What would you do in Syria

[Dill]

(04-13-2017, 08:29 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: No doubt that Russia has been benefiting from the disorder in Europe caused by the Syrian refugees. But I think that he has played that situation as much as he can. It was starting to wind down before this happened. Also, I don't think that the refugee situation was something that Putin planned. Rather, I suspect it was an situation he saw unfolding and decided to use to his advantage. I believe that he was already trying to position himself to be the "great peacemaker" in Syria. He wants peace in Syria (under a favorable regime to him) for Russia's prestige. It demonstrates that they can solve problems within their sphere of influence where the U.S. could not. This is old Soviet Cold War style thinking, but a lot of what Putin does can be defined that way.

That was an excellent post B-zona. I agree Syria is important to Russia. There is the warm water port, for example, and Syria makes Russia a military broker in the world oil economy.

It is better for Russia, less of a drain on resources, if Syria can be stabilized. It is a matter of economics as well as prestige I believe.

I would add there is another aspect of old Cold War style thinking here. The reduction of Russia's borders and power has not been easy on people like Putin, who remember the days when Russia was an equal player with the US. I think there are identity issues in part driving the investment in Syria. Russia's economy is the size of Italy's, but Russia leaders remember Superpower status. It still has a piece of that in the Middle East.