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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| The Great Game is back? |
| 2016-03-15 |
| [Jpost] Putin's power move in Syria puts Russia on par with US ...Just as he surprised the world six months ago when he decided to send his military to intervene in the Syrian civil war, he similarly amazed observers on Monday when he announced plans to gradually withdraw his forces from there. Putin said Monday night that Russia had achieved its goals in Syria. It's difficult to judge that statement since it's been unclear from the start what those goals were. If the aims were limited -- preventing the collapse of President Bashar Assad's regime -- then the mission was indeed accomplished. ...More than anything, the Russian intervention places Moscow on an equal superpower plane with the United States, whose policies in Syria in particular -- and the Middle East in general -- is losing all credibility and support amongst its friends. ...In addition to his military maneuvers, Putin understands that Syria will never return to being the sovereign state it was with its traditional borders, as was the case in the period before 2011. This explains Russia’s readiness to lead a diplomatic effort that would turn Syria into a federally run political entity comprising a number of provinces - an Alawite (Shi’ite) fiefdom in the coastal area ruled by Assad, along Kurdish and Druse enclaves as well as chunks for the rebels. ...The Russian gambit also serves the interests of both Iran and Israel. Russian intervention has led to a certain rift with Iran, or, at the very least, Iranian discomfort. All of a sudden, Tehran finds itself playing second fiddle to Putin. Now Iran will return to its customary position of buttressing Assad. And paying the price ...As for Israel, the Russian decision is both a blessing and curse. On the one hand, Israel gets back its freedom to maneuver militarily, which it exercised almost completely before Moscow entered the fray. It will no longer have to coordinate its aerial activity in the skies above Syria with the Russians, nor will it need to clench its teeth in frustration as Russian fighter jets penetrate Israeli airspace over the Golan Heights. On the other hand, Israel’s regained freedom to act could come up against Iran’s re-established position of dominance on the Syrian front. The longer/harder Iran & Saudis fight their proxy wars, the better |
| Posted by:g(r)omgoru |
| #14 AFAIC the "Great Game" never left - OWG-NWO or no OWG-NWO, Co-Superpower(s) or no Co-Superpower(s), Multi-polar World or no Multi-polar World, etc. THE "GREAT GAME" WAS, IS, + SHALL ALWAYS BE. Iff the Bammer + OWG Globies intended for IRAN to be in charge of any ME Global Federal Union(s), Russia aside the Bammer's + Globies' intention is now being challenged by the KSA + Erdoganist Turkey + Others? still to come. AS I've SAID BEFORE, THE BAMMER + GLOBIES, ETAL ALIGNED HAVE YET TO ANSWER JUST HOW MANY "US-STYLE/PAR" CO-SUPERPOWERS THEY INTEND TO BE IN THIER OWN PARTICULAR WORLD VIEW = OWG-NWO. THEY HAVE YET TO ANSWER "HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH"?, HOW FAR IS TO FAR"?, FOR THE US-N-ONLY-THE-US TO BE GIVING UP ITS POWER-N-INFLUENCE/AUTHORITY AS IT DELIBERATELY OR INTENTIONALLY RETREATS OR PULLS BACK ACROSS THE WORLD IN THE NAME OF US-LED ANTI-US OWG-NWO ... ... AND DOING SO WIDOUT BEING EXISTENTIALLY THREATENED BY RIVALS + WANNABES??? We're seeing the "Great Game" most recently wid Co-Superpower CHINA - why should Co-Superpowers Russia + Iran expand their respective spheres of influence but NOT China espec as befitting its Co-Superpower status??? IFF THE GLOBIES INTEND FOR THE CO-SUPEPOWERS INCLUD THE US TO "SHARE THE WORLD", THE US GIVING UP 1/2 OF THE PACIFIC + 1/2 OF THE ATLANTIC IS PROPER BECAUSE A CO-SUPERPOWER IS STILL A SUPERPOWER = "GLOBAL POWER" WID G-L-O-B-A-L INFLUENCE + G-L-O-B-A-L PROJECTION OF POWER. ABOVE-N-BEYOND BEING A REGIONAL POWER OR EVEN SELECTIVE INTERNATIONAL "GREAT POWER". BETTER CROSS YOUR FINGERS + HOPE THE GLOBIES DON'T MISCALCULATE. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2016-03-15 22:19 |
| #13 I'm still waiting on the other shoe to drop on Turkey though. Me too. This is just the end of Act 1. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2016-03-15 20:05 |
| #12 tw, I've seen the statement made before, in senses that didn't quite match up with morale. Remember what I said earlier today about the past being a different country, Marty. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2016-03-15 19:59 |
| #11 Of course, my dear. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2016-03-15 19:38 |
| #10 nitpicker |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2016-03-15 18:32 |
| #9 The moral is to the physical as three to one I went to your link to check that out, g(r)omgoru, and I think that might be a typo. Elsewhere on the page similar sentiments are written as morale. Moral is about right and wrong behaviour, morale about confidence of success or lack thereof. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2016-03-15 18:25 |
| #8 It's not over. Putin can return if he deems necessary. I'm still waiting on the other shoe to drop on Turkey though. |
| Posted by: jvalentour 2016-03-15 13:18 |
| #7 Putin saved Assad and now he's happy to let the west wade into the Morass. They can defeat ISIS on his behalf and let Iran and Syria move in afterwards. Russians understand the long game better than the West. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2016-03-15 13:07 |
| #6 Pre-election withdrawal. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2016-03-15 11:29 |
| #5 The moral is to the physical as three to one |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2016-03-15 10:06 |
| #4 Putin's power move in Syria puts Russia on par with US When all those smart people at the White House and State decided to vote 'present', it's easy to be on 'par' with America. Remember the goal of golf is to have the lowest score possible. If you don't play the score is '0'. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2016-03-15 10:04 |
| #3 It's to make him look 'presidential', and not a thug. In contrast to a limp-wristed, hand-wringing, lecturing, Marxist, legacy-dreaming, narcissist empty suit. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2016-03-15 08:20 |
| #2 Why is he withdrawing? How are oil prices? |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2016-03-15 08:17 |
| #1 why is Putin withdrawing? it is just a mystery I am sorry he isn't smashing isis, I want him to crush them from the earth |
| Posted by: anon1 2016-03-15 08:05 |