On 2013-09-12, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Thu, 12 Sep 2013 09:12:15 -0500, Ignoramus15426
wrote:

On 2013-09-12, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Thu, 12 Sep 2013 08:48:58 -0400, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

No.
Yes.

Sad, when Communist leaders counsel the US president,
and I side with the Communist.

Putin is playing rope-a-dope. He appears to have roped you.


What Putin said is just common sense, looking through smoke and
mirrors.

It sure sounds like it. Or he's made it sound like it.

I heard some analysts this morning say that Putin's purpose here is a
delaying tactic. That's why Assad agreed so quickly; he thinks he can
crush the rebels if Russia can hold off attacks by the West and by
other players in the Middle East.

This is exactly right. He wants to crush the rebels. And he wants to
give up chemical weapons to make sure that he is not attacked by the
US. This is the common understanding.

The reason why the US wanted to get involved is that Assad was
winning.

But the Russians have already laid out the process and the schedule.
It will be some time next year before it's concluded, and there are
likely to be prolonged negotiations over how Assad will allow
inspections, and actually turn over his chemical weapons -- if he
ever really does.

Our State Dept. and President know all this, of course. It's a big
diplomatic game. But we couldn't possibly reject it. We'll just have
to play it as best we can.

The point to remember, is that neither side in Syria is our friend.

i