This conflict is PREVENTING WW III + ending MILITARISM in the world Hi Daria, The USA wants to break up China + Russia. They "pushed" for this conflict. IT'S "THEIR" MISTAKE: NOT Russia's. ON THE POSITIVE END OF THINGS REGARDING THIS "NECESSARY" CONFLICT is this: it is PREVENTING WW III + ending MILITARISM in the world (What a waste of $ that is especially as China + Russia have repeatedly said their military is for "defensive" purposes - only!) Russia "bravely" defended Syria very effectively with ONE (1) military base + a small band of soldiers for over a decade against AMERICAN AGRESSION - who had several bases there. President Putin is considered "a hero" in the Muslim world for defending Syria - tirelessly - FOR SO LONG. NATO countries are bankrupted + "a spent force" sinking in red ink (debt): they are designed for an global economy that has strong economic growth NOT for the current NOR the future one of NEGATIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH for - perhaps- several decades. Their economic growth dynamics turn against them: in fact, they become downright "cannibalizing" - exponentially should they stick to THEIR STATUS QUO WAY f doing business - essentially, it will be AN ECONOMIC BLOODBATH for them. One of their major hurdles is BLOATED GOV'T that create BIG DIFICITS + these BIG DIFICITS have been accumulating for some time. :O( SADLY, there are MANY MORE HURDLES besides that one. What Russia has going for itself, besides being THE BIGGEST NATION, is the Community of Independent Nations - all Russian-speaking - which it leads. China - the only country that had money to invest - has to be IMPRESSED! (Ha! Ha!) Всего наилучшего, :D Kenneth