Wednesday, December 31, 2014

The Syrian Regine Is Running Out Of Soldiers

Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Business Insider: The Assad Regime Is Running Low On Soldiers

My Comment: Introducing conscription in order to have enough soldiers to fight in this messy and horrific civil war is not going to go over well .... especially when one looks at the high casualty rates for those who have served (100,000 killed in the past 3 1/2 years .... a force of 300,000 at the beginning of he conflict .... to a force of 150,000 today). People are now getting tired of this civil war .... Some Alawites are beginning to question their support for Syria’s Assad (Washington Post) .... and if it was not for the Islamic State and Al Qaeda .... peace feelers and peace talks would probably have happened a long time ago.

More News On The Syrian Government Introducing Conscription To Replace It's Depleted Army

Desperate for soldiers, Assad’s government imposes harsh recruitment measures -- Washington Post
Syria's Depleted Military Ramps Up Conscription -- Military.com/UPI
Syria increasing efforts to build up military after substantial loses -- South China Morning Post
The Syrian Army Is Shrinking, And Assad Is Running Out Of Soldiers -- Business Insider/IBTimes



5 comments:

James said...

No accounting in this article for the mysterious missing 50,000.

Bob Huntley said...

To avoid the draft and not join the fighting no doubt means ultimately loss to the rebels/Isis and sure death.

Unknown said...

If Iran rolls back ISIS from Mosul, perhaps they will keep going and cross the border to save their ally.

Unknown said...

I agree with Bob.

ISIS does not give you much choice.

With ISIS gone, then you could negotiate.

James said...

"If Iran rolls back ISIS from Mosul, perhaps they will keep going and cross the border to save their ally."

Aizino,
There would be no reason for them to stop. At that point or actually from this point today on why would Iran or Syria want to negotiate? They already have us as a de facto ally and the use of our air power, unoffically (cough cough) of course. What real leverage do we have that would induce them to abandon their efforts for the bomb?
We have gotten ourselves in a real "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situation with this.
If you wanted to be a real hard cold blooded realist in policy you would back ISIS against Iran to the point of them being imperiled as a state, they would fall all over themselves to talk, but with where we are now how in the world could we do that?