Syria's President Bashar Assad has publicly stepped up his outreach to old ally Russia in recent days, seeking aid to build up Syrian military forces and offering Moscow help in return -- in an apparent effort to exploit a new Russian-American rift. Syria's long-term aim remains unclear, in part because Assad also continues to pursue peace efforts with Israel -- a key U.S. and European goal. Syria's move feeds Western fears that the Russian-U.S. standoff could lead Moscow to provide more military aid to a host of countries and extremist groups the United States sees as troublesome. Like the Syrians, some Iranian military officials have openly supported Russian actions in Georgia, although Iran's Foreign Ministry declined to get into the controversy.
CINDY MCcain visits refugees from fighting in georgia
Republican John McCain's wife, Cindy, visited centers where Georgian refugees are sheltering and she blamed Moscow for forcing them into misery. "The only place these people want to be is home, and they can't go home because of what has happened to them and because of the situation that the Russians have caused," Cindy McCain said in brief remarks Tuesday in Tbilisi. "We [must] make sure to continue to bring light to the difficulties and the future difficulties that may occur, particularly with a hard winter coming."
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS