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Obama Weighs "Syria Retreat" As White House Ends Training Of Moderate Rebels

Tyler Durden's picture




 

This past weekend we called Obama's latest failed attempt to replace Syria's president (after a comparable attempt in 2013 also ended in failure) for what it is: "Make no mistake, this is shaping up to be the most spectacular US foreign policy debacle since Vietnam - and we don't think that's an exaggeration."

Some of our high level observations:

The US, in conjunction with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, attempted to train and support Sunni extremists to overthrow the Assad regime. Some of those Sunni extremists ended up going crazy and declaring a Medeival caliphate putting the Pentagon and Langley in the hilarious position of being forced to classify al-Qaeda as "moderate." The situation spun out of control leading to hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths and when Washington finally decided to try and find real "moderates" to help contain the Frankenstein monster the CIA had created in ISIS (there were of course numerous other CIA efforts to arm and train anti-Assad fighters, see below for the fate of the most "successful" of those groups), the effort ended up being a complete embarrassment that culminated with the admission that only "four or five" remained and just days after that admission, those "four or five" were car jacked by al-Qaeda in what was perhaps the most under-reported piece of foreign policy comedy in history.

 

Meanwhile, Iran sensed an epic opportunity to capitalize on Washington's incompetence. Tehran then sent its most powerful general to Russia where a pitch was made to upend the Mid-East balance of power. The Kremlin loved the idea because after all, Moscow is stinging from Western economic sanctions and Vladimir Putin is keen on showing the West that, in the wake of the controversy surrounding the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Russia isn't set to back down. Thanks to the fact that the US chose extremists as its weapon of choice in Syria, Russia gets to frame its involvement as a "war on terror" and thanks to Russia's involvement, Iran gets to safely broadcast its military support for Assad just weeks after the nuclear deal was struck. Now, Russian airstrikes have debilitated the only group of CIA-backed fighters that had actually proven to be somewhat effective and Iran and Hezbollah are preparing a massive ground invasion under cover of Russian air support. Worse still, the entire on-the-ground effort is being coordinated by the Iranian general who is public enemy number one in Western intelligence circles and he's effectively operating at the behest of Putin, the man that Western media paints as the most dangerous person on the planet.

Today, less than a week later, we have confirmation that this assessment was accurate, following two major developments in the Syria global proxy war.

First, Bloomberg reports that a week into Russia's military intervention in Syria, some top White House advisers and National Security Council staffers are trying to persuade President Barack Obama to scale back U.S. engagement there, to focus on lessening the violence and, for now, to give up on toppling the Syrian regime.

It adds that "the administration came to this conclusion late. Despite warnings from U.S. intelligence agencies that Putin's military buildup was intended to keep Assad in power, the White House nonetheless decided to explore cooperating with Russia on the ground. Throughout the summer and into the fall, top Russian officials -- including Putin himself in a meeting last month with Obama at the U.N. -- said they were not committed to keeping Assad in power for the long term, and would only target Islamic State fighters in their military offensive, according to U.S. officials."

So U.S. intelligence is shocked that following a multi-year campaign which was launched in 2011, which escalated in 2013 to a near-naval war, and which culminated in 2014 with the "mysterious" emergence of ISIS whose stated purpose according to leaked CIA documents was a simple one: to depose Assad, that Obama's biggest antagonist on the global superpower stage, Russian president Putin would do everything in his power to prop up his own key pawn in the middle east.

Putin's intervention has had the U.S. flummoxed from day one. As the Russian military moved into Syria, U.S. intelligence officials tell us, the intelligence community was skeptical that it intended to focus its military campaign on the Islamic State. Even so, as the New York Times reported, the U.S. was surprised by the speed with which Russia built and then announced its new coalition with the governments of Syria, Iran and Iraq to support its military campaign.

Did we say "U.S. intelligence"? Scratch that.

In any event, after confirming virtually every word of our conclusion from past weekend, now that the administration realizes it is trapped without a credible way out absent de-escalation, it has no choice but to do just that:

Obama has ruled out engaging in a proxy war with Putin's military, leaving few good options. One path, however, would mean finding ways to tamp down the fighting by negotiating small, local ceasefires with the Assad regime. “The White House somehow thinks we can de-escalate the conflict while keeping Assad in power,” one senior administration official told us.

 

“The current policy of the United States and its partners, to increase pressure on Assad so that he ‘comes to the table’ and negotiates his own departure, must be rethought,” Malley’s predecessor at the National Security Council, Philip Gordon, wrote at Politico as Russia was amassing its forces in Syria.

The planted Bloomberg story, meant solely to lessen the blow from the latest foreign policy humiliation adds that "that view, being pushed by top White House National Security staffers, including senior coordinator for the Middle East Rob Malley, is not new. But it has received fresh emphasis given Russian intervention."

To be sure, there are neo-con war hawks, led by John Kerry and Samantha Power, who as a reminder was the puppet-masted behind the Ukraine coup, who want to escalate to the bitter end, even if it literally ends in a mushroom cloud: "The NSC view is opposed by top officials in other parts of the government, especially Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power. They are trying to persuade Obama that the only way to solve Syria is to increase the pressure on Assad in the hopes he will enter negotiations."

However, just like in the 2013 Syria campaign, when Kerry huffed and puffed and ultimately folded, so two years later the man who married into the Heinz family fortune will have no choice but to fold again:

Yet Kerry and Power now find themselves without any hope that Putin might bring the Syrian regime to the table. Kerry, though always skeptical of Russia, has been the point man on engaging the Russian government through several conversations with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. But it’s now clear the Russians were leading the Obama administration down the primrose path.

Others in Congress have already understood the endgame: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker said that by not doing more to confront Putin’s escalation, "the administration is tacitly admitting it will no longer be able to secure Assad’s ouster."

The implications are profound:

"If Assad is staying and there’s no political process in sight, this argument goes, the U.S. might as well focus on alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people and mitigate the growing refugee crisis.

