The Russian/Syrian connection thread

[2tallbill]

Why don't you ask King Salman that question?

He has had far too much influence for sure but Team Obama has just made a
deal to give Iran nukes and Hillary/Obama helped take out Hosni Mubarak who
was a Sunni who pretty much kept the peace among the various factions that
had lived in Egypt for over a thousand years.

The Saudi's would have never supported ousting Mubarak and they certainly don't
want Iran to have a nuke. Only Team Ineptitude would have helped oust Mubarak
and made the moves that these jokers have done.

[2tallbill]

As Henry Kissinger said about the Iran/Iraq War, "it's a pity that both sides can't lose".

[2tallbill]

Bolded part near the bottom was bolded by me


Russia Surprises U.S. With Accord on Battling ISIS
By MICHAEL R. GORDON NY Times

UNITED NATIONS — For the second time this month, Russia moved to expand its political
and military influence in the Syria conflict and left the United States scrambling, this time
by reaching an understanding, announced on Sunday, with Iraq, Syria and Iran to share
intelligence about the Islamic State.

Like Russia’s earlier move to bolster the government of President Bashar al-Assad by
deploying warplanes and tanks to a base near Latakia, Syria, the intelligence-sharing
arrangement was sealed without notice to the United States. American officials knew
that a group of Russian military officers were in Baghdad, but they were clearly surprised
when the Iraqi military’s Joint Operations Command announced the intelligence sharing
accord on Sunday.

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia with his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, on Monday
at the United Nations General Assembly in New York before he addressed the chamber.

Syrians in a destroyed section of Douma, east of Damascus. Russia has offered to hold
talks with the United States on Syria. Putin Sees Path to Diplomacy

It was another sign that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia was moving ahead with a
sharply different tack from that of the Obama administration in battling the Islamic State,
also known as ISIS or ISIL, by assembling a rival coalition that includes Iran and the
Syrian government.


Secretary of State John Kerry and Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, met Sunday
amid tensions between the countries.

The effort, which Mr. Putin is expected to underscore in his speech at the United Nations
on Monday, not only puts Moscow in a position to give military support to Mr. Assad, its
longtime ally in the Middle East, but could also enable the Kremlin to influence the choice
of a successor if Mr. Assad were to eventually leave power.

Russia’s moves are raising difficult questions for the Obama administration, which remains
deeply conflicted about American military involvement in the Syria conflict. Ensuring that
the Russian military and the United States-led coalition, which is carrying out airstrikes
against the Islamic State, “deconflict” and avoid running into each other is only part of
the problem: The Obama administration and the Kremlin do not appear to agree even on
the main reason for the conflict.

American officials, who have long cast Mr. Assad as the primary source of instability in
Syria, assert that the Syrian leader’s brutal crackdown provided an opening for jihadist
groups and that the crisis cannot be resolved until a political transition is negotiated that
requires him to leave power.

Russian officials see the Syrian government as a bulwark against further gains by groups
like Islamic State and Nusra Front and sometimes suggest that the defeat of the Islamic
State should come before a negotiated solution for the Syrian conflict.

read the entire article here
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/28/world/middleeast/iraq-agrees-to-share-intelligence-on-isis-with-russia-syria-and-iran.html?_r=0

[Gator]

The US has blundered in this for sure. We should have never tried to take out the leaders
of Libya, Egypt or Syria. Egypt was Sunni and Libya and Syria were Shiite. So team
Obama/Clinton/Kerry has blundered with all sides.

True that the US blundered.  Not true about the religions.    Libya is only 1 percent Shia.  Syria is mostly Sunni, yet Assad I believe  has Alawite roots, a Shia sect, and hence one source of the  civil war.   

[Gator]

Russian officials see the Syrian government as a bulwark against further gains by groups
like Islamic State and Nusra Front and sometimes suggest that the defeat of the Islamic
State should come before a negotiated solution for the Syrian conflict.

This is Russian propaganda used to justify Russia stepping up its presence in  the Middle East..  If ISIL is the reason to help Assad, why is Assad spending little effort to fight ISIL.  Only 6%  of Syria's counter-terrorism operations were against ISIL; 94% were against the opposition groups.   

