Epstein Secrets

rdless of the human cost. The atrocities at Houla merely raised the temperature of that dispute. In the days after the massacre, Russia's President Vladimir Putin made it clear to European counterparts that his opposition to foreign military intervention in Syria was as strong as ever. This has put Russia on

tary for an alliance with Russia to stand up to the U.S. pressure. China's political leadership, for the time being, remains skeptical, and so does Putin. But in Moscow, too, there's a pro-China EFTA00702013 lobby, and Western intervention in Syria could provide the catalyst for a strategic rebalan

mes against humanity, indeed near-genocide, that Vladimir Putin ordered in Chechnya at the turn of the cen

Annan plan. Nevertheless, it's clear that Putin is losing the argument internationally. Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the UN, hinted after the Houla massacre that the U.S. might go outside the Security Council to take tougher action, thus circumventing the Russian and Chinese vetoes. What can Ru

omberg Syria Could Unite Russia and China Against the U.S. Dmitri Trenin Jun 7, 2012 -- The massacre of more than 100 men, women and children at Houla has buried the peace plan for Syria promoted by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Soon, the regime and its opponents will get to

ext round of negotiations. Russia, in turn, is opposed to forcing Assad, a longtime client, from power by any means. If Obama wants the support of Vladi-mir Putin on Iran, he may have to stick to Putin-approved measures on Syria. That leaves the administration at the mercy of Moscow: Obama is reduced to plea

posed to forcing Assad, a longtime client, from power by any means. If Obama wants the support of Vladi-mir Putin on Iran, he may have to stick to Putin-approved measures on Syria. That leaves the administration at the mercy of Moscow: Obama is reduced to pleading with a stone-faced Putin to support

ria. Instead we will wager on the moral sense of Vladimir Putin, whose memories of Beslan do not seem to h

That is more of the Obama legend—the highbrow spin. If the president were really moved by the theory of just war, the massacre of the children of Houla would not have left our Syrian policy unmodified. What is the difference, really, between a man who cares but does nothing and a man who does not c

nion," he remarked to Richard Nixon in 1973, "it is not an American concern. Maybe a humanitarian concern." Yeah, maybe. IT IS NOT ONLY because of Houla that an intervention against Assad would be justified. But Kissinger and the other elders who know better than to be stirred by the sight of childr

massacre takes place. Assad then appeals to Moscow for support, and the whole cycle begins anew. Defending Assad had always been part of President Vladimir Putin's anti- Western campaign rhetoric to curry favor with his conservative constituency. Moscow's support for Assad had disastrous results, particularl

astrous results, particularly between Feb. 4, when Russia vetoed the UN draft resolution on Syria put forward by the Arab states, and March 5, when Putin was elected president. During this period of Russian protection, Assad's regime escalated the conflict by bombing major population centers consider

Defending Assad had always been part of President Vladimir Putin's anti- Western campaign rhetoric to curry

ikely, this means that Russia will probably continue its reckless course of supporting the Assad regime — until there are a few more massacres like Houla. EFTA00712578 Alexander Shumilin is the director of the Center for the Analysis of Middle East Conflicts at the Institute for U.S. and Canadian S

captive of the situation that it has created itself. This became clear immediately after the tragic massacre of civilians in the Syrian village of Houla on May 25 that left about 116 civilians dead, including dozens of children. Lavrov cannot deny the evidence presented by the United Nations that th