How did Russia bring a balance of power and cooperation back to the Middle East?
Long-lasting policy doctrine, from the USSR to Yeltsin to Putin, explains it
In the Western corporate media, foreign policy in the Middle East is often portrayed as a matter of America deciding what policies they want to impose upon the Middle East. The interests of those in the region are assumed to align with American interests and values. In our media discourse, it is just assumed that anyone who opposes the American-led Western Globalist Order has evil motives that need to simply be morally scrutinized as though we have the clear eyes to judge. What if there were another way? What if there was a way to preserve the national interest and have good relations without imposing yourself around the world? Let’s consider Russia’s recent history in the Middle East as an illustrative strategy.
Current Russian foreign policy doctrine stems from Yevgeny Primakov, a Russian who studied Arabic language, history, and culture at university and was eventually appointed to run Soviet intelligence agencies and the foreign ministry for Gorbachev. During this time, as well as when he served as Prime Minister and Vice President for President Yeltsin, he developed and advocated for a foreign policy strategy that came to he known as the Primakov Doctrine. It comprises of three major strategic imperatives:
Maintain oversight over the regions of the former Soviet sphere.
Promote global multipolarity.
Oppose American hegemony.
President Putin also benefited from Primakov’s advice throughout his career in Russian intelligence and politics to the extent to which some people called Primakov Putin’s “godfather.” President Putin eventually put his doctrine into practice after he appointed General Valery Gerasimov to the Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. Gerasimov incorporated some logistical and organizational policies from America, streamlining organizational structure and chains of command, while putting Primakov’s ideas into operational consideration, to the extent to which some commentators call the “Gerasimov Doctrine” the “Primakov Doctrine.”
Gerasimov carried out this strategy under Putin when Russian troops and equipment were ordered into Syria, stymying the American-led Western effort to topple regimes in the Middle East and divide the region into chaotic reactions between American-led regimes and opposition to American-led hegemony. This put an end to the civil war in Syria instigated by American-led Western forces and gave Russia a crucial foothold in the region, giving them leverage with all major powers in the region. What has Russia done with its power and leverage in the region? The results are surprisingly peaceful.
A map of the current conflict in Syria. Southern light green is the American area with IS and Al Qaeda trainees. Northern light green is Turkey-dominated with Al Qaeda associates and others. And dark green is controlled by Al Qaeda themselves. Russia has deployed troops and equipment to defend the red and yellow areas.
In the dispute between Israel and Syria, Russia has played a moderating role, with the ability to pressure Syria to reduce hostility with Israel and the ability to give the green light to Syria to use advanced equipment against Israeli forces. Israel was reminded of Russia’s ability push back against Israel’s own hostility when Syria used the S-300 to shoot down an Israeli fighter jet conducting operations against Syria. Russia themselves also shot down some Turkish warplanes conducting operations against Syria, defending the sovereignty of a regional state while also preventing the escalation of hostilities. This is all done while maintaining cordial public relations with both Turkey and Israel, with whom they have both military and commercial partnerships.
Not to neglect Iran and Saudi Arabia, Russia partners with Saudi Arabia on energy policy, sending Saudi Arabia petroleum and derivatives while Saudi Arabia refuses to disrupt the Russian energy market, and Russia has close economic and military ties with Iran. Russia is the primary buyer of embargoed Iranian oil and has regular economic integration negotiations with the country, proposing membership in the Eurasian Union, a free trade and customs union, which would bring Iran into the formerly Soviet economy. Russia is also Iran’s primary sponsor in Iranian nuclear negotiations with the West. Iran’s primary regional rival, Saudi Arabia, knows Russia has the ability to encourage or discourage nuclear ambitions in the region, especially when it comes to economic, diplomatic, and military support for Iran. This ability to dampen the chaos frustrates American-led Western Globalist ambitions to dictate their terms to that part of the world. There are no escalating hostilities to turn into Western regime change and a shock-and-awe introduction to the America-enforced Globalist system.
This reality flies in the face of Western liberals propaganda regarding the “intolerance” and the “brutality” of other powers in the region. Western liberals think the politicians and commentators they support are trying to spread peace and justice around the world. While their Establishment darlings from the Bush and Obama administrations told the liberal media consumer sweet nothings about peace and love and tolerance, they were increasing hostilities around the globe, destroying the lives of millions of people, and stamping out opposition to the their Globalist empire at the barrel of a gun. Russia seems to be doing comparatively better. Don’t let them tell you Russia is a threat to peace when American-led Westerners seem to be the most monstrous culprit.
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