To quote Wiki, "During the Syrian Civil War, multiple parties in the conflict have accused Assad of collusion with ISIL to some degree. Several sources have claimed that ISIL prisoners were strategically released from Syrian prisons at the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 201." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bashar_al-Assad

Obama is correct, Putin is supporting a dictator who is far more interested in barrel bombing his own people rather than fighting ISIL. Putin's statement is pretense to support Putin endeavoring to become influential in the World.   

[fathertime]

Obama is correct, Putin is supporting a dictator who is far more interested in barrel bombing his own people rather than fighting ISIL. Putin's statement is pretense to support Putin endeavoring to become influential in the World.

I wouldn't doubt that Assad would use ISIL to his advantage when they are fighting US backed 'rebels' and not trying to behead him.   The question remains, Why is the USA arming groups at all?  I don't buy that we are 'promoting freedom'...Why are we front and center in Syria?   Why are we so worried that Putin is supporting the elected leader of a country that has been his Allie?  I read complaints about barrel bombs, but not a word about allied drones killing masses of women and children.  To me it sounds like one-sided propaganda, promoting the US perspective, which really should have never been much of a consideration in Syria to begin with. 


Fathertime!   

[2tallbill]

True that the US blundered.  Not true about the religions.    Libya is only 1 percent Shia.  Syria is mostly Sunni, yet Assad I believe  has Alawite roots, a Shia sect, and hence one source of the  civil war.   

I used this article to determine if Qaddafi was Shia or Sunni. With Qaddafi it looks like
he could be labeled either way.
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2007/10/11/40254.html

I based my comments on what the dictator was, with Libya it's seemed he was more
Shia and Sodamn Insane was Sunni even though their countries population were the
opposite.

[2tallbill]

Obama is correct, Putin is supporting a dictator who is far more interested in barrel bombing his own people rather than fighting ISIL. Putin's statement is pretense to support Putin endeavoring to become influential in the World.

I think Obama is wrong, while I don't doubt that Assad would bomb anyone and
everyone, I think that especially in Syria that oil = money = power. If you look at
who controls the oil I think that you will find who Assad (and Putin) most want to fight.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/isis-captures-last-syrian-oil-field_55ed940ee4b03784e27629ba

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2014/02/syria-kurds-oil-struggle-armed-islamist-factions.html#

[fathertime]

I had assumed that it was 54 groups 5 of which are still in the fight rather than 54
individuals 5 of which are still in it. I can't think of another situation that makes sense.

No Bill.  It is 4 or 5 individual fighters.  Not groups.  500million for 4 or 5 fighters...boy doesn't that make sense. 


Here is a quote from an article I just read.  Looks like a US trained REBEL COMMANDER recently handed over all sorts of US army equipment to an Al Quida group:


"Moreover, the U.S. military said a trained Syrian rebel commander had surrendered six trucks and ammunition, supplied by the U.S.-led coalition, to an intermediary linked to the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. U.S. Central Command said the items — roughly 25 percent of the equipment assigned to that unit — apparently were handed over in exchange for safe passage within the region."

http://news.yahoo.com/democratic-discontent-white-house-syria-policy-growing-221412324.html


...and why again are we escalating an internal conflict in Syria?
Fathertime!   

[BillyB]

Obama is correct, Putin is supporting a dictator

Putin thinks he's supporting a customer who is willing to mortgage a huge chunk of Syria's future to buy Russian weapons so that he may stay in power. Putin is putting serious hardware and boots on the ground to make sure this customer survives. Putin beat Obama in Syria. It's been a year since Obama announced a plan to get rid of ISIL. Obama's plan isn't working and won't work unless there are boots on the ground. Obama was warned about pulling troops out of Iraq too early. Iraqi Prime Minister went to Moscow to meet Putin recently. Putin says if invited, he will put troops in Iraq. If Obama wants to leave Iraq to fend for themselves, Iraq will ask Russia for help. Russia will have influence from Syria all the way to Iran. Is this the hope and change Obama promised?

  Why are we so worried that Putin is supporting the elected leader of a country that has been his Allie? 

Most leaders in that part of the world aren't elected. That's why Arab Spring can happen. People aren't happy with their governments. An Iraqi friend of mine says when he voted, there is an armed man standing behind him asking "Who are you voting for?" Secret police visits homes to make sure they have the proper amount of Saddam Hussein posters on the walls. Saddam gets 100% of the vote in elections. My wife who lived in Libya was surprised that so many Libyan citizens turned on Ghaddafi. The media there said so many good things about him. I told her the media is state controlled and she'd never get a true read on the public anger with their government from them.

