Iranian troops now helping Russia in Syria

[Preacher]

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials say

Awesome! This is good news.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

And yet, Republicans told Iran they would let them have nukes.

 

[waltky]

I think the prophesy refered to here is Ezekiel 38 & 39...

Russia's New Alliance: Biblical Prophecy Coming to Life?
Friday, October 02, 2015 - Many Christians believe Russia plays a major role in biblical prophecy about the end times.

CBN News spoke by phone with best-selling author Joel Rosenberg about Russia's big move into the Middle East and what it might mean for Israel. Rosenberg refers to the book of Ezekiel and prophecies that involve an alliance of Russia, Syria, and Iran all alligned against Israel.

He told CBN News that for the first time in 2,500 years that scenario is a reality. He is quick, however, to downplay whether biblical prophecy is in fact being fulfilled with these recent developments. He also blamed the Obama administration for leaving a huge vacuum in the Middle East, which has allowed Russia to move in.

Russia's New Alliance: Biblical Prophecy Coming to Life? - Inside Israel - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

See also:

ISIS's First Step: Conquer Rome, Defeat Christianity
Thursday, October 01, 2015 -- The Islamic State has a plan to conquer Rome. Yes, it might sound crazy, but ISIS believes the conquest of Rome is central to its mission.

They believe it is necessary to fulfill what Islam teaches was the prophecy of Muhammed and to prepare the return of the Muslim messiah: the Mahdi. "ISIS thinks that Rome is one of its primary goals and is in its timetable," Robert Spencer, author of The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS, said. "It has a timetable where in the 10 years, by the year 2025, it hopes to bring about Armageddon, the final struggle between good and evil or between the Muslims and the non-Muslims," he explained. "And that one of the chief stepping stones to that Armageddon battle is the conquest of Rome, which they think they're going to be able to do with the next five years, by 2020."

Two Cities, One Mission

Muslim scholars say Muhammed prophesied that the two great Roman cities would be conquered: Constantinople and Rome. Constantinople is now Istanbul, a Muslim city. Rome remains to be conquered. "Once Rome is conquered, in this view, within the next five years, then Israel will follow shortly after. They also believe that during this time period they're also going to conquer Saudi Arabia and Iran," Spencer said.

ISIS has Rome in their crosshairs, but how real is the threat? One author unravels the terrorists' strategy to start an "Islamic Armaggedon."

Now, before you laugh, consider that phase one of the Islamic State's plan to take Rome may already be underway: flooding Europe with ISIS fighters under the cover of the current refugee crisis. "They're not talking about doing it by conventional armies; they're talking about doing (it) by overwhelming these lands with sympathizers from within, and in influx of people from outside," Spencer said. "And that's something we see happening right now in Europe. And so it's not that far outside of the realm of possibility that they could at least make these attempts," he continued. The Islamic State reveals part of its plan in its publication "Black Flags From Rome." It will use sleeper cells and expects to get help from Muslims serving in European armies and from non-Muslim sympathizers. It also wants to fire missiles into Italy that it has captured on the battlefield.

Islamic Armageddon

 

[Andylusion]

I think the prophesy refered to here is Ezekiel 38 & 39...

Russia's New Alliance: Biblical Prophecy Coming to Life?
Friday, October 02, 2015 - Many Christians believe Russia plays a major role in biblical prophecy about the end times.

CBN News spoke by phone with best-selling author Joel Rosenberg about Russia's big move into the Middle East and what it might mean for Israel. Rosenberg refers to the book of Ezekiel and prophecies that involve an alliance of Russia, Syria, and Iran all alligned against Israel.

He told CBN News that for the first time in 2,500 years that scenario is a reality. He is quick, however, to downplay whether biblical prophecy is in fact being fulfilled with these recent developments. He also blamed the Obama administration for leaving a huge vacuum in the Middle East, which has allowed Russia to move in.

Russia's New Alliance: Biblical Prophecy Coming to Life? - Inside Israel - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

It's entirely possible. And the Russian Orthodox Church has dramatically grown in strength. I've been watching this movement in Syria, specifically because of this. I'm convinced the reason we have not moved into Syria, is because the government doesn't want to tick off Russia even more by discovering the WMDs from Iraq, which are Russian made, in Syria.

