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Thanks WePledge.

Prince "O" will soon have us in Syria, defying Russia and putting another muzzie fanatic govt. on Israel's north border. He'll ruin us before we get rid of him.

I think this will come out much better than some people think. Russia's actually in a real bind here, and their best case scenario isn't much better than the worst case. And their worst case is more likely.

Another war that will be labeled a 'non-war' and the anti-war left kooks will ignore it.

Thanks South40.

This strikes me as extremely worrisome because if the Russians have indeed sold advanced S-300 systems to Syria -- and I wouldn't doubt it for a moment -- we're going to lose planes and pilots.

Thanks Ronin. We can be patient and let the Syrian uprising take its course, and that course is that Assad is done, out, and either in exile or he'll get the Gaddafy Special.

The way I see it -- we stand up for what we believe or we do not. My fear is that Obama is only doing this to get re-elected and put in a radical group.

Thanks Forward the Light Brigade. Everything that Zero does is to get re-elected and to undermine both our liberty and our sovereignty. Regardless, nations don't have friends and relatives, they have interests. Had we been acting strictly by what we stand up for as if the world were a power vacuum (that time is coming, but it's not here yet), Syria, Lebanon, Iraq would have ceased to exist long ago.

We are setting up the Middle East for an Iranian takeover.

Thanks Venturer. The Syrian uprising isn't in the interests of Iran.

Turkey's plan for an economic common market of the Middle East, a sort of mini-EU, has been blown to pieces by the Syrian uprising, which is of the Sunni majority but organized at least in part by the Gulf States. It was probably inevitable once Turkey started its rapprochement with Iran (and it hadn't far to go, anyway, by the time it started).

The Russians don't want to see Iran aligned with Turkey, either, and don't want the US to breeze on in to help the Syrian uprising, which is already well known to be supported by the Obama administration, and are forced to support the Assad regime, while already being in a patron-client relationship with Iran. Lately the Russians have been anti-Turkey regarding Cyprus (the oil drilling by Israel), and have split with Lebanon over the same issue; this somewhat solidifies Russian ties with Hizbollah (an Iranian proxy, which also relies on Syria), the main strengthening coming from Russia's backing of Syria.

When Assad goes, Russia's out, and has pissed off everyone in the region for either trying to do too much, or for not doing enough. Russia's only remaining ties will be through the various Orthodox churches, which at home undermines the old Soviet atheist-Marxist ruling class; and to Iran, which will realign with India within a decade, with or without the survival of the mullahcracy. And the mullahcracy isn't likely to survive, but even if it does, it will dump the Russians in a heartbeat.

...we are not involved and not going to be involved.

Thanks bert. No direct military involvement -- probably. NATO's involvement could be broad, but it's more likely that, as you said, Turkey and the Arab League (iow, the Gulf States) will be the boots on the ground.

You're kidding, right?

Thanks Sarajevo. The current transformation has had diplomatic consequences that have been far-reaching, but other than Libya, there has been little outside military involvement. And none by the Russians until recently.

Wow, sorry that was so huge. I should have at least split off the links.

That is a great post. It illustrates the great diversity of thought that exists on Free Republic. It delves into the complexity if issues in the area even when focused on the narrow territory that is Syria.

Then there is this.......
-——Turkey’s plan for an economic common market of the Middle East....has been blown to pieces———

Although I am not aware of such a plan I would argue that such a market already exists and the potential for growth will be enhanced by the elimination of Assad.

I speak of course of the GCC, the Gulf Cooperation Council presently composed of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

I don’t know which is most important, Abu Dhabi or Dubai and the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone but both are mega financial and trade centers. They are the de facto center of the mid east business and financial trade. Both are the access point for the burgeoning trade with the Pacific Rim. They posses the tallest building in the world.

Although Turkey is industrialized and highly capable, the trade capability would be increased by membership and closer political ties to the GCC. If Turkey is nice and helps eliminate Syria and then helps control the rabid dogs of Hezbollah and Hamas, the joining prospects will be looking up.

And then there is Iraq. Religious issues aside and they will be nudged aside, Iraq is a natural. Once the process of stabilization becomes more solid, Iraq will implement policies similar to the Royal Saudi Commission for Yanbu and Jubail. It is only a short drive from Jubail to Basra. It is not a long flight from Basra to Dubai

Bechtel is quietly in the wings coordinating infrastructure and when called will do it over again, near Basra first and somewhere in the north later.

The potential, as in potential energy of a coiled spring, of this alliance is almost immeasurable. It is a serious burden for industrial Europe. It is without doubt the future