Analysis: Putin scores diplomatic win on Syria- CNN

[LittleBlue]

... But after Putin's bombshell opinion piece in the New York Times in which, among other things, he takes America to task for an "alarming" pattern of intervening in the internal conflicts of foreign countries, it's obvious something has shifted.

"It absolutely is a diplomatic win by Putin right now," said Fiona Hill, expert on Putin and director of the Center on the United States and Europe at the Brookings Institution.

"If we think about this as judo, which is of course Mr. Putin's favorite sport, this is just one set of moves," she said. "And right now, he's managed to get Obama off the mat, at least, and get the terms set down that play to his advantage."

Putin's comments cause a fuss

Putin stopped Obama's drive for military action against Syria in its tracks this week as Russia's plan to put Syria's chemical weapons under international control pushes the action to the United Nations, just where Putin wants it...

http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/12/politics/syria-putin-analysis/?hpt=hp_t1

[leftstreet]

1. The poor UK Parliament is being overlooked

Will they ever be remembered for the powerful influence they had?

[Skittles]

4. that part cannot be explained by the rah rah crowd

but you know, Putin and Obama conferred in a corner a year ago

[Hydra]

8. A lot can't be explained by the rah-rahs

Because they've had to twist themselves into pretzels to show how the war was just but the peaceful solution was President Obama's idea and he'd been playing for it all along.

But yes, the UK fail will be ignored by them because it can't be played any other way. The people who detained David Miranda for us wouldn't float our lie this time.

[JackRiddler]

9. I also haven't seen them mention Kissinger.

[Skittles]

2. of course it was

he comes off smelling like roses

[delrem]

3. People realize, of course, that these "expert opinions" from "institutes"

are 100% spin aimed toward objectives that are left unsaid.

I mean *all of them*, of course. Storm and fury signifying nothing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. On this one they are correct

he has control of the grand chessboard right now.

[delrem]

7. well, you're much more well read than I am, nadin,

and I tend to be swayed and informed by your arguments.

[Hydra]

10. The problem here is that no one believed the Obama Admin

Putin could not have gained such an advantage in this set of diplomatic plays without the gross missteps by our Exec. Branch.

The UN inspectors' reports will be a huge game changer either way.

[ProSense]

6. Putin is

winning!!!!

Putin and Assad are trying save Assad's ass. That is not having an upperhand
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023657282

[kentuck]

11. Exactly how does Putin win?

If Assad gives up nothing and stays in power? If Obama decides he cannot strike Syria without Congressional approval? If the US stops assisting the "rebels" fighting against Assad? Just exactly what would be a Putin victory? If he gives up any of the above, he has not won anything. He will have less to negotiate with than at the present time.

[Skittles]

12. ...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/10/putin-chemical-weapons-united-nations-obama/2794529/

[pinboy3niner]

13. Fuck who's beating whom

This isn't a popularity contrest between heads of state, it's a challenge for diplomacy to end the carnage in a civil war. Not just CW casualties, but ALL of the carnage.

The challenge for Obama and Putin is to cooperate to force an end to hostilities and a negotiated political solution.