It would not surprise me if our government has actually encouraged Russia to become involved, because we want the crisis solved, but not have to deal with Russia.

Time will tell.

 

[Andylusion]

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials say

Awesome! This is good news.

Yeah, in the short term. In the long term, just remember, Russia hates the US. Spreading that hatred to the middle east which already hates us.... We could be looking at the gensis of something worse than the current.

On the other hand.... as a Christian, I want the slaughter of Christians to stop as soon as possible.

Could be good, could be bad. Hope for the best.

 

[waltky]

Granny says, "Dat's right - it's gettin' to where ya can't tell the players w/o a score card...

Who is fighting whom in Syria
Oct 2, 2015 | The Syrian civil war, now in its fifth year, involves multiple countries with overlapping and at times conflicting agendas. Competing visions of how to manage the conflict, which has led to a major global refugee crisis as well as the rise of the Islamic State, dominated discussions at the United Nations General Assembly this week. But despite days of meetings and diplomatic maneuvering, the crisis has only intensified. Here is where some of the main foreign actors stand.

United States

Backs: More moderate elements among the rebel forces in Syria.

Opposes: The government of President Bashar al-Assad, as well as the Islamic State and other Islamic extremist groups.

How it is fighting: The United States leads a coalition conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State and other extremist groups. It has been carrying out a covert program to train and equip Syrian rebels and a separate Pentagon program to train the moderate Syrian opposition to fight the Islamic State. The Pentagon program has drawn few recruits.

Russia

Backs: Assad, the leader of Syria, which has been Russia's only persistent ally in the Middle East for decades.

Opposes: The Islamic State, which several thousand young Russians have joined. Russia says it fears a so-called blowback of militants coming home to carry out attacks. But Western nations question whether Russia uses that as cover to counter any threat to Assad's rule.

How it is fighting: Russia has long supplied arms to Syria, but Russian pilots carried out their first airstrikes in Syria on Wednesday, dropping bombs near the central city of Homs, according to American officials in Washington. Despite Russia's stated goal of attacking the Islamic State, Homs is not under the control of the militant group. Other rebels who oppose Assad say they were the targets of the attack. And during a second day of airstrikes on Thursday, Russian warplanes appeared for the most part to be targeting not the Islamic State but a rival insurgent coalition. Russia has deployed military equipment — including 32 warplanes — and soldiers to a Syrian airfield near Latakia for weeks, according to the United States, and Russian drones have been conducting reconnaissance flights over areas controlled by opponents of Assad.

MORE Turkey

See also:

Obama warns Russia's Putin of 'quagmire' in Syria
Fri Oct 2, 2015 - U.S. President Barack Obama warned Russia on Friday that its bombing campaign against Syrian rebels will suck Moscow into a "quagmire," after a third straight day of air raids in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

At a White House news conference, Obama frequently assailed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he accused of acting out of a position of weakness to defend a crumbling, authoritarian ally. Friday prayers were canceled in insurgent-held areas of Syria's Homs province hit by Russian warplanes this week, with residents concerned that mosques could be targeted, according to one person from the area. Putin's decision to launch strikes on Syria marks a dramatic escalation of foreign involvement in a more than four-year-old civil war in which every major country in the region has a stake.

It also gives fuel to domestic critics of Obama who say his unwillingness to act on Syria has allowed Moscow to stage its biggest show of force in the Middle East in decades. But the U.S. president warned that Russia and Iran, Assad's main backer in the Muslim world, have isolated the majority of Syrians and angered their Sunni Muslim neighbors. "An attempt by Russia and Iran to prop up Assad and try to pacify the population is just going to get them stuck in a quagmire and it won't work," Obama said.

The Syria campaign is the first time Moscow has sent forces into combat beyond the frontiers of the former Soviet Union since the USSR's disastrous Afghanistan campaign of the 1980s, a bold move by Putin to extend Russia's influence beyond its neighborhood. It comes at a low point in Russia's relations with the West, a year after the United States and EU imposed financial sanctions on Moscow for annexing territory from Ukraine.

MORE

 

[Indofred]

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials say

Awesome! This is good news.

Iran has been attacking the US armed and trained ISIS forces for many months, but the US press dislike mentioning this.

