Reports are out that the Marines have landed in Syria preparing to back fighters in their assault on the ISIS capital in Syria. I am putting this in controversial issues as a news report of a controversial decision to send US troops back to the Middle East. If you want this thread to stay open, no political comments. Stick to the military aspects and thoughts from that point of view. Thoughts?

Hard to talk about it without being political, but they should have been sent long ago...

Let's not talk Politics, let's talk War.

Not sure anything with forces or troops will work. We will see. As we know, this is not conventional.

Ground forces have to have air and armor support or they won't be successful.

Not sure anything with forces or troops will work. We will see. As we know, this is not conventional.

 

They only thing that could work is to wipe out the entire area. Then again, those in surrounding areas would just move in and fight over it. There is no end to this, there never will be. Unless Dinosaurs come back.

Prayers to all the Marines and hope they come home safely.

Who are we going to help/fight?

Are we going to help Russia? Who is fighting who we are allied with.

 

Are we going to help Assad?

 

What are we even doing there? Only thing we need to do is make a safe place for the migrants to go back to and keep them from fleeing to other countries.

I am concerned about conflict with Russia. Second concern would be how much will we need to commit to win. I look at the ongoing battle in Iraq to take Mosul and how long that has taken and wonder what our level of required support will be and how long. Elimination of ISIS is obviously the goal and if that happens within a year then this decision is a good one.

Who are we going to help/fight?

Are we going to help Russia? Who is fighting who we are allied with.

 

Are we going to help Assad?

 

What are we even doing there? Only thing we need to do is make a safe place for the migrants to go back to and keep them from fleeing to other countries.

 

Agreed...who are we helping? There are about 5 groups over there all fighting each other. Meanwhile Russia has Assad propped up.

 

Somebody correct me, but I thought I read a release the other day that gave generals more power to make moves like this in the theater of war without going through the higher channels?

As long as they have all of the support, as Hatz mentioned, I think they will take care of business. We ALWAYS need to have a 1st Gulf War mind set of using "Overwhelming Force" when ever we decide to use force. No piece meal build ups over time and Generals request for additional forces denied for non-military reasons.

We've been monitoring this situation for quite some time. Probably hundreds of thousands of drone and satellite pics/video being brought into this. I would imagine the powers that be either A) Realized they had an opportunity and acted on it or B) Decided they were tired of saying "if we just had guys on the ground we could do this.". Either way, praying for our troops.

Hopefully us and Russia work together to kill terrorism and get the country back on track.