[msmobyone]

Why are we so worried that Putin is supporting the elected leader of a country

You mean 'elected' .. you DO realise that 2014 'Presidential Elections' were the first multi-candidate ones  'permitted' since Assad's Dad's party assumed control ....

The 'elections' were held during a civil war and criticised by the UN SEC GEN as being meaningless.

PLE-ease...  you can do better than that.. it's clear that you've not lived in the Levant ... I have and most of the stuff posted about Syria is 'bollox'

Assad should be up before a Court re his treatment of his continued campaign of indiscriminate bombing of hs citizens and the mess that is today is mostly a result of years of misrule...supported by nations happy to supply arms to perpetuate the 'peace and stability' a Dictator brings...

This is an article from the right of centre UK Telegraph... the lass makes a lot of sense - particularly the closing paragraph.

That most of a nations population are refugees is a sin

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11897647/The-White-House-has-long-stopped-trying-to-remove-Assad-from-power.html

[fathertime]

You mean 'elected' .. you DO realise that 2014 'Presidential Elections' were the first multi-candidate ones  'permitted' since Assad's Dad's party assumed control ....

The 'elections' were held during a civil war and criticised by the UN SEC GEN as being meaningless.

PLE-ease...  you can do better than that.. it's clear that you've not lived in the Levant ... I have and most of the stuff posted about Syria is 'bollox'

Assad should be up before a Court re his treatment of his continued campaign of indiscriminate bombing of hs citizens and the mess that is today is mostly a result of years of misrule...supported by nations happy to supply arms to perpetuate the 'peace and stability' a Dictator brings...

This is an article from the right of centre UK Telegraph... the lass makes a lot of sense - particularly the closing paragraph.

That most of a nations population are refugees is a sin

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11897647/The-White-House-has-long-stopped-trying-to-remove-Assad-from-power.html

Well although it is their version of 'elections', he has indeed been their leader.   

Assad should be up before a Court re his treatment of his continued campaign of indiscriminate bombing of hs citizens and the mess that is today is mostly a result of years of misrule...supported by nations happy to supply arms to perpetuate the 'peace and stability' a Dictator brings...

This is an article from the right of centre UK Telegraph... the lass makes a lot of sense - particularly the closing paragraph.

That most of a nations population are refugees is a sin

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11897647/The-White-House-has-long-stopped-trying-to-remove-Assad-from-power.html

I was reading from many places yesterday regarding the beginnings of the civil war.  It was the US that illegally funneled weapons into Syria, which greatly encouraged the uprising. Without that, this war probably  wouldn't have reached this point. We didn't have any business doing this. 
It seems to be a common refrain that Assad is bombing indiscriminately, but it seems to be that he is attempting to kill those that would behead him, and yes those 'rebels' are sometimes among the people.  Yesterday, Saudi Arabia bombed a wedding in Yemen and killed women and children, that was forgotten rather quickly.  I notice that it is only when it is the side the West is attempting to demonize, that the events are magnified and distorted.  I attempt to bring some reality to the situation. 


Yes the last paragraph in your posted link is true, we (America) are NOT the moral force...that is a fantasy.


Fathertime! 


 

[mendeleyev]

When unmarked "little green men" began to appear in Crimea, some of them had seen service in other "frozen conflicts" like Moldova and Armenia. Those leaders soon reinvented themselves as "Ukrainian rebels" in Eastern Ukraine.

If you've wondered what happened to them since Moscow pulled them out of Ukraine, wonder no more. It would appear, no, they are reappearing in another part of the world: Syria.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-russians-seen-fighting-syria-162635789.html

[jone]

Well although it is their version of 'elections', he has indeed been their leader.   



I was reading from many places yesterday regarding the beginnings of the civil war.  It was the US that illegally funneled weapons into Syria, which greatly encouraged the uprising. Without that, this war probably  wouldn't have reached this point. We didn't have any business doing this. 
It seems to be a common refrain that Assad is bombing indiscriminately, but it seems to be that he is attempting to kill those that would behead him, and yes those 'rebels' are sometimes among the people.  Yesterday, Saudi Arabia bombed a wedding in Yemen and killed women and children, that was forgotten rather quickly.  I notice that it is only when it is the side the West is attempting to demonize, that the events are magnified and distorted.  I attempt to bring some reality to the situation. 