 

[Vikrant]

Russia’s Federation Council has authorized President Vladimir Putin to use Russian military troops abroad. This follows a request from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who sought military assistance from the Russian President. According to analysts, it appears that Russia and the United States will now cooperate against the Islamic State. Shortly after the authorization, targeted strikes began on Islamic State targets, TASS reported.

...

Putin orders military strikes on IS targets, after authorization

 

[docmauser1]

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials sayAwesome! This is good news.

Whatever offs arab troublemakers, indeed.

 

[Preacher]

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials say

Awesome! This is good news.

Iran has been attacking the US armed and trained ISIS forces for many months, but the US press dislike mentioning this.

Yep I have been following it.

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials sayAwesome! This is good news.

Whatever offs arab troublemakers, indeed.

I got no problem with Arabs they aren't the ones starting wars in the ME or profiting off of them. The US and Israel are.

 

[docmauser1]

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials say

Awesome! This is good news.

Iran has been attacking the US armed and trained ISIS forces for many months, but the US press dislike mentioning this.

Yep I have been following it.

Iranian troops prepare to aid Russia with Syrian ground assault, officials sayAwesome! This is good news.

Whatever offs arab troublemakers, indeed.

I got no problem with Arabs they aren't the ones starting wars in the ME or profiting off of them. The US and Israel are.

Then noone will miss the former either, of course

 

[waltky]

Russian bombing not gettin' the job done...

Syria Air Campaign Raises Questions About Russian Capabilities
October 02, 2015 | WASHINGTON— Russia’s days-old air campaign in Syria is giving U.S. officials and analysts their first in-depth look at Russian capabilities in decades, and it has some wondering whether Russia is able to effectively use its most advanced weapons. “You can actually tell that the ammunition they’re using — while I wouldn’t call it older, necessarily — they are a type of dumb ammunition,” said Sim Tack, director of analytical support at Stratfor, a U.S.-based global intelligence company.

The conclusion would seem to be at odds with the rest of Russia’s approach, which has included the use of some of its most advanced combat aircraft, including the Su-30 Flanker and Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers. Some officials suggested Russia might be holding back, not wanting to give the world an accurate picture of its full capabilities. But Stratfor’s Tack said the truth could be less sinister. “That’s one of those areas where Russia may be a few steps behind, mostly in having their troops or pilots be familiar with the modern equipment and being familiar with the actual methods in the battlefield to employ it effectively,” he said. “All the added accuracy from laser-guided or GPS-guided ammunitions is useless if you can’t decide what you need to hit.”

Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback tactical bombers fly in formation over the Red Square during the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia​

U.S. officials said that if the Russians were facing a learning curve, it was one that they might very well overcome in short order. But current and former U.S. defense and intelligence officials cautioned that for the time being, Russia might not need to resort to pinpoint strikes. “Air power is not going to win the war, but you can see, the last few days, the world was freaked out,” said Patrick Skinner, a former intelligence officer now with the Soufan Group, which provides strategic security intelligence services to governments and multinational organizations.

Effect on rebel groups

And even if individual Russian airstrikes are having a limited impact on the battlefield, as a whole, the strikes have been changing the calculus of some of the Syrian rebel groups. “We have been using military tactics, moving our command-and-control centers since the beginning of the attack,” Iyad Shamsi, the leader of a Syrian rebel group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, told VOA earlier this week by phone from Syria. U.S. officials worry that, on a broad scale, the impact of carrying out such airstrikes could be far-reaching.

MORE

 

[Andylusion]

Russian bombing not gettin' the job done...

Syria Air Campaign Raises Questions About Russian Capabilities
October 02, 2015 | WASHINGTON— Russia’s days-old air campaign in Syria is giving U.S. officials and analysts their first in-depth look at Russian capabilities in decades, and it has some wondering whether Russia is able to effectively use its most advanced weapons. “You can actually tell that the ammunition they’re using — while I wouldn’t call it older, necessarily — they are a type of dumb ammunition,” said Sim Tack, director of analytical support at Stratfor, a U.S.-based global intelligence company.

