Why Russia is standing by Syria's Assad

BBC News ^ | 15 June 2012

[MinorityRepublican]

As the United Nations warns that Syria has descended into civil war, Russia continues to back President Bashar al-Assad in the face of growing international condemnation.

Konstantin von Eggert, political commentator for Kommersant FM radio in Moscow, looks at why the Kremlin is steadfastly supporting the beleaguered Syrian government.

Foreign policy analysts usually tend to explain Moscow's inflexible stance on Syria by evoking arms sales to Damascus (Bashar al-Assad's regime is said to have placed orders for Russian hardware to the tune of $3.5bn) and the Russian naval station in the Syrian port of Tartous.

But this alone does not account for Russia's seeming indifference to the adverse effect that its international advocacy of the Assad government has on its relations with the United States, the European Union and the majority of the Arab states.

The explanation has a lot to do with Russia's domestic policies and the obsessions of the Russian political class.

By standing up for Damascus, the Kremlin is telling the world that neither the UN, nor any other body or group of countries has the right to decide who should or should not govern a sovereign state.

If one looks at the Syrian crisis from this angle, many of Moscow's previously inexplicable actions take on a new, clearer meaning.

[null and void]

On the bright side, Obama will buckle just like Kennedy did in 1962, and the Russians will pull back their bombers just like the Soviets pulled back their missiles.

[ETL]

Putin, for all his innumerable flaws, loves his country.

As did Hitler, Stalin and Mao.

[zerosix]

I can't disprove what you say only to respond that I do remember a news story on TV stating that Russia was outraged that a convoy of their "folk living and working in Iraq....." were shot while driving or being driven out of Iraq prior to our bombing and invasion of Iraq. This story had them traveling in Mercedes, I think limos, to get out of harm's way prior to our invasion. Russia and others were outraged that we would resort to murder of its citizens behaving peacefully not doing anything wrong.

When this Iraqi Air Force General (Christian) spoke with our group, he said that the truth of that story was that these were Russian scientists and engineers and part of what they were taking with them was either WMD or parts thereof, or proof of the fact that that was what they were assisting Saddam in his building up his stockpiles of WMD.

I know I have some materials that this man brought to our group and will have to do some research on his presentation....but he was astounded that Bush, Cheney nor Rumsfeld would admit that Saddam moved much of such weaponry to Syria yet denied it - why.

My thought at the time was that "we" knew where the stuff went, could keep an eye on it and only wanted to fight one war at a time with a predominately Muslim country so as not to "offend the religion of peace!"

[zerosix]

Here us the story. I knew that it was not merely "trucks" but actual cars/limos:

"The Russian ambassador to Iraq Vladimir Titorenko thinks that the column of Russian cars, filled with diplomats and journalists, was deliberately attacked by the Americans," RIA Novosti wrote.

US forces deliberately attacked Russian convoy: Russian ambassador Agence France-Presse (Spacewar News)

MOSCOW (AFP) Apr 07, 2003
The Russian ambassador to Iraq on Monday accused US forces of deliberately shooting at his convoy as it was fleeing Iraq for Syria, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.The report, filed from the Iraqi-Syrian border, said Ambassador Vladimir Titorenko suffered a slight injury to his arm in the attack.

"The Russian ambassador to Iraq Vladimir Titorenko thinks that the column of Russian cars, filled with diplomats and journalists, was deliberately attacked by the Americans," RIA Novosti wrote. Russian news reports had earlier said that the convoy was carrying Russian flags as it was leaving Baghdad. The state-run news agency said that four cars in the convoy had been hit in the attack and that US M-16 bullet casings were found in the vehicles. The report further accused US forces of trying to stop the Russian convoy for inspections several times, "but these attempts were thwarted by the Russian diplomats."

In a later interview with ITAR-TASS news agency, Titorenko said US forces had shot at his convoy although the Russians had agreed on a time and route for their evacuation from Baghdad with the US authorities. "When we left Baghdad at a time and following a route agreed with the Americans, a column of US tanks, armored troop carriers and mobile artillery blocked our way," Titorenko said. "Our convoy, headed by my car and carrying Russian flags, stopped, but they unexpectedly opened fire," he added.

