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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Obama: Putin Sent Military Into Syria '€˜Out of Weakness'
2015-10-05
h/t Instapundit
In a press briefing Friday, President Barack Obama said that Russian President Vladimir Putin entered Syria "out of weakness" and called his actions against anti-Assad forces "counterproductive."

Obama echoed the White House narrative that Russia was forced to enter Syria because the Assad regime, a long-time Kremlin client state, is in danger of collapse.

"Mr. Putin had to go into Syria not out of strength but out of weakness because his client Mr. Assad was crumbling and it was insufficient for him simply to send them arms and money. Now he's got to put in his own planes and his own pilots," Obama said.

In an attempt to rebuke the popular notion that Putin is a mastermind who the White House is scrambling to keep up with, Obama reminded the audience that Russia is part of a three-member coalition while the United States leads 60 nations.
And has Gay Marriage. Oh, how millions of oppressed Russians yearn for freedoms like these!
Posted by:g(r)omgoru

#9  More existential or strategic reasons for Mama Russia than just saving ally Baby Assad from collapse.

Putin doesn't want the ISIS/ISIL on two or more of Russia's flanks, NOT in Islamist-pressured Neo-Ottoman Turkey, nor in AFPAK building up to strike Central Asia + Russian Far East.

Also good for giving Russia-led SCO-CSTO = Eurasian Customs Union both stability + mucho international credibility + kudos.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2015-10-05 21:23  

#8  The strong horse takes off with a quickness.
Sez Preezy: "He runs out of weakness!"
Sez Kremlinite Pharaoh,
"Cliche Caballero
Will only beat me at the Preakness."
Posted by: Zenobia Floger6220   2015-10-05 14:45  

#7  Oh, and hope nothing catastrophic happens before 2017. Posted by Pappy

Yes indeed! Manufactured crisis and strategic diversion are the regime's bread and butter. Something worthy of much prayer, even for those who pray very little or seldom if at all.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-10-05 14:41  

#6  I don't think he understands the meaning of weakness. Or .aybe he's dyslexic.
Posted by: chris   2015-10-05 14:11  

#5  Mr. Obama and his camp's objective is, and long has been, to forge a post-presidential political machine. That's where the money and power will be, who the Democratic party will follow, and who the Western elites will come to.

Everything said and done is to advance that goal. Retain and reinforce the current "progressive" voter base. Cultivate the potentials. Line up more donors, and convince the doubters that your machine had better be the one they're donating to.

Placate or buy off the rubes and the unbelievers. Easy enough to do in D.C. and with help of the media, perhaps a bit harder and uglier outside the Beltway.

Everything that doesn't advance that goal gets ignored, or dismissed out of hand, or trash-talked, or neutralized one way or another.

Oh, and hope nothing catastrophic happens before 2017.
Posted by: Pappy   2015-10-05 12:24  

#4  More "Leading from behind" by Obean?
Posted by: JohnQC   2015-10-05 11:49  

#3  Putin is playing master-level chess.

Obama is playing checkers... with himself.... and losing... badly.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2015-10-05 10:29  

#2  P2k, can I recommend a SF book to you?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2015-10-05 09:46  

#1  For I am a jealous god...
Posted by: Procopius2k   2015-10-05 09:23  

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