Obama dithers while Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah bolster Assad.

NRO ^ | June 6, 2013 8:00 PM | Charles Krauthammer

[nikos1121]

On Wednesday, Qusair fell to the Bashar Assad regime in Syria. Qusair is a strategic town that connects Damascus with Assad’s Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean, with its ports and Russian naval base. It’s a major strategic shift. Assad’s forces can now advance on rebel-dominated areas in central and northern Syria, including Aleppo.

For the rebels, it’s a devastating loss of territory, morale, and their supply corridor to Lebanon. No one knows if this reversal of fortune will be the last, but everyone knows that Assad now has the upper hand. In 1958, President Eisenhower — venerated by today’s fashionable “realists” for his strategic restraint — landed Marines in Lebanon to protect the pro-American government from threats from Syria and Egypt.

In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Russia threatened to send troops on behalf of the Egyptian army. President Nixon threatened a U.S. counteraction, reinforced the Sixth Fleet, and raised the U.S. worldwide military alert level to DEFCON 3. Russia stood down.

That’s how the region works. Power deterring power. Obama deals instead in empty abstractions — such as “international legitimacy” — and useless conclaves, such as “Friends of Syria” conferences.

Assad, in contrast, has a real friend. Putin knows Obama. Having watched Obama’s retreat in Eastern Europe, his passivity at Russian obstructionism on Iran, his abject bended-knee “reset” policy, Putin knows he has nothing to fear from the American president.

[muawiyah]

At the same time Obama wants to arm AlQaida in Syria and they've as often murdered Christians there as they have attacked Syrian army units.

Seriously, unless sombody has a plan to protect the Christians there's nothing of interest there for us.

Maybe we should send McCain ~

[baddog 219]

[Georgia Girl 2]

So true. We need to sit this one out. A secular Assad is better than an islamist Muslim Brotherhood.

[crosslink]

You are right on, from the start Russia has supplied their top special forces units to help coordinate. Heck their defense minister was there in the beginning. They do not want a gas pipeline running right down the middle of Syria and will do what ever it takes to stop it.

[Regulator]

The king of neocon commentary wants us in a pointless war?

Forget it.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Putin (Russians), the Chinese, The Iranians have defeated the USA and Obama. It is as simple as that!!! The Russians possess deadly anti-aircraft weapons that are effective and accurate. Should Obama move to a “no-fly-zone” policy, we will lose many American planes and fighter pilots. If Obama moves to arm the rebels (our terrorist enemies) in Syria, the Russians will support Assad in destroying the existing rebels. Face it folks.....Obama has lost the entire Middle East. Iraq is imploding, Afghanistan is lost, Libya, the love of Obama, is sending terrorists into Syria by the hundreds, if not, thousands. IMHO, which is probably right, Obama is supporting his Muslum Brotherhood brethren, more then he is protecting the USA!!! Just one man’s opinion. Fact: Russia has kicked out butt out of the Middle East, for all practical purposes. How’s tha “hope & change” working for you now, Americans???

[yldstrk]

We should have kept Gaddafi too and the Egyptian president. These Islamists that have taken over are driving their countries backwards just like in Iran, Afghanistan. I am rooting outright for Assad and think John McCain is an evil old lunatic.

[hoosiermama]

During Iran contra had a friend who suggested we arm both sides and encourage them to wipe themselves out.
I’d vote for that as long as our troops are not involved.

[morphing libertarian]

I guess they didn’t hire any NBC relatives because that network is already totally in the can.

[nikos1121]

Putin knows that OBama will stand down. YOu know he will taunt Obama. It will be the ultimate pay back, and make him the leader of the third world, people there who only respect power.

And Obama will stand down...if not...if not you’re right it could be WWIII.

Russia would nothing more than to stuff it in our face the way we’ve done before calling their bluff.

Putin will stand down, if an American president stands up to him....he must because he doesn’t have the military to back him up... but he knows this president will back down....

Obama is backed us into a corner...And you have silly ass McCain trying to get us involved in the 4th quarter of the game....

[gotribe]

Putin has a lot more to lose in Syria than we do. We should back out now.

[nikos1121]

No...it appears that Obama has not announced clearly his intentions. Rather, he’s backing down. We will see in the coming days.

Are we arming the rebels yes or no? Right now he’s saying only small arms. In essence nothing.

[nikos1121]

I don’t see us at this point able to factor into the outcome. Unless there is a concerted agreement among NATO to get involved, it seems like the best course is to back off, and let them shoot the hell out of each other.

[GlockThe Vote]

So why don’t you be a brave patriot and go join the al queda rebels to send a message to Putin?