Read the rest here: http://www.paklinks.com/gs/world-affairs/98195-russian-convoy-in-iraq-attacked-by-us-forces.html

[cunning_fish]

Yep, this convoy actually was a dozen of Grand Cherokees and a couple of limos. I wonder how one is able to pack a nuclear program into it. They actually had some office equimpent, clothes and canned food with them. Not even a single handgun, let alone WMD.

[Cronos]

I disagree mildly with you on both counts:

1. "assad is our enemy" -- yeah, but the alternative is worse. It's like the Ukrainians in 1941 welcoming Nazis as saviors from the Soviets -- from one evil to a greater evil.

2. "Russia is our enemy" -- no, the Russians are posturing. The Russian people see the west as a rival, yes, but not the enemy. The Russian government too see's the West as a rival for Russian influence -- mainly for their pride. They have not got the resources to be a serious enemy

3. "Iran is our enemy" -- more correctly the Iranian regime is the enemy. The Iranian people have no beef with Israel and if anything the Iranian people are indifferent to the USA -- there is no visible US presence, so the Iranian government's "Big satan" bit sounds like posturing and deflection to them

[Cronos]

There are no Pootie supporters on FR. This is about Syria. On the matter of Syria, the Russians are correct -- Assad is a lesser evil than the Moslem Brotherhood.

The Christians in Syria have been protected by the Assad regime. it's a deal with the devil, because the OTHER devil would kill them immediately.

Look at what happened in Iraq -- 2 million Christians before 2003, quarter a million and dropping now.

Assad is better than the alternative for Israel and the US as well -- except for one "mirage-like" alternative -- a separate Christian state in the south of Syria and south of Lebanon. Bar that, it's better to have the evil Assad than the Moslem Brotherhood. Have we learnt nothing from Egypt?

[Cronos]

He well may have been behind the downed Polish airliner in which nearly the entire Polish government were wiped out. It occurred on an important historical anniversary. I can't recall at the moment which.

it occured when President Kaczyński was flying to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Katyń, when thousands of Polish officers and intelligentia were massacred by the Soviets.

Saying the entire Polish government was wiped out is incorrect -- the President and some ministers were killed, but the Prime Minister (who got re-elected since then: Donald Tusk) and others who didn't fly in the same plane, survived. However, yes, this was a blow to Poland as there were a number of people important to polish culture: writers, artists, actors, etc. who were killed, so yes this was a Drugi Katyń -- second Katyn.

[Cronos]

n&v - you of course mean an "american putin" namely one that is an American patriot.

i'm not sure that would be a good thing. Putin is in the vein of the worst Tsars -- knocking off those who disagree with him etc. He would cut off all freedom of speech etc., things that Obambi can only dream of

Nah, Obama is unfortunately the lesser of two evils (just as Romney is the lesser of two evils in comparison to Obama)

Putin came at an important time for Russia and restored its pride etc., but he's overstayed his welcome and undermined too much of Russia' nascent democracy.

[Cronos]

hittie and Mao, yes, but not Stalin. Stalin was the old vein of Bolshevik — a universalist who wanted to destroy all national boundaries and have one universal proletariat state. I’d suggest reading Adam Zamoyski’s book: “1920, the Battle of Warsaw”

[Cronos]

We want all the involved parties to “win”.

Agreed. Let the mozzies slaughter each other, and let Iran get into an internecine war with the Turks, Pakis and Sauds.

[ETL]

I wonder how one is able to pack a nuclear program into it. They actually had some office equimpent, clothes and canned food with them. Not even a single handgun, let alone WMD.

You are a real defender of the Russians, eh? They can do no wrong in your view.

[ETL]

There are no Pootie [Putin] supporters on FR.

Of course there are. "kronos77" (any relation?) is an admitted one.

[ETL]

The Russian government too see's the West as a rival for Russian influence -- mainly for their pride. They have not got the resources to be a serious enemy

Ridiculous. Al-Qaeda is a serious enemy with 1/10,000th the resources of Russia.

