Posted on 10/09/2015 12:44:37 PM PDT by Kaslin
When Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, he predicted that the occasion would be remembered as "the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on earth." Some seven years later, America is weaker, and the world is a far more dangerous place.
President Obama did not end the war in Iraq. His precipitous withdrawal of American troops allowed the Islamic State group to take control of major cities and Iran to become the puppet master in Iraq. His decision to announce when the U.S. would withdraw troops from Afghanistan emboldened the Taliban, as witnessed most recently in the assault on Kunduz. But most importantly, the president's feckless policies have set the stage for Russia's ascendancy and its move to become a major player in the Middle East.
Thanks to the administration's dithering on Syria, Russia now has 30 warplanes in the air that are launching attacks on anti-Bashar Assad rebels, and soon there may be troops on the ground -- "volunteers" like the ones Russia has employed against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia is firing its most sophisticated cruise missiles from warships in the Caspian Sea a thousand miles away, again targeting not the Islamic State but the Free Syrian Army. Turkey, a NATO member, has also claimed that Russian planes have violated Turkish airspace.
It would be bad enough if Russia's intervention in Syria accomplished nothing more than propping up the murderous regime of Assad, which has killed more than a quarter-million Syrians and led to the exodus of 3 million refugees. But Russia's role is far more insidious. Russia's move also enhances Iran's power in the region and makes it far likelier that we will see future confrontations between Iran and its Sunni neighbors.
Lest we forget, Russia remains a powerful nuclear state. According to the Arms Control Association, Russia currently has 1,582 nuclear warheads deployed on 515 intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines and strategic bombers. In addition, Russia's nuclear arsenal includes 4,500 stockpiled warheads and another 3,200 that are intact but no longer stockpiled, awaiting dismantlement under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with the United States. Any guess whom these weapons are aimed at?
Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union avoided direct confrontation precisely because such confrontation could have escalated into a nuclear war. But avoiding direct confrontation did not mean that the U.S. backed down against obvious threats. When the Soviets secretly put nuclear missiles in Cuba in 1962, President John F. Kennedy didn't ignore the provocation but deployed U.S. ships to blockade the island. During the 13-day crisis, three Soviet ships, including a submarine, approached the American blockade line, and President Kennedy gave permission to the American aircraft carrier USS Essex to take whatever measures deemed necessary to stop the submarine. The ships turned back at the last minute, and the Soviets ultimately withdrew their missiles when the U.S. pledged not to invade Cuba.
There are lessons to be learned from the Cuban missile crisis. Syria is not in our own backyard, as Cuba is, but America's failure to counter Russian interference in the Middle East nonetheless poses a strategic threat. Unless this threat is met by U.S. resolve and strength, a greater war is inevitable.
The Middle East is a tinderbox, with explosions occurring throughout the region that could ignite a major conflagration. America's major ally in the region, Israel, faces an existential threat if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, which the Obama administration's deal makes more likely than not. A Russian-backed Iran also poses threats to Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf States.
The rise of Russia also poses a direct threat to Europe. What is to stop Russia from moving against some of its former satellites, especially the Baltic States? The United States has employed economic sanctions but has done far too little to help Ukraine fight Russian-backed rebels, providing no offensive weapons or ammunition against Russian tanks and other sophisticated Russian weapons. If we are unwilling to arm those who are fighting Russian expansion, we will see Russia gobble up more territory on its path to regain superpower status.
Contrary to his promises, President Obama has greatly damaged the standing of the United States in the world. It may well be too late to reverse this trend in his remaining year in office. The tragedy is he shows no interest in even trying.
Perhaps it is YOUwho is the neocon. Not she
Why? Townhall isn’t the author. *rme*
Basically, in True Conservative™ lingo, “neocon” means anyone opposed to Russian expansionism.
“Another lunatic Neocon. The marching orders must be out today. First Hillary and Bush, today Cruz, now her, then about everyone else except Trump who seems to be the only one not horny for a US/Russo war.”
There are so many things wrong with the chickenhawk position that a book could be written on it. In simple self interest though, their endless war against everyone who is not a vassal has tracked with our decline as a nation. Here is the ultimate cost of endless aggression:
“In operations of war-when one thousand fast four-horse chariots onethousand heavy chariots, and one thousand mail-clad soldiers are required; when provisions are transported for a thousand li; when thereare expenditures at home and at the front, and stipends for entertainment of envoys and advisers-the cost of materials such as glue and lacquer, and of chariots and armor, will amount to one thousand pieces of gold a day. One hundred thousand troops may be dispatched only when this money is in hand.
A speedy victory is the main object in war. If this is long in coming, weapons are blunted and morale depressed. If troops are attacking cities, their strength will be exhausted. When the army engages in protracted campaigns, the resources of the state will fall short. When your weapons are dulled and ardor dampened, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, the chieftains of the neighboring states will take advantage of your crisis to act. In that case, no man, however wise, will be able to avert the disastrous consequences that ensue.”
Come on, dude, buy a clue. He's working for the other side. Always has been. "CPUSA" mean anything to you?
Oh, there’s a cold war on all right. It’s just that the moral balance is flipped and we are no longer on the right side.
Flipped? And Russia is on the “right side.” Riiigghhtt.
Really? The enemy of my leopard is my lion. The enemy of my lion is my hyena.
Don't get backed up to a river by any of them. They're all bad news. Oh, and the river's full of crocs.
Yes. As we tear down the Ten Commandments, they erect a huge statue of Saint Vladimir with a large cross next to the Kremlin.
As we welcome the normalization of homosexuality, they abhor it.
As we push for a “moderate” al Qaeda-backed regime in Syria which would slaughter the remaining Christians, they back the imperfect but tolerant regime in place: Christian persecution is a huge issue for the Orthodox Church.
It is plain from this and many other examples that as we and the rest of the West commit cultural suicide, they are primed for divine blessing.
The Russian backing is for a pro Iran state. The sect is of no concern. The politics are stability centered, no matter what. Israel will have to go the distance, alone(GOD). The mishmash of political bs, has nothing to do with the kismet of God.
So you've been led to believe. Sucker.
My Lord taught me that “You will know them by their fruits.” That can apply to individuals and to nations. Homosexuality is looked down upon and they do not want sodomistic proselytes coming into their nation from the West. If believing the words of Christ renders me a “sucker”, then I wear that as a badge of honor.
I’m sorry, I thought we were talking about Russia.
Yep.
Did you also have a problem with Russian fighting the Nazis?
rude, are you saying Russian hasn’t outlawed homo propaganda to children, or that they’re not enforcing that law? If that’s what you’re saying, can you cite proof? Or is your shtick limited to calling people names, like “sucker”?
In other words, Russia did nothing. Gay bars closed? No. Gay internet websites restricted? No. Some “Savior of Christianity” you have there. Sucker.
Watch two guys try to adopt a kid in Russia, sucker.
I did not realize Putin was that old!
I will grant you that. But say, why don’t you move to Russia? Sucker.
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