Russian airstrikes in Syria

[Shofercia]

GDP of the EU/US: $36 trillion
GDP of the SCO: $32 trillion

Numbers according to the World Bank, with the purchasing power parity ratio factored in. Oh, you meant the Eurasian Union, the organization that in its infancy. Yes, organizations that haven't had time to develop are generally outperformed by those that had time to develop.

What else is the Eurasian union going to do? Have more Poor nations in it?

The EU has some of the richest nations on earth, what can Russia and its gang of the Former USSR possibly do?

I'm focusing on watching the SCO's growth, that's where the future might be. My guess would be that the Eurasian Union, ASEAN and SCO combine to promote stability in Asia, and perhaps Europe, if Kiev starts having a sane governments and the EU stops the austerity insanity.

GDP of the EU/US: $36 trillion
GDP of the SCO: $32 trillion

I wouldn't necessarily quote numbers like that as evidence of Russia's importance... it rather invites the question of how the GDP is distributed within the SCO.

I was talking about the importance of organizations that Russia's in.

[Grand Britannia]

GDP of the EU/US: $36 trillion
GDP of the SCO: $32 trillion

I wouldn't necessarily quote numbers like that as evidence of Russia's importance... it rather invites the question of how the GDP is distributed within the SCO.

I think it's obvious China has most of that.

Then again with how China acts with it's neighbors they don't promote much confidence in keeping the peace.

[Geilinor]

GDP of the EU/US: $36 trillion
GDP of the SCO: $32 trillion

I wouldn't necessarily quote numbers like that as evidence of Russia's importance... it rather invites the question of how the GDP is distributed within the SCO.

The only reason the SCO can boast that GDP is because of China's membership. Also important to note that it's called the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

[Republic of Wreptzle]

GDP of the EU/US: $36 trillion
GDP of the SCO: $32 trillion

I wouldn't necessarily quote numbers like that as evidence of Russia's importance... it rather invites the question of how the GDP is distributed within the SCO.

Considering the members of the SCO, almost all the wealth in the combined GDP is made up by Russia and China. (Assuming that those figures aren't including India)

[The balkens]

What else is the Eurasian union going to do? Have more Poor nations in it?

The EU has some of the richest nations on earth, what can Russia and its gang of the Former USSR possibly do?

I'm focusing on watching the SCO's growth, that's where the future might be. My guess would be that the Eurasian Union, ASEAN and SCO combine to promote stability in Asia, and perhaps Europe, if Kiev starts having a sane governments and the EU stops the austerity insanity.

So bending over for russia is sane?

Spending less in bad economic times more or less made since at the time, but i agree with you at this point it has gone insane as European economies seem to depend on government spending but this was the case since the end of the cold war.

[Shofercia]

I wouldn't necessarily quote numbers like that as evidence of Russia's importance... it rather invites the question of how the GDP is distributed within the SCO.

I think it's obvious China has most of that.

True. The reason I brought that up is because Balkens compared Eurasian Union with the EU, which is a stupid comparison. SCO vs the EU would be a better one.

[The balkens]

I think it's obvious China has most of that.

True. The reason I brought that up is because Balkens compared Eurasian Union with the EU, which is a stupid comparison. SCO vs the EU would be a better one.

SCO has Belaus, Russia and Kazachstan right?

If so, i apologize for the assumption.

[Shofercia]

I wouldn't necessarily quote numbers like that as evidence of Russia's importance... it rather invites the question of how the GDP is distributed within the SCO.

Considering the members of the SCO, almost all the wealth in the combined GDP is made up by Russia and China. (Assuming that those figures aren't including India)

They include India and Pakistan.

I'm focusing on watching the SCO's growth, that's where the future might be. My guess would be that the Eurasian Union, ASEAN and SCO combine to promote stability in Asia, and perhaps Europe, if Kiev starts having a sane governments and the EU stops the austerity insanity.

So bending over for russia is sane?

Spending less in bad economic times more or less made since at the time, but i agree with you at this point it has gone insane as European economies seem to depend on government spending but this was the case since the end of the cold war.

Didn't realize that paying the market price for gas was the equivalent of bending over. Can't wait to tell my utility company the good news!

[The balkens]

I was agreeing with you on the latter part though, Shof. We have common ground. Finally.

[New Werpland]

Balkens despises Putin because under Putin, Russia became strong, but in order to get people like you on his side, he'll jump on the Human Rights bandwagon.

