ISIS on the offensive in Iraq

[Gilrandir]

"The latest polls never show a figure below 60%." Including the "Ukrainian Russian" territories?. And it is in fact irrelevant.

In fact you are right. It is irrelevant. If a referendum on joining NATO is held, it will be the ALL-NATIONAL referendum, so the regional dimensions of the voting will be interesting only as the sociological food for thinking. Only the overall result will matter.

Until Ukraine is reunited in a "peaceful" manner, even 100 % would not be enough.

Not enough for NATO to accept Ukraine? Perhaps. But inside Ukraine, if there is a majority of votes in favor of it, it will be enough for the government to start taking practical steps in the procedure of application for admittance.

"Not to mention it's a highly convenient tool to distract the Russian populace about the deteriorating Russian economy." Really? As much I watch BBC Economic News and the jokes about Roubles/rubles, and the weekly predictions of the fall of Putin in the Russian opinion (which will probably happen one day), it doesn't yet happen.
The worst is when you start to believe your own propaganda.
In fact, it is quite easy to blame everybody else for economic deterioration, look at EU unable to have a economical recovery (created by laws imposed by EU) and blaming all but its policy.

So BBC Economic News claims that the economic situation in Russia hasn't deteriorated since the sanctions were introduced? BBC claims that oil prices haven't dropped? BBC claims that the exchange course of rouble hasn't changed since 2013?
I doubt it.

Perhaps BBC claims that these setbacks are unlikely to throw Putin off the throne (and in this case it is not Economic News any more). But I agree on it. Russians are told (by their mass media) that all the hardships they are experiencing are not because Putin has led them to where they are, but because the evil gay-loving West's mind is set on destroying Highly Moral Russia. Consequently they are inclined to grin and bear it. Hitherto.

[Gilrandir]

Here we go again. Russian "volunteers" are likely to appear in Syria - evidenlty to help their Orthodox Arab brethren.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/wo...=top-news&_r=0

In fact, Adm. Vladimir Komoyedov, the head of the armed forces committee in Russia’s Parliament, told news services that pro-Russian veterans of the conflict in eastern Ukraine side will most “likely” start showing up as a volunteer battalion in Syria.