Russia has doubts about Syria president's ability to hold on

[MindMover]

Source: LATimes

MOSCOW — Russian officials, who have strenuously resisted U.S.-led efforts to push Syrian President Bashar Assad from power, are beginning to question whether the beleaguered leader can hang on, but say they have little influence over him as rebels take the fight to his country's biggest cities.

Even though Russia has been a close Syrian ally for decades, officials and analysts acknowledge that they have limited insight to Assad's true situation and mind-set. Although some fear that Russia missed a chance to help find a solution to the conflict, now in its 17th month, others say that it never had that kind of clout.

Still, Moscow appears to have at least one more card to play: an offer of asylum if Assad chooses to ask for it.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russia-syria-20120729,0,2680215.story

[marble falls]

1. How will Thom Hartmann spin this?

[bemildred]

2. Ya think? nt

[may3rd]

3. Days of sunbathing on the shore are numbered,end game for the Alawite not many weeks away

Damascus chaos strikes fear in Assad's Alawite bastion

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014172948#post3


the bubble is bursting


This is the wake up call for the Alawite loyalists

September is closer than they think

[Red Crow]

4. It is past time for

this arrogant,bull headed family to leave.No one knows for sure who will take his place but Syria is not fertile ground for a Muslim Brotherhood fundamentalist state.So our right wing friends need to chill out.