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Syria
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on June 28, 2012 - 3:25am.
Putin once said he wished he had an empire and armed forces that the US has. And he is trying to build one. But that is the key point Russia is not the USSR and not the US. So while Russia has influence it cannot do what the US did to it client state in Egypt. Whatever happens at the meeting regardless if Iran are invited as with the Saudi's. The US will have to consult them and Russia Iran. Russia has only so much influence over Iran. But Iran will only be more belligerent that they have not been included which makes it harder again for Russia. It does not matter what promises the US makes to Russia Putin does not trust the west an after Libya less so. Russia has a schizophrenic foreign policy or I call it the Kremlin two step, one step forward and two steps back that is how they gain traction as a less influential player. And it works well for them. The facts are Syria is important to Russia because it is not important at all, this allows them space for their dual policy. If you want to talk, then talk, if you want to fight then fight, it makes little difference to the Kremlin. The Russia position is similar to Israel in regards to strategic outcomes pre an post Assad. But be realistic in what Russia can and cannot do in relation to Syria. So far support is to block international military action, supplying weapons, supporting the Annan plan an calling for a Syrian solution. It is not a lot in reality. Asking for unrealistic outcomes from Russia is either done as a geopolitical mistake or to make them look bad. Either way in relation to Syria as long as the Church backs the Kremlin on Syria it will have little domestic effect. The Church takes the Kremlin line not the other way around. The fact they are willing to turn up, they did not with the Friends of Syria an talked the Iranians into coming along. Shows they are willing to cooperate, but within parameters. If they declined the offer an did not support the Annan plan then it would be clear their position was to support Assad. Don't ask for a gold bar if you know you can only get a coin.
