Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his nation to begin the withdrawal of its intervention forces from Syria, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Putin believed the troops had largely achieved their objectives since arriving in autumn.
Russian troops at the Tartus Naval Base, Russia’s only Mediterranean base, and forces at the Hemeimeem airbase in Latakia will not be effected by the move, which Putin expects to give a boost to the peace talks in Geneva.
Russian officials aimed to save the Assad government, at the time suffering mounting losses, with their intervention, and appear to have succeeded, at least for now, as the government regained considerable territory. They also wanted to back the rebels away from the Tartus base on the coast.
Russia’s ultimate goal, however, was not an outright military victory for Assad in the civil war, but a brokered settlement which would resolve the rebellion with constitutional reform, while still maintaining Syria as an historic Russian ally. While there is much work to be done in the peace talks toward actually ending the war, Russia seems to be pushing Assad to the negotiating table by insisting that they’re not going to keep backing offensives.
FSB deeply embedded
Draw down of KGB forces hamstrings
Russia’s other operations
Pay attention Uncle Sam. This is how a non-interventionist wins a war. Bravo, Putin, bravo.
and I thought my God the genius of that
the genius
the will to do that
–Kurtz, Apocalypse Now
peace talks toward actually ending the war…
This is good news for the people of Syria, and the entire
Near East already suffering from the idiot Bush’s 2003
invasion of Iraq based on outright lies and subterfuge.
Bad news for the crooks and war profiteers in the corrupt
Pentagon who looted the USG taxpayers out of trillions
of dollars on perpetual war and destruction.
I would agree with Anthropologist, for why should Russia give up on it’s military solution and leave a power vacuum?
Everybody is praising Putin..AFAIK he cut a deal with the west, and has betrayed Iran, Hezbollah and maybe even Assad.
Putin is not a saint! He’s the head of a neoliberal republic and has shown in the past that he will mercilessly promote Russia’s interests, even if that means betraying countries that Russia can depend on
Putin, unlike western leaders, knows there are limits to what military power can accomplish. Russia achieved their limited goals and will leave on their own account. Contrast this with the never ending, and never winning, commitments of the US and its feckless allies.