 

Local ceasefires have been struck sporadically throughout the war, mostly in areas under siege by the Assad regime. The United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has been pushing this idea for over a year.

This means that the dramatic migrant exodus heading into Europe, which is now spun as positive for the economy, and would have been the catalyst form more deficit-funding QE as a result of debt-funded spending spree required by Germany to pay for the millions in refugees, may be coming to an end, with substantial implications for monetary policy.

Bloomberg's own conclusion shows a glimmer of hope that the end is not in sight just yet:

Caught between two camps in his administration, Obama may not end up shifting the U.S. approach to Syria at all, although the de-escalation side has the momentum. Either way, as Russia, Iran and the Syrian regime change facts on the ground, the relative position of America and the Syrians it has supported becomes graver by the day.

And then moments ago, the NYT confirmed that the de-escalation process has begun, when it reported that "the Obama administration has ended the Pentagon’s $500 million program to train and equip Syrian rebels, administration officials said on Friday, in an acknowledgment that the beleaguered program had failed to produce any kind of ground combat forces capable of taking on the Islamic State in Syria."

Pentagon officials were expected to officially announce the end of the program on Friday, as Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter leaves London after meetings with his British counterpart, Michael Fallon, about the continuing wars in Syria and Iraq.

 

A senior Defense Department official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that there would no longer be any more recruiting of so-called moderate Syrian rebels to go through training programs in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. Instead, a much smaller training center would be set up in Turkey, where a small group of “enablers” — mostly leaders of opposition groups — would be taught operational maneuvers like how to call in airstrikes.

To be sure, the admin tried to soften the blow: moments ago Reuters added that "The U.S. military program to train and equip Syrian rebels is not "ending" but is instead being refocused, a senior U.S. defense official said on Friday, ahead of an announcement on overhauling the troubled U.S. effort." No matter how one diplomatically phrases it though, at this point the wheels are in motion.

Which brings us to our own conclusion from last week:

If Russia ends up bolstering Iran's position in Syria (by expanding Hezbollah's influence and capabilities) and if the Russian air force effectively takes control of Iraq thus allowing Iran to exert a greater influence over the government in Baghdad, the fragile balance of power that has existed in the region will be turned on its head and in the event this plays out, one should not expect Washington, Riyadh, Jerusalem, and London to simply go gentle into that good night.

It is precisely this scenario that U.S. "intelligence" just realized, and why Obama is now sounding the retreat. The only question is whether Putin, who is now on the offensive across the mid-east region, agrees to take Obama's olive branch, or whether he continues the "campaign to end ISIS", in the process creating the biggest shift in the mid-east balance of power with a Russia-Syria-Iran-Iraq axis, and with China waiting patiently in the wings.

Finally, this may be just the catalyst that ends the torrid surge in oil higher over the past week now that the biggest geopolitical factor pushing black gold above $50 is in the rear view mirror.

 

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Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:50 | 6648589 nevertheless
nevertheless's picture

Interesting link, but not is mentioned about israel...

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:21 | 6648736 Sweet Chicken
Sweet Chicken's picture

Actually, towards the bottom of the link it speaks of Israel agreeing to return to its 1967 borders. IMO this will never happen without full fledged war. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:58 | 6648626 Majestic12
Majestic12's picture

"He was talking about the Russian intervention in Syria very early on"

Russia/Soviet Union has been Syria's strategic partner since 1949.

Sat, 10/10/2015 - 04:30 | 6651847 jefferson32
jefferson32's picture

I was talking about the current air campaign. Have a look at voltairenet.org. Thierry Meyssan is the only western journalist left in Damas, and is (as far as I can tell) the first to have called 9/11 for what it is.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:47 | 6648324 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

I hate watching the US being made to look like a smacked ass on a rainy day, but watching Putin bitch-slap Obama again and again and again has yet to lose it's entertainment value for me.

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:00 | 6648372 BeaverCream
BeaverCream's picture

I didn't choose to live here, maybe I would given the choice but that isn't the point.  Fundamentally I believe in this Nation's founding ideals but this place is a goddamn joke, has been since WWII.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:03 | 6648386 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

No Debt, America loses nothing by staying out of foreign entanglements.  The Chinese have amply demonstrated that you make more friends and money through trade than through threats.  Imagine if the Trillions spend fighting in Iraq had been used to improve our infrastructure.  US airports, for example, are an embarrassment when compared to airports in Asia, Europe, even South America.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:15 | 6648434 Killdo
Killdo's picture

that Reagan airport in DC looks (inside) like a chinese supermarket in Eastern Europe

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:30 | 6648511 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

"No Debt, America loses nothing by staying out of foreign entanglements"

The operative phrase in that sentence is "staying out".  I have no faith that we will stay out.  And "getting out" has definite consequences once you've already made the stupid choice to get in.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:39 | 6648546 I-am-not-one-of-them
I-am-not-one-of-them's picture

that's not how corporations think

 

you pay in blood and treasure, they profit

last thing they want is what is good for the people

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:02 | 6648373 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Thats rubbing his nose in his own shit, in public.Not a bitch slap.

The historians will say that was the pivotal point in the decline of the American empire.

Its all downhill from here, a bit like me when I used to walk into a bar.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:51 | 6648591 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

October the 7th was a historic date.

Most people will be ignorant of its significance.

14 years to the day from the start of the US Global War on Terror (TM). The impotent US and its terrorist stooges exposed for the world to see.

How would you like your Kalibr missiles launched? From an aircraft, ship, train, container lorry, container on a ship? Or drone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp7mM2TP_1A

Gotta love the crazy Russian humor.

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:36 | 6649065 BigJim
BigJim's picture

I love the way the targets are all completely unguarded

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:40 | 6649095 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

I thought the point being made was they were unguardable.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 14:38 | 6649865 Bob
Bob's picture

Indeed.  And the drama!

This is 10 minutes long and I stopped at 3:30 just to thank you for a link that I know ima finish right now.  Good one.

Add: Fully watched, gotta agree about the humor!  This entire exercise was all about economy of resources, imo. 