[nikos1121]

You’re right. He’s backed us into a corner. All Putin needs is an excuse. McCain is calling for a no fly zone...Who is going to inforce that? And how without us losing pilots?

[nikos1121]

Why would I want to do that?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks nikos1121.

In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Russia threatened to send troops on behalf of the Egyptian army. President Nixon threatened a U.S. counteraction, reinforced the Sixth Fleet, and raised the U.S. worldwide military alert level to DEFCON 3. Russia stood down. That’s how the region works. Power deterring power. Obama deals instead in empty abstractions...

[SunkenCiv]

S-300 keyword newest to oldest:

• Tanks in Beirut as Syria protest leaves one dead
• 'US close to OK on arming Syrian rebels'
• Report: S-300 Missiles Now on Their Way to Syria
• Israeli officials: Al-Qaida preferable over Assad
• Putin: No S-300 in Syria Yet
• Moscow threatens to speed missiles to Syria but also offers to delay
• Russia has not transfered S-300 missiles to Syria, reports say
• US: Syria Does Not Have Advanced Missiles Yet
• Syria: Obama talks no fly zones, Putin sends missiles
• Russia delivers air-defense missiles to Syria as opposition rejects Geneva conference
• Assad: S-300 Missiles Already Here
• Israel Strongly Warns Russia Against Giving Syria Missiles
• Israel threatens to strike Russia's shipments of missiles to Syria
• Russia to ship missiles to Syria after EU ends arms embargo on rebels
• Diplomat: Russia to arm Syria regime with anti-aircraft missiles to prevent foreign intervention
• Russia canceled S-300 deal with Assad, report says
• Israel pushed to spell out gas export plan
• Dangerous Price Manipulation Rocks Energy Markets (Natural Gas)
• Report: Russia Sends Warships To Syrian Coast
• Russia Sends More Advanced Missiles to Aid Assad in Syria
• CIA chief pays surprise visit to Israel (John Brennan)
• 5 Questions on Russian S-300 Missile System Sales to Syria
• Iran Reports 'Progress' on Indigenous S-300 Missile
• Russia gave Israel Iranian system's codes
• Iran: We've Produced Domestic Version Of S-300 Anti-Aircraft Missiles
• Keeping S-300 Alive
• Iran Claims it's Got its Own S-300, Really Guys?
• Iran Successfully Tests Own S-300 Missile Defense System
• Iran holds war games, set to launch S300s
• Iran to test own S-300 missiles despite Russia
• Israel warns Russia that Iran may get S-300 via Venezuela
• S-300 Marches Into The Future
• Russia may sell S-300 missiles to Venezuela, instead of Iran
• Russia to Refund Iran for Canceled Missile Deal [Medvedev's one-day Cyprus visit]
• Iran to Get Money Back (for S-300)
• Iran Official: We Have Obtained The S-300 Missile System
• Iran claims to have S-300 surface-to-air missiles
• Israel 'close to deal on F-35'
• Contract on S-300 deliveries to Iran not canceled
• Senior MP: Iran Mulling over Rival Defense Systems for S-300
• Iran's Intelligence Ministry Urges Moving Away From Russia
• Fire breaks out at Russian missile maker
• With lifting of U.S. ban, Russia plans delivery of S-300s
• Russia to offer Turkey advanced surface-to-air missiles
• Russia moves to scrap Iran missile sale
• Russian-Iranian S-300 missile deal not against UN resolution ó U.S.
• What new UN Iran sanctions allow: Air defense systems
• Sanctions won't hit Russia's missile sales to Iran: senior politicians
• IDF Attacks 3 Gaza Tunnels
• Something Odd Is Happening Outside Moscow
• Former air force chief: Russia's air defenses weak
• 'AL-HAYAT': RUSSIA SUPPLIED SYRIA WITH S-300 MISSILES
• S-300s Crowd The Coast
• TERRORISM and COUNTERTERRORISM: News, INFORMATION & Analysis #2
• Iran upset over Russia's S-300 delivery delay
• Low Cost, Slightly Legal, Missile Protection
• Russia plans complete military-space defence capabilities by 2015
• Russia ships China 15 S-300 missile systems--report
• China buys air defense systems from Russia
• Iran believed developing S-300 variant aided by Russian contractors
• Riyadh mulls big Russian missile buy
• Air Force strikes in Gaza; 2 injured
• No need to worry over China missile deployment: MND
• Russia will honour Iran missile deal: minister
• Russia delays delivery of S-300 advanced air defence missiles to Iran
• Russian official says missile delivery to Iran delayed
• No reason to stall Iran missiles deal, Moscow says
• Despite Netanyahu pressure, Russia defends Iran missile deal
• Russia to honour Iran missile deal
• Iran And The Chinese Gambit
• Russia sells Libya top-line S-300 denied to Tehran
• Russia has assured Iran on missile delivery: diplomat
• Russia 'will' deliver S-300 to Iran in 2 months
• Israeli pilots prep to fight Iran's SAMs
• Iran threatens Russia with legal action(over failure to deliver S-300 SAM)
• Iran's key sites exposed without S-300s
• Iran warns it may produce S-300 system
• Iran calls on Russia to fulfill missile sales deal
• IRAN AND THE S-300 ISSUE
• Russia may go ahead with Iran missile deal
• Iran 'has not paid Russia' in 'frozen' missile deal=S-300
• Abject Surrender in the Dead of Night
• Abject Surrender In Dead Of Night
• A Mysterious "Hijacking"
• Hijacking, S-300, and Another "Mystery" Ship
• Russia may nix S-300 sale to Iran
• Shooting Down The Raptor
• Saving The (F-22) Raptor
• Russia says not selling missile system to Iran: report
• Iran says S-300 missile deal with Russia on track
• Shooting Down Missile Defense
• Russia has not delivered S-300 missile systems to Iran - source
• 'Russia freezes sale of S-300 to Iran'
• Russia Freezes Sale Of S-300 To Iran
• Kremlin must decide on sales of S-300 to Iran - Rosoboronexport
• Gilad to Russia: Don't sell Iran arms
• Russia: No S-300 Defense System for Iran
• U.S. Report Says Iran Purchases S-300
• Threat Matrix: September 2008
• Russia threatens to supply Iran with top new missile system as 'cold war' escalates
• 'We'll Neutralize S-300 if they're Sold to Iran'
• Advanced S-300 on way to Iran
• Greece Helped Israel Study Iranian Air Defense System
• SYRIA MULLS S-300PMU2 SYSTEM
• Russia has sent four S-300 anti-aircraft systems to Belarus
• Veniamin Yefremov: Russian weapons designer who outwitted the Pentagon
• Russia Develops New Support Vehicle for S-300, Plans to Export
• Polish Analyst: Russia May Send S-300 Missiles to Iran via Belarus
• Russian missiles on Polish border
• Russia denies reports about transfer of S-300 missiles to Iran-(hubba hubba)

