Syria Is Putin’s Call

As we watch atrocities unfold in Syria, some are asking why we don’t intervene there as we did in Libya.  Part of the answer is that there isn’t a rebel group in control of territory whom we could support with airstrikes.  The Syrian military is much better armed than the Libyan military was because of the Russians.

And that’s the big difference and the real story here — Russia.  Syria has been consistently and closely allied with Russia going all the way back to 1955, when Russia was part of the Soviet Union.  So that relationship of Syria as Soviet/Russian client state and major arms recipient predates the rise of the Assad family to power, which began with Hafez al-Assad in 1971.

Right now, Syria is Russia’s main source of influence in the Middle East.  Putin is going to do everything he can to maintain that power, and as long as he thinks Bashar al-Assad is good for Russia, Putin will support him and keep sending him weapons.

This isn’t a situation where Russia is on our side or is neutral, they are on the other side, and they don’t want anyone messing with their 67-year alliance.

Iran is also involved here.  Syria is Iran’s only Arab ally.  In general, the Arabs don’t like the Persian Iranians.  Iran uses Syria to provide support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

We wanted to get rid of Qaddafi?  Russia and Iran said, Knock yourself out.  We want to get rid of al-Assad?  Different story.

Mitt Romney Trying To Sound Commander in Chiefish Before Vets

Mitt “I’m Also Unemployed” Romney attacked President Obama in front of the Veterans of Foreign Wars this morning, stating “We can’t lead the world by hoping our enemies will hate us less.”

Hey Mittens, I don’t call killing Osama bin Laden, kicking out Qaddafi, and all those increased drone strikes in Pakistan and North Africa “hope,” I call that “change.”

Conservatives Really Hate Obama, Not His Foreign Policy

David Remnick rather charitably writes in The New Yorker (“Behind the Curtain”):  “The trouble with so much of the conservative critique of Obama’s foreign policy is that it cares less about outcomes than about the assertion of America’s power and the affirmation of its glory.  … Yet a calculated modesty can augment a nation’s true influence.”

The truth about the conservative critique of Obama’s foreign policy is that it cares less about outcomes than about advancing a false narrative to deny him any credit whatsoever for successes like killing bin Laden and ousting Qaddafi.  These conservatives don’t care as much about whether America wins as they do about making sure President Obama loses.   Obama is fighting our real enemies, while the conservatives are fighting him.

I’m sick to death of their phony patriotism and frustrated that Mr. Remnick didn’t call them on it.