Insanely overpriced weapons, even drones, are not the way to enforce the peace. 

And, finally, I discover now that I watched a different weapon simulation that inspired my reply which will make more sense:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9xqdoDc3oI&list=PLRoLlI7qhSDkfJvMjZx3GE...

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:48 | 6648330 Trick Shroadé
Trick Shroadé's picture

Can you really consider yourself a winning when you're involved in a land war in the Middle East?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:02 | 6648379 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

Obama didn't "Fold"...he simply carried out the order of the day from his "advisors"...if you're my boss, and I do what you say, in this case a policy reversal, did I "Fold"?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:58 | 6648625 Salzburg1756
Salzburg1756's picture

Declare victory and go home.

Quote from
Vaclav Klaus, former Czech president:
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their President."
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/pragerzeitungon.asp#uMvqXKD6d243r...
Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:09 | 6648659 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

Vaclavis is a "fool" for believing the American people choose their President. Obama was one of three choices WE WERE GIVEN..and the MAJORITY did not vote for him.

What the "Republic", and the world for that matter, can't "survive" is the UNELECTED...SELF APPOINTED...CORPORATE "CITIZENS"...the ".01%" running the show.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:57 | 6648874 sam i am
sam i am's picture

The true reason why the American international image turned into unmitigated disaster.

 

http://thesaker.is/thank-you-russia-its-nice-to-see-what-mission-accomplished-really-means-scott-rant/

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 12:45 | 6649419 TheReplacement
TheReplacement's picture

So wrong.  Fundamentally changing the USofA bitchez. 

Destroy any hope for economy using healthcare wedge.   Check

Remove any last shred of validity of electoral system with fraud and illegals.  Check.

Overwhelm the makers with takers.  Check.

Foreign Policy Rekt.  Check

Destroy dollar and make you holler.  Tick tock.

Rollout global government (which Putin/Russia support).  Coming soon to a work camp near you.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:47 | 6648315 jefferson32
jefferson32's picture

dup

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:04 | 6648340 two hoots
two hoots's picture

 

Our incapable president allowing our overzealous State/DOD/Intelligence services to act untethered, unsupervised which has brought disastrous consequences to our nation.  Go back and play golf and stay away from our country.

 

So Joe Biden just stood by and watched?  Go play golf Joe and teach John and Hillary also.  You can have a foursome.

  

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:05 | 6648397 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

This is why I prefered Obama to McCain...Obama is "disengaged" and "Incapable"...McCain would be fully "engaged" and "Capable" of starting WWIII on day one of his Presidency..Obama is retreating...Would McCain do that?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:16 | 6648418 two hoots
two hoots's picture

 

No idea and never want to find out.  And why do you limit yourself to those two extremes?

  

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:59 | 6648883 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

"And why do you limit yourself to those two extremes?"

They were the choices...A or B...pick, or don't pick, one...either way, A or B will be President...I went with Obama because I was really tired of "war"...and yes, I'm disappointed..but I wasn't expecting much...but at least I thought "War" would be scaled back...so much for that..if you want less "War" in the next President, Bernie is the only "sure" bet.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 15:41 | 6650294 BarkingCat
BarkingCat's picture

You picked Obama because you are a dumb fuck.
There were other choices but dumb fucks like you continue to pick Coke or Pepsi, and then bitch there are no other choices.

If you are given a choice of eating shit or drinking piss are you going to pick one or get up and walk away from the table???

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 17:57 | 6650819 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

You're the dumbfuck cat; and your "shit and piss" example proves it.

On presidential election day, the choice is A or B and ONE WILL WIN...even if you walk away...ONE WILL WIN...so pick the lesser of the evils or shut the fuck up and accept what others chose for you.

"write-ins" are a joke...I made an effort to listen to the "other" candidates...dorks and retards living in a fantasy world where their idiology WOULD work perfectly if it wasn't for this evil thing called human nature; humans are violent, territorial, apes and no "system" will change that.

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:03 | 6648389 agent default
agent default's picture

Que Deutsche Bank revelations courtesy of the SEC/CFTC/random media source in three, two, one.  Unless you think the timing of VW was not merely a shot across the bow from the US.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:12 | 6648422 Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill's picture

Just can't wait for Mutti's private kiddie molestation photos to come out.

A lot more where the VW, ace in the hole, came from.

If it works is another question.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:09 | 6648896 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

Daytime TV ads feature a lot of "ambulance chasing" lawyers...yesterday, the "VW Scammed you" ads started running...lawyers smell blood in the water..I'm sure VW will want to settle fast rather that have it "in the news" for years and years..

If VW is smart, they will IMMEDIATELY contact and compensate the buyers they scammed...cutting out the lawyers will save them a fortune of both money and good will.

If your customers have to sue you for scamming them...even though you admitted to the scam...your company is in real trouble..step up VW...give back all the profits earned from the lies and you'll be back in business stronger than ever.

Doubt that will happen though...the Executives are already denying responsibility..."a few programmers at the lower levels are responsible for this"...the executives didn't authorize the fraud...they just profited, personally, from it...yeah.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 13:33 | 6649666 Sparkey
Sparkey's picture

You profited too FireBrander if you owned a VW Diesel, the 'Cheating' increased the fuel effeciency of the engines, More than a few of us  are happy with that!

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:20 | 6648455 darkpool2
darkpool2's picture

This i suspect is the gut instinct of a significant portion of the euro elite. I dont think they have ever been comfortable as US pawns, and deep down they have always subscribed to the notion that Europe cannot be strong and independent without a much closer pivot towards. Russia. Things may unfurl at a rapid pace !

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:26 | 6648486 SteveNYC
SteveNYC's picture

Game changer.

BTW, no point spending money trying to train the poor suckers who may have been turned to charcoal or fertilizer in the past couple of weeks. Lost cause if I've ever seen one.....