Yes the last paragraph in your posted link is true, we (America) are NOT the moral force...that is a fantasy.


Fathertime!

Right.  We watched the leader of Russia tell lie after bald faced lie at the UN yesterday.  Everyone knows they're lies.  Compared to Russia, the US is a moral force or there is no moral force in the CIVILIZED world.    We are a moral force because the type of government we have includes checks and balances that require a level of honesty in dealing with the public and the world.  It seems to me that you have forgotten these premises.

In any event, you are a beacon of fortitude to speak your mind when you are so jaded in your opinions of your own country.  Do not believe, however, that the great majority of Americans stand with you with your opinions, as you always tell us.  Joe Sickpack, you aren't.

[Boethius]

From a Middle East Scholar, on why Obama and Putin are both wrong.


http://www.juancole.com/2015/09/putin-wrong-syria.html

[fathertime]

Right.  We watched the leader of Russia tell lie after bald faced lie at the UN yesterday.  Everyone knows they're lies.  Compared to Russia, the US is a moral force or there is no moral force in the CIVILIZED world.    We are a moral force because the type of government we have includes checks and balances that require a level of honesty in dealing with the public and the world.  It seems to me that you have forgotten these premises.

It doesn't matter if you think we are a moral force compared to Russia.  We are not the moral force of the world....not even close.  I realize we are supposed to have checks and balances, but either they are no longer working or they are all in cahoots.  Have you read what many of the more patriotic of the website have said about the all around corruption of our nation?  That is from the patriotic ones! I don't believe we need to impose ourselves within internal conflicts, we didn't need to secretly and illegally start arming groups in Syria.  It is no surprise that we are accused of doing it elsewhere too, because we probably did!     

In any event, you are a beacon of fortitude to speak your mind when you are so jaded in your opinions of your own country.  Do not believe, however, that the great majority of Americans stand with you with your opinions, as you always tell us.  Joe Sickpack, you aren't.

Who better to criticize the policies of a country but someone from it?...someone who doesn't benefit financially by attempting to expose our many misdeeds.  You claim other people get paid for it.  What a bunch of excuses.    It is likely true that most Americans don't agree with me, but a lot do...although hardly any are as vocal about it.  If exposing all the BS is being jaded that's ok, but I see it differently. Many people must have gotten used to singing The Battle Hymn of the Republic in elementary school.  Nice song, but a bunch of bologna nowadays...the truth is NOT what is marching nowadays, it is almost always lies marching forward, if you want to believe it, that is fine, but I'm going to expose every one I can find...   


Joe Sickpack?  Don't you mean Joe six pack?   Joe Six Pack, isn't interested or aware of most issues, he is busy drinking his six pack, or watching The Kardashians with his wife.  No, I'm not Joe Six Pack, or Joe Sickpack either!


Fathertime!     

[BillyB]

During a September 2013 speech, in response to a devastating Syrian-regime chemical-weapons attack that killed 1,400 people in four hours, Obama asked:

"What kind of world will we live in if the United States of America sees a dictator brazenly violate international law with poison gas and we choose to look the other way?"


Obama not only looked the other way in Syria but abandoned Iraq and opened the doors to make Iran stronger. Putin wisely made moves to sell weapons to Iran and Syria and is getting cozy with Iraq. Obama says Assad has got to go but does little to make that happen. Our real friends in the Middle East isn't happy with Obama's foreign policy. Maybe they'll look to Russia or China to get things done.


Obama draws a red line nobody dare better cross

[Belvis]

the US is a moral force or there is no moral force in the CIVILIZED world.    We are a moral force because the type of government we have includes checks and balances that require a level of honesty in dealing with the public and the world.

Moral force in action or how checks and balances are working :

[jone]

The United States has the option to participate or not participate in supporting various regimes around the world.  The difference that makes it a moral force (not the moral force, FT) is that the politicians are answerable to people.  While there is no microscope that parses every action by the government, it is a moral force regardless of detractors.

Actions that belie the idea of morality by the government are scrutinized when brought to light.  They aren't ignored or, in the case of Russia, buried and then have history re-written. 

