RETHINKING RUSSIAN MISSION IN SYRIA
Since the collapse of the USSR, Syria has remained to be center of Russian Middle East foreign policy regarding its economic and political ties. As a result of the Arab Spring, the Syrian regime and President Assad has shaken with the unrestrained uprisings and western sanctions and eventually crisis turned into a fierce civil war. From the inauguration of the crisis Russia has never altered its political view on Syria even though there were expectations to the contrary. Moscow officially remained calling for “No military intervention against Syria” and that’s why three times vetoed US resolutions concerning widening sanctions or allowing multilateral military operations. However, Russia claims that Moscow is not protective of Syrian regime or Assad instead prevents Syria to fall into a long-term civil war. On the other hand, Syria is one of the most crucial arms importer of Russia and hosting Russian naval base on its Mediterranean coast. In this paper it is aimed to analyze the Russian stable and consistent foreign policy on Syria and its reasons as well as latest Russian and US rising tensions.
Syria and the Doctrine of Arab Neutralism: From Independence to Dependence
Introduction - Neutralism in Retrospect: Definitions and Paradigms Syria's Road to Independence: The Emergence of Pragmatic/Calculative Nationalist Neutralism The Rise of 'Anti-Western Neutralism' in Post-Mandatory Syria Neutralism in Practice: Syria and the Consolidation of the Arab-Asian Group Communism, Syria, and Neutralist Trends Syria's Rival Schools of Neutralism and the Road to Union Nasserite 'Positive Neutralism' and the United Arab Republic Conclusion - The Rise of the Neo-Ba'th and the Gradual Demise of Neutralism Appendix - Modes of Practised Arab Neutralism Index.
Russia's Return to the Middle East
Since the eastward expansion of NATO dashed Moscow9s early hopes of being integrated into the West, Russia has pursued an independent foreign policy focused mainly on Central Asia and the Middle East, including "rogue" states shunned by Washington. Among Russia9s advantages are tens of thousands of Arabic-speaking former Soviet experts and a growing regional anti-Americanism. At the same time, Russian Muslims are becoming more assertive. Russia9s dependence on the West for economic aid, however, sharply limits its margin of maneuver.