Putin has masterfully out-maneuvered Obama and now the Assad regime looks quite secure, and the Saudis look to be out of luck. Obama lost the war without firing a shot, and to fire a shot at this point would just make him look very bad.
Now that makes sense. Assad is definitely more secure. He can now, with Russian help, beat the heck out of the rebels with impunity in fact, he comes out in the media looking like a pretty good guy. ANd he rendered Obama a true paper tiger because, as you say, Obama can’t fire a shot now.
I still think the Congress should not vote to give him the option to bomb. I sure hope republicans don’t offer some resolution that says, “We will authorize bombing if Syria doesn’t dismantle their chemical weapon stockpile in x number of days.”
“Putin and Assad want to stop the Qatar pipeline from crossing Syria.”
BINGO!
Nailed it!
Yes you did nail it early in the thread.