I suspect that the clue to the Syria crisis is Putin. Putin is the reason why Assad didn't go. Assad is the main reason why the West doesn't want to get involved in Syria - it would mean being caught between a rock and a hard place. Cameron is still saying that he won't go to the UN for a Security Council vote on military action in Syria because Putin will veto it. But: On R4 on Friday there was some Russian, whose name and function I didn't get, who said that Putin is being very hurt by Western sanctions and might well abandon Assad (about whom the Russian people give not a stuff) if the West relaxed sanctions on Russia. Russia has to do something about IS after their airliner was blown up. So what you really want to be doing is getting the Russians on board for some sort of concerted effort. They have something we want, and we have something they want. What use is Assad to Russia in any case? Not much point having an ally in a war-torn mess of a country. What can he give the Russians in these circs? This is where you need some skill in diplomacy and unfortunately, diplomacy seems to be Cameron's weakest suit. What great mates does he have among world leaders? None, it seems to me. Suppose you did go to the UN for a resolution in favour of getting rid of ISIS. What is Putin going to look like in Russia if he vetoes it? It doesn't make that much sense. Maybe the West is worried that lifting sanctions will leave the Ukraine out in the cold. But frankly, the Ukraine doesn't count for that much in the face of exterminating the ISIS and jihadist threat. The Ukraine isn't about to commit terrorist atrocities in London and Paris. Leaving Putin out in the cold only hardens his image as defender of the Russians in the face of Western intransigence and attack. You might not like him, but refusing to speak to him isn't going to do anyone any favours. I can't think that Churchill was a big Stalin fan, but he had to work with him in the face of a greater threat.
The Russian naval base at Tartus, of course. This is the only Mediterranean naval base the Russians have ever had, or are ever likely to get. Putin would dump Assad only if he was allowed to keep Tartus. This is a price the West may have to pay.
If they already have it, they may just as well carry on having it. We're not in the Cold War now. Some things need de-escalating. Politics and diplomacy are all about compromise. So the Russians get to keep a port they already have and we get to avoid a humanitarian refugee crisis and urban terrorism. Sounds like a deal to me.
some interesting reading (john simpson) John Simpson: British Media Is 'Grotesquely Selective' In Reporting Terror Attacks humphreys makes a bit of a boob here? Wings Over Scotland | A small revision of history
Glidofglodd what?! So relax sanctions and let Russia keep Ukraine, let them also keep what ever they need in Syria. Are you joking that will send 2 clear signals to anyone. 1. West has no back bone. They sell whom ever they want /what ever they want to get what they want. 2. Russia will feel like they can get what they want by attacking somebody. Do not know which one is worse but then Russians have huge ego so feeding it a huge meal does not sound like good solution. What happens when they will want something from yet another country? Sanctions /talk will not do as we gave in 2 times. Military intervention will mean war..... Again What.
not ukraine, just crimea . it is and always has been russian. I've been there many times and almost entire population is russian, no ukranians there.
Crimea has been given to Ukraine by Russia so it is Ukraine. There are parts of UK that most population is Indian it does not make that piece of land belonging to India. Russia want it back now cause Ukraine is not part of ZSRR so they lost control. The same way they lost control over part of Germany, Poland, Czech Republic so how come it is ok for them to now claim it back? Times have changed and they are getting what they want with aggression now. Well all those places are now independent so it is not up to Russia to dictate and that is something dictatorship does not get.
I am old and told reasonably wise? This is the lead up to a ground offensive in the Middle East- it always happens this way and always will.The loon Putin wants to take total control of the oil and gas reserves where Isis are based - he has already recalled 150,000 reservists and will be ready for a big new year ground offensive.Problem is the USA won't allow him to take total control all for himself so they will go in,we will follow - then the rest of Europe.Gonna be heavy shit cos it's nigh on impossible to beat religious fanatics who are prepared to meet Allah and die for the cause?The Russians have learned nothing about getting their butts kicked in Afgan
What a very sad and ill informed opinion you have. Your choice to make stupid jokes about a serious matter where innocent people lost their lives.
It wasn't a joke of any sort and don't try to make it one.You need to read some history or you will never understand what is going on in the world?These terrorists are home grown and they are already on our soil
I see you think that all Muslims are bad people - it's just that sort of racist thinking that turns a mainly peaceful people into terrorist murderers.Racist
You seem to have got yourself totally confused here. Religion is not the same as race. People of all racial origins can be muslims, and people whose ancestors were muslims can be atheists. Disagreeing with someone's religious beliefs and condemning their consequent violent actions has nothing whatever to do with racism. Obviously.
The transfer of the Crimean Oblast to Ukraine has been described as a "symbolic gesture," marking the 300th anniversary of Ukraine becoming a part of the Tsardom of Russia.[ prince william has been given cambridge as a symbolic gesture, surely it doesn't make it actually his???
The transfer of Crimea from Russia to Ukraine in 1954 at the instance of Nikita Khrushchev was one of his less sensible ideas, given that the population are mainly Russians. It was inevitable it would have to be reversed eventually. But what does that have to do with the murders in Paris?
