Putin's long game

[kentuck]

Help to create a refugee crisis and use that as an opportunity to go into Syria and butcher the enemies of Assad. Disrupt and distract Americans while Aleppo is destroyed and Assad regains control of his regime.

Then, make deals with the new US President and his Exxon Mobil Secretary of State to drive up the price of oil and gasoline and save the economy of Russia and, in the process, regain the trust and support of the Russian people.

That is how I see Putin's game.

[lame54]

1. lifting sanctions will be first on the menu

[lunatica]

2. He wants all the erstwhile Soviet Union's satellites back too

[anarch]

3. I'd expect he also wants to seize control of several Baltic states

Or at any rate has general aims of further expansion of Russia's influence/control, which would most certainly be easier for him with a weakened NATO.

Rather than having a stalwart defender of democracy standing against such an expansionist/aggressive agenda, with the incoming administration it'll be more like mob bosses divvying up territories to extract revenue from. It's particularly alarming given the POTUS-E's comments about other countries not paying the U.S. for protection...

[kentuck]

4. That could be next on his agenda?

After he gets Assad somewhat stabilized and the price of oil goes and revitalizes his economy, then he may direct his attention to the Baltic states?

[Yavin4]

5. He wants it ALL under his control in some fashion.

He wants to create Nationalist movements based on race and have all of the nations of Europe, the U.S.. and Canada looking to him as their de facto leader.

[FarCenter]

6. He's just exploiting an opportunity created by the US' unsuccessful attempt at Syrian regime change