The op-ed piece by Valdimir Putin in the New York Times has put the Russian cat amongst the American pigeons and has caused laughable ire from "outraged" American politicians and media.They screamed in anguish and feigned anger over his mention of America's "exceptionalism" ( the constant boasting of being the only super-power; of being the policeman of the world of being "the greatest country and having the greatest military in history; of having the greatest cities sports teams, etc.), and its eagerness to use its war machine (Panama, Grenada, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen etc (Drone strikes), but the real reason for their discomfiture is the possibility that the Russians have managed to outflank the Americans in Syria by getting Syria to offer to sign the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, which will allow for the inspection and destruction of the 1,000 tonnes or so of sarin, mustard gas and other poisons that it has collected in response (it claims to offset) Israel's nuclear weapons.
If Russia succeeds ( and the Americans with their French and British lackeys are putting up resistance by their demands), it will boost the prestige of Russia and the stature of Putin, not only in the Middle East but elsewhere in the world where they will be called upon as "honest brokers". The Russians will get to keep their warm water port in Syria; will become an important player in the Middle east ( which they had lost after the fall of the USSR); in the Israel/ Palestine issue; in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and elsewhere. They will get indirect relief in Dagestan and Chechnya, where they continue to battle Islamic forces and al Qaeda. As Russia rebounds on the world stage, it brings some balance and offset the American dominance, which has allowed it to act without restraint.
The most important issue however, is the continued civil war in Syria. There is the possibility that if the Russians succeed on bringing Assad on board, that this could lead to a broader peace and the end of the civil war in Syria. That would be a resounding victory for the Middle East and the world. It will show that, with USA and Russia working together, the volatility and the violence, which has been rampant since the end of the Cold War, can be reduced.
There is a great opportunity here and must be seized. Obama has said that he was elected to end wars. If he still believes this, then he must work with the Russians. National pride and ideological bias be damned, work together to advance peace.
If Russia succeeds ( and the Americans with their French and British lackeys are putting up resistance by their demands), it will boost the prestige of Russia and the stature of Putin, not only in the Middle East but elsewhere in the world where they will be called upon as "honest brokers". The Russians will get to keep their warm water port in Syria; will become an important player in the Middle east ( which they had lost after the fall of the USSR); in the Israel/ Palestine issue; in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Iraq and elsewhere. They will get indirect relief in Dagestan and Chechnya, where they continue to battle Islamic forces and al Qaeda. As Russia rebounds on the world stage, it brings some balance and offset the American dominance, which has allowed it to act without restraint.
The most important issue however, is the continued civil war in Syria. There is the possibility that if the Russians succeed on bringing Assad on board, that this could lead to a broader peace and the end of the civil war in Syria. That would be a resounding victory for the Middle East and the world. It will show that, with USA and Russia working together, the volatility and the violence, which has been rampant since the end of the Cold War, can be reduced.
There is a great opportunity here and must be seized. Obama has said that he was elected to end wars. If he still believes this, then he must work with the Russians. National pride and ideological bias be damned, work together to advance peace.