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:27 | 6648491 smacker
smacker's picture

Perhaps the only sensible comment Junckett has ever made.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:47 | 6648575 Perimetr
Perimetr's picture

Obama shit and fell in it and now he is going to pretend that he did it on purpose and it is nice to be covered in shit.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:57 | 6648623 localizer
localizer's picture

Yeah, I noticed that VERY unusual comment from Juncker... looks like EUropeans are starting to wake up slowly...

Meanwhile I read Brzezinski says USSA should kick the Russians out of Syria... good luck with that...

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:52 | 6649155 Stifmeister
Stifmeister's picture

Thanks a lot, Looney!

This is great! This is baby steps towards EU independence from Washington rule. A healthy relationship with Russia is a great way to ensure stability, growth and unity of the currently fragile union. It also removes the need for building pipelines to Qatar and KSA.

The question is whether Europe will be okay with the New Order in the Middle East, with Russia/Iran calling the shots?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:54 | 6649168 Falling Down
Falling Down's picture

"Fuck the EU!!!"

-Victoria Nudelman

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 13:20 | 6649603 researchfix
researchfix's picture

DWN is not serious.

And the Junker is a drunk, who won´t remember anything tomorrow.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 13:42 | 6649708 MrBoompi
MrBoompi's picture

The UE was never happy being financially harmed by sanctions the US imposed on them.  

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 15:33 | 6650257 LibertarianMenace
LibertarianMenace's picture

EU wants normal relations w Russia? Simple: disband NATO. Done. What are they waiting for? "If you're going to shoot, shoot!, don't talk." - Tuco Benedicto Pacífico Juan María Ramírez

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 18:23 | 6650883 Himins
Himins's picture

2001, you are with us, or you are a terrorist
2015, you are with us and the terrorists, or you are a terrorist 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:43 | 6648308 VinceFostersGhost
VinceFostersGhost's picture

 

 

"Moderate Rebels"

 

Let me translate that....aka....terrorists.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:55 | 6648358 Beowulf55
Beowulf55's picture

But...but...but.... I thought we were with the terrorist?!  Isn't that what Bush said?

 

 

 

 

snicker,,,,sniker,,,,,  Oh, what the fuck.............ROFLMAO

 

......lets render unto C....., oh wait..... 

 

Obummer is dumber than a sack of hammers......

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:59 | 6648366 VinceFostersGhost
VinceFostersGhost's picture

 

 

Who is this Bush I keep hearing about?

 

I've looked all over DC.....I can't find him.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:21 | 6648458 toady
toady's picture

He's out in the wilderness,  trying to get on the trail back to D.C. The latest incarnation appears to be struggling though... must be a "Jorge" thing....

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:44 | 6648312 two hoots
two hoots's picture

 

And who cares they wasted the working lives of thousands of taxpayers for that fiasco?  Any accountability, outside of someone taking responsibility, that means nothing, just words?  Our jails would be empty is that is all it takes for being accountable.  Sad representation, even sadder is the uncontrolled State, DOD, intelligence services.

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:49 | 6648332 BaghdadBob
BaghdadBob's picture

Loud-mouthed school yard bully just got an ass kicking from the quiet kid.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:12 | 6648380 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

When the school year started the loud mouth apparently didn't notice that the "quiet kid" had grown 6" and put on 30 pounds of pure muscle over the summer.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:38 | 6648541 Max Steel
Max Steel's picture

Yeah but he surrenders to the hardline Saudis, not to Russia. This will escalate and it will be a miracle if it doesn't end up with Pyrotechnical effects inside Saudi Arabia.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:41 | 6648802 Omen IV
Omen IV's picture

The Saudi's may be the real epi-center of the USA debacle - The Princes are not warriors - they are lovers - a mansion in Paris/ London / LA with Ferrari's and a binder full of women is their only geo-political objective.

 

the cake is baked:

Saudi Arabia -The Kingdom has a total population of 28.7 million, of which 20 million are Saudi nationals and 8 million are foreigners.

Iran's population increased dramatically during the later half of the 20th century, reaching about 75 million by 2011. More than half of Iran's population is under 35 years old (2012).
Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:01 | 6648377 Fukushima Fricassee
Fukushima Fricassee's picture

Obama can anticipate Reggie's load and move his face better than he can anticipate the response to his ignorant military hedgemoney policies.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:08 | 6648405 drendebe10
drendebe10's picture

The chikenshit fudgepacker needs to have its skin sandpapered off, buried in salt then thrown out of the country and dropped off in the middle of an Iran desert with a can of Pennzoil. Fuk da traitorous illegal indonesian kenyan alien muslim pathological liar 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:38 | 6649080 Babaloo
Babaloo's picture

Vietnam?  Really?  That's the comparison?  We lost 55,000 lives in Vietnam.  Tens of thousands of American kids maimed and injured physically and mentally.

This is NOTHING like Vietnam - and claiming it is exhibits an ignorance of history that is breathtaking.

Sat, 10/10/2015 - 00:20 | 6651646 Demdere
Demdere's picture

How is it 'defeat' to stop playing a game where the loss was guaranteed by deciding to play?  Multilateral diplomacy with war is not a playable game, we have lost 14 seasons in a row, and we keep playing.  Wow, just got skunked again by someone playing a more defensive game with a home-court advantage, who could possibly have guessed, that only having happened for the last 14 years to us, a bunch of years to the Russians before that, a bunch of years to us in Vietnam before that ,....

https://thinkpatriot.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/high-dimensioned-games/

We have known about the dangers of this kind of warfare for a long time, and we keep doing the same stupid stuff.  It is not 'admitting loss' to decide stop pounding your head on the wall.

A much bigger win would be lining some of our leaders up against the wall, all the people who made these wars happen, who lied us into them.  Criminals who have caused 100s of 1000s of deaths with their political power games, and enabled the kleptocracy which is beggaring us all.

If we allow our leaders to lead as they have, we will be in a world war or a civil war, maybe both.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:44 | 6648313 timeless21
timeless21's picture

We will need MOAR propaganda.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:48 | 6648325 VinceFostersGhost
VinceFostersGhost's picture

 

 

Looks like it's gonna rain.....OK....it's raining.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:46 | 6648316 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

"I'll have more flexibility after the election."

