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U.S. Attack on Syria Cements Kremlin’s Embrace of Assad

posted by on Monday April 10 2017, @11:43AM   
from the two-peas-in-a-pod dept.

Runaway1956 writes:

MOSCOW — If Russia once maintained at least a semblance of distance from President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, it rushed to his defense after the American missile strike ordered by President Trump on Thursday. The attack cemented Moscow more closely than ever to the notorious Syrian autocrat.

Even as the United States condemned Mr. Assad for gassing his own citizens and held Russia partly responsible, given its 2013 promise to rid Syria of chemical weapons, the Kremlin kept denying that Syria had any such capability.

By championing Mr. Assad and condemning American "aggression," President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia seemed to be burying the idea that he could somehow cooperate with the Trump administration to end the conflict on his terms.

"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." Attributed to Abraham Maslow.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/08/world/europe/us-attack-on-syria-cements-kremlins-embrace-of-assad.html?

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Original Submission

• Re:Can't always get what you want Re:Can't always get what you want (Score: 3, Touché) by captain normal on Monday April 10 2017, @04:39PM (3 children)

  by captain normal (2205) on Monday April 10 2017, @04:39PM (#491717)

  Eh...Crimea is on the Black Sea. The only outlet from there to the Mediterranean is through the Bosporus.

  --
  When life isn't going right, go left.

  Parent

  Starting Score:	1		point
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• Re:Can't always get what you want Re:Can't always get what you want (Score: 2) by Thexalon on Monday April 10 2017, @10:06PM (2 children)

  by Thexalon (636) on Monday April 10 2017, @10:06PM (#491966)

  Of course Crimea isn't on the Mediterranean. That hasn't put any kind of dent in the ability of the Russian navy to get to the Mediterranean.

  --
  The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.

  Parent

  • Re:Can't always get what you want (Score: 3, Touché) by bob_super on Monday April 10 2017, @10:19PM

    by bob_super (1357) on Monday April 10 2017, @10:19PM (#491970)

    Has the US been conducting "freedom of navigation" patrols in the Bosphorus to protect the Russian Navy from the outrageous unchecked construction conducted by the Turkish along the strait?
    Asking for a Chinese friend.

    Parent

  • Re:Can't always get what you want (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday April 10 2017, @10:23PM

    by khallow (3766) on Monday April 10 2017, @10:23PM (#491973) Journal

    Of course Crimea isn't on the Mediterranean. That hasn't put any kind of dent in the ability of the Russian navy to get to the Mediterranean.

    Why do you say that? Bosporus Strait in the hands of a foe would be an impassible bottleneck should things come to a shooting war.

    Parent