Beware Putin and His 'Anti-Hitler Coalition'

Townhall.com ^ | October 8, 2015 | Victor Davis Hanson

[Kaslin]

Contrary to the principles of American foreign policy of the last 70 years, President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry tacitly invited Russia to "help" monitor things in the Middle East. Now they are learning that there are lots of Middle East scenarios far worse than the relative quiet Iraq that the Obama administration inherited in January 2009 -- and soon abandoned.

[Kaslin]

Well that shouldn’t surprise anyone. The American left has always adored dictators

[Ben Ficklin]

When events began to unfold in Libya, the NeoCon republicans were first to agitate for Obama to intervene and remove Kaddafi(unilaterally). The Realists, lead by SoD Gates, were opposed.

But the Liberal Interventionists, lead by Clinton, Samantha Power, and Susan Rice, organized a multilateral mission involving the UN, NATO, and the Arab League. Obama was opposed to a unilateral intervention but would intervene multilaterally. Multilateralism is the cornerstone of Obama's foreign policy.

So after Obama intervened, the NeoCons praised Obama and Bill Kristol proclaimed Obama to be a born again NeoCon. But they also criticized Obama saying that because he went in multilaterally, he was leading from behind. Keep in mind that the NeoCons are unilateralists, opposed to multilateralism such as UN, NATO, etc. Some hardcore NeoCons, such as John Bolton, said Obama didn't go far enough and he should have put boots on the ground in Libya.

After Obama made the decision to intervene, two top realists(Kissinger and Baker), published an editorial in WaPo saying Libya was a mistake and it would likely blow up in our face. Which it did(Benghazi).

[Dalberg-Acton]

VDH’s neocon opinions are worthless.

[Teacher317]

What to do? Well, to go back to how things were, you’d need Russia’s absence. Even with a strong Conservative in office, Putin has zero reason to believe that we would get in a shooting war with them down there. Russia isn’t leaving anytime soon. Our only likely options include Russia firmly in the Middle East now.

[JoeProBono]

[Will88]

The way to end the murderous rampage of a savage, radical Islamic State is not by joining a Russian-Iranian cartel propping up Shiite terrorists and lapdog dictatorships in the Middle East as it seeks to strong-arm moderate Sunni states and oil-exporting monarchies.

VDH gives the way not to put an end to Islamic State, but not a way to actually get rid of them.

Russia's presence is now a reality. Maybe we should let Russia attack IS in Syria and some border areas and the US attack, really attack, IS in Iraq.

Putin will not turn tail and run, so it's time for the US to work out an agreement and participate in attacking this savage entity it helped create.

[Psalm 144]

Right now, my action plan is to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the safety and security of the Israelis. Also I am praying for the leaders and the military of Russia and Israel, to be blessed with clarity, protection, and good hunting, that they may deliver the flesh of the jihadis and their supporters to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.

Along with this, I am praying for the safety of American military personnel, and that they may not be bent to the perverted purposes of the NWO, the Commander in Chief, and the strident grifters and bloodlappers in the military industrial complex who Dwight Eisenhower warned us about.

I pray that the hardened hearts of Iran might be turned, as they come in and see the blatant evils the jihadis have worked, and their gaze and weapons will turn to the source of all of this, in Saudi Arabia, and that they will abandon their mindless hatred of Israel.

For this administration, and all of its minions and allies great and small, I pray that they will receive the just rewards for their deeds, swiftly, surely, and in such way that their can be no doubt as to whose hand rewarded them.

I’m also going to pray for a good job, as that is a nigh miracle in these days too.

That is my action plan, as that is about all I can do. Underestimate it at your pleasure. As for the author, he is just another dime a dozen Russian hater, and I would not expend a belch for his banal and cliched opinions.

[zzwhale]

russia’s only value (wealth) is in ENERGY. the curency is 50% devalued since the drop in the price of oil... the natives are restless
and so Putin for survial sake is focusing attention outwards.. but agin FOCUSED ON ENBERGY (OIL).. he is also building the military and using it..
look for his attention to shift to israel since its recent huge discoery in the golan..
look for a vote for israel to abandon the golan..
what role with the ussa play?
look for russia to consolidate its allies and take the oil..
perhaps his invasion to take the oil will even be UN sanctioned.. with the ussa going either way and if the current muzzie wh influence .... look for a vote against israel

[semantic]

The dominant US foreign policy doctrine is Idealism.

This is why I love FR - it provides insight into the kind of belief system(s) a large segment of the population holds dear. As long as people willingly handicap themselves regarding the truth, then it makes it that much easier to financially succeed.

The truth of course is the exact opposite: The dominant US foreign policy doctrine is Imperialism. Once you understand this dynamic, then it almost becomes trivial to front-run decisions that lead to more deficit spending, more market pumping, and continued Fed zirp/nirp policies.

