Most of us remember what happened to Kaddaffii
Steve
An excellent synopsis! The Levant has been the Crossroad of Civilizations with Syria at its center. There were great civilizations all around it, North, East, South, and West.
Anyone who thinks that Diversity is universally good should take a good look at Syria’s Diversity. What is most divisive? Economics? Ethnicity? Ideology? Religion? Territory?
The Captain
3 Likes
I agree that melted brains can be dangerous to those who read while drinking coffee 
The news is taking a simplistic view of what has taken place in Syria by confusing the ouster of Assad with either a consolidation of those who opposed his government or for ignoring the massively confusing stated goals of those whose single point of agreement has been the ouster of Assad.
The question is whether the hatred of the Russians is trumped b y the support the Russians might be willing to transfer to one or another faction.
The opposition groups run the gamut of Sunni Jihadists, Shiite Jihadists, Kurdish nationalists supported by the US, Turkish (the NATO ally of the US) supported forces fighting against the Kurd’s - and, of course there are remnants of Hezbollah, Iranian militias, Iraqi based militias, assorted franchises of Al-Quida and ISIS, Alawites (minority shia associated coreligionists of Assad) who are now trying to figure out where they stand. And, of course, the Israelis are taking the opportunity to acquire portions of Syria which they feel can enhance their boarder security while executing hundreds of air attacks designed to destroy any Syrian military assets which they can find.
While the chaos may allow Russia to figure out a way to save its bases, I suspect that Assad will join the elite group of deposed leaders kept by nations around the world - just in case they might come in handy some day, but will likely never set foot in Syria again (and probably never leave Russia).
Syria is too geographically too important for the US to ignore what’s happening, but the various US allies involved (Turkey, Israel, Kurds) have mutually incompatible goals and at some point we will likely have to “simplify” our position there.
Jeff
6 Likes
Having served Putin’s (or whatever potentate’s) purpose well enough for long enough they do not have to be handy ever again but only silent and safe; they and their ilk are kept safe to encourage other monsters sponsored by Putin to stay the course until they get their pretty Russian dacha in the Moscow woods, small palace in Sochi, security force, and vanish into obscurity.
d fb
2 Likes