The effects of russian intervention in the syria crisis. Russias strategic interest in syria themarketswork. Rather than advancing its selfproclaimed objective of fighting terrorism. In pursuit of maintaining their interests in syria, moscow and tehran have adopted different. Russian and american interests in syria nuclear diner. 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 syrias bashar. Many questions surround moscows surprise announcement of a force reduction in syria. This view also fails to take seriously the limitations iran faces in syria, especially the very real reluctance of the syrian and russian governments to allow iran to have formal military. There are small amounts of us aid entering into some oppositionheld districts in syria now, but even in these districts rebel factions squabble about how to use foreign monies and who should manage them. Russias policy on syria after the start of military engagement. There are over 2,000 radical islamists or terrorists born in russia mainly from north caucasus that are fighting in syria. 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. Nov 18, 2015 what does russia really want in syria. Chinese economic interests in syria also contribute to sinorussian.
Syria declared possession of chemical weapons, chemical weapons production facilities, abandoned chemical weapons, other cwrelated facilities and riot control agents, import of chemicals for chemical weapons program and for industrial purposes. The united states second main interest is to end the civil war. Apr 12, 2017 syrias allies in its civil war are iran, iraq, hezbollah lebanonbased and russia. A look at the intricacies of the wests methods of unconventional warfare over the last several years, finally miring syria in a state of war. What are indicators of change in russian strategic interests in syria. What could change is how russia prioritizes its interests in the wake of the us election and change in. Its mission is to be an analytical, researchled global forum for informing, influencing and. Its unanticipated military foray into syria has transformed. The russian naval facility in syria and the weapons exports are only symbolic interests. Iraqi officials also demonstrated a strong interest to cooperate with russia in fighting with isis. Yet it clearly enhanced russias leverage over the regime and provided a muchneeded dose of credibility to the nascent political process.
During the last month, russia held channels of communication wide open with egypt, jordan, turkey, kuwait, saudi arabia and israel. Dec, 2017 on november 22, the leaders of iran, russia, and turkey met in the russian resort town of sochi to discuss syrias future, and on november 28, the latest round of unsponsored talks between representatives of syrian president bashar alassad and the opposition began in geneva. The russian military intervention in syrias civil war, which began in september 2015. Sep 15, 20 the russian naval facility in syria and the weapons exports are only symbolic interests. On january 20, the russian emergency situations ministry announced that it will evacuate approximately one hundred russian citizens from syria, mostly women and children. Putins power play in syria how to respond to russias intervention angela stent a t the end of september, russia began conducting air strikes in syria, ostensibly to combat terrorist groups. It enables russia to pursue the limited objective of securing its military interests on the syrian coast, where the port of tartus is russias only remaining middle east base and where many dual russiansyrian citizens live. According to the stockholm international peace research institute, russia accounted for 78 percent of syria s weapons purchases between 2007 and 2012. A syria at peace would become less of a breeding ground for islamic extremism and pose less threat to the outside world. Back to a grand strategy or enforcing multilateralism. Jan 17, 2017 in syria, the assad baathist regime rejects the idea. But syria itself is not a major player on the global gas and oil market.
Whats the russian interest in the syrian civil war. Turkey, iran, and russia are having peace talks about safe zones in syria. As syria is the nexus of russias campaign to expand its regional influence, the students decided to focus on. Oct 21, 2015 russias intervention in syria has introduced a dangerous new dynamic into an already volatile and complex conflict. In future their is possibility that without the support of russia as well as syria in arm tactics us may give up the war on the russian alliance ans lower their troops russia wants exactly same or they may increased thei presence and supply more arms for rebellions. Avoiding further regional unravelling and spiralling radicalisation, however, and pushing the conflict toward an initial settlement will require further adjustments in. Many would say this tactic carries profou nd risk for syria an d its external stake. Careful distilling of statements by russian leaders and russias strategic documents would reveal there are several important national interests of russia at stake in syria, including.
Russiansyrian relations have always been more political. Sep 17, 2015 what has russia got invested in syria. Russia and syria weaponising refugee crisis to destabilise europe, nato commander claims. Sep 05, 20 the four reasons russia wont give up syria, no matter what obama does. Syrian and soviet interests back in rough alignment. Russias many interests in syria the washington institute. Projecting russian military power can be a balm to a restive populace, one of the reasons behind russias syrian moves. Syria becoming the largest noncommunist recipient of soviet weapons. Aug 09, 2017 look who is getting together to form an alliance for peace on israels northern border in syria. Oct 01, 2015 in syria, the staterun news media strongly endorsed the move by russia.
