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[Culise]

Apart as a leverage point for negotiation with the West, what does Russia gain from Syria as an ally?

Negotiation point against west as you said, a economy ally ( they already are, but this will take time if they win to rebuild), a part of military (port) and political influence over that area. Its not as important as lets say ukraine, but still a important part.

The economic points from this post have already been expanded on, but military-wise, it's also their sole source of political projection in the Eastern Mediterranean, and has been since the 70s and the successful wooing of Nasserite Egypt away from the Soviets.  While such facilities were more important during the Cold War as staging bases for light raiders not reliant on Black Sea ports (the Montreaux Conventions including provisions for a wartime ban on military ship movements through the Straits, even before Turkey formally joined NATO), the facility at Tartus has regained a bit of its importance in the light of the recent chill in Russia-NATO relations in spite of its lack of actual present capacity, and I've also heard some (likely idle) talk about a potential new Russian facility at Latakia, even before the recent sharp increase in Russian activity there.  As well, your note on political influence is also critical; it's not like Russia has any other alternatives left, ever since Saddam and the USSR went their separate ways with the collapse of the latter state.  It's not the best lever for either Russia or Iran, but it's the only one they have. 

[Erkki]

What is naive is thinking money played a great role in the decision to go there. It clearly didn't; Russia should enough issues with its economy already, yet shows no sign of cutting military expeditures. What it has aplenty of, before running out of money that, is troops and weapons. Thats what they've been acquiring the past half a decade plus, just like the Saudis.

Syria is allied to Iraq?

Also again, the "Russia vs. West" rhetorics. Is Russia supposed to be some kind of a counter balance to this "West"? (in its own propaganda, perhaps)

It actually did play a role as you do not see huge forces moving there, so money always pays a role. There is no sight of cutting military because economy is not going as bad as it seems in west medias. Again troops and weapons, everything costs money, doesn't matter do you have that equipment or not.

Yes Iraq is not a full out  ally to syria but more to russia, from military support, buying weapons and similar. And in this crisis iraq is getting very close to countries involved with ISIS problem. So yea, it was my wrong the way I worded it

Yes, russia and several other countries are counter balance to west, as they always where and probably will be in long future.

You are now ignored. I'm rather with STRATFOR thananybody else but Russian state media.

Apart as a leverage point for negotiation with the West, what does Russia gain from Syria as an ally?

Weapon sales? I once heard that 80% of their military stuff is bought in Russia.

Yeah, although it is unknown to me how much longer Syria will be able to remain a customer. They've likely bought stuff for debit for some time already. Also, the naval base at Tartus.

From the same source, I've heard that Syria has got some extra large loans (1+ billion $) from Iran recently. So they'll probably remain a customer for as long as Iran is willing to bankroll Syria.

(new axis of evil: russia-syria-iran)
[/quote]

Thanks! So, yeah the Shiite powers seem to be uniting their ranks against Saudis and ISIS now. In Iraq, Syria and Yemen. I wonder if more stuff starts happening if/once the embargo and sanctions on Iranian start getting lifted, they are another nation looking to modernize their army and especially the dated air force and Russia is likely more than happy to help with that asap.

Not that I would mind that...

[miljan]

You are now ignored. I'm rather with STRATFOR than Russian state media.

Whatever dude, keep believing in whatever you want, but dont be surprised when things are very different from what you think. And I dont even know russian that much.

[XXSockXX]

I seem to recall they recently added a federal minimum wage, but for a long time they have had industry specific minimum wages.

This is about the federal minimum wage. Some consider it too high and think it keeps poorly qualified people out of the job market. It can be argued that nobody will hire someone who is poorly qualified - at least not full-time - for 8,50 EUR an hour, so these people are permanently stuck in the welfare system. The minimum wage was pushed through against that argument, but now with 1 Mio refugees coming in, the argument is brought up again.

There is some debate about how to integrate the refugees into the job market (if they can stay and are through the long legal process where they can't work anyway). I've heard estimates that it may take up to 7 years on average for a refugee to get fully integrated into the job market, though currently nobody really knows how that is going to turn out. The government starts to worry about rising unemployment through a huge influx of people who don't have much of a chance of finding a regular job here, due to language problems and poor qualification. Some of the immigrants have university degrees (that may not be recognized here though) and speak multiple languages, others have never been to school and are barely fluent in their own language.

[Loud Whispers]

There is some debate about how to integrate the refugees into the job market (if they can stay and are through the long legal process where they can't work anyway). I've heard estimates that it may take up to 7 years on average for a refugee to get fully integrated into the job market, though currently nobody really knows how that is going to turn out. The government starts to worry about rising unemployment through a huge influx of people who don't have much of a chance of finding a regular job here, due to language problems and poor qualification. Some of the immigrants have university degrees (that may not be recognized here though) and speak multiple languages, others have never been to school and are barely fluent in their own language.

This is not asylum, this is immigration
No wonder the Germans let in working age men and not children

chekeci bkreikiki

[Morrigi]

You are now ignored. I'm rather with STRATFOR thananybody else but Russian state media.

