[justa-hairyape]

I’d expect some deal whereby the ‘Free Syrian Army’ agreed to allow the base to remain in place (initially, at least) in return for the Russians agreeing to turn a blind eye to whatever Obama eventually decides to do in Syria.

Deja Vu all over again. That was the deal that was supposed to brokered last time, but just a day or two later one of the rebel groups stated they would not allow the base. The force driving this entire intervention is the House Saud. And they are not very happy with the Russians supporting the Shiites.

[Zajko]

I’m in Saudi Arabia right now. Papers here are full of ‘bloodthirsty tyrant continues to massacre own people as heroic fighters struggle on for freedom’ -type headlines. As compared to the reporting on the situation in Bahrain (Sunni minority elite, Shi’ite population - i.e. reverse of Syria) which is more along the lines of ‘bands of armed terrorists attack law enforcement forces in streets, as government struggles to maintain law and order’.