This makes me want to vomit. "Russia becoming strong" correlates with Russia poisoning the futures of it's neighboring nations. And what makes you think this has nothing to do with civil rights? Putin wants to rebuild Russia as a superpower, and with that he'll bring his populist conservative bullshit around with him. And unfortunately now that Russia's state as a superpower has become apparent to the world, various idiots (like the glorious Orban) have gotten the idea that they too can build civil rights abusing kleptocracies anywhere in the world.

Besides that this is a new tone Shof. I remember how you claimed Freedom House was wrong, and that political freedom has not actually decayed in Russia over the last decade. Maybe you're the one jumping on the human rights bandwagon?

[Neu Leonstein]

I was talking about the importance of organizations that Russia's in.

That's not the way it sounded earlier, but I may have misinterpreted. Anyway, the degree to which this matters to the topic at hand is the degree to which these organisations are relevant only because China is a member, and will play a meaningful role to the extent to which Chinese leaders feel their country would benefit. Chinese policy is to, if in doubt, not put all their eggs in any one basket and maintain as much multipolarity in the world as possible. Which makes Russia useful to them. But the idea that the SCO or any other such organisation could be used to promote Russian interests if the Chinese did not share those interests is pretty far-fetched, and to that extent I think the size or importance of the SCO tells us very little about Russia's importance in the world.

[Geilinor]

Considering the members of the SCO, almost all the wealth in the combined GDP is made up by Russia and China. (Assuming that those figures aren't including India)

They include India and Pakistan.

From Wiki:

On July 10 2015, the SCO decided to admit India and Pakistan as full members, and they are expected to join by 2016.[2][3]

Technically they haven't joined yet and that will make Russia even less influential in the SCO.

[West Aurelia]

Turkey intercepted a Russian fighter that had violated its airspace. Russia has said that the violation was the result of a navigation error. I'm glad that this wasn't a deliberate provocation and nothing went out of control.

However other sources are saying that unidentified MiG-29s harassed two Turkish F-16s. I'm not sure if this is related to the other incident, since Turkey called out Russia on that one. Syria uses MiG-29s but I doubt they would actually harass Turkish jets with tensions in the region already so high.

[Ameige]

At this point the Vatican could start bombing Syria, and I still wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

Same here. I cant imagine a single non-middle eastern country out there has good feelings toward syria at this point.
If they get bombed by someone, its cause they are jerks who dont know how to play well with others and they got whats coming to them.

Syria gets bombed cause they are jerks and no one likes them.

[The Military Department of Freedonia]

The current Russian government is not that awful to its own citizens; but, Iran is an evil and murderous regime that seeks to exterminate Christians and Jews, just as ISIS does. The Russians have launched 2-3 serious airstrikes against ISIS, but all the SERIOUS Russian and Iranian effort is going towards supporting the ASSad regime in Syria. We should focus on ISIS in Iraq, and then move into Syria after letting all the Syrian troops, rebel terrorists, and ISIS fighters kill each other. There are SIX evil groups in the region who pose threats to security :
Iran
Russia
ASSad's Syrian regime
The rebels fighting ASSad, who are largely composed of Al-Quaeda left-overs, with a VERY SMALL amount of "moderates"(a relative term there)
Taliban left-overs; like the ones who took over Kunduz in Iraq
ISIS

The order we should fight them (or take highly aggressive action against) is:
1.ISIS
2.Iran
3.ASSad
4.The rebels
5.The Taliban
6.Russia

The US is unable to fight Iran or Russia in the Middle East, and since they're protecting Assad, fighting Assad would also lead to defeat, much like the US was unable to fight Vietnam in Vietnam.

We shouldn't fight Russia, necessarily, but we can and should help Israel exterminate the Iranian government. Remember, there are Iranians who hate their oppressive government. We should let Assad and the rebels fight each other for a while and then step in and choose a winner, so to speak. If we unleash our military they can do pretty much anything (In other words, remove the strict rules of engagement that they were under in Iraq and Afghanistan, and allow enhanced interoggation).

[The Military Department of Freedonia]

Balkens despises Putin because under Putin, Russia became strong, but in order to get people like you on his side, he'll jump on the Human Rights bandwagon.

This makes me want to vomit. "Russia becoming strong" correlates with Russia poisoning the futures of it's neighboring nations. And what makes you think this has nothing to do with civil rights? Putin wants to rebuild Russia as a superpower, and with that he'll bring his populist conservative bullshit around with him. And unfortunately now that Russia's state as a superpower has become apparent to the world, various idiots (like the glorious Orban) have gotten the idea that they too can build civil rights abusing kleptocracies anywhere in the world.

