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INSIGHT-US, allies short on options as Russia,Iran flex muscle in Syria
Thomson Reuters Foundation ^ | 10/3/2015 | Samia Nakhoul

Posted on 10/04/2015 8:34:02 AM PDT by EBH

The question on everyone's mind is: will the United States and its European and regional Sunni allies intervene to stop President Vladimir Putin from reversing the gains made by mainstream Syrian rebels after more than four years of war?

Few are holding their breath.

Many say, often with vehemence, that the current drama is the consequence of ongoing Western inaction and U.S. retreat at critical moments in an ever more uncontrollable conflict, whose regional dimensions are fast becoming global.

Nobody in the Middle East is counting on U.S. President Barack Obama. The gloomy prediction of most is that a war that has killed at least a quarter of a million people and displaced half the Syrian population is about to get much, much worse.

The conflict has taken a deadly trajectory throughout. It began as a popular uprising against Assad, part of the 'Arab Spring', then became a sectarian war with regional patrons such as Iran and Saudi Arabia backing their local proxies.

Military interventions by Russia and Iran have pushed the war to the brink of a full-blown international conflict.

Faisal Al Yafai, After the Russian "surge" into Syria, he said, "America and its allies now look like the only group without a plan"...

With the Kremlin's creation in Baghdad of a centre to share intelligence among Syria, Iraq, Iran and Russia, a Moscow-backed network now runs from Tehran, through Baghdad and Damascus, and via Hezbollah into Lebanon.

The new axis is taking shape as the United States has withdrawn ground troops from Iraq and is winding down its military presence in Afghanistan. While it continues to police Gulf waterways from a base in Bahrain and maintains an airforce presence in Qatar and Turkey, Washington appears determined to avoid deeper military entanglements in the Middle East.

(Excerpt) Read more at trust.org ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Russia; Syria; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: axisofevil; calaphate; china; christians; genocide; obamasyria; russia; russiasyria; syria; unitedstates; withdrawal
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Wow...great read through some the thinking in the region and where this is all headed.
1 posted on 10/04/2015 8:34:02 AM PDT by EBH
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To: All

“United States and its European and regional Sunni allies intervene to stop President Vladimir Putin from reversing the gains made by mainstream Syrian rebels after more than four years of war?”

Gains? Get seriou!s


2 posted on 10/04/2015 8:36:42 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (Ain't Trump concernment great? Ignore fake year & vote Trump/Cruz 2016/2020, Cruz/? 2024/28!)
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To: EBH

What gains are those?


3 posted on 10/04/2015 8:38:30 AM PDT by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: Grampa Dave

The Russians have been very effective in routing Isis. All 5 “free Syrian” army trainees had joined Isis any way. Soon the ground offensive will be fun to watch as obama’s new nuke buddies (the Iranian Army) march relentlessly killing these isis cut throat bastards. I am quite pleased with the great job that has been done so far. We need to leave.


4 posted on 10/04/2015 8:42:57 AM PDT by WENDLE (Let Russia Fight ISIS !! Who cares??)
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To: RightGeek; Grampa Dave; EBH
What gains are those?

Well, thanks to Obama, McCain and Kerry they have been able to bilk the American taxpayer out of several billion dollars in cash and military arms.

5 posted on 10/04/2015 8:45:02 AM PDT by Iron Munro (Proverbs 21:20 - The wise have stores of food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has))
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To: EBH
Sarkis Naoum, a leading Lebanese commentator on Syria, said that if Russia decided to launch a wide-scale operation in the north, it would lead to a "war on an international scale"

I would read that as involving local countries as Turkey, Saudi Arabia etc: and not Europe or the USA. - tom

6 posted on 10/04/2015 8:47:27 AM PDT by Capt. Tom
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To: Capt. Tom

Correct, I believe the article is supporting that theory. The Western world is about to leave this mess behind. Russia will control vast swaths of the Middle East.

In such a scenario, as the new power broker in the region, the question becomes are we potentially facing oil embargoes etc.

Putin is no friend of Muslims either, so is this all really about the oil?


7 posted on 10/04/2015 8:55:40 AM PDT by EBH (Watch Damascus)
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To: WENDLE

We may not leave, but we won’t interfere either.


8 posted on 10/04/2015 8:56:37 AM PDT by EBH (Watch Damascus)
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To: EBH


9 posted on 10/04/2015 9:05:52 AM PDT by Iron Munro (Proverbs 21:20 - The wise have stores of food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has))
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To: EBH

I took the short course on The Syrian Civil War this morning.

It gave me a headache.

What a mess.

It’s like trying to figure out a basketball game with twenty teams on the court.

The only thing I can see that’s important about Syria is that it’s located close to critical energy areas and it’s close to Israel.

I understand there’s a proxy war going on.

