yet again, tony cartalucci nails it

Originally posted by jessie1 ↑

"Putin has the right idea......squash them all, and restore peace.....then have an election to replace Assad."

The last bit is the key - that is the crux of it all and of course there is one other massive hidden problem lurking behind all of this - Iran.

Iran has propped up the brutal minority control by Assad, and Russia and Iran are pally pally (geopolitically speaking). So in order to have an election to replace Assad - and presumably the majority of the place will still be Sunni and want to vote in a Sunni leader - how do you think that Iran might react to this? Do you think once all the nutjobs are rooted out, that Iran will happily waltz back home? Their rationale for being in Syria is to extend their alternate Caliphate and to run a bloc right through to the Mediterranean and south through Lebanon.

So given all the talk of US strategic interests, how about let's discuss the other strategic interests for a moment. Does one imagine that the Russians will turf the Iranians out of Syria and does one imagine that the Iranians will happily just disappear?

Time for Putin to have a proper heart-to-heart with Obama (unfortunately no other choice here) and to jointly do what is right. Wouldn't it be amazing if an Islamic roadblock flag was jointly flown from the White House and the Kremlin. That would stop everyone in their tracks.

Can't they just get on with it and share the spoils!

Unfortunately, I cannot see Russia and the USA on a united Middle Eastern platform, but I guess stranger things have happened.

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" So in order to have an election to replace Assad - and presumably the majority of the place will still be Sunni and want to vote in a Sunni leader -"

The problem is that the Sunni's would be all on a par with the rebel nutters as far as ideology goes.........it seems they are all nutters, wherever they are, including Saudi.
The only reason Syria was secular, was due to Assad's minority Alawites ( a sort of halfbaked Shia). The Sunnis would want an Islamist state, no?
In some countries, democracy can only be extended so far.......
My view is that Alawite rule should continue (read "enforced" .. ), just minus Assad at the helm. Sunnis that dont like it can migrate to Saudi..... Not very democratic there, am I? )

re " Do you think once all the nutjobs are rooted out, that Iran will happily waltz back home?"

No, and neither will the Russians, either, eh?
BUT, in the interests of peace and stability, is that a bad thing?
It really is all about religion, and all alliances over there are according to religion, arent they? The Shia and the Alawites can co-exist.....the Sunnis cant seem to co exist with anyone.....
And then we have the Kurds..... whom neither Iran, Turkey, or Syria wants.....
Syria will have to be split, with those who cant cohabit separated. I think the Kurds deserve a state....they have fought hard and long for one.

re "Time for Putin to have a proper heart-to-heart with Obama (unfortunately no other choice here) and to jointly do what is right. "

I think that that has been happening....quietly behind the scenes, Jessie, and thus the "stranger things" you speak of may indeed happen.......unless Turkey throws a spanner in the works, being a NATO country and all.
Obviously we cant "install" a full democracy over there....the Sunnis have to be kept in their place........and whoever replaces Assad, will also have to be a brutal tyrant, lol, to keep the peace.
If only there werent so many religious differences...

GZ