Putin Ups the Syrian Ante

Evidence is in that Russia is putting boots on the ground in Syria, ostensibly to fight ISIS, just like we're doing, kind of. Zerohedge was ahead of pack, two days ago, and had this to say:

"Of course, what is left unsaid is that since Russia is there under the humanitarian pretext of fighting the evil ISIS, the same pretext that the US, Turkey, and the Saudis are all also there for, when in reality everyone is fighting for land rights to the most important gas pipeline in decades, the US is limited in its diplomatic recoil.

"Indeed as we sarcastically said last week: 'See: the red herring that is ISIS can be used just as effectively for defensive purposes as for offensive ones. And since the US can't possibly admit the whole situation is one made up farce, it is quite possible that the world will witness its first regional war when everyone is fighting a dummy, proxy enemy which doesn't really exist, when in reality everyone is fighting everyone else!'"

What's the real driver behind the halfhearted  fight against ISIS, Assad's backing by Russia, and the Saudi, Qatari, US focus on deposing him? Oil and gas. Here's a helpful infographic, again, from Zerohedge:

The tragedy of this, to my mind, is the massive scale of human suffering unleashed by the Western power and its oil allies in their attempt to break Gazprom's leverage over Europe. Russia, understandably, wants to protect its interest and Putin appears to have upped the ante. We won't look so good fighting ISIS by, er, fighting the people fighting ISIS.

In the meanwhile, Syrian refugees should have the automatic right to resettle in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and inside the Beltway. Not that I'd imagine they'd want to go to any of those places.

Putin continues to ride the Bear.

LSP

Time Traveler McCain Blasts Putin!

Time Traveler?

Senator John "Weathervane" McCain has blasted Vladimir Putin in his reply to the Russian leader's touchdown scoring op-ed in the New York Times. 

Entitled, "Why Russians deserve better than McCain Putin," McCain's reply was written for Pravda.ru, a well-loved online successor to the famous Soviet newspaper of the same name. In his article, McCain criticizes Putin for being against gay sex and the female Punk band, Pussy Riot, who blasphemed the Virgin Mary in Moscow's cathedral and were imprisoned. 

Vladimir Putin, Reincarnation of St. Paul?

The Senator goes on to launch a blistering attack against Vladimir Putin.

"President Putin doesn't believe in these values because he doesn't believe in you. He doesn't believe that human nature at liberty can rise above its weaknesses and build just, peaceful, prosperous societies. Or, at least, he doesn't believe Russians can. So he rules by using those weaknesses, by corruption, repression and violence. He rules for himself, not you."

Pravda, which means "truth" in Russian, was quick to run reactions to the Senator's article. "Vladimir Putin wins presidential elections," quipped one columnist, "Senator McCain loses them."

Bear Rider v. Rainbow Pony 

Experts have questioned John McCain's temporal point of origin, with several chronometrists arguing that the Senator was genetically engineered in 2086 and warped back in time, in a failed future-world bid to change U.S. and Russian Presidential history. 

From the Future?

Vladimir Putin, hailed by some as the reincarnation of St. Paul, remains in power, with political pundits speculating on the possibility of his election to yet another term  in Russia's highest office. 

LSP