Iran and Russia want higher oil prices and would like to control more oil. They are large countries with big populations. They support the Syrian government.

Saudi Arabia is a country with lots of oil and a small population. That means the wolves are licking their chops over Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is supporting the opposition to the Syrian government.

Saudi Arabia is already fighting Iran in a war in Yemen on Saudi Arabia’s southern border. The fighting in Syria could allow Iran to open a northern front against Saudi Arabia.

You also have to figure in Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Qatar.

You also have Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and ISIS or ISIL.

You have the Free Syrian Army and other moderate to hard-line groups including Christians and Kurds.

Into this big Hobo Hash, steps Obama.

Oh, and sides can change overnight.

We did.

Into one of the biggest messes the world has seen, our curtain-hanging President fumbles around like the Three Stooges doing plumbing.

And China is quietly watching.


10 posted on 10/04/2015 9:12:44 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: WENDLE

I agree.

Please note my new tagline.


11 posted on 10/04/2015 9:17:56 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (Pass the popcorn, set back/watch the Russians destroy Isis in Syria and Iran doing the same in Iraq)
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To: Iron Munro

OK , the land and financial gains made by Isis under the Obozo administration and his perfumed princes/princess in the Pentagon.


12 posted on 10/04/2015 9:19:52 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (Pass the popcorn, set back/watch the Russians destroy Isis in Syria and Iran doing the same in Iraq)
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To: EBH

“are we potentially facing oil embargoes etc.”

We don’t need any foreign oil.

We are closing down oil fields because we are not allowed to sell our oil to our foreign allies.


13 posted on 10/04/2015 9:23:03 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (Pass the popcorn, set back/watch the Russians destroy Isis in Syria and Iran doing the same in Iraq)
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To: Grampa Dave
OK , the land and financial gains made by Isis under the Obozo administration and his perfumed princes/princess in the Pentagon.

It's hard to believe that not too long ago Americans were considered shrewd bargainers and hard to get the better of in a deal.

Too bad that most students in the government schools today will never be taught that we didn't always have idiots for leaders and weren't always the laughing stock of the developed world.


14 posted on 10/04/2015 9:27:41 AM PDT by Iron Munro (Proverbs 21:20 - The wise have stores of food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has))
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To: blueunicorn6

It is actually pretty easy.
For the value of “ME Dictator” Assad not a bad fellow; he didn’t even want the job. He is even handed, protects minorities and keeps the peace. He knows better than to eff with Israel. The last time his pappy tried that, before we called them back, Israelis tanks were well on their way to his capital, Damascus, with no credible resistance between it and them.
On the down side he is a client of Iran and the Sov, er, Russians and funds Hezbollah.
The Euroweenies wanted to put NG pipeline from Qatar to the Med through Syria to reduce their dependence on Russian NG.
Being a loyal client, Assad said “No.”
Naturally, Assad now has to go.

You should also consider this:

When bin Laden attacked the US in 2001, his intention was to provoke a response, an invasion through Pakistan, that would result in the overthrow of (sort-of) secular government of Pakistan, and hopefully cascade into the overthrow of other secular dictatorships like Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and Libya in preparation for the new Caliphate.

For some reason, we now seem to be doing bin Laden’s work.


15 posted on 10/04/2015 9:30:25 AM PDT by Little Ray (How did I end up in this hand basket, and why is it getting so hot?)
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To: EBH

When you see the words “Arab Spring” pay attention...

That is one of if not the initial launch of the Middle East program ....

By Obama, he thinks he is in line with the Pyramid but his failing and Val Jars is they really believe that the folks at the top are going to live in a Muslim Theocratic state???

LOL .....

Yeah sure, checks in the mail BTW....


16 posted on 10/04/2015 9:32:16 AM PDT by 100American (Knowledge is knowing how, Wisdom is knowing when)
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To: Grampa Dave

Great tag line. !!! Just leave and go to our southern border.


17 posted on 10/04/2015 9:35:42 AM PDT by WENDLE (Let Russia Fight ISIS !! Who cares??)
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To: RightGeek

Money and weapons, of course. Those gains.


18 posted on 10/04/2015 9:37:34 AM PDT by csvset ( Illegitimi non carborundum)
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To: blueunicorn6

Been watching and sharing this for some time, no one believed and now we are here...

Barky is a card board cut out programmed through Val Jar his Red Queen

She is going to screw the pooch for Bammy as she has her OWN dreams

There is no Honor among thieves...

Ruh Roh...

Watch and See...


19 posted on 10/04/2015 9:38:23 AM PDT by 100American (Knowledge is knowing how, Wisdom is knowing when)
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To: EBH
Is there anything the evil weasel in the White House doesn't fail at?

I recall all that "Hope and Change" bull s**t. Academia and assorted socialist and communist were having a field day electing this community organizer to run a world superpower.

20 posted on 10/04/2015 10:10:18 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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