The Rise Of Russian Influence In The Middle East Comes At The Expense Of America's

Syrian President Bashar Assad with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: REUTERS

Analysis: Syria Chemical Weapons Proposal Is Putin’s Masterstroke -- Jonathan Spyer, Jerusalem Post

The Russian president has maneuvered a win-win situation.

White House spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday asserted that Russian prestige was now “on the line” regarding Syria.

Carney’s statement recalled an earlier remark by US President Barack Obama himself. Speaking to reporters, Obama said, “I didn’t set a redline. The world set a redline.”

Therefore, he continued, it was not his “credibility” that was on the line. Rather, it was “the international community’s credibility” that was to be tested.

These curious statements reflect perhaps better than anything else the sense of confusion emanating from Washington surrounding the events of the past week. The president’s remarks came just prior to the US’s surprise agreement to a Russian proposal that would ostensibly see Syria voluntarily give up its chemical weapons capability. Carney’s words were said in the days following the accord.

But both statements contain an unmistakable effort to deflect attention, and transfer responsibility.

Read more ....

Update: Obama's larger Syria strategy in disarray -- Breadley Klapper/AP

My Comment: Domestically .... this Syrian agreement is a big win for President Obama. The mass majority of Americans have no interest in becoming involved in another Middle East war .... and are generally pleased with this decision. But internationally this is a huge defeat for the U.S. .... the U.S. has lost credibility with our allies, and it has emboldened our enemies. There is going to be blow-back from this perceived diminishing of U.S. presence in the world ... the only question is when and in what form will it be in.