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In the first debate of the 2012 election, Republican candidate Mitt Romney declared Russia the biggest strategic threat to the United States.
We all laughed at him. Look at the old man, with his Cold War-mentality. Did the old man forget the Cold War was over?
Stupid us. Stupid, stupid us. This morning, it is starting to look like the Cold War all over again, with the U.S. and Russia now fully engaged in a proxy entanglement.
The Washington Post reports that Russia has begun an air campaign in Syria in support of the Assad regime, and has made one of its targets rebels trained and armed by the CIA.
‘Russia Targets CIA-Trained Force’ sounds like 1980 all over.
The strikes sharply increase tensions with Russia as U.S. officials dispute Moscow’s claim that its aircraft targeted the Islamic State, the brutal extremist group that controls much of Syria and Iraq. Instead, U.S. officials said the strikes appeared to target opponents of Syria’s embattled President Bashar al-Assad, a key Russian ally. Those hit include U.S.-backed units that were trained and armed by the CIA, officials said.
Analysts consider the strike to be a slap in the face to Obama, who just met with Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation in Syria. Reports say the Russians intentionally gave almost no warning to the U.S. before embarking on the air campaign.
Earlier Wednesday, a Russian general posted in Baghdad showed up at the U.S. Embassy there, officials said, and told the American defense attache that airstrikes would begin about an hour later.
This is so Cold War. Now, just like back in the day, the tense situation has potential to escalate.
Accusing Russia of “pouring gasoline on the fire,” Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter vowed that U.S. pilots would continue their year-long bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Syria, despite Moscow’s warning to keep American planes away from its operations.
Who knew Romney could be so right?