1.   France on Thursday calls for a strong U.N. stand and sounds only muted opposition to possible U.S.-led air strikes.

2.   Putin has since muted his opposition, leading to speculation he could be agreeable to a limited defense not banned by the treaty.

3.   Since the election, the hard-line crackdown has muted the opposition.

4.   Instead Moscow has begun to mute its opposition to their entry.