"You have no idea, asshole.  NO idea."

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:54 | 6648355 two hoots
two hoots's picture

 

Putin could have been his son?

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:59 | 6648368 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

No.  Obama is Putin's bitch.  They ain't nothing like family.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:02 | 6648385 Fukushima Fricassee
Fukushima Fricassee's picture

Obama is Reggie's bitch, Putin is hetrosexual.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 14:24 | 6649915 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

He meant that in a platonic sense.  Obama is Putin's platonic bitch.

 

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:50 | 6648321 Grandad Grumps
Grandad Grumps's picture

Maybe ... but then again, maybe Obama and Putin are working together and they are targeting the Saud, for the banks and Obama could not do it and maintain the petro-dollar illusion, but Putin can.

Who do low oil prices hurt most? Could the Saud stop pumping to try to raise prices? Lol ... no, then they lose total control. Tell me how bad Russia is hurting from lower ooil prices. We know the Saud are selling assets.

The assault on Assad failed because no matter how much you dress up the dog, it is still a dog wearing cloths. Obama cannot burn the rebels' boats. He can give them lots of equipment and fiat, but he cannot motivate them to risk their lives. They are a mercenary army and ALL mercenary armies have the same problem... motivation.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:23 | 6648436 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

"ALL mercenary armies have the same problem... motivation."

Killing for money is a good gig...as long as the other side has little chance of killing you...

PBS ran a film on the Mexican drug gangs...told the story of a journalist ambushed in his car...surround by armed thugs...the lead thug takes the first shot...the bullet richochets off the car, comes back and NAILS HIM IN THE EYE!...he hits the ground and bleeds to death...the other "gangmembers" ran for the lives...no one in the car was armed, but "gangmembers" thought the people in the car were shooting back.

ISIS has incredible amounts of money and weaponry...yet the ISIS "uniform" features basketball shoes?...now I understand...fast retreats!

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:24 | 6648476 Lea
Lea's picture

"ISIS has incredible amounts of money and weaponry...yet the ISIS "uniform" features basketball shoes?...now I understand...fast retreats!"

The basketball shoes were there to make you believe they were "a ragtag/makeshift jihadist army", impeccable black uniforms and brand new Toyotas notwithstanding.

And you all fell for the con, right? It worked like a dream.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:31 | 6648512 agent default
agent default's picture

I suppose that if someone tracked the serial numbers from some of these Toyotas, that would lead to the supplier.  How come no one ever thought of that.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:40 | 6648530 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

One of the Toyota suppliers was a plumbing company in Texas...no kidding...guy traded in his Toyota truck, it ends up in Syria with an anti-aircraft gun mounted on it...AND HIS COMPANY NAME STILL ON THE SIDE OF IT!

Odd that there would be such a "fluid" supply line between the USA and ISIS is Syria...hmmm...

https://youtu.be/TmZB-p-u55g

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:59 | 6648629 viahj
viahj's picture

a new version of cash for clunckers for jihadists.  sponsed by the US Treasury. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:44 | 6648815 scraping_by
scraping_by's picture

Since the supply line for ISIS is Turkey, add the State Department and NATO.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:47 | 6648322 NoPension
NoPension's picture

Who made money?

That's all that matters anymore. What .gov Miltary contractor is making a buck?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:58 | 6648367 Normalcy Bias
Normalcy Bias's picture

Well, the MIC and The Squid NEVER lose. Same as it ever was...

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:47 | 6648323 Trick Shroadé
Trick Shroadé's picture

Good. We don't need our blood and treasure spent on this futile bullshit.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:52 | 6648348 Brazen Heist
Brazen Heist's picture

The treasure is on the tab. I believe the debt is approaching $20 trillion.

$500 million to arm 4 or 5 dudes. America is truly exceptional when it comes to throwing money down a hole.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:04 | 6648394 MoHillbilly
MoHillbilly's picture

If they would slip me a mere million I would arm the hell out of my self and be just as effective against Assad

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:25 | 6648483 negative rates
negative rates's picture

The MIC is the American money pit.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 16:02 | 6650391 mc225
mc225's picture

i think it's actually 100s of trillions, dude. 20 trillion is all the mainstream press will admit to at this point in time...

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:49 | 6648331 souljaboy
souljaboy's picture

Looks like the "To be sure,..." Tyler wrote this one. Dude, you're wearing out that stupid phrase.

 

Good article, though.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:49 | 6648333 kaa1016
kaa1016's picture

The whole strategy was fucking retarded to begin with. There are too many people in the US with the imperialism complex. The line between who's "good" and who's "bad" is as blurry as ever. Unreal.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:30 | 6648479 cowdiddly
cowdiddly's picture

Folding up shop would be the smart thing to do at this point even if it is somewhat of an embarrassment.

Which makes me believe that this  is the part where the Pigeon shits all over the board.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:49 | 6648335 cn13
cn13's picture

That is it.  There is now a new world order in the Middle East.

And it doesn't involve the United States.

Nice work Obama. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:24 | 6648749 Oldrepublic
Oldrepublic's picture

like the 1956 British Suez moment

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:49 | 6648336 Brazen Heist
Brazen Heist's picture

So now he will arm extremist rebels.

The gloves come off!

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:53 | 6648352 VinceFostersGhost
VinceFostersGhost's picture

 

 

I stand in the presence of brilliance.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:02 | 6648382 Brazen Heist
Brazen Heist's picture

Could Obomber be trying to make up with Al Qaeda?

Nostalgic days from Afghanistan in the 1980s

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:46 | 6648823 scraping_by
scraping_by's picture

AQ is and always has been directed by the Saudi Secret Service. Any animosity has always been Kubuki.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:57 | 6648365 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

Yep, seems the pussyfooting time is over, now just direct the money to staging the false flag events....skip to endgame.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:51 | 6648344 Moonrajah
Moonrajah's picture

So, being the biggest gung-ho bully on the block doesn't prevent you from being a limp-dick dumbass? Who'd've thunk?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:51 | 6648345 GeezerGeek
GeezerGeek's picture

If Obama wants to lessen the violence and alleviate the suffering, I suggest he start in Chicago and Baltimore.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:58 | 6648606 FireBrander
FireBrander's picture

Listening to the police scanners in Chicago...every 5 minutes..."report of shots fired"...what a complete shithole.

