2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: ?? How can a weathervane conduct foreign policy properly? [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)I feel like I'm a substitute teacher in eighth grade world history, here.
You're reaching for the "too clever by half" ring. I'm not the one "all over the map" -- you're having trouble reading the map, and understanding the DYNAMIC (as opposed to static) relationships in the region.
Putin is uncooperative because he wants to re-establish the glory days of the Old USSR and the "Hunt for Red October" cult. He feels like he was ripped off when the USSR deconstructed, and he wants his turn in charge of a Big Bad Superpower, not a half-assed one, and he's going to try to get just that....he really doesn't care who he runs over in the process. He doesn't cooperate because it doesn't matter to him. The trick of diplomacy will be to find a way to MAKE it matter to him.
I wonder why you're not throwing John Kerry under your bus--he's a "No Fly" guy, too. When Russian aircraft are being used to bomb Assad's enemies, and keep them caged and starving, it's time to tell everyone to stay the hell out of the air.
smh.