[SunkenCiv]

Yakhont keyword newest to oldest:

• Report: S-300 Missiles Now on Their Way to Syria
• Putin: No S-300 in Syria Yet
• Moscow threatens to speed missiles to Syria but also offers to delay
• Russia has not transfered S-300 missiles to Syria, reports say
• US: Syria Does Not Have Advanced Missiles Yet
• Syria: Obama talks no fly zones, Putin sends missiles
• Russia delivers air-defense missiles to Syria as opposition rejects Geneva conference
• Assad: S-300 Missiles Already Here
• Israel Strongly Warns Russia Against Giving Syria Missiles
• Israel threatens to strike Russiaís shipments of missiles to Syria
• Russia to ship missiles to Syria after EU ends arms embargo on rebels
• Diplomat: Russia to arm Syria regime with anti-aircraft missiles to prevent foreign intervention
• Russia canceled S-300 deal with Assad, report says
• Report: Russia sends Assad 'ship killing missile'
• Russia Sends More Advanced Missiles to Aid Assad in Syria
• 5 Questions on Russian S-300 Missile System Sales to Syria
• Syria deploys "Bastion" missile system along coastline
• Supersonic Cruise Missile in Development (South Korea)
• "Barak 8" versus "Yakhont" (Israeli vs Russian missile)
• Indonesian Navy successfully tests Russian anti-ship missile
• Russia confirms plans to supply Syria with Yakhont missiles
• Russia confirms plans to supply Syria with Yakhont missiles (Update 1)
• How serious is the P800 Yakhont threat?
• Russia to Deliver 800 Supersonic Anti Ship Cruise Missiles to Syria
• Russia to honor deal to sell P-800 anti-ship missiles to Syria
• Moscow: Sale to Syria of advanced cruise missile will not change military balance in region
• Keeping Yakhont Out Of Iran
• Russian Yakhont Missile to deploy on Syria's Coastline?
• Israel worries Iran may give Russian anti-ship missile to Syria, Hizbullah

[GlockThe Vote]

Getting involved in Syria is sheer madness.

This is all to advance the MB, Al Queada, and advance global Islamism.

Any of you stupid morons think its more important to teach putin a lesson here should send your own kids or yourselves to the front line w the jihadis and walk the walk.