<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[The Dish]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://dish.andrewsullivan.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Andrew Sullivan]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://dish.andrewsullivan.com/author/sullydish/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Why Did Russia Stick Up For&nbsp;Syria?]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><em><span style="font-size: 8pt;">by Patrick Appel</span></em></p> <p>Over the weekend, China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution aimed at Syria. &#0160;Walter Russell Mead has a&#0160;<a href="http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2012/02/05/russias-syrian-bet-explained/" target="_self">theory</a>&#0160;about Russia&#39;s relations with rogue regimes:&#0160;</p>]]></html></oembed>