Article

2012-07-23 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russia's Nightmare and the Danger of Abandoning Assad

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by trailing wife 2012-07-23 00:00|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 This is hard to believe. The Russians have long considered Syria to be a good customer for Russian armaments.

The stuff about Syria being a bulwark against Sunni revivalism seems goofy

Posted by lord garth 2012-07-23 01:14|| 2012-07-23 01:14|| Front Page Top

#2 Russians do consider Sunni Islam a threat---that's why they support Iran.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2012-07-23 03:19|| 2012-07-23 03:19|| Front Page Top

#3 The Russian plan, plain snd simple.

Posted by Dale 2012-07-23 06:51|| 2012-07-23 06:51|| Front Page Top

#4 Morely likely Putin's is afraid that if Assad falls, Syria will not pay the Russian debt.

Posted by bernardz 2012-07-23 07:16|| 2012-07-23 07:16|| Front Page Top

#5 Maybe Russia has picked up on our cynical old strategy of keeping the various Muslim factions in balance militarily, and pre-occupied with killing each other.

Posted by Glenmore 2012-07-23 12:12|| 2012-07-23 12:12|| Front Page Top

#6 Russians do consider Sunni Islam a threat---that's why they support Iran.

Maybe they will have an epiphany one day and realize that Iranian Shites are also a threat.

Posted by JohnQC 2012-07-23 14:32|| 2012-07-23 14:32|| Front Page Top

#7 Maybe they will have an epiphany one day and realize that Iranian Shites are also a threat

A case of being too smart for their own good. They believe that MM are the Soviet leadership---nationalists masquerading as ideologists.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2012-07-23 15:02|| 2012-07-23 15:02|| Front Page Top

#8 are the ---> are like the

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2012-07-23 15:20|| 2012-07-23 15:20|| Front Page Top

#9 The overwhelming majority of Muslims in Russia is Sunni. Here you go.

Posted by European Conservative 2012-07-23 17:25|| 2012-07-23 17:25|| Front Page Top

#10 Also Chechnyan rebels are Sunnis and supported by Saudi Arabia, Iran's mortal enemy.

Posted by European Conservative 2012-07-23 17:27|| 2012-07-23 17:27|| Front Page Top

#11 "Morely likely Putin's is afraid that if Assad falls, Syria will not pay the Russian debt."

Doncha' just hate it when a cash-paying customer goes bankrupt - or their corrupt regime just collapses? Sheeesh ... it's hard to find stable third world dictatorships these days.

Posted by Raider 2012-07-23 20:28|| 2012-07-23 20:28|| Front Page Top

#12 nnaaahhhhh. I'm sure Iran will make good on that debt. Right?

Posted by Frank G 2012-07-23 20:38|| 2012-07-23 20:38|| Front Page Top

00:01 JosephMendiola
23:56 JosephMendiola
23:52 Water Modem
23:49 JosephMendiola
23:45 JosephMendiola
23:17 rammer
22:46 Water Modem
22:43 JosephMendiola
22:42 junkiron
22:39 Water Modem
21:48 Richard Aubrey
21:31 Dale
21:20 Steve White
21:09 crosspatch
21:00 Frank G
20:59 Frank G
20:55 rammer
20:49 Alaska Paul
20:40 Procopius2k
20:40 JohnQC
20:38 Frank G
20:28 Raider
19:58 Besoeker
19:49 phil_b