Marxist circles and parties set up in the arab world with moscows help had little influence, and local liberation movements did not depend on the bolsheviks. The united states second main interest is to end the civil war. The situation began to change after world war ii, when, flush with vic. Syria s location bordering the mediterranean, israel, lebanon, turkey, jordan, and iraq makes it too important to lose. Russias strategic interest in syria themarketswork. Back to a grand strategy or enforcing multilateralism. Download pdf magazines and ebook free usa, uk, australia. Thomas points to optimistic versus pessimistic russian views on how the recent us election will impact us policy in syria.
Syria future and the contradicting russianiranian interests january 4, 2017 mahmoud eskaf iran latest news, syria latest news what started as an alliance between russian and iran in syria was based on the mutual interests in supporting assad regime and prevent its fall. Russia s reorganized and rearmed armed forces are neither invincible nor still broken and incapable. Russian ew systems are highly mobile, including small systems deployable by uavs, making targeting and neutralising them more complex and challenging. During all the ups and downs in the present crises engulfing middle east, one thing has remained the same the unflinching support of russia for its longtime ally syria s bashar.
On november 22, the leaders of iran, russia, and turkey met in the russian resort town of sochi to discuss syria s future, and on november 28, the latest round of unsponsored talks between representatives of syrian president bashar alassad and the opposition began in geneva. Putins middle east game changer satellite imagery provided by allsource analysis confirms the recent arrival of russian main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, helicopters, and other military equipment at an airbase in syria s coastal latakia province, indicating that russia has deployed troops inside syria. How to salvage us interests in syria fair observer. Another round of talks in sochi is planned for early next year. Heres the reason why russian aircraft keep dying in syria. Thus, the us should stop pretending that its core interests in syria conflict with russia s goals in the region. Get breaking news alerts when you download the abc news app and subscribe to syria notifications. Nato must understand that russia s interest in and use of ew is part of a wider effort by moscow to adopt and strengthen its networkcentric capability, which focuses upon c4isr integration. Russia the washington institute for near east policy. For russia, syria represents one of two pillars of its strategy in. Why russia supports repressive regimes in syria and the middle east. Optimistically, some feel that the election of donald trump may diminish the us security threat, offer russia new opportunities in the region, and thus allow russia to prioritize other interests than it has been. On september 30, 2015, russia officially joined the fight in syria with a series of airstrikes. Syria is russia s most important foothold in the region and a key to putins calculus.
This monograph thus provides context for russia s current activities in the region and explains how affairs reached this point, with a focus on moscows middle east. With a more serious and longterm involvement in the war in syria, russia will face significant economic losses and domestic risks. Finally, russia s interests in syria are not the same as the interests of bashar assad and his government. Russia s interest is to prevail over iran in influencing syria. By demonstrating boldness, moscow is forcing the rest of the middle east to act decisively. Russia has influence but doesnt control the syrian government or iran.
Few however, recall the remainder of that 1939 adage. What vladimir putin really wants in the middle east. Assessing russias reorganized and rearmed military. Obamas 2015 warning that a limited bombing campaign in syria would suck russia into a quagmire. Russia s po l i c y in t h e mi d d l e eas t pr o s p e c. Doing so is the only way to stop the killing, end the flow of refugees to europe, and restore order.
First, in terms of equipment, experience, attitude, confidence, and more, the russian military is a radically different force from the one that began the process of transformation in 2008. From the arctic to the baltics, ukraine, and the south caucasus, and increasingly in the. More than 700,000 members of the syria campaign have fundraised for and supported the demands of dozens of frontline civil society. Many would say this tactic carries profou nd risk for syria an d its external stake. As a result vast majority of russian munitions expended in syria have been unguided bombs released at over,000 feet to avoid air defense fire. In recent months, russia with chinese support has increasingly staked out a strong position in support of the assad regime in syria. This document is explanatory only and does not have the force of law. Syria future and the contradicting russianiranian interests. Katz, fairfax abstract putin has dramatically stepped up moscows support for the assad regime through the insertion of russian.
