re: #126 Gus

So today people are saying Syria emboldened Putin. I don’t believe that’s true since Ukraine is very important to Russia especially the Black Sea Fleet bases in Crimea. That said many of these same people opposed the very military intervention that would have neutered Putin on Syria thus preventing him from becoming emboldened as they now claim.

I don’t think Syria had much to do with Putin’s decision for Crimea. Obama’s bungle in Syria (yes, it was botched) probably has an effect on a lot of different situations but Crimea probably would have happened anyways. We’ll have to see how this plays out. Maybe Obama is working some things behind the scenes but he doesn’t put much effort into explaining his foreign policy decisions and often appears disinterested in world affairs. I’m a little more stumped by his lack of interest in Venezuela. That’s a much easier situation but there doesn’t seem to be much traction from the White house for doing anything.