Vladimir Putin is reshaping the Middle East to fit
Russia’s interests by adhering to fundamentals of international affairs that
America’s foreign policy establishment sets aside in favor of what they deem
sophistication. Unlike our “realists,” who start out compromising our interests
with those of local allies, Putin is bending theirs to Russia’s. Unlike our
liberal internationalists, who try to lead by giving power to local allies, Putin
directs them in operations of his choice. Unlike our neoconservatives, who
endlessly deploy force piecemeal, Putin uses it decisively.
The Wall Street Journal recently
fretted that Putin’s tank, plane, and artillery expeditionary force is
empowering Iran as well as Syria’s Assad: “Russian planes can target anyone
Assad deems an enemy.” No. They are targeting anyone who stands in the way of
Russia’s objectives. That’s a big, big difference. Neither Assad, nor Iran, nor
Iran’s Shia allies in what used to be Iraq have any reason to delude themselves
that Putin’s assistance will take them any farther toward their own objectives
than is absolutely necessary for Putin to achieve his own……….
Russia’s military orthodoxy is the decisive
difference between its expedition in former Syria and Iraq and America’s recent
ventures. Russian forces seem to be prioritizing objectives, weakening the rear
with strategic air strikes, then moving the front forward with coordinated
combined arms and little if any concern for collateral damage. Historically,
this sort of behavior tends to engender respect rather than additional enmity.
