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The Great Game is back?
[Jpost] Putin's power move in Syria puts Russia on par with US...Just as he surprised the world six months ago when he decided to send his military to intervene in the Syrian civil war, he similarly amazed observers on Monday when he announced plans to gradually withdraw his forces from there. Putin said Monday night that Russia had achieved its goals in Syria. It's difficult to judge that statement since it's been unclear from the start what those goals were. If the aims were limited -- preventing the collapse of President Bashar Assad's regime -- then the mission was indeed accomplished. ...More than anything, the Russian intervention places Moscow on an equal superpower plane with the United States, whose policies in Syria in particular -- and the Middle East in general -- is losing all credibility and support amongst its friends. ...In addition to his military maneuvers, Putin understands that Syria will never return to being the sovereign state it was with its traditional borders, as was the case in the period before 2011. This explains Russia’s readiness to lead a diplomatic effort that would turn Syria into a federally run political entity comprising a number of provinces - an Alawite (Shi’ite) fiefdom in the coastal area ruled by Assad, along Kurdish and Druse enclaves as well as chunks for the rebels. ...The Russian gambit also serves the interests of both Iran and Israel. Russian intervention has led to a certain rift with Iran, or, at the very least, Iranian discomfort. All of a sudden, Tehran finds itself playing second fiddle to Putin. Now Iran will return to its customary position of buttressing Assad. And paying the price ...As for Israel, the Russian decision is both a blessing and curse. On the one hand, Israel gets back its freedom to maneuver militarily, which it exercised almost completely before Moscow entered the fray. It will no longer have to coordinate its aerial activity in the skies above Syria with the Russians, nor will it need to clench its teeth in frustration as Russian fighter jets penetrate Israeli airspace over the Golan Heights. On the other hand, Israel’s regained freedom to act could come up against Iran’s re-established position of dominance on the Syrian front. The longer/harder Iran & Saudis fight their proxy wars, the better Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2016-03-15 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=449058 |