Doing so is the only way to stop the killing, end the flow of refugees to europe, and restore order. The strikes constitute russias biggest intervention in the middle east in decades. Oct, 2015 it may be useful to list probable russian and american interests in syrias ongoing civil war in what might be considered a realist analysis. Syria has long been a consumer of russian weaponry, and the arms trade only intensified after assad and putin came to power in 2000. The rebels fighting in syria at the onset of the initial conflict allies were turkey, saudi arabia and qatar. There are several reasons for russia to care about whats happening in syria, here are the most significant. Russia relationship and brought into sharp focus the incompatibility of washingtons interests in syria with those of moscow. Gas production in syria was also not that large on global scale.
Both the russian federation and the united states have strong interests at stake in syria,and these interests overlap in. As the war in syria grinds on into its third year, support among the american public for more robust u. Sep 09, 2015 why russia is suddenly interested in syrias civil war. The deployment of expeditionary forces in syria alongside the regular forces of the aerospace and navy is integral to russias new concept of warfare and reflects the latest and ongoing restructuring of the russian federations armed forces. The irony of geopolitical interventions article pdf available december 2015 with 1,457 reads how we measure reads. In this report we explain how putins interests in syria are indirectly related to russias backyard.
Assad seemed particularly pleased that moscow was sending military aid because they felt his endorsement. Russian intervention in syria air power development centre. Russias choice in syria crisis group middle east briefing n47, 29 march 2016 page 3 principal backer of the assad regime and opponent of regime change, in syria as elsewhere, russia had ample incentive to weaken the opposition before negotiations. Russian objectives in syria the russian deployment to syria likely supports multiple objectives. For example, james jeffrey, also of the washington institute, explicitly places discussion of syria in the context of ussoviet competition in the middle east during the cold war, talks of the region as a us security zone, bemoans how russia seems to be moving from victory to victory in syria, asks if putin can get away with such. General phil breedlove claimed civilians were being. Why russia is so involved with the syrian civil war. I tend to find that russia s interests in syria are pretty clear and they are as follows. If russia does have a longstanding security concern in the region, it is the spread of international terrorism to russia and neigh boring states. Sep 16, 2015 for the third time in 10 days, the russian foreign minister has received an alarmed telephone call from his american counterpart over syria. The rise of the islamic state is in iraq and syria has encouraged both washington and tehran to find greater common ground, and it has fostered a growing interest on the part of western and iranian officials in exploring a more open relationship to address shared security concerns. Russias position on syria is very close to that of iran. Syrias bashar alassad is russias only ally in the mediterranean. Since the start of the russian air strikes on 30 september.
Its operation plan, objectives, and consequences for the wests policies. Russias economy interests behind its risky military move in. Russia a longtime strategic supporter of syria did not enter the conflict until it appeared assad would fall. Even in the early 2000s, syria was producing a little more than 520,000 barrels of oil per day, which makes roughly 0. When russia refused to adhere to the cuts, saudi arabia responded by slashing its export prices to outbid russian oil and issued plans to increase. The four reasons russia wont give up syria, no matter what. Syria s complex and devastating civil war has drawn in multiple foreign powers since it broke out in 2011. Russias interest in syria public radio international.
How to salvage us interests in syria fair observer. Occasional paper understanding irans role in the syrian. Obama and putin at a group of eight summit meeting in northern ireland in june. The strategic interests and objectives that one party seeks to achieve are contrary to the interests and objectives of the competing party. Russian strategy in the middle east rand corporation. In spite of a strangely disjointed authors note introduction, this is a solid account of early 21st century western methods of covertproxy warfare with syria as its main focus.
Given its deep, multifaceted ties to syria and its strategic posture toward the west, moscow seems bent on supporting assad to the bitter end. Russians strike targets in syria, but not isis areas the. The deployment and use of russian air forces in syria could be a turningpoint for president bashar alassads regime. Few however, recall the remainder of that 1939 adage. Why russia is suddenly interested in syrias civil war the. Russia has no particular interests for syria, and they dont care much for al assad either. Understanding russias intervention in syria rand corporation. Syria was a somewhat more promising choice than egypt4 indeed, after egyptian president sadats break with the soviet bloc and alliance with the us in the 1970s, moscows assistance to damascus reached its peak.
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