So that the reader may obtain a better insight into "American" viewings of Putin's activities in a light apparently favorable to Putin, turn to FrontPageMagazine - Online, Oct. , 2015 for the article by the American Raymond Ibrahim called "Russia Declares 'Holy War' on the Islamic State. While Obama stays with Christian muderers, 'Freedom Fighters'". Ibrahim is a Coptic Chritian and expert on Islam (who is aghast at Pope Francis' thesis that Islam "is a religion of peace", a statement on par with Obama's opinion) takes up the theme. In my comment below I noted that one must understand internal American politics and commentaries. I hold that basically Ibrahim is correct, though overlooking some points. In the beginning of the resistance to Assad there were no radical groups involved, that involvement being a later development. Various Americans, including McCain, do hold that there are "moderate Syrians" figthing Assad (and McCain knows personally some--if any are still alive). McCain is no political friend of Obama. Intrernally to America we have a glimpse here of tensions that Gloria.tv does not seem to understand. Conservative criticism, both of McCain and Obama, has never accepted the "moderate" nature of the parties today involved, neither Assad nor his armed opponents. From my point of view the situation is so confusing and Obama is so dead wrong, that any suggestion I would make (and that would be the American military taking out both Assad and ISIS) is just dreaming.

I have suggested Ibrahim so as the complexity of the problem might become a bit clearer. I do not doubt the "Holy War" cry of the Russian Orthodox Church. I do hold that Putin is not so concerned, rather interested in the power politics of keeping his bases safe in Syria and displacing the US from the mideast. The American military, particularly those generals in retirement who are not under Obama's control, unanimously agree that Putin is not now attacking ISIS, rather wiping out Assad's internal opposition. In other words, Putin is doing a con job on all. The opinion is also expressed that Putin will never really attack ISIS, after having solidified Assad (and advanced Iranian interests, yes, the Iran that says "Death to America", which I presume hopefully Gloria.tv is not for), Putin will purposely let ISIS go on as ISIS is not a direct threat to Assad and has the advantage of causing mass immigration to the West, thereby weakening the West (and allowing him more adventure such as the Urkainian take over) and bottling up the Americans.

Gloria-tv, your disdain for the CIA and your atitude toward the complexity of American politics is as admirably consistent as it is woefullly ignorant. McCain is only one voice and the CIA is charged with realizing tasked put to it by the US administration (here Obama). Both proper parts of the body politic of a democratically organized country. The American interest in Assad stems from: Years ago, peaceful protests began against a "vile" dictator who THEN began bombing his own people and using poison gas -- a habit that reminds me of Saddam's gas attacks upon the Kurds in Irak (and taken personally by me as I have Kurdish friends). That bombing is a crime against humanity and should bring the man to a court (and should be roundly condemned by Bishop Hindo). Alas, Obama hestitated, as is his wont, though CORRECTLY stating that Assad must go (not that the Alawites must loose control). (Here is where knowledge of internal American politics becomes very complicated). In the meantime, after Obama's bungling, the war has intensified and the radical groups have formed, and here, Gloria.tv and Bishop Hindo, Assad is THE cause. The pitiful fact is that at times radical Sunnies happen to be on the side of America < Obama's incompetency (American retired Generals by the hundreds are critical). <-> I note that the US fought with Stalin's Russia against the Nazis as no other choice was possible,. Putin is now backing a war criminal on the level of Saddam because it is necessary for his expansionist interests -- and not a peep out of Gloria.tv and Bishop Hindo (for whom Assad's protection of Christians makes a vile Assad a necessity). <-> I will end here as the problematic facing American interests consists of a situation badly if not disasterously managed by Obama, whom I, as so many other Americans, condemn (though my opposition to Assad remains). Alas, instead of viewing the situation with objectivity, particularly in the comments, Gloria.tv rushes in with snide, propagandistic remarks.

I suspect that Gloria.tv's penchant for Putin derives in part because of his resistance to EU policies including the homosexual pursuits. I too appreciate that. (I do not appreciate his dictatorship, a part of his ideology, sensed when I am in Russia, the lack of a critical press, the persecution unto murdering of opposition. Putin is a dictator that happens to represents some values of worth. So that Gloria.tv and any of its readers might learn something about Tzar Putin's grand view of things I suggest reading the "objectively" and not polemically written article by Leon Aron, "Putinology" in The American Interest, Vol. XI, Sept./Oct 2015. Putin, influenced by Ivan Ilyn (and I fear also by Euroasianism or even the Neo-euroasianism of A. Dugin) has developed a view consisting of five points: emotional nationalism, authoritarianism at home, Russian ethnicity as the backbone of national identity, Russian Orthodox Church as arbiter and enforcer of national mores and THE reviving of the Soviet mythology of Russia surrounded by major enemies (the US and the West replacing Nazi Germany) -- i.e., America is a hostile enemy that must be fought. In addition (and here the influence of Putin's favorite writer out of the past, Ilyn) Russia is viewed as a "unique civilization", superior to others, particularly to the West with America as enemy #1. (This is a left-over from the "Third Rome" ideology of Tzarist Russia.) America is not at "war" with Russia, rather Russia under Putinology is at "war" with America.
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