the troubadour

Obviously. Just stating Russian anger with the way Cypriot banks dealt with many Russian citizens.


Cyprus will continue to be a fine place to visit.

the troubadour

Not entirely. Russia has a lot of economic interest ensuring the present government remains in place.


Actually going on past events probably the West as well. Posturing exists on all sides.


What it does suggest though is USA will exert a price on Australia come a China Seas flare up. Or this area for that matter. Trump has said as much, which was down played by Turnbull.

verystormy

God there are some frankly stupid people, never mind alarmist. Don't people even remember this was also done last year.

Russia has nothing it can do. It is a country economically knackered - its economy is about the same as Texas. It military decimated. It will huff and puff and then slink away. Again. IT knows it's international position on Syria is considered a joke - it is backing up a fairly nasty dictator and probably regrets doing so, but is now stuck.

BadgeIsBack

agreed...China and N Korea are more interesting and we have seen a bit of a improvement with N Korea.

the troubadour

Not quite. While not the power it was under the Soviet ensign, it is still a force to be reckoned with and besides being battle hardened troops, (Cheznya) it maintains a nuclear arsenal still to be reckoned with.


Its location makes it a threat to neighbours and it is apparently moving closer to China.

the troubadour

The result with North Korea will lay in the detail and if USA can contain North Korean, long held and not without reason concerns, with regards own security. Both China and Russia will continue to grow their forces and project their might.


The peace dividend that was spoken a lot about after the fall of the Berlin Wall is never uttered these days. Gone I'm afraid. Cold War antics are coming back into fashion and if the global economy appears in danger of collapse all bets are off.

Thairetired2016

Why get so excited about what Assad does? When Saddam poisened the people in Halabja, when Israel mows down people on Friday's at the Gaza border, Americans, Brits, French and all other war mongerers ignore/d it. What's the difference? Because it was or in case of Gaza is done by friendly governments?

the troubadour

Most likely reason being Syria is out of USA's orbit and not as such complying with the rules.


What is interesting is that it was not even verified that gas was used prior to American/French/British air attacks.


Just why couldn't such attacks have been delayed until UN had done checks? Shades of pre first Iraqi war?


Big difference this time being Syria does not stand alone.

Timmy Chch

UN checks couldn't occur cos Russia vetoed that action. They've vetoed everything anti Syria.