Comments by "peabase" (@peabase) on "Russia sends missile systems to Syria to protect its forces" video.

Blank Blank I'm sure there's a point there, but I don't see it. How's your burst of bravado related to Russia getting more and more involved in Syria?
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Blank Blank Oh, but you didn't watch the vid. It says Russia sent additional missile systems to Syria. That's mission creep. You said it, Assad lacks ground forces. Russian air power alone won't tip the scales in his favour, because Assad is unable to capitalise on the weakness of his enemies with any lasting effect. Moreover, by weakening the moderate rebels, Russia is improving the long-term prospects of ISIS, who have no trouble recruiting. There's an awkward precedent in Afghanistan, where the Red Army viciously waged war for ten years, only to see the Taliban take over. It's not just the USA that suffers from poor long-term memory.
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Blank Blank So you're the one who's got blood on his hands. I can't even boast being a getaway driver. Your main disagreement re. Assad's manpower shortage seems to be with Assad. But as an active reservist I know that technology, training and organisation don't put more boots on the ground and that's what counts when holding on to territory. Assad has already sacrificed a third of young, military-age Alawites and there's no Syrian Army without Alawites. Russia is far from self-sufficient. Russian officials warn of shortages of basic foodstuffs -- meat and dairy -- which goes to show how dependent Russia is on foreign imports. Putin himself went on record conceding that the sanctions hurt. Earlier, 50% of Russia's state budget came from oil and gas revenues, so don't pretend foreign currency doesn't grease the squeaky wheel.
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Blank Blank Oh, but over here we don't have to give our government military favours in exchange for tuition. Funny that you, of all people, belittle my education. Your poor spelling and grammar suggest that you've been short-changed. And English is your mother tongue, isn't it? I get that a depreciated rouble helps Russia to balance its budget, but it doesn't save the populace from economic hardship and deteriorating services. Russia is hooked on imported goods, which have become very expensive. Domestic alternatives don't exist or are inferior. Companies struggle to get technology and loans, leaving them hard-pressed to meet demand. You can wax lyrical about purchasing power parity, but fact is, Russian purchasing power has dropped alarmingly. What I don't get are your repetitive claims about Saudi-Arabia going bankrupt or, for that matter, "our" poor deal-making with Iran and "our" interfering with the "Soviet" sphere of influence. Sure, Saudi-Arabia is cynically manipulating the oil price, but they're gunning for both US shale oil and Russian arctic drilling. The US producers seem to be weathering the storm without government intervention, but the same can't be said about their Russian counterparts.
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