There’s an article in Al-Monitor outlining what Russia is doing in Syria that you might want to take a look at.
Russia’s increasing supply of arms and instructors to Syria are among the most controversial issues in world media. But what is really going on?
[…]
One shouldn’t link Moscow’s plans to continue providing assistance to Damascus to Tehran’s plans. Iran is pursuing its independent policy toward the Syrian crisis, guided by its own national interests. Russia is doing the same, while also taking into account its developing relations with the Arab Gulf states. But could it be that the scale of the fight against IS in Syria will expand without the creation of a broad coalition of regional and global players, and even the necessary coordination — a fact that can only hinder success in this struggle?
Read the whole thing. It’s informative.
One of the aspects of Russia’s involvement, notable for its absence from the article, is that the Russian jets that have been moved into Syria are most useful for deterring U. S. air assistance to the rebels. I’d summarize the situation this way:
- The Russians, with the invitation of the Syrian government, are acting in accordance with international law.
- In supporting the rebels we aren’t.
- The Russians are acting in accordance with their own international interests.
- In supporting the rebels we aren’t.
- The territory of Syria will not cease to exist. It will either be partitioned between the Alawite Assad regime and DAESH or will fall entirely to violent radical Sunni Islamists.
- That is not in Russia’s interests or ours.
- It is not true that everything that hurts the Russians is good for us.
We really need a little Realpolitik.
I am amazed as to whom do the delusional hawks, neocons, and liberal interventionists think are going to be ruling Syria when Assad is gone. How is it possible to discount the reality that is occurring all around you? In the Iraq invasion, they used up their stupid card. It is now willful stupidity.
When Iran’s present rulers are overthrown, you ain’t gonna like the guys and gals that replace them. From here on out, it is not getting any better. It is getting worse.
If you want to solve the Middle East crisis, mobilize the nation for war – reinstate the draft, nationalize manufacturing decisions, begin rationing, etc. Otherwise, thank the Russians, and then, shut the f*ck up.
I’ve said (off and on) for years that we should have been providing quiet support for the Assad regime in this struggle – mostly by backing off and letting his allies help him. One doesn’t have to think Assad is a good guy to believe that what would come next could be worse. I’d think that after the clusterfuck that was EU & US intervention in Libya (not to mention Iraq), someone would have learned something. But I guess no one learns anything in our times, and only remember the things that are convenient.
If you recall, there were some (I’m not mentioning any names) who actually wanted what’s been happening in Syria to persist. Not only can I not be that sadistic, I’m convinced that the Assad regime and Alawites generally have no choice but to hold to to the very last. Which means there never has been such a thing as a peaceful solution in Syria.
I can’t see how instability in Syria helps anyone but the most fanatical of Muslim groups. It can’t even be good for Israel, as this magnifies the uncertainties of the region tremendously. Although, as you say, if you’re an Alawite instability would beat a stability in which anyone other than the Alawites controls the whole of Syria.
In all seriousness, I don’t see how Syria as nearly a Russian colony wouldn’t be better than what we have now.
We should stay out of it as much as we can. We don’t know how to tell the good guys from the bad guys, if there are any good guys.
Steve