The US needs to calm down, eat a little crow and learn to adjust to new realities.
Links and full article here:
http://www.marketslant.com/articles/rus ... l-pipeline
.......What he also noted was the limitations of the US style of keeping the Middle East's balance of power see-saw. The US keeps ME balance largely by adding to whatever side of the fulcrum demanded it. And never removing things from the see-saw. Removing implies error. And ego prohibits admission of errors. So politicians, regulators, diplomats only add to fix things. This meant they had to fine tune it constantly, as the slightest imbalance could create entropy that destroyed everything. And it is not just in the Middle East. It is the preferred way leaders solve problems in everything.
• 2008 TBTF Crisis: result, concentrating risk even more in banks and on exchanges
• The Tax Code: the document speaks for itself.
• The Middle East: arm our enemies to take out our bigger enemies. Then deal with the people we armed later
That is the US way. Solving event risk by compounding systemic risk.
Meanwhile Russia believes it is protecting itself from an aggressor. Russian's actions are related to domestic issues, not international. It can't effectively defend itself without quick access to the Atlantic. Putin has also been a fine student of using false pretense to get his way. Putin: “We are providing energy for the EU for the past 50 years. We are now working on a second project with Turkey".. to help even more. Hillary would be proud!
Russia: It's About the Port Stupid
Reuters: Russia to build permanent Syrian naval base, eyes other outposts. (10/10/2016) 11:20 AM
“In Syria, we will have a permanent naval base in Tartus. The corresponding documents have been drafted,” Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said at a Federation Council meeting on Monday. “We hope that we will soon ask you to ratify these documents.”
Reuters described the move as “further evidence Russia is building up its capabilities in Syria” and “another sign it is digging in for the long haul to help prop up President Bashar al-Assad.” Reuters
MarketSlant: Russia isn't Bluffing, Hillary Won't Help- Military Source (10/10/2016) 10:59 AM
"Russia will not back down on Syria, Putin will not walk away from Assad as his ally.... Syria offers Russia the ONLY real water access on the Mediterranean side and therefore the Atlantic. They will not give up this port, It is a line in the sand for their defenses. Russia will (also) likely seek to expand its Atlantic footprint to hedge themselves"- full post here
All these things will continue as long as coercion remains a central element of our mentality.