Monday, December 7, 2015

Part 3: Opportunities and dangers in West Asia

Russia marches in to Syria through Azerbaijan?



Some areas of Russia have significan Muslim populations.


Russia, has the strongest army in the Middle East and a lot of grim experience fighing Salafi extremeists.

From Al Jazeera:


Moscow, Russia - Twenty years ago on Thursday, Moscow started what it thought would be a "blitzkrieg" against secular separatists in Chechnya, a tiny, oil-rich province in Russia's North Caucasus region that had declared its independence.
But the first Chechen war became Russia's Vietnam; the second war was declared a victory only in 2009. The two conflicts have reshaped Russia, Chechnya, their rulers - and those who oppose them.

Russia need cross only Azerbaijan to get an army into  Iran and Syria.  Azerbaijan, a nominal Shiite country, has no love for Salafi extremists.


From al Jazeera

Moscow, Russia - Twenty years ago on Thursday, Moscow started what it thought would be a "blitzkrieg" against secular separatists in Chechnya, a tiny, oil-rich province in Russia's North Caucasus region that had declared its independence. 
But the first Chechen war became Russia's Vietnam; the second war was declared a victory only in 2009. The two conflicts have reshaped Russia, Chechnya, their rulers - and those who oppose them.


The Russian bases at Latakia and Tartus, Syria, are near the Turkmen and the Kurds.  The naval base at Tartus is Russia's only direct outlet to the Mediterranean and important to Russia.

From RT:  Russian sailors do their morning exercises near a Navy vessel in the bay of the Ukrainian city Sevastopol, the main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Sept. 6, 2011.



From RT:  Russia protects regime of Syrian president Assad because it is afraid of losing naval bases in Latakia and Tartus, writes president of Eurasia Group Ian Bremmer in his article published by The Financial Times



Russian servicemen dining at x air base in Syria's Latakia © Dmitry Vinogradov / RIA Novosti











Some, who would war on Russia,
would kill this young man. . . .

No comments: