Is Putin really acting out of fear? Did you know Russia has a problem with "unrecruiting" ISIS followers?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 22:11:07 -0400

I see all these posts debating POTUS' lack of strength and leadership. What is really going on here? Here is my stab at it. A large number of ISIS recruits are from Russia, he'd rather fight them in Syria than have them bring the ideology into Russia and have to fight it there. He's afraid of Western influence in the region, the U.S. has an ever increasing presence in the area. Russia hit U.S. backed rebels in an airstrike, (I thought they were there because of ISIS) sarcasm. Look at a map and see where Syria is in relation to Ukraine/Russia. It is strategically important to Russia to keep the U.S. out of Syria. Assad's regime is an Authoritarian regime. Russia doesn't want to see any Authoritarian regime fail. This isn't about Russian expansion but rather it is about keeping forces out of and away from Russia that they fear. Syria is one of the last countries aligned with Russia and they're afraid of losing this alliance. Iran has been gaining influence with Syria exceeding the influence Russia has there. This is a move to reestablish themselves there to prevent the loss of it's last remaining base in the Middle East.
Just thinking out loud here....

This link is regarding Russia's struggle with ISIS recruiting from Russia.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/03/in-russia-the-struggle-to-un-recruit-isis-followers.html

In Russia, the Struggle to Un-Recruit ISIS Followers

In Dagestan, in the Caucasus, it’s an uphill battle trying to save young jihadis from themselves.

Response by SSG Michael Hartsfield made Oct 2 at 2015 10:46 PM

SSG Michael Hartsfield — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 22:46:49 -0400

HELL NO!!
Putin is an opportunist. IMHO, he's seeing this three ways, he can "help" Al Assad defeat ISIL (and the rebels), he can cement his influence in the Middle East and, as per standard, he'll use it all to flip off the U.S.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Oct 2 at 2015 11:27 PM

SN Greg Wright — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 23:27:15 -0400

CPT Private RallyPoint Member Fun fact: both quantifiable, identifiable times that we came within mere moments of nuclear exchange with Russia, it was stopped....both times, by Russians -- once when a boomer XO refused to launch when ordered to, and once when an air defense commander refused to launch when they had a computer glitch that told them we'd launched preemptively. My point? Russians aren't stupid (of course individuals might be). They aren't, generally, maniacal or crazy or out to take over the world. They have good reasons, generally, for the things they do -- even if it's good for them, and not so much for others. Just like --get this-- us.

So yeah, I imagine Putin has reasons for what he's doing, and they're good ones from the Russian standpoint. And while he's not above the occasional media jab at us, I sincerely doubt he's acting in Syria just to piss us off.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 3 at 2015 1:01 AM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 01:01:05 -0400

Plain and simple... Putin does what he does because he knows he will be unopposed by America as the personal greed of our Government does not allow, nor does it include, a conflict with Russia... To do this, our Government would have to sacrifice personal gain in the "name" of America, which it just isn't ready to do just yet, and Russia knows this very well... We have military willing to put our lives on the line for America and we have the backing of the American citizens willing to support the military, unfortunately, we don't always have the backing of our Government for... "various" reasons... This is just MY thought and opinion and does not represent anything or anyone other than that.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 2:42 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 02:42:44 -0400

A large number of Daesh recruits come out of Russia? Exactly how many of the 30,000 recruits who have joined Daesh in the last 12-24 months would you consider Russian. Stating that "a large number" come from Russia is a false representation of reality.

Response by SFC Stephen King made Oct 3 at 2015 6:34 AM

SFC Stephen King — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 06:34:22 -0400

Clearly, based on this article Putin is acting to quell ISIS. However, in the light of recent events 8ncluding disrespect of our CAC the reckless targeting of children and those against Assad I feel that the Russians are now showing their power to soldified relationships for personal gain and not stop their growing ISIS population.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 1:11 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 13:11:14 -0400

I think Obama is afraid because once Putin decides to do anything Obama will draw another line in the tundra? lol

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2015 1:31 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 13:31:28 -0400

I don't know where you got your stat about the number of Rooskies in ISIS, but DO NOT be fooled about Putin's primary intent. His dual purpose is to, as Dr. Charles Krauthammer so eloquently states, further humiliate and 'moon his ass' at Obama, and to support Assad, which, he hopes, will gain him a solid military and economic foothold in the Middle East. Anything else mentioned by the Media or by the White House is pure poppycock. Putin's invasion of the Crimea came after what? All Talk, No Balls Obama had drawn his infamous red line in the sand in Syria, and then we all watched as it was crossed and crossed and crossed. The most insignificant dictator in the world, at that time, could've bitch-slapped our pathetic excuse for a POTUS, and that coward would have drawn another red line on the White House carpet!!!

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Oct 4 at 2015 11:21 AM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 11:21:15 -0400

I don't think he is acting out of fear. I think he wants to bring back the Rodina - return to the Soviet era. He is, after all, from that regime. Further, when POTUS said he's acting out of fear, that is the same rhetoric that is used every time a terrorist attacks. It is meant to demean the enemy, even if it isn't true.

Response by PV2 Scott Goodpasture made Oct 4 at 2015 2:00 PM

PV2 Scott Goodpasture — Sun, 04 Oct 2015 14:00:50 -0400

The baton was officially transferred Monday to the world’s new sole superpower — and Vladimir Putin willingly picked it up.
President Obama (remember him?) embraced the ideals espoused by the United Nations’ founders 70 years ago: Diplomacy and “international order” will win over time, while might and force will lose.
Putin, too, appealed to UN laws (as he sees them), but he also used his speech to announce the formation of a “broad international coalition” to fight ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
“Similar to the anti-Hitler coalition, it could unite a broad range of forces” to fight “those who, just like the Nazis, sow evil and hatred of humankind,” he said.
And who’d lead this new coalition? Hint: Moscow has always celebrated the Allies’ World War II victory as a Russian-led fete.
Oh, and if anyone wondered which Syrian players the coalition would rely on as allies, Putin made it clear: “No one but President [Bashar al-]Assad’s armed forces and Kurd militia are fighting the Islamic State.”
That, of course, isn’t Obama’s view. America’s president said he opposed the “logic of supporting tyrants.” After all, Assad “drops barrel bombs on innocent children.”
But Putin has troops in Syria, is arming Assad to the teeth and signed a pact of anti-ISIS intelligence-sharing with Assad, Iran and the leaders of Iraq (the ones America fought to put in power).
And after meeting Obama for the first time in two years Monday, he spoke vaguely about future “joint air attacks on ISIS.” But no agreement on Assad was reached in the 90-minute meeting.
Meantime, if Obama has any realistic Syria plan of his own — beyond having Assad magically “transitioned” out of the country and simultaneously fighting ISIS — he failed to present it during his UN speech. Or any other time.
Instead, he scolded an “isolated” Putin for using force to annex Crimea and other parts of Ukraine. “Imagine if, instead, Russia had engaged in true diplomacy,” said Obama. “That would be better for Ukraine, but also better for Russia, and better for the world.”