Putin's Play

Another day, another interesting piece from Stratfor on the Syria situation, focusing this time on what Russia is actually trying to accomplish. Missed in all the brouhaha, Putin this week announced budget cuts in response to signs of a weakening domestic economy. So, it would seem, separate from Russia’s hollow attempts to seem like a rival and challenger to the United States (which in reality they are not – economically, militarily or politically), his noise about Syria and writing an op-ed in the NY Times is also a show for his domestic audience to distract from the more pressing problems at home. Therefore, consistent with my thesis about what drives politicians to act, EVERYTHING is about economics.