The conclusion would seem to be at odds with the rest of Russia’s approach, which has included the use of some of its most advanced combat aircraft, including the Su-30 Flanker and Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers. Some officials suggested Russia might be holding back, not wanting to give the world an accurate picture of its full capabilities. But Stratfor’s Tack said the truth could be less sinister. “That’s one of those areas where Russia may be a few steps behind, mostly in having their troops or pilots be familiar with the modern equipment and being familiar with the actual methods in the battlefield to employ it effectively,” he said. “All the added accuracy from laser-guided or GPS-guided ammunitions is useless if you can’t decide what you need to hit.”

Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback tactical bombers fly in formation over the Red Square during the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia​

U.S. officials said that if the Russians were facing a learning curve, it was one that they might very well overcome in short order. But current and former U.S. defense and intelligence officials cautioned that for the time being, Russia might not need to resort to pinpoint strikes. “Air power is not going to win the war, but you can see, the last few days, the world was freaked out,” said Patrick Skinner, a former intelligence officer now with the Soufan Group, which provides strategic security intelligence services to governments and multinational organizations.

Effect on rebel groups

And even if individual Russian airstrikes are having a limited impact on the battlefield, as a whole, the strikes have been changing the calculus of some of the Syrian rebel groups. “We have been using military tactics, moving our command-and-control centers since the beginning of the attack,” Iyad Shamsi, the leader of a Syrian rebel group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army, told VOA earlier this week by phone from Syria. U.S. officials worry that, on a broad scale, the impact of carrying out such airstrikes could be far-reaching.

MORE

Well... Russia doesn't give a crap about collateral damage. When one of our military personal farts in the wrong direction, and a old lady slips on some gravel, the left-wing freaks start popping out of their rock homes and scream insults at the military and protest in the streets, and government conducts a 5 year review of the fart-gravel-slip committee to see if some 18-year-old private is guilty of war crimes.

Russia.... they hand out a medal, and tell their troops to eat more spicy food in the future. Seriously, the fact Russia is using older plain ordnance, isn't surprising, or necessarily mean they can't fight effectively.

Time will tell though. It's only been a short time.

 

[waltky]

Putin makin' a bad situation even worse...

How Russia Is Making Syria's Humanitarian Crisis Worse
Friday, October 09, 2015 - The Syrian civil war has created one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history.

There are about 4 million Syrian refugees living in nearby countries and some 7 million internally displaced people living inside the country. Russia's involvement is threatening to make that situation even worse. There are reports that Syrians in the north are moving closer to the border with Turkey in case the fighting intensifies and forces them to leave the country.

The Syrian civil war has created one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history. Russia's involvement is threatening to make that situation even worse.​

Russian forces are supposed to be fighting ISIS, but there are reports that warplanes are bombing rebel groups fighting the Assad regime, which could lead to ISIS gaining more territory. No matter how the balance of power shifts, it could make it more difficult for aid groups to reach the millions of people who are cut off and rely on international relief to survive. The U.S.-based humanitarian aid group Mercy Corps is helping some 500,000 people inside Syria every month.

How Russia Is Making Syria's Humanitarian Crisis Worse - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Why Russia's 'Gateway to Europe' Tolerates This Soviet-Style Dictator
Friday, October 09, 2015 -- Belarusians are casting votes for their next president, but it's really just an exercise because everyone knows who's going to win.

This year marks Alexander Lukashenko's 21st year in power and the fifth presidential election since he drastically rewrote the nation's constitution. He has a history of silencing, even jailing his political opponents. This time he's running against three candidates, but Lukashenko's major opposition leaders chose not to run. "The major reason for this is in 2010, seven candidates were imprisoned, were arrested after the elections and so people are just not willing to risk their lives running for office," Valery Kavaleuski said. Kavaleuski is a Belarusian who used to represent his country as a diplomat to the United States. He resigned when Lukashenko ran for a third term, violating Belarus' constitution. Ten years ago he got a first-hand taste of out how Lukashenko treats his political dissidents when he was jailed in a KGB prison for two weeks. Belarus is the only former Soviet country to retain the name KGB for its security machine. "It retained the same practices, the same approaches and the same perception by the population that they're omnipresent, the mightiest organization in Belarus that can follow you and go after you at any point in time," Kavaleuski said.

Looks like Robin Williams in a bad make-up job...

