How come Obama prevented (blocked via pressure) Snowden from obtaining asylum everywhere else? So in the end Russia was the only place to go?
Think! This requires some brain cells.
Yea, that was another brilliant move by Obama. He could have, through diplomatic channels, maneuvered Snowden into a country where the US had some semblance of co-operation and better relations. Instead, Obama played chess like a checkers player, and the Russians won what was a chess match.
The Russians play a long game. Obama is used to western Europe and the US press bowing and kissing his feet. When the Russians and Putin didn’t give Obama the adoration to which he is accustomed, Obama didn’t know what to do. His refusal to meet with Putin recently looked like a petulant child refusing to do a chore. The Russians responded in a pitch-perfect way on the world stage, making the US (thanks to our current man-child POTUS) look like a child throwing a tantrum.
Even if Snowden gives the Russians nothing, I’m sure Putin is relishing causing Obama to gnash his teeth. The Russians are like that. They like to remind the US that they’re still a force to be reckoned with in little ways that embarrass and annoy.
This, BTW, was Reagan’s big win in this game: Reagan would say things that would wind up the Russians instead of the other way ‘round. The “I’ve outlawed the Soviet Union and we begin bombing in five minutes” quip during a mic check was classic. The Russians went ape, and Reagan smiled and said “Heh. Just joking.” And Reagan did it again and again and again in his public speaking. He never missed a chance to use humor to yank Ivan’s chain.
Today, no one wants to wind up the Russians, and because we’ve been afflicted with four administrations filled with Ivy League dipsticks who take the Russians Oh So Seriously, we’ve returned to the days of detente’ in the 70’s, where the Russians knew they could jerk our chain, and they did so nearly non-stop.