Why Does Russia Stand by Syria?

The world, led by the United Nations, is simply aghast at the mayhem and violence that are happening daily in Syria....but they are at a loss as to what to do about it.  What two countries aren't falling in line with the rest of the United Nations?....Russia and China.  Surprise!!

Remember that Russia has pretty much lost all it's client states in the Middle East, except for Syria....so they probably want to hold onto the Syrian leader Assad, whom they negotiated with, for as long as they can.

Also remember that Syria allowed Russia to build a deep water naval base in Syria and I'm guessing the Russia doesn't want to risk that asset.

What kind of excuse does Russia have for not signing onto the peace plan drummed up by the world body?

Actually, they may have some pretty good reasons.

Last week Russia sent a flotilla of warships to the eastern Mediterranean, half of which are giant landing ships capable of carrying large numbers of people, leading to speculation that Moscow is preparing to evacuate tens of thousands of Russian citizens from Syria.

"All attempts to mediate an inter-Syrian solution appear to have failed," says Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs, a leading Moscow-based foreign policy journal. "The opposition won't accept any formula that doesn't involve Assad leaving first, and that isn't acceptable on the other side. Another problem is that the opposition has no unified voice. Russia's best bet was to participate in negotiations leading to some sort of smooth transition, but that has foundered...

"If there is a forceful overthrow of Assad, Russia will lose any points it has accumulated from taking part in the diplomatic process. On the other hand, we can't afford to just abandon Assad, throw him and all the Syrian minorities who depend on him to the dogs, because that will be just bloody chaos," Mr. Lukyanov says.

"There is a red line that Russia will not cross, and that is authorizing any forceful intervention in Syria from outside," says Lukyanov. "No amount of turmoil, no terrible atrocities, nothing will convince Russia to vote for a Libya-style operation against Syria. It looks bad, but Russia is convinced that after the fall of Assad it will only be much worse."

Here;  http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2012/0716/Syria-conflict-Is-the-West-blackmailing-Russia-to-pass-UN-resolution/(page)/2

So to sum it up....of course Russia would like to maintain the status quo for their own national reasons, but they are saying that no amount of turmoil or terrible atrocities will compare to what blood shed and atrocities will happen if Assad falls.

You certainly can't fault Russia for thinking like this and of course they have a 50% chance that they are right.  If Assad falls, what kind of anarchy could break out?  If we have Sunnis, Shiites, Allawites, and Christians all shooting each other up as they struggle for power in a Syria that is collapsing....the carnage of that situation could make the massacres happening today seem like child's play.

Of course this article has prophetic interest because it is putting Magog of Ezekiel 38 (Russia) and also Damascus of Isaiah 17 right into the same article.

It's almost like God is holding up a magnifying glass on the areas of the world that are mentioned in the Last Days and saying, "Now pay attention and look real closely at what is happening here."