[ETL]

Russia’s military spending soars
February, 2011

Russia has revealed details of its ambitious plan to upgrade its army over the next ten years, planning to spend US$650 billion on the project.

­The unveiled large-scale plans of the Russian defense ministry propose the spending of vast sums of money up to 2020.

First and foremost, Russian defense will focus on the development of strategic nuclear weapons, construction of over 100 military vessels for Russian Navy, including construction of four originally French-made Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, and the introduction into the Air Force of over 1,000 helicopters and 600 military planes, including fifth generation PAK-FA fighter.

Most of the military hardware will be equipped with next-generation weaponry.

http://rt.com/news/military-budget-russia-2020/
______________________________________________________________

China and Russia Launch Military Exercises
April 22nd, 2012

China and Russia launched joint naval exercises Sunday in the Yellow Sea between the east coast of mainland China and the Korean peninsula.

Sixteen Chinese surface vessels and two submarines as well as four Russian warships will take part in the six days of drills. ...

China and Russia have conducted four bilateral and multilateral military exercises since 2005.

http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/04/22/china-and-russia-launch-military-exercises/

China and Russia Launch Military Exercises
April 22nd, 2012

[ETL]

The Russian government too see's the West as a rival for Russian influence -- mainly for their pride. They have not got the resources to be a serious enemy

That reminds me of this...

May 18, 2008: Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union. They don't pose a serious threat to us. ...they spend 1/100th of what we spend on the military. I mean, if Iran ever tried to pose a serious threat to us, they wouldn't stand a chance.

May 20, 2008 (2 days later!): Iran is a grave threat. It has an illicit nuclear program. It supports terrorism across the regions and militias in Iraq. It threatens Israel's existence. It denies the Holocaust.

Source for these genuine Obama quotes: NewsBusters.org:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brad-wilmouth/2008/05/23/fnc-shows-obamas-iran-flip-flop-colmes-might-talk-hitler

[ETL]

Russia and Islam are not Separate:
Why Russia backs Al-Qaeda

By Konstantin Preobrazhensky

Americans generally believe that Russia is afraid of Islamic terrorism as much as the U.S.A. They are reminded of the war in Chechnya, the hostage crisis at the Beslan School in 2004 and at the Moscow Theater in 2002, and of the apartment house blasts in Moscow in 1999, where over 200 people were killed. It is clear that Russians are also targets of terrorism today.

But in all these events, the participation of the FSB, Federal Security Service, inheritor to the KGB, is also clear. Their involvement in the Moscow blasts has been proven by lawyer Mikhail Trepashkin, a former FSB Colonel. For this he was illegally imprisoned, and is now suffering torture and deprivation of medical assistance, from which he is not likely to survive.

A key distinction between Russian and American attitudes towards Islamic terrorism is that while for America terrorism is largely seen as an exterior menace, Russia uses terrorism as an object as a tool of the state for manipulation in and outside the home country. Islamic terrorism is only part of the world of terrorism. Long before Islamic terrorism became a global threat, the KGB had used terrorism to facilitate the victory of world Communism.

This leads to the logical connection between Russian and Islamic terrorism. The late Alexander Litvinenko, poisoned in London in November, 2006, told me that his former FSB colleagues had trained famous Al-Qaeda terrorists Ayman Al-Zawahiri and Juma Namangoniy during the 1980s and 1990s. Ayman Al-Zawahiri, one of the world's most wanted terrorists, has been responsible for the murder of U.S. nationals outside the United States. Before his death, Juma Namangoniy (Jumabai Hojiyev), a native of Soviet Uzbekistan, was a right-hand man of Osama bin Laden in charge of the Taliban's northern front in Afghanistan.

In 1996, Alexander Litvinenko was responsible for securing the secrecy of Al-Zawahiri's arrival in Russia, who was trained by FSB instructors in Dagestan, Northern Caucasus, in 1996-1997.