Besides that this is a new tone Shof. I remember how you claimed Freedom House was wrong, and that political freedom has not actually decayed in Russia over the last decade. Maybe you're the one jumping on the human rights bandwagon?

Putin is a bad actor, but he has done well for Russia. Their GDP is up, their wages are up, and he cut their unemployment in half. As icing on the cake he annexed Crimea and part of Eastern Ukraine. You may think, as I do, that this aggression is wrong, but it is STRENGTH.

[Rio Cana]

Turkey intercepted a Russian fighter that had violated its airspace. Russia has said that the violation was the result of a navigation error. I'm glad that this wasn't a deliberate provocation and nothing went out of control.

However other sources are saying that unidentified MiG-29s harassed two Turkish F-16s. I'm not sure if this is related to the other incident, since Turkey called out Russia on that one. Syria uses MiG-29s but I doubt they would actually harass Turkish jets with tensions in the region already so high.

It could be a message to Turkey to stop playing hidden games. Has we all know, Turkey is part of NATO but they have kind of been playing there own game in Syria. Looking the other way while IISIS and those other anti-Western groups were being supplied via Turkey. When it comes to Assad, being more obsessed with Assad then with ISIS and those other groups. It seems Turkey is playing NATO but they know better not to play the same game against Russia.

[Minoa]

The situation is getting really depressing given the fears about nuclear war and what the weapons could do: if it sadly turns out that way, then the world is going to be more than a depressing place.

[Jamzmania]

The situation is getting really depressing given the fears about nuclear war and what the weapons could do: if it sadly turns out that way, then the world is going to be more than a depressing place.

Nuclear war? Doubtful it'll go that far.

[Baltenstein]

Turkey intercepted a Russian fighter that had violated its airspace. Russia has said that the violation was the result of a navigation error. I'm glad that this wasn't a deliberate provocation and nothing went out of control.

However other sources are saying that unidentified MiG-29s harassed two Turkish F-16s. I'm not sure if this is related to the other incident, since Turkey called out Russia on that one. Syria uses MiG-29s but I doubt they would actually harass Turkish jets with tensions in the region already so high.

It's funny that Turkey is getting its airspace violated for a change.

[Kalifati Arab shqiptar]

Turkey intercepted a Russian fighter that had violated its airspace. Russia has said that the violation was the result of a navigation error. I'm glad that this wasn't a deliberate provocation and nothing went out of control.

However other sources are saying that unidentified MiG-29s harassed two Turkish F-16s. I'm not sure if this is related to the other incident, since Turkey called out Russia on that one. Syria uses MiG-29s but I doubt they would actually harass Turkish jets with tensions in the region already so high.

It's funny that Turkey is getting its airspace violated for a change.

Turkey should also fix their weapons systems, they seem to miss ISIS with their airstrikes.

[Geilinor]

The Russian propaganda machine is getting fired up.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/05/perfect-weather-for-airstrikes-russian-tv-forecast-sets-sights-on-syria

[Staythefout]

Putin's doing what he always has : flexing. He's a cunt, but he's a muscular cunt. He wants to play the mid east because he knows Obama's strategy is weaksauce and he can stake another claim in the world. I think he used to be a kgb agent...he probably has delusions of bringing the soviet union back. He can do what he likes in syria but if he oversteps that there may be...trouble. At least if it's after obama leaves office. He won't do anything, lol. Just look at him work out compared to putin:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/ ... rsaw-video
http://static.deathandtaxesmag.com/uplo ... -tiger.jpg

[West Aurelia]

Russian jets violated Turkey's airspace for a second time.

Russia has been accused of bombing hospitals in Syria. I seriously doubt that these are deliberate attacks as the doctors are suggesting, since Russia would lose all legitimacy that it is fighting terrorism if it were true. It's likely an unfortunate consequence of the unguided bombs Russia is using.

[Costa Fierro]

sources are saying that unidentified MiG-29s harassed two Turkish F-16s. I'm not sure if this is related to the other incident, since Turkey called out Russia on that one. Syria uses MiG-29s but I doubt they would actually harass Turkish jets with tensions in the region already so high.

That depends. Turkey has already shot down two helicopters and a MiG-23 so far during the conflict so either the Syrians haven't learnt from their previous losses or Russia hasn't got the memo that Turkey is prepared to meet what it deems threats to its security.

The government has basically said that it's airspace is off limits and it is well within its rights to respond to any aircraft that the military deems concerning enough to scramble fighter aircraft.