It may be why few Belarusians have cross words about their ruler. "I think that despite the fact that many people criticize Lukashenko for certain mistakes, he provides stability and security for our country and I think 80, even maybe 85 percent will vote for him," Vladimir Zaytsev told CBN News while walking through the main square in Minsk. Stability is perhaps Lukashenko's strongest selling point considering Russia's aggression in neighboring Ukraine, especially now that President Vladimir Putin wants to build a Russian military base in Belarus. "We see that Russia uses such bases to occupy countries. They annexed and occupied Crimea from Ukraine using the same approach. On the other hand, the countries that border with Belarus, the Baltic states, Poland, Ukraine they also will face a closer military presence of Russia," Kavaleuski said.

As part of his iron grip, the Lukashenko regime intimidates evangelical Christians. Any faith outside the nation's state-controlled Orthodox Church faces problems. But not everyone wants change. "Americans should stop listening to so-called political experts who think we don't have enough freedom," Zaytsev said. "We have enough freedom and I would personally shorten it a little bit." So why should Americans care what happens in Belarus? Kavaleuski said there are many reasons. "Belarus is strategically located, it's a gateway, it's located on this junction of Eastern and Western civilization so this territory should be kept peaceful, it should be kept stable," he said. The winner of the election will rule for five years, or in this case, five more years.

Why Russia's 'Gateway to Europe' Tolerates This Soviet-Style Dictator - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

 

[waltky]

Senior Iranian Commander Killed in Syria...

Top Iranian Commander Killed in Syria
October 09, 2015 - A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander was killed in Syria, Tehran said Friday, as French warplanes carried out fresh airstrikes in the country.

General Hossein Hamedani was killed by Islamic State fighters earlier this week while advising Syrian troops in the northern region of Aleppo, according to a statement released by the Guards, an elite branch of Iran's military. Shi'ite Iran is a key regional ally of Syria. It has provided military and political support for beleaguered President Bashar al-Assad during his four-year-long fight against a wide range of Sunni rebel groups seeking to overthrow him.

Iranian General Hossein Hamedani, killed in Syria by Islamic State fighters.​

While Syrian government forces, backed by personnel from Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah Shi'ite militia and Russian airstrikes, have launched an offensive against rebels in central Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported Friday that the Islamic State militants seized villages from rebel groups outside the northwestern city of Aleppo. The Britain-based rights group said it was the Islamic State's biggest advance since August.

Intel source

See also:

Slain Iran general was key figure in Syria war
October 9, 2015 — The latest developments as Syrian troops and other nations battle militants in Syria. (All times local in Syria).

04:00 p.m.

Iranian officials say a senior commander in the country's powerful Revolutionary Guard who was killed in Syria was a key figure in the fight against terrorism. Lawmaker Ismail Kowsari, a member of the parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, told the semi-official Fars news agency that Gen. Hossein Hamedani played a significant role in coordination between the Syrian army and Iranian-backed volunteer forces. He said the commander was on a "temporary" advisory mission to Syria. Hamedani was killed by the Islamic State group on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Aleppo Thursday night, Iranian state media announced Friday.

02:15 p.m.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter confirms the U.S. has indications that four Russian cruise missiles crashed in Iran rather than Syria, suggesting there were malfunctions. It's the first public comment by a U.S. official on the cruise missile failures. Carter is speaking at a press conference in London with British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon. The British are part of the coalition striking Islamic State fighters in Iraq, but are not conducting strikes in Syria. As many as four of the 26 long-range cruise missiles that Russia said it fired at Syrian targets landed instead in Iran.

01:40 p.m.

Activists have reported more than 20 explosions in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa held by the Islamic State group. A Raqqa-based collective called Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered said 22 blasts shook the city late Thursday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the 20 explosions killed 14 IS fighters and wounded more than 20. The group said it was not clear if the explosions were the result of air raids by the U.S.-led coalition or Russian warplanes. The Observatory's chief Rami Abdurrahman and Raqqa is Being Silently Slaughtered say a training facility, known as Vanguards Camp, was hit on the southern edge of the city. France's Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said French warplanes bombed a training camp in Raqqa.

11:50 a.m.

 

[montelatici]

The Islamist terrorists in Syria are going to be quite surprised when they meet Pasdaran regulars.

 

[Andylusion]

Putin makin' a bad situation even worse...

