for once I disagree with Cruz. The most stable situation they could have in Syria is that Assad remains in power.
Russia moving in under the pretense of ridding the region of ISIS is like the Mafia moving to your neighborhood under the pretense of moving out a violent street gang, then setting up a permanent base there to do Mob “business”.
Russia will grow wealthier, more powerful, more aggressive in their overall expansionist agenda (Eastern Europe, eventually elsewhere), and much more of a threat to the US and its allies throughout the region and the world.
Sure it’s great IF they actually do get rid of ISIS (we shall see). But having a country like Russia step in and gain such huge strategic advantage over the US and its allies is nothing we should be cheering about.
If Obama was serious about wanting to take out ISIS, which I don’t believe he ever was—I think him and Putin are actually in cahoots on this whole thing despite his and Kerry’s public moans and groans about it, it might not ever have come to this. But then Russia would likely have come up with some other rationale or excuse for moving into Syria and taking control of it, and ultimately the entire Middle East. Makes me wonder if ISIS was a KGB-like invention of the Russians, created to give them cover for expanding.
Putin has stated that he believes the demise of the (mass-murdering, communist [my words]) Soviet Union was the "worst geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century". He has also said he thinks Stalin deserves to have statues in his honor. He clearly seeks to restore the old Soviet Union, or something not too far different from it.
We just removed/and or destroyed them.
Russia and Syria have been allies for over 50 years.
We have no diplomatic relations with Syria and we closed their Embassy in DC in June of 2014 and sent their reps packing.
It started out as a civil war. We turned it into a war with the west BUT we have no business being there.
Please be aware that IRAQ has now asked Russia for assistance.
“Despite promises to join the United States in a counterterrorism effort against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Putin is on a mission to protect Russian assets in the Mediterranean by propping up his client, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad”
Silliness and a lot of misleading statements.
A) I never heard Russia express a desire to simply join into the US mission. (whatever that actually is)
B) The US is not involved in any anti ISIS mission, we are instead trying to use airpower to funnel ISIS towards Syrian forces. Removal of Assad is our only Syrian goal.
C) Russia has always stated that Assad remaining is a critical interest to them.
Something is wrong here. Assad is the evil tyrant who must be removed. But in every single measure, he is a child of the enlightenment compared to Saudi Arabia, who we slavishly love and obey. Treatment of women, religious freedom, etc.
Sounds like Saudi and Gulf state money has been sloshing around DC again.
Yes, I second your opinion.
I don’t think that Cruz called for removal of Assad but I could have missed it. Mostly, Cruz advocated a return to the Reagan method of controlling Russia’s imperialism by installing defense systems wherever Putin threatens the sovereignty of an independent country.
What we don’t want is to facilitate the take over of ,Syria by the Muslim Brotherhood. Cruz did not address that, but he needs to.
Agreed. Trump has this right. Cruz is just paying lip service to the military industrial complex in the Senate.
It’s stable for Assad and Iran’s mullahs. It’s not good for the USA’s interests, nor the interests of Israel and Saudi Arabia, both of whom would be in danger from attack by Iran and/or Russia, since they would have Syria as a launch point for such an attack. And it’s certainly not good for the vast majority of Syrians, who have chafed under the oppressive rule of the Assads for the last 45 years. They, and the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia are better off with any group, even ISIS, running Syria rather than the present regime, which is just an Iranian/Russian sock puppet at this point. Besides, Iran has yet to receive comeuppance for the hostage crisis. Karma can’t wait forever.
I don’t think Cruz is proposing to remove Assad; at least not any time soon. In fact, the rest of the article says Cruz is of the opinion to not be confrontational with Assad or start another war with Assad’s Syria.
To me, Cruz is implying there has been a big void in Syria from the American side in recent years and America needs to address that. I agree with what he is saying.
But, this statement from Cruz is what has been lacking, in practice, in the last 8 yrs at least. “The unique combination of power and principle that has made the United States the greatest force for good on the planet has historically posed a grave threat to repressive bullies.”