What's in it for Russia?

[polichick]

That's what I'm wondering today.

Thoughts?

[leftynyc]

1. Not getting into a hardware conflict

with the US?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

4. I dare the pro-war contingent to make "War with Russia" a selling point. n/t

[leftynyc]

5. Huh

Not sure what you're talking about. Do you think Putin wants to have to defend Syria with weapons, warplanes and battleships? And if you're accusing me of being pro-war, you need to take a deep breath and scan my posts which have been calling for us to stay out of Syria for months.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

8. Defend from who?

If a conflict with Russia -- accidental or part of Russian support for Syria -- were the price of admission for hitting Syria the President would be seeing a lot more impeachment talk. I've no doubt Putin knows this as well, which is why he's been sending Russian ships to stand between our forces and their presumed targets.

I believe you when you say you're anti-war but if anyone in the pro-war contingent thinks we can bully Putin aside underestimates the political animus towards their proposed course of action. We aren't going to have "The Brawl to End Them All" with Russia over Syria so that muscular strutting is begging for trouble.

[VanillaRhapsody]

2. gets to keep Assad in power thus preventing the natural gas pipeline through Syria from being built.

not to mention in Syria there are also elements that also hate Russia...and Putin doesn't want to see them get their hands on those chem weapons.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

3. The US has to relegitimize Assad and drag through "the process."

We started out saying "Assad must go." Now Assad is the only one we can deal with and that will take months if not several years. Obama has even less of a chance getting an AUMF while this is evolving so it gets back-burnered. Then, if Syria and Russia tell the US to go pound sand Obama would have to start this all over again with even less support than the first time.

So Putin gets to keep his toady and check a US president all the while preening before the cameras as He Who Brings Peace.

[Cracklin Charlie]

7. I think this may be part of it.

I also think this makes Putin look like a reasonable man. I think he may want to be seen as reasonable.

[The Link]

6. Embarrasing the United States.

[TwilightGardener]

9. They probably want a stable, Russia-friendly Syria more than they want

Assad to have chem weapons--weapons that may be less secure as the war drags on. Airstrikes make EVERYONE nervous, and they should, us too. But it's well known that the US can certainly damage Syria pretty badly, and probably get rid of Assad too. How does Russia know we're telling the truth about our (unbelievably small!) military plans? "Oops, more extensive than we thought--sorry!"

[Waiting For Everyman]

10. What if Russia has already decided that it will not strike back

and retaliate against us if Assad is hit? If that's already determined by them, then Russia would not want it to go that far, and look foolish or weak.

[wandy]

11. Russia has always had this little problem of being land locked.........

If you have few ocean accesses that don't freeze over, you may not want one of them disrupted by a long term chemical weapon driven civil war. The possibility of the US turning Syria into Iraq II may make Assad even less attractive.

Russian naval facility in Tartus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_naval_facility_in_Tartus

[mwrguy]

12. Warm water port at Tartus

[hughee99]

13. They don't want the US involved in Syria and to have to fight another proxy war. n/t

[Nite Owl]

14. The Russians get credit

for solving a huge problem and respect.

[Alamuti Lotus]

15. Defense of an immensely strategic ally they have spent decades cultivating?