How Russia Is Making Syria's Humanitarian Crisis Worse
Friday, October 09, 2015 - The Syrian civil war has created one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history.

There are about 4 million Syrian refugees living in nearby countries and some 7 million internally displaced people living inside the country. Russia's involvement is threatening to make that situation even worse. There are reports that Syrians in the north are moving closer to the border with Turkey in case the fighting intensifies and forces them to leave the country.

The Syrian civil war has created one of the greatest humanitarian crises in history. Russia's involvement is threatening to make that situation even worse.​

Russian forces are supposed to be fighting ISIS, but there are reports that warplanes are bombing rebel groups fighting the Assad regime, which could lead to ISIS gaining more territory. No matter how the balance of power shifts, it could make it more difficult for aid groups to reach the millions of people who are cut off and rely on international relief to survive. The U.S.-based humanitarian aid group Mercy Corps is helping some 500,000 people inside Syria every month.

How Russia Is Making Syria's Humanitarian Crisis Worse - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Why Russia's 'Gateway to Europe' Tolerates This Soviet-Style Dictator
Friday, October 09, 2015 -- Belarusians are casting votes for their next president, but it's really just an exercise because everyone knows who's going to win.

This year marks Alexander Lukashenko's 21st year in power and the fifth presidential election since he drastically rewrote the nation's constitution. He has a history of silencing, even jailing his political opponents. This time he's running against three candidates, but Lukashenko's major opposition leaders chose not to run. "The major reason for this is in 2010, seven candidates were imprisoned, were arrested after the elections and so people are just not willing to risk their lives running for office," Valery Kavaleuski said. Kavaleuski is a Belarusian who used to represent his country as a diplomat to the United States. He resigned when Lukashenko ran for a third term, violating Belarus' constitution. Ten years ago he got a first-hand taste of out how Lukashenko treats his political dissidents when he was jailed in a KGB prison for two weeks. Belarus is the only former Soviet country to retain the name KGB for its security machine. "It retained the same practices, the same approaches and the same perception by the population that they're omnipresent, the mightiest organization in Belarus that can follow you and go after you at any point in time," Kavaleuski said.

Looks like Robin Williams in a bad make-up job...

It may be why few Belarusians have cross words about their ruler. "I think that despite the fact that many people criticize Lukashenko for certain mistakes, he provides stability and security for our country and I think 80, even maybe 85 percent will vote for him," Vladimir Zaytsev told CBN News while walking through the main square in Minsk. Stability is perhaps Lukashenko's strongest selling point considering Russia's aggression in neighboring Ukraine, especially now that President Vladimir Putin wants to build a Russian military base in Belarus. "We see that Russia uses such bases to occupy countries. They annexed and occupied Crimea from Ukraine using the same approach. On the other hand, the countries that border with Belarus, the Baltic states, Poland, Ukraine they also will face a closer military presence of Russia," Kavaleuski said.

As part of his iron grip, the Lukashenko regime intimidates evangelical Christians. Any faith outside the nation's state-controlled Orthodox Church faces problems. But not everyone wants change. "Americans should stop listening to so-called political experts who think we don't have enough freedom," Zaytsev said. "We have enough freedom and I would personally shorten it a little bit." So why should Americans care what happens in Belarus? Kavaleuski said there are many reasons. "Belarus is strategically located, it's a gateway, it's located on this junction of Eastern and Western civilization so this territory should be kept peaceful, it should be kept stable," he said. The winner of the election will rule for five years, or in this case, five more years.

Why Russia's 'Gateway to Europe' Tolerates This Soviet-Style Dictator - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

Well to be honest that's to be expected.

Russia's military tactics have always be to use a tank to shoot a muskrat, and a nuclear sub to clear a hot tub.

And honestly, if we want to end the humanitarian crisis, just let ISIS win. If we intend to attack ISIS, and escalate the fighting, inherently that means we increase the humanitarian crisis.

If we marched troops into Syria next week, we would increase the humanitarian crisis.

 

[Andylusion]

The Islamist terrorists in Syria are going to be quite surprised when they meet Pasdaran regulars.

That's debatable. Iran has been in economic chaos for some time. It's possible that the troops who were willing to die defending Iran, will not have the morale, or support in Syria.