Originally Posted by
MPN11
Russia has a warm water port that it has wanted for about a century. NOTHING is going to dislodge them from that. And if, at a later stage of escalation, their base is under threat from <insert anyone here> they will defend it to the death [of others].
So, with a secure base, they can do what they like and neither Turkey, not NATO, or the US can do anything about it. They will fly THEIR missions according to THEIR agenda. Period.
Another little nibble into the borders of the West, just like Crimea and Ukraine.
How is the Russians boosting their presence in Syria a nibble at the West? They were running about there in Syria since before I was in the Eastern Med in the early 80's.