At that time, Litvinenko was the Head of the Subdivision for Internationally Wanted Terrorists of the First Department of the Operative-Inquiry Directorate of the FSB Anti-Terrorist Department. He was ordered to undertake the delicate mission of securing Al-Zawahiri from unintentional disclosure by the Russian police. Though Al-Zawahiri had been brought to Russia by the FSB using a false passport, it was still possible for the police to learn about his arrival and report to Moscow for verification. Such a process could disclose Al-Zawahiri as an FSB collaborator.

In order to prevent this, Litvinenko visited a group of the highly placed police officers to notify them in advance. "If you get information about some suspicious Arabs arriving in the Caucasus, please report it to me before informing your leadership", he told them.

Juma Namangoniy was once a student of the Saboteur Training Center of the First Chief Directorate of the KGB in 1989-91. The school was notorious for the international terrorists who matriculated from it. It now belongs to the FSB, and since only KGB staff officers were allowed to study there, Juma Namangoniy's presence clearly suggests that he was much more than a civil collaborator.

Mohammed Atta, the pilot of the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, had met with a senior Iraqi intelligence agent in Prague, Czech Republic, five months before the attack. But Iraqi intelligence was just a client of Russia's intelligence service. It brings a new understanding to the fact that President Putin was the first foreign President to call President Bush on 9/11. One may conjecture that he knew in advance what was to happen.

Muslim Name and Communist Heart

Tartars have always been patriotic to Russia. Their independent kingdom was conquered by Russia in the 16th century, but their gentry were allowed to join the Russian upper class and enjoy all its privileges. Even today, many Russian families of noble origin have Tartar origins. Russia has a half-millennium of experience in turning conquered Muslim nations into obedient citizens by bribing their elite.

There are many Soviet Muslims, therefore, who seem to face no conflict of spirit. One can be a Muslim in name only, whose heart belongs to Communism. There have been a lot of such people among Russian Muslims, especially among the Tartars. The Soviet Union has typically preferred to appoint them as ambassadors to Muslim countries. Their Muslim names give them a pass to the local society, but their Communist hearts order them to serve world Communism and not the world of Islam.

In the Soviet period, the highest leadership of the Muslim republics like Uzbekistan were unofficially allowed to practice Islam under the guise of folk rites, even though their Russian colleagues were severely reprimanded for participating in such Christian "rites" as Christmas or Easter. Unlike today, Soviet cartoonists were able to mock Islam as they mocked all other religions and it didn't bring any special reaction.

Muslims of the Uzbek and other Central Asian republics' elite joined the KGB intelligence in order to spy on fellow Muslim countries. In the KGB, I have met a lot of such quasi-Muslim officers.

Russia Grows Muslim

Putin continues the traditional Russian policy of giving privileges to the Muslim elite. Today's Russian Minister of Healthcare, Mikhail Zurabov, is a Chechen. His political agenda includes the total destruction of the Russian healthcare system, looking like revenge for the war in Chechnya. Putin shows no concern over that.

Strategically Russia is surrendering to the Muslim world. The Russian population is declining rapidly, being undermined by 70 years of Communist experiment and the cold indifference of post-communist rulers. Annually, Russia is losing 900 thousand people who are being replaced by Muslims from the Caucasus and Central Asia. Islam is now the second-largest religion in Russia, where it may total up to 28 million adherents. Because of this, Russia was able to join the Organization of the Islamic Conference in 2003.

Russia's great qualitative population change represents both a departure from the past and a strengthening link with it. The synergies between the history of Russia's national policies of terrorism and the radical Islamic terrorism that it is spreading around the world are natural partners that may severely impact on America's own future.

_________________

Konstantin Preobrazhensky, a former Lt. Colonel in the KGB who defected to the United States in 1993, is an intelligence expert and specialist on Japan, about which he has written six books. His newest book Russian-American, A New KGB Asset will be published in late 2007. This article was first published by Gerard Group International, Intel Analyses, 31 August 2007.

Link is no longer valid
http://cicentre.com/Documents/russia_islam_not_separate.html

[aruanan]

The Russian government too see's [sic] the West as a rival for Russian influence -- mainly for their pride. They have not got the resources to be a serious enemy

Sure, if you've got some really, really special definition of "resources" and "serious."