Indeed, there is a longstanding regional rivalry between persia and. Syria russian tank destrioed by the free syrian army 6420 download. The syria campaign builds global support for syria s heroes in their struggle for a free and peaceful syria. This page provides the latest reported value for russia interest rate plus previous releases, historical high and low, shortterm forecast and longterm prediction. Russia interest rate 20032020 data 20212022 forecast. Russia relationship and brought into sharp focus the incompatibility of washingtons interests in syria with those of moscow. One response to russia s economy interests behind its risky military move in syria. Killing the truth how russia is fuelling a disinformation campaign to cover up war crimes in syria.
Another reason for putin to support assad involves developments within russia. Follow the latest syria news stories and headlines. The time to turn the tide against assad is now, senator menendez said, the united states must play a role in tipping the scales toward opposition groups and working to build a free and democratic syria. Prior to direct russian intervention it had appeared the assad regime would.
Syria in moscows new middle eastern diplomacy needed time to be re established and was largely shaped by regional and global developments. A cheat sheet1 1 causes of the syrian civil war discontent with authoritarianism and assad familys long reign of power in syria since the 1970s syria is 74% sunni, but the assad family is part of a shia sect known as the alawites. Response congressional research service 2 emerged as a persistent challenge for u. There are several reasons for russia to care about whats happening in syria, here are the most significant. Executive orders 338, 399, 460, 572, 573, 582, 606, and 608, applicable laws, and the implementing regulations pertaining to syria 31 c. Pdf when the arab spring reached syria, its pharaoh, bashar alassad, was in no mood to give up easily. In 2019, turkey launched a cross border military operation attempting to expel syrian kurdish u. Russia, and syria in the years prior to the arab uprisings interacted with existing water and food insecurities, as. If moscow and washington can find a common position on the issue, russia may accept assads resignation, the article read. Careful distilling of statements by russian leaders and russia s strategic documents would reveal there are several important national interests of russia at stake in syria, including.
April, 17, 2011syrian protesters shouts slogans calling for president bashar assad to. On the haftar issue, i dont want it to give birth to a new syria in relations with russia, erdogan said about russia s alleged support for the general, blowing the dust off the old file of the russia turkey confrontation in the early stages of the war in syria. There are over 2,000 radical islamists or terrorists born in russia mainly from north caucasus that are fighting in syria. Russian and american interests in syria nuclear diner. Russia remains an acute and formidable threat both to the united states and to u. Occasional paper understanding irans role in the syrian. Hanin ghaddar, managing editor of now news lebanon and a former public policy at the wilson center, explained on july 25 why hezbollahs main interest in its involvement in syria is not to protect bashar alassad, but rather, iran the middle east program hosted a discussion with ghaddar on hezbollahs interests in syria. Why russia supports repressive regimes in syria and the. Russia appears to have deployed about 70 aircraft of a variety of types and more than 4,000 support personnel to protect and maintain the aircraft.
Russia has long supported syria and the assad regime and has assisted assad politically, financially and with military aid since the beginning of the syrian conflict. It was not a major deployment, but it shifted the situation on the ground. Russias economy interests behind its risky military move. Syria s complex and devastating civil war has drawn in multiple foreign powers since it broke out in 2011. As a result, israels relationship with russia, which cooperates with iran in syria and hosts advanced air defense systems there. People, politics, propaganda and perspectives iii note on transliteration the editors of this collection decided to use the more common, anglicised, version of russian and ukrainian words in order to make the publication readable for a diverse audience. The effects of russian intervention in the syria crisis. Russian president vladimir putin announced on march 14 that he would begin withdrawing his main forces from syria. A syria at peace would become less of a breeding ground for islamic extremism and pose less threat to the outside world. Syria to be a serious security threat exacerbating the threat already posed by hezbollah in lebanon, and have vowed to prevent it. The effects of russian intervention in the syria crisis 3 overview in springsummer 2015, russia and iran pursued an initiative for highlevel international talks, aimed at keeping president bashar alassad or at least elements of his regime in place as part of a political transition in syria.
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