Russia is using Syria to run circles around that U.S. cunt Obama

[Justin Heroin]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/23/opinions/russia-us-syria-opinion-
ghitis/

(CNN)It is quite clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin
views the United States not as a partner or even as an adversary
but as an enemy. The fact is brought to grotesque levels by a
new public campaign that literally draws horns on President
Barack Obama, describing him as an international mass murderer.
(The Russian government denies responsibility for the campaign.)
The campaign is shocking and eye-catching, like a highway wreck.
But far more distressing is what Putin is doing in Syria, where
he is outplaying America and its allies, with disastrous
consequences.

In October, when Russia started bombing Syria, Obama confidently
predicted that Putin would regret his decision to enter the
Syrian civil war. "An attempt by Russia and Iran to prop up
Assad and try to pacify the population," Obama predicted, "is
just going to get them stuck in a quagmire and it won't work."

Perhaps in the long term Obama will be proved right and Syria
will, in fact, become Putin's Vietnam. But so far, Putin has not
only turned the tide of war in Syria, reversing what was a
steady loss of territory for Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad,
but he is also playing his Syria intervention as part of a
global chess match against the West. To put it bluntly, Putin is
running circles around the United States and Europe.

Here are five ways Russia is outplaying the West via Syria:

1. Russia is taunting Turkey, hoping for a crack in NATO unity.

The tensions between Russia and Turkey -- a NATO member -- have
intensified since Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian plane
near its Syrian border in November. Since then, Russia has kept
its promise to exact a painful price in retaliation. Diplomatic,
economic and on-the-ground consequences are visible.

Turkey says Russian planes continue to violate its airspace.
Turkey is already shelling positions held by Russian-supported
Syrian Kurds. If Turkey moves forces into Syria, which is
possible, the prospect of direct Russian-Turkish fighting could
force the United States and Europe to join the fight under
NATO's collective defense principle. NATO would face the choice
of going to war against Russia for the sake of its least
reliable ally, Turkey, or enduring a dangerous crack in the
alliance.

2. Russia is courting the Syrian Kurds, threatening American
links to important allies in the fight against ISIS.

A few weeks ago, the United Nations sponsored a sad round of
Syria peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland. The Syrian Kurds,
America's most effective on-the-ground allies against ISIS and
who hold a significant amount of Syrian territory, were not
invited to the doomed conference because Turkey views the
Kurdish YPG, or People's Protection Units, as terrorist enemies.
While the United States didn't have much to say on the issue,
Russia embraced the Syrian Kurds with both arms. Russia argued
that they should be included. And now, the Syrian Kurds have
opened an office in Moscow, calling the event "a historic moment
for the Kurdish people." Not only is Russia highlighting the
contradictions and unreliability of America's Syria strategy,
but it is courting the Kurds away from the United States.

3. Russia's actions are contributing to a continuing and growing
wave of Syrian refugees, with repercussions for the United
States and its allies.

While Putin has claimed that Russia's airstrikes in Syria are
part of a strategy against ISIS or other terrorist groups, his
real aim is to save Assad. To do so, Russia and Assad are
targeting mostly non-ISIS groups, and they are bombing with
little concern for civilian populations, hoping to leave the
West with a choice between Assad and ISIS. The continuous
attacks, including most recently in and around Syria's second-
largest city, the formerly rebel-held Aleppo, has created a new
chapter in the refugee crisis, putting pressure on Turkey, which
is already burdened with some 2.5 million refugees, and
potentially Europe and the United States.

4. Russia, by helping create more refugees from Syria, is
helping divide Europe against itself.

The European Union has survived a multitude of challenges, but
the alliance that survived the Greek debt crisis, the banking
collapse and even a clash with Russia over its invasion of
Ukrainian territory, may not be able to withstand the Syrian
refugee crisis. One can imagine a smile of satisfaction on
Putin's face as he watches German Chancellor Angela Merkel's
idealistic call for opening the borders come under withering
attack. The refugee crisis, and the debate over terrorist
attacks by Islamists with links to Syrian terrorists, is
bolstering extreme right-wing politicians, casting doubt on the
viability of Europe's Schengen passport-free travel and putting
a shadow on the EU's survival. The weakening of Europe is a loss
for the United States and a gain for Russia.

5. Russia is gaming the United States at the diplomatic table.

When U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced in Munich,
Germany, that world powers had agreed to a "cessation of
hostilities" in Syria, few people expected the guns to go quiet.
In fact, the one-week delay built into the agreement led some of
us to predict that the killing would only intensify as a result
of the deal. That is precisely what happened. But that is not
all that happened. The Russians toyed with the United States at
the negotiating table.

The victims, as always, are the Syrian people, who are giving
their lives as world powers and terrorist chieftains decide
their fates. Russia agreed to the plan, but it made clear that
the shooting halt did not apply to "terrorist" groups. In other
words, Russia agreed to nothing but did intensify its attacks in
Aleppo, helping secure huge strategic gains for Assad. The U.S.
diplomatic effort, which is driven by good intentions, looked
hapless.

Perhaps one day Putin will regret intervening in Syria. For now,
as his forces bomb hospitals in Syria, and his supporters in
Moscow call on the United Nations to punish Obama, Putin can
only marvel at the success of his Syrian operation. Not only has
he saved Assad from what was starting to look like the end of
his rule, but he has also weakened the United States, its
allies, and its alliances.

[PaxPerPoten]

Putin didn't weaken us...Obama DID!!!!! The Caliphate must rule the
world of Obama! And the fucking Liberal love it. Some of the Rinos do
too. Kristol is an example..
>


--
It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard
the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all
ages who mean to govern well, but *They mean to govern*. They promise to
be good masters, *but they mean to be masters*. Daniel Webster