Posted on 10/01/2015 4:51:02 AM PDT by elhombrelibre
Confused about Putin's motives? Look at Ukraine
Eighteen months ago, when Russia seized Ukraines Crimean peninsula, confusion prevailed in the West. Today, as Russia sends troops, armor, and aircraft to Syria, we are once again perplexed. On Monday President Vladimir Putin provided the explanation: Russias intervention is aimed to defeat ISIS and reduce the flow of refugees to Europe. A review of the last major Russian intervention, in Ukraine, might help us to evaluate this claim.
The superficial links between the two conflicts are obvious. For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine, a ceasefire is holding. This has allowed Moscow to send special forces from Ukraine to Syria. The naval base in Crimea is now used to project Russian power southwards.
The deeper connection is Russian doctrine. Authoritarian leaders are legitimate, while popular resistance is not. President Putins claim to oppose Islamic terrorism is true enough. But he also opposes, with equal fervor and greater determination, secular democrats in his own country and in Europe. Russia invaded Ukraine not to halt a military coup, as President Putin rather oddly claimed on Monday, but to hinder a democratic movement by military action. In Syria, Russia has helped and presumably will continue to help Assad repress all resistance, not just the Islamicist variety.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Obama has given Iraq to the Caliphate, and Syria to Putin ...
after Putin threatened to blackmail Obama’s sorry corrupt ass with Hillary’s e-mails ...
you dont think putin will have his eyes on Iraq down the road?
i dont know. depends on how serious he is about crushing ISIS, i guess.
You are more right than we will probably ever know.
Interesting theory, but I think it explains only part of Putin’s reasons for going into Syria
Let Putin go and do it. Keep Assad in power. I hope he humiliates hell out of Obama.
I will invade Ukraine, Syria or wherever I choose ... and you will do nothing about it. You are my Boehner/McConnell. Understood?
Tim rather misses the more obvious point of Putin’s interest in Syria.
But, then, so has the rest of the media.
PUTIN WANTS TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO WARM WATER PORTS.
Putin:
“I’m your huckleberry.”
The real reason Putin is propping up Assad is to prevent a planned pipeline from the Gulf States to Europe. Assad stands in their way.
It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force.
It seems "reflection and choice" are rare notions in that part of the world.
here’s an alternative theory: Putin is attempting to control a much larger slice of the oil and natural gas pie so that, ultimately, he can put an end to petrodollar hegemony which would leave the west devastated and him as master of the universe.
He sure loves to start wars.
Terrorism is just a cover story for Putin taking over the middle east to control world oil and gas like OPEC did.
I wonder if he thinks he has 14 months before a real leader might take office.
But didn’t he take Georgia while Bush was in? was there anything we could have done?
Time magazine exists..?
I think you have more truth there then we could possibly imagine...
Soviets were masters of deception and miss-information. Their world-wide network of Manchurian operatives skillfully manage useful idiots for their purpose; unilateral surrender. Putin deceives behind the curtain, using his tools (BHO et al)
Which one of those 3 Countries isn’t lost?
Syria boarders the Caucuses, historically part of the Soviet Union. If Russia’s actions in Syria foment strife/revolution/uprising in the Caucuses (remember this is where zealous Chechen Muslims live), that will be the excuse Putin needs to again occupy the Caucuses.
Putin will reassemble the Soviet Union now extending continuously (geographically) through Syria right to the boarder of Israel.
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