TY

*********************************************************

U.S. airstrikes, however, will soon face competition from Russia.

Western diplomats say a Russian expeditionary force has arrived in Syria and will operate, according to the Israeli website YNet, as a Russian forward operating base.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t

“In the coming weeks thousands of Russian military personnel are set to touch down in Syria, including advisors, instructors, logistics personnel, technical personnel, members of the aerial protection division, and the pilots who will operate the aircraft,” writes Alex Fishman.

“The current makeup of the expeditionary force is still unknown, but there is no doubt that Russian pilots flying combat missions in Syrian skies will definitely change the existing dynamics in the Middle East.”

The presence of the Russian military in the skies over Syria will increase the possibility of encounters with the United States, especially if the US adopts a more aggressive stance against the Syrian government.

Earlier this month the United States began launching manned airstrikes against ISIS targets in Syria from the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/russia-to-begin-airstrikes-against-isis-in-syria.html

********************************************************