may have been great back in the day but we need to nut up and start admitting that an entire religion wants to breed us out, kill us or convert our kids. I'm a bit more worried about that than Russia strengthening its power base.

 

[DA SWO]

Brothers and Sisters have died because of the fallout from arming any Tom, Dick and Harry who would oppose the Soviets. Having the Soviet threat to focus on may have been great back in the day but we need to nut up and start admitting that an entire religion wants to breed us out, kill us or convert our kids. I'm a bit more worried about that than Russia strengthening its power base.

Arming the Afghans was also payback for Korea and Vietnam.
I think the situation would be different had we not gone to Iraq so fast, or called additional Guard/Reserve units up to cover Afghanistan while we dithered in Iraq.

 

[Gunz]

We have been arming Syrian jihadists up until very recently. We've learned no lessons.

No indeed. And it usually comes back to hit us in the ass. We armed the Shah of Iran. We armed the Mujahideen. We armed Saddam. It's not going to stop. It's a time-honored--if flawed--way of getting people to kill our enemy du jour, of buying allies and influence. I suspect in the great scheme of the darkest halls of political intrigue it's a given integer that some of our guys are going to become casualties of our own weapons at some time in the future. :wall: Nice to know that when you're rucking up and about to risk your ass.

 

[Robal2pl]

And there is one thing. What Russia is "better" option for USA/NATO/Europe? Failed state or regime of former KGB colonel and his clique, heavy handed but somewhat predictable?

Both aren't good options, but Putin is "lesser evil" I think. In 90's Russia was almost like Somalia. Unpaid police and military, mafia wars, even a little civil war in 1993. And all those films about stolen nukes...