America is caught “flat-footed”

Putin And His AxeThat’s how any number of news organizations are quantifying the actions by Russia in Syria today.

And this is how respected Obama is by the Russians: the US received an entire one-hour warning by a Russian general who appeared out of thin air at our Baghdad embassy, stating that the strikes would be occurring, and decreed by demarche that we must pull our own troops and aircraft out of Syria.  Translation: we are Russia and we will do what we wish when we wish, and you stay the hell out of the way.

This is a stuttering clusterfuck of a moment for Mr Barack Hussein Obama who, just two days ago, shook hands with Vladimir Putin, convinced that he had saved the world and put America in her place once again.  Which he has.  The part about putting America “in her place.”

John Kerry spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in the Security Council of the UN a short time ago (today is Wednesday), and it is abundantly clear that Kerry is over his own personal head as well, since I noted that when initially speaking in the conference regarding “deconfliction,” Mr Kerry’s voice broke twice.

“I am confident Assad’s days are numbered,” Mr Obama said, if you recall.

And yet they are not.  Putin supports Assad and has, now, a rather clear and situational presence in Syria as their planes flew from local bases.  I found that information on the internet just now.  I cannot possibly imagine Obama didn’t know that and hadn’t made any plans or began contacting Russian sources.  Unless he hadn’t or didn’t.  First, you have to care about being a world power.

Sukhoi SU-34 Fullback

Russian Sukhoi SU-34.

Just how, by the way, did those Russian Sukhoi SU-34 Fullback fighter aircraft seem to slip so quietly and rapidly into Syria?  By a little Israeli trick: running them under much larger cargo aircraft in order to take on the radar signature of one large airframe.  Russia already has a naval presence in the port city of Tartus, Syria.

Our feckless occupant of the Spite House, mind you, will somehow attempt to push this off on either poor intelligence or some type of US military mixup.  I submit, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.  I know many military persons and they are good, honest, loyal people who only want to see the United States succeed and keep its position of power and respect in the world.  They also know that Obama is frequently in contravention of US success or supremacy.

The foreign policy of the United States currently involves puppy dogs, unicorns and fairies.  The policy is that there is no policy save that of bowing, appeasement, empty words backed by no actions and “hope.”

And one stuttering, unconfident SofS named John Kerry.

This is what happens when you deal, in ignorance, with despots and Muslims.

“He’s (Putin) bidding for dominance in the Middle East.”  – John Bolton

“Power is passing in the Middle East from America’s weak hands.” – John Bolton.

“Russians knew from the get-go that they weren’t going to be targeting ISIS.” – John Bolton

“He (Putin) sees no American pushback.” – John Bolton

In one day, the world seemingly transitioned from the United States of America to Russia.

Russia has just swindled us in Syria.  For “deconfliction” so that the Russians don’t shoot down our own aircraft.

Because they warned us, after all.

BZ

 

Russia launches airstrikes inside Syria

Russian Jet FighterFox News is indicating that Russia has now launched airstrikes with Russian aircraft inside Syria.

Initial reports also indicate, according to sources, that Russian strikes are aimed where there is evidently no ISIS presence.  At first blush, this seems to indicate that Russia is doing Assad’s job for him, by attacking anti-Assad forces.

UPDATE: Fox indicates Russia is in fact using its aircraft to strike anti-Assad forces in Syria, not ISIS forces.

Further, Russia has demanded that the US leave the Syrian airspace.  So far, it has refused.

Once again, by Obama’s creation of a vacuum in all of the Middle East, the vacuum will be filled and it is becoming blindingly clear that Vladimir Putin is filling that vacuum.

Donald Trump has weighed in, as I watch this play out on Fox, and has asked: is Assad really worse than the rest of the players in Syria, absent ISIS?  He thinks not.  I’m thinking so too.

What is Mr Obama going to do in response?  Because in politics and on the world stage, you respond to words with words, and actions with actions.  With the exception that Mr Obama’s actions — when he has actually acted instead of threatening a “red line,” have solved nothing.  Further, Obama “leads from behind,” a ridiculous stance for a world power in any event.  Leading from behind simply means you are not a world power.

John Kerry is currently at the UN stating that the US is going to continue attempting to “remove” Assad, whatever “remove” means in the world of Obama.  Obama thinks you can “talk” and “negotiate” sense to the Middle East and to Muslims.  You cannot.

Kerry called on all governments to broker, through the UN, a negotiation to remove Assad.  Kerry just legitimized Russia’s presence once again the Middle East and in Syria, as he acknowledges the presence and the “need” for Russia’s actions.

Russia is there to strengthen the Assad regime, I believe.

These are Big Boy moves by Putin, knowing again that Obama is far out of his league in terms of being capable of dealing with these issues.  These are very serious moves and Putin has ratcheted up the tension and the stakes.

Worse yet, the US is saying Russia has a reason to be launching these strikes, to be present in the Middle East.  The US just legitimized this move.

I shake my head.

Putin is larfing his ass off at this point.

BZ