Russian cruise missiles crash in Iran.
Two things.
First, as the article mentions, Russia's military ain't all that. For all the weird man-crushes that official Washington (especially neo-conservatives) have on Putin, the fact remains that he frequently acts out of weakness. He has engaged in Syria, because Assad is his little puppet and because Ukraine has bogged down into a stalemate. He needs to show he's still an Big Dog, so he bit off a chunk of Syria.
Second, Russia's actions could presage a problem within Russia with terrorism. Unlike the US, which has an ocean to protect it from would-be terrorists, Russia has porous borders and a dysfunctional government (when it comes to things like immigration controls). Let's face it, not many people try to get INTO Russia.
Those young Europeans who are traveling to Syria to enlist with ISIS could easily travel to Moscow. And if there was damage in Iran from these missile strikes, this could drive a real wedge between Moscow and Tehran. Iranians don't have the fondest feelings about the Russians anyway. I'd say Russia ranks below the US but above Britain in Iran's collective estimation.
Keep an eye on what Putin is doing in Syria. I think he's going to get smoked for it somehow.
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