Morning Musing

++Josh Marshall has an interesting take on the news coverage about the Russian bombing of Syria. He takes a CNN story that featured a former head of NATO and a Russian emigre. The former NATO commander said it was important that Russia and NATO avoid clashes in the country. There are French, Turkish,American and Russian airstrikes going on. The Russian emigre says we have to do something about Putin's actions. 

++Josh basically argues that the humanitarian cow is out of the barn and we can't put that back. It would take enormous sums of money and even troops on the ground to --possibly--install a post-Assad government but without a guarantee that we don't get something worse. He says we basically have to allow Assad to stick around a little time further and that --yes--Russia has some real interests in Syria and that ISIS poses more immediate threat to them than us.

++Marshall says there is not magic Obamawand that can be waved in this situation. 

++My email lit up last night with our rightwing friends saying that Putin is whipping Obama's ass. I guess they like Putin because he's white and and a pentecoastal Christian. The Right's admiration for Putin has extended the length of the Obama years. 

++But my response was that you guys had your chance. Where was the Congressional support for Obama on bombing Syria? Where is that declaration of war on ISIS? Crickets. I also chided them on their view that America is a hyperpower and the world's only superpower.

++A cynical part of me thinks we knew Putin would bomb the Syrian opposition and not ISIS. We don't have a disposal problem if those trained with our $400 million program are eliminated. News stories earlier in the week reported that the Pentagon-trained forces gave their equipment to Al Qaeda immediately on entering into Syria.

++After the verbal sniping at each other at the United Nations, President Obama and Vladimir Putin met for two and a half hours discussing possible solutions for Syria. Previously, Putin had delivered a speech in Russia where he mentioned the thousands from Russia who were joining ISIS and he called on all nations to fight them like the Nazis.

++The Russian-Iranian so-called Peace Plan is still on the table. And Bibi has agreed with Putin to coordinate military actions in Syria. Israel has been training and arming the Al Nusra Front. 

++The plan had been to retain Assad in a symbolic role until a new government would be assembled. How feasible is that? I'm skeptical. 

++But don't be confused Syria may make good television but our only response can be humanitarian.