Putin Winning Syrian Hearts and minds

     While Russian missiles bombard cities and encampments reported to be ISIS strongholds, the people of Syria embrace the Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Images of a muscular Putin are pasted throughout the country and the Syrians have begun what borders on idol worship while also bashing U.S. President Barack Obama.  It seems as if the Syrian people are encouraged by the action and immediacy of the Russian military and the bravado of the Russian President as he has aggressively attacked ISIS and, apparently rebel forces who oppose current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 
     The situation in the Middle East has gotten even more confusing since Russian forces have joined the armed conflict in Syria with several different combatants identified including, Russia, ISIS, the Syrian army, and the U.S. led multinational force including Turkey.  The ramifications of Russia acting so boldly and in near direct opposition to the U.S. led forces could have global impact.  With the powerful Russian army and the powerful U.S. army in such close proximity to one another it feels as though it's only a matter of time before a mistake is made and another armed conflict occurs.
     Russian and Syrian missiles attacks have been reportedly hitting civilian targets it seems counterintuitive to hear that Putin has garnered so much adulation and praise from the Syrian people, but he is being portrayed as the man you don't want to mess with. 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/amid-russian-airstrikes-a-putin-craze-takes-hold-in-mideast/ar-AAfn2tI?li=AAa0dzB#image=1

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/dec/23/syria-crisis-russian-military-presence

     Recently Pope Francis made a visit to Washington D.C.  He was, by most accounts, welcomed to the United States capitol by enthusiastic crowds wherever he went.  One place he went, however, didn't show as much enthusiasm and that was when he addressed Congress.  The Pope made remarks regarding many things including the issue of Mexican immigration and Syrian refugees, both of which are hot button topics right now with the Obama administration and with Republican congresspeople and presidential candidates alike.  The Pope also commented on climate change and U.S.-Cuban relations.  These topics seem to be more politically charged right now than they have in the past with a Republican controlled House and a Democratic president in office making the Popes comments seem a bit more political in nature than humanitarian and in fact, President Obama has said that Pope Francis played a big role in helping to influence the recent change in U.S.-Cuban relations.
     The Popes visit to Congress has coincided with the resignation of Speaker John Boehner who is believed to have asked the Pope to pray for him before he gave his resignation speech.  The religious conservative right seemed to be surprised that the Pope has been supportive of the Obama administration and their immigration policies as well as supportive of discussing climate change.  The Popes remarks have sparked more debate between the conservative right and the liberal left with members of the Republican party now accusing the Democrats of accepting God only now that the Pope has chosen to take a more political stance on certain issues.  The fact that the Catholic church and the Pope are against abortion and many on the left believe in a womans right to choose seem to put the Pope and the left at odds, but that doesn't seem to be an issue right now with many Democrats, including 18 city mayors going so far as to pledge that they will open their cities to Syrian refugees.

This is a forum designed to help decipher the messages within mass media and their effect on the political processes of America.  I hope to bring a common sense approach, based in fact, that will help to shed some light on past and present issues in American politics.