Turko-Russian powder-keg

[JFKvsNixon]

Prior to the civil war, Syria was a largely pluralistic, secular country, where minorities could live out their lives in peace. I was of course an autocracy, but by Middle Eastern standards it was not a particularly bad place to live. Then along came the so-called 'Arab Spring', ushering in interventions by Western leaders infected with misguided and egotistical notions about toppling dictators in the region and also by neighbours such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, intent on replacing Assad with a Sunni government. Western leaders, in their profound ignorance, took little notice of the underlying regional conflict between Sunni and Shia, preferring to see the conflict as a struggle between democratic forces and a brutal government. Their big mistake was in conniving with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Gulf States to arm the opposition, leading to years of bloody civil war.

 

As for Russian 'aggression', it was Georgia which attacked South Ossetia, provoking a Russian response. In Ukraine, it was the appalling behaviour of the Kiev government towards the large Russian minority in East Ukraine which again provoked Russia into its responses.

 

Isn't it funny that all these small neighbouring countries keep on attacking poor innocent Russia's interests.

[NigelFargate]

Isn't it funny that all these small neighbouring countries keep on attacking poor innocent Russia's interests.

 

Georgia and Ukraine, or rather their leaderships, pursued policies hostile to Russia in the misguided belief that the West would come to their aid. This was particularly true of Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia, led by the megalomaniac Sakasvilli, who was egged on my Senator McCain and other neo-cons. The same happened in the Ukraine, where the Russophobic Mrs. Newland (representing the US government) encouraged the post-Maidan Kiev government to pursue policies which were inimical to the interests of the large Russian minority in East Ukraine.

[tinfoilhat]

Georgia and Ukraine, or rather their leaderships, pursued policies hostile to Russia in the misguided belief that the West would come to their aid. This was particularly true of Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia, led by the megalomaniac Sakasvilli, who was egged on my Senator McCain and other neo-cons. The same happened in the Ukraine, where the Russophobic Mrs. Newland (representing the US government) encouraged the post-Maidan Kiev government to pursue policies which were inimical to the interests of the large Russian minority in East Ukraine.

 

What policies? They'd have to be pretty specific to harm one ethnic group over another.

[JFKvsNixon]

Georgia and Ukraine, or rather their leaderships, pursued policies hostile to Russia in the misguided belief that the West would come to their aid. This was particularly true of Georgia's invasion of South Ossetia, led by the megalomaniac Sakasvilli, who was egged on my Senator McCain and other neo-cons. The same happened in the Ukraine, where the Russophobic Mrs. Newland (representing the US government) encouraged the post-Maidan Kiev government to pursue policies which were inimical to the interests of the large Russian minority in East Ukraine.

 

Are you talking about the actions of democratically elected governments? It would be interesting to see what would happen to Putin if he had to face fair and open elections.