#Washington Wire RSS Feed * WSJ + WSJ + Facebook + Twitter * Live + Live * Realtor + Realtor * Mansion Global + Mansion Global * Barron's + Barron's * WSJ+ + WSJ+ * Product X + Product X + djx + rt + f + r&c + pe&vc + wsj + b * More + Portfolio + BigCharts + Financial News + Professor Journal + Student Journal + Virtual Stock Exchange + WSJ Classifieds + WSJ Classroom + WSJ Wine News, Quotes, Companies, Vid (BUTTON) SEARCH ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
_____________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
_____
____________________________________________________ The Wall Street Journal Menu * HomePage * World * U.S. * Politics * Economy * Business * Tech * Markets * Opinion * Arts * Life * Real Estate * Sign In * Profile * Saved Articles * Portfolio * Watchlist * Newsletters & Alerts * Customer Center * Sign Out * Message Center ( new) Washington Wire [BN-MB392_Dems20_A_20160112071436.jpg] 2016 Is Bernie Sanders More Electable Than Hillary Clinton? [BN-LY729_trumpn_A_20160105003114.jpg] 2016 Rival Group Puts High Price on Trump Immigration Plan * Hot Topics: * Capital Journal Home * Think Tank * SIGN UP: Politics Alerts * Daily Newsletter 7:00 pm ET Oct 11, 2015 Foreign Policy Obama Says Putin’s Syria Strategy Motivated by Weakness * Article * Comments (62) * Barack Obama * Bashar al-Assad * Military * National Security * Russia * Syria * Vladimir Putin [email_icon.png] [print_icon.png] * By * Felicia Schwartz + IFRAME: twitter_iframe @felschwartz + felicia.schwartz@wsj.com + Biography * CONNECT + IFRAME: twitter_iframe @felschwartz + felicia.schwartz@wsj.com + Biography President Barack Obama, seen boarding Air Force One prior to his departure from Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, said Russia is devoting its own military to barely hold together its sole ally, Syria. Photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Russia’s nearly two-week-long military offensive in Syria comes from a position of weakness, after his administration was criticized for appearing to be caught flat-footed by Moscow’s mobilization. In an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday, Mr. Obama said Russia’s land, air and sea military campaign in Syria aimed at propping up Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime demonstrates that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Syria strategy has failed. “Today, rather than being able to count on their support and maintain the base they had in Syria, which they’ve had for a long time, Mr. Putin now is devoting his own troops, his own military, just to barely hold together by a thread his sole ally,” Mr. Obama said, according to a CBS transcript of the interview to be aired Sunday night. “The fact that they had to do this is not an indication of strength, it’s an indication that their strategy did not work.” IFRAME: http://video-api.wsj.com/api-video/player/iframe.html?guid=DE795839-CC3 5-4E38-9445-48B45FA07326 Russia began airstrikes in Syria in late September and Russia escalated its assault on Mr. Assad’s opponents last week with its first naval bombardment on Wednesday. Russia’s burgeoning military campaign is at odds with U.S. goals to bring about a political transition away from Mr. Assad, stoking tensions between the two powers. Mr. Obama said in the interview that Mr. Putin’s actions in Syria don’t amount to Russia challenging U.S. leadership in the Middle East. “If you think that running your economy into the ground and having to send troops in, in order to prop up your only ally is leadership, then we’ve got a different definition of leadership,” Mr. Obama said. The U.S. and Russia held a second round of military discussions this weekend aimed at avoiding mishaps between aircraft operating in Syria. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said the technical talks yielded progress and another round is expected soon. Messrs. Putin and Obama met last month in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, their first meeting since last November and their longest face-to-face conversation since 2012. Mr. Obama left the recent exchange with clarity on Russian’s intentions on Syria, officials said, but Russia’s launch of strikes in Syria shortly after caught the U.S. off guard. In the wide-ranging interview, Mr. Obama also discussed the failed U.S. program to train and equip Syrian rebels, which the U.S. said it would halt Friday. The president said he had been skeptical of the program from the start, but he felt it was worth trying. “My goal has been to try to test the proposition, can we be able to train and equip a moderate opposition that’s willing to fight ISIL? And what we’ve learned is that as long as Assad remains in power, it is very difficult to get those folks to focus their attention on ISIL,” Mr. Obama said, referring to Islamic State by a different name. “There’s no doubt that it did not work.” ______________________________________________________ 2016 Election Calendar | WSJ/NBC Polls | 2016 Poll Standings Politics Alerts: Get email alerts on breaking news and big scoops. Capital Journal Daybreak Newsletter: Sign up to get the latest on politics, policy and defense delivered to your inbox every morning. For the latest Washington news, follow @wsjpolitics For outside analysis, follow @wsjthinktank Recommended post x Is Bernie Sanders More Electable Than Hillary Clinton? [BN-MB392_Dems20_A_20160112071436.jpg] * Barack Obama * Bashar al-Assad * Military * National Security * Russia * Syria * Vladimir Putin * previousBen Carson: “I Would Not Cause Us to Default” * nextObama: Hillary Clinton’s Personal Email a Mistake but Didn’t Endanger U.S. Washington Wire HOME PAGE Add a Comment Error message Name ____________________ We welcome thoughtful comments from readers. Please comply with our guidelines. Our blogs do not require the use of your real name. Comment ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ CLEAR POST Comments (5 of 62) View all Comments » * + o 4:53 pm October 15, 2015 o Anonymous wrote: Putin's Syria campaign definitely is motivated by weakness. Obama's weakness. * + o 6:25 pm