In some respects, I find the morality of the United States infuriating.  It would be so much easier using our advanced technology, to go in and wipe out an offending group or groups of people.  But our self examination is endemic both on the individual level and the governmental level.  Ultimately, however, the US acts in its own interest as does every country.  The difference is that, ultimately, there is some accountability to the people. 

Other countries? Yeah, there is accountability.  It is called revolution.  Are you listening Russia?  Can you say Maidan?

[fathertime]

The United States has the option to participate or not participate in supporting various regimes around the world.   

We also apparently have the option to go into countries illegally and arm groups opposed to current leadership, and help foment unrest. 

  The difference that makes it a moral force (not the moral force, FT) is that the politicians are answerable to people.  While there is no microscope that parses every action by the government, it is a moral force regardless of detractors.

Hmmmm a moral force....If you are declaring us a moral force, then others can make claims that China is a moral force, or Russia is a moral force...they definitely serve as counterweights against what we have shown we would do, if we could get away with it...that is a providing a service. 

Actions that belie the idea of morality by the government are scrutinized when brought to light.  They aren't ignored or, in the case of Russia, buried and then have history re-written. 

While you are focusing on all of Russia's misdeeds, you continue to bury, excuse, chuckle off, all of ours.  That is typical though, must of what we have done is buried or de-emphasized to the point where few actually know our history, aside from the large events. 

 

Other countries? Yeah, there is accountability.  It is called revolution.  Are you listening Russia?  Can you say Maidan?

And we will be right there to foment as much unrest/revolution as we can when it is in our interest to do so....and if it doesn't work well enough we will start droning/bombing next!!


Fathertime! 

[Faux Pas]

From a Middle East Scholar, on why Obama and Putin are both wrong.


http://www.juancole.com/2015/09/putin-wrong-syria.html

Because he is a scholar doesn't make him right, either. He shoots down Putin and Obama's plan but offers nothing else that would work. He lost me where he stated Obama is a smart man, he isn't. Quite frankly IMO Putin's plan has more teeth. Here's the Mexican standoff; Neither Putin nor Obama will allow the other to succeed

[Boethius]

If you read through his blog, you will notice that he is willing to debate ideas, including with other academics.

He also predicted, in 2005, almost exactly what has happened.

Obama is smart, no doubt about it.  I think he also sees the toxicity of the US dependence on Middle Eastern oil.

In the end, much of the Middle East's instability can be traced back to Saudi Arabia, which funds the most severe, and repressive form of Islam in existence.  It is not mainstream, but they certainly want it to become so.

[Brasscasing]

Moral force in action or how checks and balances are working :

They're working just fine...

The Secret Casualties of Iraq’s Abandoned Chemical Weapons

..."The soldiers at the blast crater sensed something was wrong.
 
It was August 2008 near Taji, Iraq. They had just exploded a stack of old Iraqi artillery shells buried beside a murky lake. The blast, part of an effort to destroy munitions that could be used in makeshift bombs, uncovered more shells.
 
Two technicians assigned to dispose of munitions stepped into the hole. Lake water seeped in. One of them, Specialist Andrew T. Goldman, noticed a pungent odor, something, he said, he had never smelled before.
 
He lifted a shell. Oily paste oozed from a crack. “That doesn’t look like pond water,” said his team leader, Staff Sgt. Eric J. Duling.
 
The specialist swabbed the shell with chemical detection paper. It turned red — indicating sulfur mustard, the chemical warfare agent designed to burn a victim’s airway, skin and eyes.
 
All three men recall an awkward pause. Then Sergeant Duling gave an order: “Get the hell out.”
 
Five years after President George W. Bush sent troops into Iraq, these soldiers had entered an expansive but largely secret chapter of America’s long and bitter involvement in Iraq.
 
From 2004 to 2011, American and American-trained Iraqi troops repeatedly encountered, and on at least six occasions were wounded by, chemical weapons remaining from years earlier in Saddam Hussein’s rule."...

..."In all, American troops secretly reported finding roughly 5,000 chemical warheads, shells or aviation bombs, according to interviews with dozens of participants, Iraqi and American officials, and heavily redacted intelligence documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act....

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/14/world/middleeast/us-casualties-of-iraq-chemical-weapons.html?_r=1

BOMBSHELL: New York Times Reports WMDs WERE Found in Iraq!

Read more: http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/bombshell-new-york-times-reports-wmds-found-iraq/#ixzz3kynTAcok

And my personal favorite...

