Our region has been watching with apprehension Russia’s military involvement in Syria. Moscow’s entry was unexpected – both its time and the scale of operation. And two weeks after they began carrying out airstrikes, a clear picture is emerging of Vladimir Putin’s sinister design – he wants to prop up Bashar Al Assad rather than fight the terrorists. Despite Moscow’s assertions that its airstrikes are meant to weaken the Islamic State and other terrorists in Syria, Western officials and Syrian rebels say most of the strikes have focused on areas in central and northern Syria where extremist group does not have a strong presence. Russian intervention has begun to turn the Syrian war in Assad’s favour. His forces are advancing as the opposition is struggling to preserve their positions.
Russia definitely has a strategy on Syria, whether good or bad, and in that sense it has won in Syria because its enemies -- the US and its allies in our region – still lack a coherent strategy. Two weeks on, the US and Arab countries are trying to assess where they stand, how they got there and where they are headed. There are no signs of an easy answer.
Russia has been acting with speed and precision. Its military support for Assad has paved the way for the strengthening of the presence of other Assad allies in Syria – Iran and Hezbbollah. Taking advantage of cover from Russia’s air campaign, Iran has sent hundreds of troops into northern and central Syria in the first such open deployment since the Syrian revolution began. That two senior officers of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been killed in Syria, just days after the death of a general from this elite unit, shows the extent of Iran’s presence, which is only likely to intensify. Hezbollah too is ratcheting up its presence. Support has never been so plentiful for Assad since the civil war started.
The war in Syria has already claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and displaced half of the country’s population. The world has stopped taking note of the death toll, which has just become a statistic. Even the mass migration to Europe of Syrian refugees has failed to prod the world into action. The Arab countries too have bound themselves in confusion and indecision, leaving Syria to Assad, Putin and their allies.
Russia’s victory in Syria will have perilous consequences for a region which is already struggling to contain a resurgent Iran. It’s time for US and its Arab allies to shed their lethargy and indecision and formulate a pragmatic strategy on Syria.
Our region has been watching with apprehension Russia’s military involvement in Syria. Moscow’s entry was unexpected – both its time and the scale of operation. And two weeks after they began carrying out airstrikes, a clear picture is emerging of Vladimir Putin’s sinister design – he wants to prop up Bashar Al Assad rather than fight the terrorists. Despite Moscow’s assertions that its airstrikes are meant to weaken the Islamic State and other terrorists in Syria, Western officials and Syrian rebels say most of the strikes have focused on areas in central and northern Syria where extremist group does not have a strong presence. Russian intervention has begun to turn the Syrian war in Assad’s favour. His forces are advancing as the opposition is struggling to preserve their positions.
Russia definitely has a strategy on Syria, whether good or bad, and in that sense it has won in Syria because its enemies -- the US and its allies in our region – still lack a coherent strategy. Two weeks on, the US and Arab countries are trying to assess where they stand, how they got there and where they are headed. There are no signs of an easy answer.
Russia has been acting with speed and precision. Its military support for Assad has paved the way for the strengthening of the presence of other Assad allies in Syria – Iran and Hezbbollah. Taking advantage of cover from Russia’s air campaign, Iran has sent hundreds of troops into northern and central Syria in the first such open deployment since the Syrian revolution began. That two senior officers of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been killed in Syria, just days after the death of a general from this elite unit, shows the extent of Iran’s presence, which is only likely to intensify. Hezbollah too is ratcheting up its presence. Support has never been so plentiful for Assad since the civil war started.
The war in Syria has already claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and displaced half of the country’s population. The world has stopped taking note of the death toll, which has just become a statistic. Even the mass migration to Europe of Syrian refugees has failed to prod the world into action. The Arab countries too have bound themselves in confusion and indecision, leaving Syria to Assad, Putin and their allies.
Russia’s victory in Syria will have perilous consequences for a region which is already struggling to contain a resurgent Iran. It’s time for US and its Arab allies to shed their lethargy and indecision and formulate a pragmatic strategy on Syria.