October 13, 2015 o chino wrote: Mr Obama said ? I say Mr Obama failed at Libye where a US ambassador was killed and chaos is left , i say Mr Obama failed at his Syria plan to arm and train secular groups and arm Al qaida related groups and now is not attacking ISIL cause he hoped they would kick out Assad so who is the loser here ? Most Syrians dont want Assad out now because they dont want al qaida , al nusra or Isil in Syria and they are right...so whos strategy is weak .... * + o 12:08 am October 13, 2015 o Wayne wrote: It's really hard to understand why his past supporters still support him, unless of course they are naive, stupid or indoctrinated. Or a mixture. * + o 11:54 pm October 12, 2015 o Christopher Holland wrote: According to Obama, the next time you get stuffed into a locker by a guy like Putin, he wedges you in front of all the girls and he takes your lunch money, you just tell him that he is weak, he is on the wrong side of history and his strategy is failing. Can't wait to see how that goes down. * + o 11:11 pm October 12, 2015 o Wayne wrote: What a fool. He bargains down military options to practically nothing and ineffective, then says he never agreed with the strategy. Makes me think of Donald Duck or Alfred E Newman * previousBen Carson: “I Would Not Cause Us to Default” * nextObama: Hillary Clinton’s Personal Email a Mistake but Didn’t Endanger U.S. Search Washington Wire1 Search Washington Wire________ GO About Washington Wire * * RSS * Washington Wire is one of the oldest standing features in American journalism. Since the Wire launched on Sept. 20, 1940, the Journal has offered readers an informal look at the capital. Now online, the Wire provides a succession of glimpses at what’s happening behind hot stories and warnings of what to watch for in the days ahead. The Wire is led by Reid J. Epstein, with contributions from the rest of the bureau. Washington Wire now also includes Think Tank, our home for outside analysis from policy and political thinkers. Sign up for Capital Journal Daybreak + IFRAME: http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/follow_button.html?screen_ name=WSJPolitics&show_count=false&show_screen_name=false Washington Wire on Twitter close Email This Recipient's Email Address (Separate multiple address with commas) ____________________ Your Email Address ____________________ Message (Optional) ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ [X] Send me a copy Send or Cancel close Thank You Your email has been sent. close Error. An error has occured and your email has not been sent. Please try again. • Invalid email address. • You can't enter more than 20 emails. • Seperate multiple addresses with Commas. • Must enter an email address. • You must enter the verification code below to send. • Invalid entry: Please type the verification code again. Popular Now What's This? Close Content engaging our readers now, with additional prominence accorded if the story is rapidly gaining attention. Our WSJ algorithm comprises 30% page views, 20% Facebook, 20% Twitter, 20% email shares and 10% comments. + 1 [BN-MA874_0111co_C_20160111100857.jpg] RBS Warns: Sell Everything o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 2 [BN-MB292_powerb_C_20160111215521.jpg] Why an Economist Plays Powerball o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 3 [BN-MB392_Dems20_C_20160112071436.jpg] Is Bernie Sanders More Electable Than Hillary Clinton? o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 4 [BN-MB510_sotu_e_C_20160112133923.jpg] The State of the Economy in Eight Charts o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 5 [BN-MB257_oilrec_C_20160111195432.jpg] $10 Oil? Sure, Why Not o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments Show 5 More + 6 [BN-MA866_bowiec_C_20160111093442.jpg] David Bowie: His Essential Film Performances o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 7 [BN-MB511_Bidenc_C_20160112133955.jpg] Joe Biden Feels the Blowback on Inequality Comments o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 8 [BN-LS769_rdebat_C_20151215220521.jpg] Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul Bumped From Primetime Debate o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 9 [BN-MA852_0111Bo_C_20160111084435.jpg] David Bowie: Watch 10 Live Performances From His Career o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments + 10 [BN-MA780_bowies_C_20160111024702.jpg] David Bowie Tributes: 'Lost a Hero' o Twitter o Facebook o Email o Comments Show Less WSJ Web Slice CONTENT LINKS TO ACTUAL PAGE CONTAINING WEB SLICE FUNCTIONALITY. 15 * Wall Street Journal * Facebook * Twitter * LinkedIn * Google+ * YouTube * Podcasts * GooglePlay * AppStore * + Subscribe + /Sign In * Back to Top« * Subscribe + Why Subscribe? + WSJ+ + Corporate Subscriptions + Apps + Professor Journal + Student Journal * Customer Service + Customer Center + Live Help + Redesign Guided Tour * Tools & Features + Emails & Alerts + Guides + My News + Portfolio + RSS Feeds + Topics + Video Center + Watchlist * Ads + Advertise + Advertise Locally + Commercial Real Estate Ads + Place a Classified Ad + Sell Your Business + Sell Your Home + Recruitment & Career Ads * More + Conferences + Content Partnerships + Corrections + Jobs at WSJ + Make Time + News Archive + Register for Free + Reprints * Privacy Policy * Cookie Policy * Copyright Policy * Data Policy * Subscriber Agreement & Terms of Use * Your Ad Choices * Copyright ©2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. close Email This Recipient's Email Address (Separate multiple address with commas) ____________________ Your Email Address ____________________ Message (Optional) ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ [X] Send me a copy Send or Cancel close Thank You Your email has been sent. close Error. An error has occured and your email has not been sent. Please try again. • Invalid email address. • You can't enter more than 20 emails. • Seperate multiple addresses with Commas. • Must enter an email address. • You must enter the verification code below to send. • Invalid entry: Please type the verification code again.