Barbara Starr, CNN: U.S.: Russia may be seeking proxy in case Syria's Assad falls
Washington (CNN)The U.S. intelligence community now thinks Russia may have embarked on its military buildup in Syria because Moscow believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may not be able to hang onto power and it wants to position itself to back a proxy if the regime were to collapse. It is a view shared by the Pentagon, Defense officials told CNN.
This is one theory, but there is not a firm conclusion within the Obama administration about why Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending aircraft, tanks and missiles into the wartorn country, several senior U.S. officials told CNN.
On Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations, President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet with Putin for the first time in nearly a year to discuss the latter's plans in Syria.
WNU Editor: I do not see this happening. If Assad falls the entire region will be in chaos. There will be no "proxies" strong enough to support.
