Russia's defiance of international efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad's crackdown on protests is rooted in a calculation that it can keep a Mideast presence by propping up its last remaining ally in the region — and has nothing to lose if it fails.
The Kremlin has put itself in conflict with the West as it shields Assad's regime from United Nations sanctions and continues to provide it with weapons even as others impose arms embargoes.
Wasn't caving in to Moscow by abandoning the Bush missile defense plan for Europe (and America, I should add) supposed to make Russia our "reset" friend after George W. Bush squandered our wonderful opportunities for working together?
Maybe if Russia had something to lose--like major efforts to push for NATO expansion into Ukraine and Georgia, or the deployment of a token American Army presence in Poland--Russia would reset their behavior.
