[1rudeboy]

This is an excerpt of a long column.

[BenLurkin]

[Zhang Fei]

Hanson issues a timely reminder about the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact that made WWII possible - Russia gave Germany the blank check it needed to embark on the conquest of Europe. When Russia complains about its losses during WWII compared to relatively light American losses, it's like the guy complaining about being an orphan even though he killed his own parents:

Of course, as Putin reminds us, we fought together in World War II and should agree that such cooperation should be emulated. The Soviet Union suffered enormous losses for the Allied cause. Without such heroic sacrifices, the Anglo-American alliance might well have lost the war.

Yet Putin forgets to remind us that the Soviets’ war with Germany was prompted by betrayal. The Soviet Union was a de facto ally of Hitler. It kept sending him enormous amounts of materiel to help defeat France and attack Britain. Only Hitler’s 1941 double-cross caused the Soviets to go to war with Nazi Germany.

[Servant of the Cross]

VDH ping.

[TBP]

If he’s Saruman, who’s Sauron?

[mojito]

Great piece. Thanks for posting.

[Carry_Okie]

Mr. Putin, the fact that you are a more adroit Machiavellian than our own president is a Wilsonian proves only that you are the superior strategist — not the moralist you imagine yourself, and surely not more moral than the president whom you seem so easily to embarrass.

After Zero's changing the Rules of Engagement in Afghanistan, Fast & Furious, shipping Libyan weapons to Turkey for use by the Muslim Brotherhood... I wouldn't be so sure about that assertion.

[Servant of the Cross]

Putin’s letter to us, the American people, is brilliant sophistry ... channeling Obama back to Obama.

[Revolting cat!]

Excellent piece.

[Dysart]

I wholeheartedly agree with VDH that at times Putin's tone in the Oped was a little too mellifluous.

I think that was EVERYONE's initial reaction.

[Praxeologue]

If Putin is right (and many of us think that he is) that the opposition to Assad includes unsavory Islamists, he must also know that the Assad family regime is itself a criminal enterprise, whose long history of misdeeds includes mass murder at Hama and assassinations in Lebanon. ... In fact, there is not “every reason to believe” that the gas was used by opposition forces. There is real confusion about who used it.

On the subject of the issue at hand, Syria, VDH displays an ignorance of fact and logic that was dispatched a couple of weeks ago by the collective intelligence of FR. It is quite clear who launched the chemical attacks in Syria last month: the U.S.-trained, supplied and supported terrorists.

The U.S. should not have been supporting the MB and AQ in Syria for the past two years. All the U.S. has accomplished is to drive Assad further into the clutches of Russia and Iran. To this end, Obama and his Saudi overlords have used our military and intelligence resources on our dime to further their interests, not ours.

The secular Assad government would not be a bad U.S. ally, if we could ever arrange that after the mess that Obama has created. The 2-1/2 million Alawites from which Assad's family arose are a relatively 'moderate' strain of Shia Islam whom most Shias view as not even Muslim. The other components of the Assad coalition are 2-1/2 million Christians, plus the Druze and Ismailis. Assad has been able to work with the 70% Sunni majority, bringing many into government and the military. All these groups form a bulwark against Sunni fundamentalism. If Assad survives, this could be a project for the next President.

Mass murder at Huma? Dig deeper, VDH.

[Da Coyote]

“For I am Saruman the Wise, Saruman Ring-maker, Saruman of Many Colours!’I

“for I am Putin the Wise, Putin King-maker, Putin of Red Colors....and I f*rt in the general direction of the weak d*ck Obamadork.”

[Slings and Arrows]

And on our side, we have Baracka Wormtongue.

[Socon-Econ]

... the probably false fact that the Assad government is not using WMD ...
***********
Where is the unclassified proof that Assad used the gas rather than his Islamic opponents? Obama has the burden of proof. Are we going to go to war based on a “probably false fact”?