Wednesday December 16, 2015

I've Been Thinking:

US Secretary of State John Kerry had a very long meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting lasted three and a half hours.
Supposedly, Kerry was there for tough talks.

After the meeting Kerry said that the US and Russia see Syria "fundamentally very similarly." He added that: "The United States and its partners are not seeking so-called regime change as it is known in Syria."

I think everyone was shocked to hear this.

The United States has been pushing a regime change since the very beginning of the conflict. What was Kerry really trying to say? And how is it possible that the US and Russia see eye to eye?

The secretary of state explained it this way: "Despite the different positions of our countries, we have shown that Russia and the United States are moving in the same direction."

In Kerry's eyes he and Putin were trying to discuss items that they both agreed on. So as opposed to continuing along the same path with the United States pushing for the ousting Assad, the US Secretary of State instead spoke about creating a vehicle of political transition - which is just another way of saying let's oust Assad.

Russia knows how to play that game, too. So Putin agreed to what Kerry said, knowing full well that the only way there will be any stability in Syria is with Assad in place. Putin also knows that Assad needs to part of any political process.

Kerry also said that the United States does not wish to "isolate Russia." But from an analytical point of view, it looks like the US has capitulated to Russia. Kerry termed that "charting a course out of hell" - referring to the Syria situation.

It's no wonder Putin looked so happy in official press photos.

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