[ETL]

"China and Russia have conducted four bilateral and multilateral military exercises since 2005."

http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/04/22/china-and-russia-launch-military-exercises/
____________________________________________________

[2009] Russia, China plan new joint military exercises

By MARTIN SIEFF, UPI Senior News Analyst
Published: March 26, 2009

WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- The continuing tensions over Russia's refusal to sell its state-of-the-art land warfare advanced weapons systems to China hasn't interrupted the rhythm of major joint military exercises between the two major land powers on the Eurasian landmass. The latest in the regular, biennial series of exercises between the two nations has been confirmed for this summer.

The next in the now well-established series of exercises called Peace Mission 2009 will be carried out in northeastern China, the Russian Defense Ministry announced March 18, according to a report carried by the RIA Novosti news agency.

The first bilateral Peace Mission maneuvers -- described at the time as counter-terrorism exercises -- were held in Russia and the eastern Chinese province of Shandong in August 2005. As we reported at that time, they were a lot bigger than mere counter-terrorism exercises. Warships, squadrons of combat aircraft and more than 10,000 troops were involved carrying out landings against hypothetically hostile shores. The maneuvers also involved large-scale paratroops drops. The scale and nature of those exercises suggested a trial run for a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan with Russian support. ..."

http://www.upi.com/Security_Industry/2009/03/26/Russia_China_plan_new_joint_military_exercises/UPI-25021238094858/
____________________________________________________

Russia, China flex muscles in joint war games
August 17, 2007

CHEBARKUL, Russia (Reuters) - Russia and China staged their biggest joint exercises on Friday but denied this show of military prowess could lead to the formation of a counterweight to NATO.

"Today's exercises are another step towards strengthening the relations between our countries, a step towards strengthening international peace and security, and first and foremost, the security of our peoples," Putin said.

Fighter jets swooped overhead, commandos jumped from helicopters on to rooftops and the boom of artillery shells shook the firing range in Russia's Ural mountains as two of the largest armies in the world were put through their paces.

The exercises take place against a backdrop of mounting rivalry between the West, and Russia and China for influence over Central Asia, a strategic region that has huge oil, gas and mineral resources.

Russia's growing assertiveness is also causing jitters in the West. Putin announced at the firing range that Russia was resuming Soviet-era sorties by its strategic bomber aircraft near NATO airspace.

http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29030120070817?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
____________________________________________________

War Games: Russia, China Grow Alliance
September 23, 2005

In foreign policy it’s critical to “know thine enemy.” So American policymakers should be aware that Russia and China are inching closer to identifying a common enemy — the United States.

The two would-be superpowers held unprecedented joint military exercises Aug. 18-25. Soothingly named “Peace Mission 2005,” the drills took place on the Shandong peninsula on the Yellow Sea, and included nearly 10,000 troops. Russian long-range bombers, the army, navy, air force, marine, airborne and logistics units from both countries were also involved.

Moscow and Beijing claim the maneuvers were aimed at combating terrorism, extremism and separatism (the last a veiled reference to Taiwan), but it’s clear they were an attempt to counter-balance American military might.

Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."

http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed092605a.cfm
____________________________________________________

""Peace Mission" 2010

Looks like the military exercise between Shanghai Cooperation Organization is becoming an annual occurrence instead of bi-annual [ie, 2005, 2007, 2009].

According to rian, the next one will be this September [2010]. ..."

http://www.informationdissemination.net/2010/07/peace-mission-2010.html

[ETL]

The Russian government too see's the West as a rival for Russian influence -- mainly for their pride. They have not got the resources to be a serious enemy

"Vladimir Putin praised Cold War-era scientists on Thursday for stealing U.S. nuclear secrets so that United States would not be the world's sole atomic power, in comments reflecting his vision of Russia as a counterweight to U.S. power. ...

Putin's remarks referred to the dawn of the Cold War more than half a century ago, but they echoed a message he has made loud and clear more recently: that the United States needs to be restrained, and Russia is the country to do it. …

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...