I'm also amazed at the number of reports for "stolen vehicles" that end up not "stolen"...the owner simply forgot where they parked it..I kid you not...2 of those last night and I only listened for about 45 minutes.

Counterfeit money pops up too...guy ran up a $200 restaurant bill..paid with ten $20 bills..all counterfit..Restaurant "detained" him and called the police.

http://www.broadcastify.com/

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:52 | 6648347 OutaTime43
OutaTime43's picture

Only a fool Republican would risk WW3 over ousting Assad.  Brookings, AED, etc. make these policies and are funded by foreign governments. No more wars for Israel or Saudi Arabia. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:52 | 6648349 roadhazard
roadhazard's picture

I think I'm going to start selling Pootin masks for Halloween. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 08:55 | 6648359 SheepDog-One
SheepDog-One's picture

So then the big ISIS false flag event must be pushed way forward now?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:10 | 6648369 flapdoodle
flapdoodle's picture

Obama does the right thing at last.

The question is will Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Israel follow suit... SA I think not, Turkey I think not, and Israel I definitely think not.

Things were getting very dangerous and this lowers the threshold of the conflict in Syria getting out of control (at least until the next Israeli induced false flag).

Kudos to Putin and the Iranians for a masterfully played game and shah mat.

On to game #2.

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:02 | 6648381 Mark Mywords
Mark Mywords's picture

So by using the term "Obama folds", are you saying we should continue with current policy? Which is asinine.

Or is it just because Obama?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:04 | 6648384 SillySalesmanQu...
SillySalesmanQuestion's picture

"Take your ball and go home Kenyan... Oh yeah, what's that other sport you spend too much time playing...? Take a mulligan and NO GIMME'S."

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:04 | 6648391 Catullus
Catullus's picture

There's no more money to be made off this war for the MIC. The Russians are already blowing up all of the US military equipment sent to ISIS through the vassal states along the Gulf. They'd only be able to sell them small arms now. Nothingburger. Move on. ISIS will be neutralized by middle of next year.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:05 | 6648396 Sisyphus
Sisyphus's picture

https://www.rt.com/news/318094-iranian-general-killed-syria/

Mossad?
CIA?

No mention of how he was killed. Sniper? IEDs? Ambush?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:18 | 6648448 BaghdadBob
BaghdadBob's picture

You're correct Sisyphus. Now that US/Israel have been handed their asses in the overt war, the covert stuff will begin. Trouble is Putin ain't no tree monkey. That mofo has plenty of KGB credentials behind him. Expect swift but devistating chess moves (on both sides) in the coming days. Gloves most certainly are off. Grab your polypropylene tub of GMO popcorn and kick back....

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:02 | 6648647 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

Nice avatar - Baghdad Boobs?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:05 | 6648398 TAALR Swift
TAALR Swift's picture

As long as Russia continues to abide by established international norms and laws, the more its respect and trust will grow, and the more mature statesmen around the world will bring the political extremists to heel -- and even in the US and its EU satellites.

We are hopefully seeing signs of this now.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:06 | 6648400 Crtrvlt
Crtrvlt's picture

it's bad but not Iraq War bad especially in terms of cost and American lives 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:11 | 6648417 Cow
Cow's picture

"Peace with Honor"

"just declare victory, Richard, and let's hightail it out of there" - Henry

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:12 | 6648423 youngman
youngman's picture

In the world of Politics....Obama is a failure...the world leaders know it...he is weak...blows with the wind...bark loud but no bite....and the world leaders know it..and are using it to THEIR advantage....Obama has made the USA a second class state now in world affairs...

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:17 | 6648443 overmedicatedun...
overmedicatedundersexed's picture

youngman, not so much a failure - he has goals that may not be your goals is all.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:04 | 6648654 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

If you look at the real aims of the policy, it was a success.

i) Destabilise the ME for the benefit of Israel.

ii) Enrich buddies in the MIC.

That's it.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:16 | 6648438 Smilygladhands
Smilygladhands's picture

Forward?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:17 | 6648439 wiscodave
wiscodave's picture

Obama and his minions are all war criminals just like Bush and his butt buddies.May they all go to hell soon.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:17 | 6648441 sudzee
sudzee's picture

Russian energy bearhug of Europe is now complete. Demise of NATO and subjigation of Saudi Arabia to Russian and Chinese influence on tap. 

Well done Mr Putin. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:33 | 6648525 Latina Lover
Latina Lover's picture

Until the Ukrainian puppets fucked it up, energy supplies from Russia were welcome in Europe for their reliability, security of supply and relatively low cost. Why would Russia, for example, play a major role in having sanctions dropped against Iran despite resulting in a major new player flooding the market  with an extra 1 million barrels of oil per day? Syria was about protecting Russia and China from the establishment of a new USSA terrorist proxy state.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:18 | 6648447 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

What a load of shit:. 

 

"the U.S. might as well focus on alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people and mitigate the growing refugee crisis."

  

.

You mean the fighting aged men  "refugees" who are invading Europe as a result of America's disastrous policies? Those refugees? 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:35 | 6648784 rejected
rejected's picture

" What a load of shit:. "

Ya think! (lol) 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:19 | 6648453 smacker
smacker's picture

"[...] the Obama administration has ended the Pentagon’s $500 million program to train and equip Syrian rebels, administration officials said on Friday, in an acknowledgment that the beleaguered program had failed to produce any kind of ground combat forces capable of taking on the Islamic State in Syria."

UrgH(!) Was Obola & Co even aiming to train a ground combat force to take on ISIS?

