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Putin's deployment of aircraft and other arms to Assad reflects a similar attitude toward events in Syria, which Russia considers part of its backyard. The message is clear: "Overthrow Assad with the prospect of a terrorist victory? We won't allow that to happen."
The risk here, however, is that the American neocons and liberal interventionists remain drunk on their dreams of a permanent U.S. global hegemony that doesn't broach any rivalry from Russia, China or any other potential challenger to America's "full-spectrum dominance." If these war hawks don't sober up -- and if Obama remains their reluctant enabler -- the chances that the crises in Ukraine or Syria could escalate into a nuclear showdown cannot be ignored.
Thus, Russia's move last week was truly a game-changer; and Putin is no longer playing games. One can only hope Obama can break free from the belligerent neocons and liberal war hawks. [For more on this topic, see Consortiumnews.com's "Obama Tolerates the Warmongers."]
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