The fuck? Anyone with the "wrong" opinion is a Russian shill, now?

[da_nang]

Poor "refugee" travels through half of Europe. Complains Finland is too cold and boring. Cancels asylum application.

Don't want to say we told you so, but...

[Erkki]

You are now ignored. I'm rather with STRATFOR thananybody else but Russian state media.

The fuck? Anyone with the "wrong" opinion is a Russian shill, now?

Meh... Just tired of having to continually read the same kind of stuff including making two wrongs equal right. Everyone has right to an opinion, I agree there, but not all opinions are equal.

The at very best moderate size economy Russia is playing as if it had a straight flush it doesn't have while pretending to oneselfit does, is now taking part to at least two conflicts while strangling welfare, minorities and free speech at home. Your average euro country is about 11 to 13 years ahead of Russia in male life expectancy at birth alone.

I should know better and just stay out of threads like these. Anything Russia related tends to heat up feelings any way, partially because that desperate gas station is just across the border and I may very personally get to exchange our cultures via gunfire with them in my lifetime, partially because of whats its been doing within and out of its borders since about year or two after Yeltsin left and how there seems to be an endless line of people ready to defend and justify Russia's ambitions.

[Loud Whispers]

Putin getting sweaty that Murrica is planning for hybrid warfare in the baltics

Those dastardly Americans, why are they preparing for hybrid warfare in the Baltics when the Baltics borders absolutely zero nations that just conducted hybrid warfare that also don't rhyme with Rhusshah

Obama invasion of Russia during Winter wen

[Sergarr]

that desperate gas station

I'm going to voice my displeasure about this choice of words in an vaguely abstract manner and leave it at that.

[Morrigi]

Putin getting sweaty that Murrica is planning for hybrid warfare in the baltics

Those dastardly Americans, why are they preparing for hybrid warfare in the Baltics when the Baltics borders absolutely zero nations that just conducted hybrid warfare that also don't rhyme with Rhusshah

Obama invasion of Russia during Winter wen

To be fair, the American escalation in Europe is intended to do nothing but provoke Russia.

[Loud Whispers]

Don't trigger my freedom Morri

Also in some actually decent developments Turkey and Qatar have done the world a solid by helping to negotiate a ceasefire between Assad forces and Insurgent forces, effectively allowing Sunnis to go to Sunni areas and Shias to go to Shia areas
In the long term this can go one of two ways

ISIS were not included in the negotiations because they are a shit

[Sinistar]

I seem to recall they recently added a federal minimum wage, but for a long time they have had industry specific minimum wages.

This is about the federal minimum wage. Some consider it too high and think it keeps poorly qualified people out of the job market. It can be argued that nobody will hire someone who is poorly qualified - at least not full-time - for 8,50 EUR an hour, so these people are permanently stuck in the welfare system. The minimum wage was pushed through against that argument, but now with 1 Mio refugees coming in, the argument is brought up again.

There is some debate about how to integrate the refugees into the job market (if they can stay and are through the long legal process where they can't work anyway). I've heard estimates that it may take up to 7 years on average for a refugee to get fully integrated into the job market, though currently nobody really knows how that is going to turn out. The government starts to worry about rising unemployment through a huge influx of people who don't have much of a chance of finding a regular job here, due to language problems and poor qualification. Some of the immigrants have university degrees (that may not be recognized here though) and speak multiple languages, others have never been to school and are barely fluent in their own language.

So I take it what I heard WAS just a load of bull after all, though it might be connected with this minimal federal wage talk?

Poor "refugee" travels through half of Europe. Complains Finland is too cold and boring. Cancels asylum application.

Don't want to say we told you so, but...

Gotta love tha one Finn dressing up as a Ku Klux Klan member as a mark of protest against Iraqi refugees because that makes total sense, heh.

edit:

In the long term this can go one of two ways

And in the meantime, US-trained rebels traded their equipment to al-Qaeda affiliate in exchange for their freedom. Oh deer.

[Erkki]

Putin getting sweaty that Murrica is planning for hybrid warfare in the baltics

Those dastardly Americans, why are they preparing for hybrid warfare in the Baltics when the Baltics borders absolutely zero nations that just conducted hybrid warfare that also don't rhyme with Rhusshah

Obama invasion of Russia during Winter wen

To be fair, the American escalation in Europe is intended to do nothing but provoke Russia.

Escalation, in allied territory in countries that have no inner and take part to no external conflicts? Provocation perhaps, but thats a bullys logic. This of course does not apply in Finland but whatever. Some NATO members have been begging for more troops on their turfs for long now. So I guess that the Baltics are consuming security(that could otherwise be compromised by Russia) that is provided by the rest of the NATO.

[Ukrainian Ranger]

that desperate gas station

I'm going to voice my displeasure about this choice of words in an vaguely abstract manner and leave it at that.

It is definitely a wrong way to choose words

That desperate gas station with nukes