I don't think so.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:21 | 6648460 HoserF16
HoserF16's picture

Obama got caught Again, playing checkers with Putin on a Chess board. Too funny.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 14:38 | 6649985 El Vaquero
El Vaquero's picture

Playing Checkers?  More like tasting the checkers to see if the black ones were better than the red ones. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:21 | 6648463 Allen_H
Allen_H's picture

Ceasefire, no way, death to the USSA terrorist, till they are wiped out from the land.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:24 | 6648480 overmedicatedun...
overmedicatedundersexed's picture

gotta wonder what the grunts and snake eaters are thinking - the to brass well they remain safe in the pentagon, but the ground pounders - like in nam, who want's to be the last killed in ME  for the green machine and some nigger in the white house? too many repeat tours too many wins given away too many dead and wounded  again for what? so hillary can run a country like america..hoooorah.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:27 | 6648493 gcjohns1971
gcjohns1971's picture

I fear that the US' ineffectual flailing and failure to get even a partial success in ALLOWING Europe to have energy alternatives will give rise to the rebirth of militarism in Europe.

Shortly, Europe has no choice.

This is why at the outset of the Georgia and Ukraine debacles I said, "It would be better for everyone, including the Russians, if they simply allowed the alternatives but demanded large concessions in return."

Hitler went to Volgograd to get to the Central Asian energy fields.  Russian expectation that they can keep a perpetual energy choke chain on Europe are short sighted.  In the short term the holder of the choke chain can be reasonable.  In the short term those with the chain on their necks can be docile.

In the long term neither are true.

And right now most of Eastern Europe infinitely prefers the German agenda to the Russian one.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:55 | 6648561 datura
datura's picture

Eastern Europe can go to hell. They are dying out fast anyway. As for the German agenda you say they prefer, Germany is set to become the major energy hub of Europe due to the Nord Stream II from Russia directly to Germany. And for the most part there is no real alternative for Russian energy in EU. Besides, if the Silk Road plan works, Europe will be connected to China through Russia (you simply cannot bypass Russia in this, as they are too big and lie between China and Europe). 

BTW, it is not just Germany and its Nord Stream II from Russia. On May 13, Centrica, owner of British Gas, extended a gas supply contract with Gazprom’s UK-based subsidiary Gazprom Marketing & Trading. Gazprom will now deliver 4.16 bcm per year to the UK - an increase of 70 percent from the previous deal.

Quote: "Russian gas is here to stay. Not because the EU’s Energy Union is still far from the solidarity it seeks, but because the alternatives don’t make sense."

 

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:05 | 6648916 corsair
corsair's picture

Militarism in Europe? LOL

What's wrong with BUYING cheap Russian gas?

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:29 | 6648499 rsnoble
rsnoble's picture

I actually agree with this move.  The alternative is spending another $500 million on more terrorists that are going to get blown up by Russia and shot down by Iran.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:31 | 6648773 rejected
rejected's picture

"The alternative is spending another $500 million on more terrorists that are going to get blown up by Russia and shot down by Iran."

Spending that fiat on terrorists getting blown up sounds good to go.

Faster the ussa goes flat broke,,, the safer the world will be.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:29 | 6648502 ZippyDooDah
ZippyDooDah's picture

The U.S. has to stop listening to Israel and Saudi Arabia.  Stop shipping all the jobs out of the country.  Start taking care of our own.  Prosecute the banksters.  Maybe in 25 years we will amount to something decent, and surprise, surprise, the mass shootings by disillusioned hopeless fucks will magically stop.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:33 | 6648522 rsnoble
rsnoble's picture

What the US needs and what the criminals who run the US do are two seperate things.  So it's actually what we need to do.  And standing in line waiting for Diebold to fuck us isn't the answer.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:14 | 6648707 markar
markar's picture

That wasn't part of Obama's job description when he was" selected" President

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:35 | 6648531 nevertheless
nevertheless's picture

Where is this $500,000,000.00 coming from? Why is it our governemnt always has money for war, but never for domestic issues? 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:39 | 6648544 Dr. Engali
Dr. Engali's picture

It's not cheap to maintain an empire, especially if it's an empire built on debt. Now get to work serf and stop asking questions.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:39 | 6648550 yellowsub
yellowsub's picture

Comes from the $600 billion spent annually that you help fund.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:25 | 6648754 rejected
rejected's picture

Comes from our beloved Federal Reserve which holds more ussa paper than China.

So long as people use and circulate federal reserve notes the junta in Washington has all the dollars it wants,,, which contrary to popular opinion,,, is the entire reason for a central bank. 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:39 | 6648543 Werekoala
Werekoala's picture

Well, with yet another failure of a Grand Scheme by Obama, now I fear we may face a typical entitled spoiled brat temper tantrum directed at the only nation he does have control over - the U.S. Will he focus his energy, frustration, and anger at US, or will he retreat into his shell and sulk until the next election?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:43 | 6648556 seisen
seisen's picture

 

 

Thesis:

"Washington can't back down.

This gambit is all or nothing."

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:44 | 6648568 insanelysane
insanelysane's picture

There was a headline this week that the US Treasury Dept was asking Toyota how ISIS gets Toyota trucks.

I'm guess the answer we will never here is that they were provided by the US.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:14 | 6648710 HowdyDoody
HowdyDoody's picture

Try asking the State Department. USAID provided them as non-lethal assistance. Someone else supplied the machine guns that converted them to lethal weapons systems.

http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-04-01/one-toyota-pickup-truck-top-shoppi...

 

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 12:39 | 6649375 Vinividivinci
Vinividivinci's picture

Yep, that caught my attention too...I figure it's another way to poke the dragon (China).

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:44 | 6648571 Yttrium Gold Ni...
Yttrium Gold Nitrogen's picture

If this ends without escalation, we all win.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 12:37 | 6649361 Vinividivinci
Vinividivinci's picture

Silly wabbit...dreams are for kids !

