Nicholas Godfrey Period 8: Putin Justifies Airstrikes in Syria

Summary: Syrian troops were able to make a move on the insurgents in the center of the country with the aid of airstrikes sent by Vladimir Putin. Putin claims that he sent these airstrikes to help resolve the political conflict in Syria. In a preview of Obama's interview for 60 Minutes, Obama states that he believes that Putin's airstrikes on Syria is a sign of his weakness. He says that Putin is sending airstrikes to try to hold on to his alliance with the Syrian troops. Other people say that Putin is sending the airstrikes as a challenge to President Obama's views on this. Many have made the statement that sending these airstrikes are only going to make this war much worse.

Analysis: I think that it is very, for lack of a better word, dumb for Putin to be sending these airstrikes and intervening. I think this war needs to just be fought against the two forces. These airstrikes are only going to provoke the sides to fight even more. He is making the chance for reconciliation smaller and smaller every time he is intervening. If you were in a disagreement with somebody and somebody else came along and started arguing with you too, would you want to just give up and surrender? I know that I would not. I find it strange how much our allies play a part in our wars. For example, the French and Indian War was fought between Britain and France but they had their Indian allies fighting also. Also, without the alliance of the French in the American Revolutionary War, we may not have won the war and we could still be under the rule of England.

Link:http://www.cbsnews.com/news/putin-russian-bombs-key-to-syria-political-compromise/