Russia's Awesome Military Power

by Stephen Lendman

Russia's military is a formidable force to be reckoned with, matching America's best at a small fraction of the cost, using its resources judiciously, prompting US Air Forces in Europe commander General Frank Forenc to call its qualitative and quantitative capability "alarming."

Its competency is exceptional, using powerful state-of-the-art weapons with precision accuracy, including from hundreds of miles away.

They're able to launch them from aerial, ground, sea and subsurface locations, maybe space, with ability to destroy what's aimed at. 

Pentagon commanders are forced to admit respect, perhaps with second thoughts on ever confronting a force equalling or exceeding its own capability.

Russia's effective Syrian anti-terrorism enters its fourth month this week, devastating ISIS positions, facilities, operations and personnel - Putin proving his longterm commitment to combat a common scourge.

He wants ISIS and other takfiri terrorists groups battled abroad, preventing them from gaining a foothold on Russian territory, his main reason for getting involved, intent on staying the course, no matter the duration.

Obama initially mocked him disgracefully, saying "(a)n 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."

He's waging real war on terror, polar opposite Obama's phony campaign, supporting the scourge he claims to oppose, aiming for regional hegemonic control, Russian influence shut out - a losing strategy after three months of Moscow successes.

Except for Turkey's Erdogan ordering the downing of a Russian bomber, complicit with Washington, Moscow's campaign has been casualty-free after conducting 5,240 sorties since September 30.

Moscow-based analyst Vasily Kashin notes the relatively moderate $1 - 2 billion annual cost, easily sustainable indefinitely, as long as it takes to get the job done.

A newly released Pentagon report reveals its astonishment at the success of Moscow's campaign, saying:

"Russia has begun, and over the next decade will make large strides in fielding a 21st century navy capable of a dependable national defense (and) an impressive but limited presence in more distant global areas of interest…"

Its current aerial and naval prowess is awesome, proved effective in combat. Pentagon commanders are worried. Have they met their match? Will they dare confront an adversary able to defeat them, humiliating the world's self-styled sole super-power?

Since the end of the Cold War, notably post-9/11, the Pentagon consistently underestimated Russia's military capabilities - no longer.

Its navy once derisively called "more rust than ready," now commands respect - as do its formidable air and ground forces, structured for defense, able to effectively counter any offensive threat.

Pentagon commanders are awestruck. America's NATO allies can't match its impressive Syrian campaign. 

Moscow continues proving its critics wrong. The best strategy against it is waging peace, not war, anathema to US imperial objectives. An eventual showdown increasingly looms, the devastating possibility of nuclear war.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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