One of the really interesting questions is: What does Putin need SAM sites in Syria for?
Yep. Also, I see the Russkie airplanes are a bristling with air to air missiles. To target the ISIS flying carpets?
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Yep. Also, I see the Russkie airplanes are a bristling with air to air missiles. To target the ISIS flying carpets?
Indeed. This may be to ward off the Turks, or even to scare us off, but, I think it's far more likely a deal with Iran: You supply cannon fodder, and we will make it near impossible for Israel to go after your nukes.
THAT is the point nearly everyone seems to miss.
However, Putin is in the long run playing an extraordinarily dangerous game. Almost certainly, there will be a nuclear arms race in the ME, and almost certainly, Russia will end up with nukes hitting them, or their forces. Even if the conflict stays "local" to the ME, depending on where the jet stream is, etc., the fallout could go straight to Russia...
For example: http://s.w-x.co/mideast-snow-pattern-7jan15.jpg
Sorry for the slow reply - have been very busy - just popping in here at FR in a very spotty manner.