Assad's Russian visit was a sorry spectacle

I have no long lost love for Assad, but his "Russia with love" meeting with Putin was a sorry spectacle. 

It is embarrassing to see a dictator grovel.

It is a sad day for Syria when its future has been sold to be played in a game of chess.

Supposedly he came to thank Putin "First of all I wanted to express my huge gratitude to the whole leadership of the Russian Federation for the help they are giving Syria," Assad told Putin.

Yet the Kremlin said it had invited Assad to visit Moscow, and kept the visit quiet until Wednesday morning.

The details of what Putin discussed with Assad at their meeting can not be revealed, the Russian leader's spokesman told reporters on Wednesday.

So it is not clear if he was summoned to come or if it was a courtesy visit.

What is certain is that the visit suggests that Russia, and not longtime ally Iran, has now emerged as Assad's most important foreign friend.

What is certain is that Putin used the visit to talk up the Kremlin's potential to help broker a political settlement to the crisis as he tried to show the West Russia has become a major player in the Middle East. Putin spoke to several regional leaders after meeting Assad. He talked by telephone to the kings of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, as well as the presidents of Egypt and Turkey to brief them on the details of Assad's visit.

What is certain is that Assad cannot play with Putin the tough guy game that he was playing with the Iranian. He will have to jump if the Russians tell him to jump. "Such details are of course unavailable," said Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, when asked if the subject of Assad's possible political departure and related issues were discussed.

They say a picture says a thousand words.

Assad was alone meeting with the Russian side I wonder why none of his team was accompanying him? 

was it because what Putin wanted to tell him was for his ears only? 

By the way the guy sitting on Assad's side was not somebody accompanying him, maybe a stand-in?

Assad can smile and posture as much as he wants.... Putin does not seem to be impressed...

I can even hear him thinking, you stupid person, we came to help and you are not being able to do anything on the ground! 

I can imagine myself telling Putin, all the Iranian four years support through Lebanese, Iraqi, Afghan, and Iranian militias did not help, did it?