I fully expect Russia is looking to take over the bases currently held by the US. Maybe even the one Trump wants Iraq to pay for if they are ordered out. I wonder if Putin may offer to pay for it on behalf of Iraq. That would be quite a PR move, now wouldn't it?

Not likely. US will be pushed out. Lots of soldiers coming home in body bags. Iran has 40,000 suicide bomber volunteers who are educated and can do lots of damage taking out soldiers and others.

I fully expect Russia is looking to take over the bases currently held by the US.

I certainly hope so.

There are ten million ragheads in Russia. Many of whom are in gulags.

Russia was badly burned in Afghanistan, let them have the Middle East.

Russia was badly burned in Afghanistan, let them have the Middle East.

Russia was burned in Afghanistan. Or more accurately, the communist USSR was burned, just as the US is getting burned now.

But as backed into a corner as they are in the international arena, I'd think they'd take whatever they can get, though only by working with gov's as he is with Syria.

In any event, Russian troops would be far more welcome and far more safe in Iraq than US troops are. Russians don't have any recent record of invading Iraq and destroying the place.

In any event, Russian troops would be far more welcome and far more safe in Iraq than US troops are. Russians don't have any recent record of invading Iraq and destroying the place.

I would not agree with that premise.

China admits to having a million or more ragheads in "re education" camps.

Ragheads regularly bomb places in Russia, so they get shot.

It took Russia ten years to decide to get out of Afghanistan.

Trump needs to leave the Middle East, let Russia and China have it.

We have hundreds of thousands of ragheads here and it is not going to be nice.

We no longer depend on Middle East oil. Bring troops home but if Iran does bad things, bomb them back into dark ages.

I would not agree with that premise.

I didn't say they'd be completely safe, but much safer than US personnel. There's plenty of hatred there for the USA, and Iran has some positive ties with Russia.

Ping...

If you are a student of geo/politics.

Notice how quiet Kim and North Korea have been???

We have 50,000 military there and Trump wants them home. American media is likewise mute.

Notice how quiet Kim and North Korea have been???

How would we know how quiet NK is? It's up to MSM to give reports on their statements. If they don't report them we hear nothing.

Of course Kim is paying attention. But NK isn't killing US servicemen. He's just making nukes. And what he's really paying attention to -- all that really matters to him -- is how much the US can be trusted, because the more trustworthy someone is, the safer it is to make deals with them.

And he knows that if he builds good nuke bombs and missile systems that the US wouldn't dare to attack him. There's little question that that's why he wants them -- as a deterrent. The same reason everyone wants them.