When Russia first became involved in the ISIS war in Syria last month, US priorities began to shift dramatically, seeking to ensure that Russia’s war against ISIS was isolated and distinct from America’s own war, while predicting Russia would face a grim defeat.
Being hostile toward Russia is an end unto itself in US foreign policy, and something that’s been a focus for generations. With the Paris attacks bringing renewed focus to the ISIS war, and French calls for cooperation, President Obama is warning him away from any possible cooperation with Russia.
It’s not just a US fear that they’ll have to share the ISIS war with Russia, but a fear that, if they’re in the middle of a mutual war against ISIS it’ll make it a lot more difficult for European nations, particularly France, to agree to extend sanctions against Russia over Ukraine.
The sanctions were already a tough sell, with the Ukrainian civil war in a state of ceasefire since February, and the administration sees French calls for a “grand coalition” as nearing a rapprochement with Russia that the US desperately wants to avoid.
Railing against Russia about Ukraine and predicting a Russian invasion of Europe in general has been a centerpiece of US policy in Europe recently, and has served as a pretext for US deployments of troops into Eastern Europe. Though clearly they don’t want a war with Russia, officials seem to have a lot invested in keeping a Cold War-style level of acrimony going as long as possible.
Shouldn't there be an annual psychological evaluation of the President? It should be made public. We should not be led by a psychopathic imbecile.
This is just Obama being reeled in by his Israeli handlers. It's all very well to tolerate Russian interference in the project to keep the Syrian war going; it's quite another for France to go completely off the reservation and recognize that the Assad regime is clearly not sending gunmen to Paris to shoot people, but the people Israel wants to win the war are doing exactly that.
Can't have that. So Obama had to remind them to keep up the confusion. Just the way Israel likes it.
Will Hollande obey his US master, or do what is best for France?
He has jumped – oops, I mean obeyed – even before you typed your post. The EU, France included, has decided to prolong sanctions against Russia for six more months.
He will obey his Master: he is a small man (not that Obama is a big one).
"Cooperation would be bad for reason and take the shine of my Nob el Prize. Now be a good french doggie."
When everyone wakes up and blames Zion,we will be liberated.
This is indeed true. Ukraine is at the centre of all this. But I don't think the US is at all worried about a "coalition" involving Russia in Syria. In fact, they'd love to see Putin fall into the "LBJ trap" and commit ground forces, which is what Hollande is supposedly trying to persuade him do. The more Putin gets bogged in Syria, the better. A guerilla war is unwinnable and even if Putin became the first leader in the history of the world to win such a war, he would actually lose! At that point, he'd be bogged down eternally trying to prop up his Syrian puppet and that country would be a de facto Russian colonial protectorate. Thus, a further guerilla movement would arise to drive the white colonials off Arab land. Thus, whichever way Putin jumps, he loses! I can't see why the US would object to that!
MK – cheering on Nazi-inspired nationalists in Ukraine and medievalist terrorists in Syria is not an indicator of intelligence.