For those interested in the big picture, which VDH presumably decided to avoid - not that he doesn't understand, but because it doesn't fit the publisher's narrative - is that Putin's entire focus is the reserve currency. The dollar status is backed by the petro-dollar, which in turn is anchored by Saudi Arabia. (Bonus points for those who know why SA wasn't targeted after 9/11.)

The dollar is why the US can run up multi-trillions in international IOUs - we are the largest debtor nation in the history of mankind. It's what provides us with welfare & warfare spending far in excess of our true economic capabilities. It's the reason 100m working age people are not in the workforce. It's why we were able to outsource production to China without significant social disruption.

In short, it's the lynch pin currently holding the USA together. By forming a Shia crescent linking to Russia (and perhaps China), Russia will be in position to weaken SA via multiple angles of attack - conventional and unconventional. If Russia is ever able to effect regime change in SA that would also weaken the petro-dollar status, then Putin can put the reserve currency at risk.

Long before anything actually happened, the smart money would see what is occurring and begin to divest from dollar holdings. That will lead to inflation in the US (as all those useless dollars come home), and impact our continued ability to finance the military, and of course, keep illegals and inner city cesspools under control.

This Russian play in Syria is a very big deal. We completely fvcked up with Libya, giving Putin an entre on a platter to walk in as the good guy. There aren't any "good guys" - all conflicts are simple contests for economic dominion so that some may live a better life than others. We've hand an amazingly great run, culminating in the election of one BHO, the all time indicator of a people completely devoid of understanding how the world actually works.

[semantic]

Libya will turn out to be the key to how this ultimately plays out, because it provides political cover for a ME policy Russia has long desired to implement.

Now, what if Libya was an act of treason by top US officials interested in private gain by seizing the store wealth of that country?

And if it was treason, then it points to a long process of debauched corruption that allowed the US to reach such a point where it willingly elected these people to their positions of power.

When the history of the US is written, will these links be examined that led to the proverbial "how do nations fail?". First slowly, then quickly.

[Liz]

..... what if Libya was an act of treason by top US officials interested in private gain by seizing the wealth of that country? .......

What "IF".....?

[LS]

Utter baloney. America the ONLY nation in history that has consistently and dogmatically LEFT conquered lands after kicking their ass: Mexico, Cuba, Germany, Japan, Iraq #1. We even pai Mexico the equivalent of BILLIONS after crushing their crappy army and occupying their capital.

[Ben Ficklin]

In the GOP there are 3 foreign policy groups: Realists, NeoCons, and Isolationists

In the dem party there are Realists, Liberal Interventionists, and antiwar pacifists. Sometimes liberal interventionists are called national security democrats, or liberal internationalists, or left wing hawks, or in the case of those like Joe Lieberman, left wing NeoCons.

There are also politically unaffiliated Realists: careerists in the military, state dept, CIA, etc.

GOP isolationists and dem pacifists have little influence on foreign policy. Foreign policy is determined Realists, Liberal Interventionists, and NeoCons.

Under Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and GHW Bush the Realists were the dominant group. Under Clinton the liberal Interventionists rose to power and under Bush the NeoCons rose. Obama follows the Realists sometimes(such as on Israel) and the Liberal Interventionists sometimes.

NeoCons and Liberal Interventionists are Idealists, but NeoCons are unilateralists and Liberal Interventionists are multilateralists. Realists are realist/pragmatists.

A GOP prez's foreign policy team is always made up of Realists and NeoCons and he usually has Realists serve as Sec of State and National Security Advisor while the SecDef job goes to a NeoCon.

A dem prez's foreign policy team is always made up Realists and Liberal Interventionists and he usually appoints a Realist to serve as SecDef and National Security Advisor but gives the Sec of State job to a Liberal Interventionist.

There are exceptions to this. Bush replaced NeoCon Rumsfeld with Realist Bob Gates. Obama replaced Liberal Interventionist Clinton with Realist John Kerry, but he wanted to give the Sec of State job to Susan Rice(interventionist), but the GOP wouldn't confirm her so he gave her the NSA job that doesn't require congressional approval.

As SecDef, Obama has had GOP Realist Bob Gates, Dem Realist Leon Panetta, GOP Realist Chuck Hagel, and careerist Realist Ashton Carter.

The "wise old realists" are republicans Kissinger and Scowcroft plus the dem Zbig Brzezinski. You could also include republicans Schultz and Baker plus dems Sam Nunn and Lee Hamilton.

In the senate, Corker is the top GOP Realist. Feinstein is the top dem Realist. McCain is the top NeoCon. Menendez was the top liberal interventionist but he had to give his chair to Ben Cardin.

[SunkenCiv]

Kasparov: Putin's Goal in Syria Is Chaos