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:47 | 6648577 Phillyguy
Phillyguy's picture

The US/NATO war theater extends from the Levant, to Caspian Basin, Persian Gulf, China Sea, Indian Ocean, Horn of Africa, the Maghreb and more recently, Eastern Europe and Russian border. What have been the results? These wars have cost US taxpayers $ trillions, created failed states in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, (Syria?) and lead to creation of ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. Recall that one of the first decisions by Bush II following the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, was to disband the Iraqi army. Many of these Iraqi military “vets” have subsequently joined up with ISIS.

 

Putin clearly articulated Russian strategy in his recent speech to the UN general assembly. Obama’s presentation was sophomoric by comparison. Russia’s rapid success in Syria, on clear display to the entire world, shows two things- 1) the US was more interested in managing ISIS than destroying them and 2) this is turning into a PR disaster for US foreign policy. Adding to Obama's woes are the recent US attack on the hospital run by Doctors Without Borders in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing 12 medical staff members and at least 10 patients

(Link: www.cnn.com/2015/10/07/asia/doctors-without-borders-afghanistan-airstrike).

 

US foreign policy in the ME has been an economic and military disaster, greatly harming our long term strategic interests, and is far worse than Vietnam

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:52 | 6648578 falak pema
falak pema's picture

The Shia roll back vs the Sunni Jihad (Takfiri rivalry in Fitna) is now on bigtime.

The US leaves the sinking ship. Its ONLY aim now is to contain the mess to the confines of Syrac.

Let the best man win there and ensure that its an Afghan booby trap for main enemy in cold war revamp : PUTIN.

The hunt for Red October is now on ! But its a long shot as the Great Chessgame is not to the US's advantage in SYrac nor in Ukraine.

Saud and consorts vs Iran and Assad with Putin's AIRCOVER.

Soleimani in role of GIAP but with the Sukhoi's covering his ass!

Ball in Saud's court !!

Looks like they need OIL PRICE TO GO UP !

(Or their proxy war financing goes belly up!)

And that's where PUTIN holds the TRUMP card.

If Saud says : PUtin lets make peace for OIL. Then the SHia/Sunni war abates and Assad wins in stale-mate.

ISIS loses its toe hold and will be frozen on "hold".

Its all about OIL in the end.

And as far as Potus is concerned having OIL go up is a GOOD thing all round for the US economy even if it means it loses grip on Syrac.

Putin can't lose as he has used the OIL weapon and SHia/Assad weapon to win his strategic objectives :

1° Get the neo-cons out of Ukranian Dodge City. Looks like in the making. Mutti will control Ukraine more n more when she declares sanctions off if this plays out to the score.

2° Maintain Assadian status quo and Tartus naval presence in Mediterranean with the Iran link on "hold" as ISIS will gradually fold in war of attrition (he hopes)

3° Get OIL price to RISE. And Gazprom and Russian economy to thrive.

Lets see now how the OPEC/PUTIN entente makes or breaks, depending on how the SHia/Sunni Jihad rumble plays out.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:47 | 6648580 J Mahoney
J Mahoney's picture

That picture is priceless-- Putin is thinking-should I  Ippon Seoi Nage or Kata Guruma or Kibisu Gaeshi  ?

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:59 | 6648633 seisen
seisen's picture

The latter! Obama is way larger, so Vladi would go for his heel.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:50 | 6648590 Quinvarius
Quinvarius's picture

Nothing worse than being Obama's buddy.  Poroshenko should take notes on what Obama does to "friends and allies".  His ass has been high maintenance for a while now.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:54 | 6648605 RealityCheque
RealityCheque's picture

I'm absolutely honored to be alive to witness the ending of an empire. Historically speaking, this doesn't happen very often.

Best of luck America, don't say that every other empire in the history of civilisation didn't say "I told you so".

Apparently bullying, looting and killing your way across the planet doesn't win you lots of goodwill. Who would've thought?!

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:51 | 6648841 MoHillbilly
MoHillbilly's picture

Tust me the next empire will be just as bad, whoever it is

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:53 | 6648848 RealityCheque
RealityCheque's picture

I know, but they'll start off fairly ok. It's only towards the end that empires tend to turn into retarded, rabid dogs.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:56 | 6648615 BarkingCat
BarkingCat's picture

Just wait until the next Ukrainian elections when those people get sick of the current set of thieves in power and swing to the pro-Russia politicians. The embarrassment will be epic.
For those who think it cannot happen should look at the Ukrainian history since the break up of the Soviet Union. Yanukovych would have very likely lost the election anyway so the coup was an irrational and stupid act.

And Obama can go and blow a camel. He has no problem with the Saudis which are infinitely more oppressive than Assad....... and I bet Obama's own body count is higher than Assad's.
I mean his direct body count. When you include everyone whose death was indirectly caused by his actions he is actually a murdering bastard of historic proportions (actions in Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Ukraine, Libya, Iraq and Syria)
What a fucking useless tool.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 10:16 | 6648721 ross81
ross81's picture

but no Crimea & Donbas folks will vote in those elections, likely securing power for the Russophobe cunts iike Porkshank and Yats. Anyway, if the Ukes want to live in a failed state  owned by Zionist bankers, more power to them.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:58 | 6648627 NRGIsFree
NRGIsFree's picture

""the fragile balance of power that has existed in the region will be turned on its head" Entire countries destabilized with million displaced and millions more living in squaller. Always under the threat of bombs falling on their heads. Yes, this is the "balance" the western powers promote. Total obedience or destruction. GO BEARS!

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 11:34 | 6649050 Falconsixone
Falconsixone's picture

Good is bad. Up is down. Truth is lies. Hypocrisy is frankness. CHIEFS RULE!

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:58 | 6648628 holdbuysell
holdbuysell's picture

Huh, so the entire Syrian ISIS campaign by the west was not about eliminating ISIS after all. Go figure. /s

 

Looking at the big picture, this indirectly is a huge admission that the entire 'War on Terror' is nothing but a ruse.

Time to connect the dots.

Fri, 10/09/2015 - 09:59 | 6648630 Psquared
Psquared's picture

I'm beginning to think the well publicized animosity between Putin and Obama is a facade and that the US is secretly working with the Russians.

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