Iraq war chemicals found stored in U.N. office

..."The United Nations found small amounts of a potentially lethal chemical warfare agent, removed from Iraq a decade ago, in offices near its New York headquarters but officials said on Thursday there was no danger. "...

..."It should not have come here," said Ewen Buchanan, spokesman for the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, known as UNMOVIC, in whose offices the substance was found"...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/08/30/us-un-chemicals-idUSN3044092720070830

Chemical Weapons Scare at U.N. Headquarters

..."United Nations weapons inspectors discovered six to eight vials of a dangerous chemical warfare agent, phosgene, as they were cleaning out offices at a U.N. building in New York, federal authorities tell the Blotter on ABCNews.com.

The federal authorities said the office, in a U.N. building near headquarters, was being evacuated and the White House had been notified at 10 a.m."...

..."The vials were discovered at the headquarters of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), which led the inspections of possible chemical and biological weapons in Iraq. The items were recovered from a former Iraqi chemical weapons facility, Al Muthanna, back in 1996, but just noticed on an inventory list yesterday, according to UNMOVIC."...

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/08/nerve-gas-scare.html

US did find Iraq WMD

..."There were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq after all.

The massive cache of almost 400,000 Iraq war documents released by the WikiLeaks Web site revealed that small amounts of chemical weapons were found in Iraq and continued to surface for years after the 2003 US invasion, Wired magazine reported.

The documents showed that US troops continued to find chemical weapons and labs for years after the invasion, including remnants of Saddam Hussein’s chemical weapons arsenal — most of which had been destroyed following the Gulf War.

In August 2004, American troops were able to buy containers from locals of what they thought was liquid sulfur mustard, a blister agent, the documents revealed. The chemicals were triple-sealed and taken to a secure site.

Also in 2004, troops discovered a chemical lab in a house in Fallujah during a battle with insurgents. A chemical cache was also found in the city."...

http://nypost.com/2010/10/25/us-did-find-iraq-wmd/

Don't kid yourself, Belvis. Western media has misrepresented WMDs in Iraq to the point it qualifies as disinformation. It arguably represents one of the biggest cover ups of the truth in 20 years...

Brass

[2tallbill]

No Bill.  It is 4 or 5 individual fighters.  Not groups.  500million for 4 or 5 fighters...boy doesn't that make sense. 

Here is a quote from an article I just read.  Looks like a US trained REBEL COMMANDER recently handed over all sorts of US army equipment to an Al Quida group:


"Moreover, the U.S. military said a trained Syrian rebel commander had surrendered six trucks and ammunition, supplied by the U.S.-led coalition, to an intermediary linked to the al-Qaida affiliate in Syria. U.S. Central Command said the items — roughly 25 percent of the equipment assigned to that unit — apparently were handed over in exchange for safe passage within the region."

Even I who nobody would call an Obamapologist thought that that they wouldn't waste
those kind of resources. Bimbobama and his regime are even more inept than I would
have ever believed.

...and why again are we escalating an internal conflict in Syria?
Fathertime!

Obama owns ISIS, but I wasn't under the impression that he was escalating it. It's
been my impression that he lobs a couple of bombs at the problem twice a week and
ignores it. He cares far more to waste vast sums of money on Global warming and to
create thousands of pages of regulations on everything under the sun.

He really doesn't care what happens there except to the extent that it interferes with
his other crap. 

[Brasscasing]

Well, I posted earlier that the Russians being in Syria was strategically maybe the best means to finally bring the West into Russia's war of aggression for real.

Let's revue...

1) Russia conducts air strikes this morning not on IS but Syrian rebels fighting Assad at Assad's request completely contrary to what Putin agreed to at the UN just days ago.

2) Russian General walks into Bagdad US Embassy and declares get your aircraft out of Syrian air space, we're conducting airstrikes within the hour.

3) Russian's have now multiple ground to air missile detachments deployed in Syria...IS has no air force. There are only Coalition Aircraft flying in Syria.

I've always maintained until this mad dog (Putin) is put down he will continue to disrupt and further his agenda of aggression.

Putin has once again full on slapped Obama in the face-made a mockery of him- and by extension the US and NATO.

Will this be allowed to stand? Where is the West's leadership?...Truly 1938 Europe all over again. The more we back away the more general war becomes inevitable.

Brass