(OR: Why is Russia in the Middle East with troops?)
Unfortunately, Rooster has no magical crystal ball, but he does have history and some knowledge of the area. Knowing history allows one some idea of what is happening now and may happen tomorrow.
Nowhere in the media has Rooster found a good explanation of why Putin would put his people in harm’s way in the Middle East. Clearly he has kept out until now.
Russia does not need the Middle East Oil, although there is some discussion of Russia’s natural oil supply getting thin. Certainly not its Natural Gas resources which are abundant. Russia and especially Putin, must clearly remember the terrible effects of their defeat in Afghanistan. It was the final straw for the Russian Empire and the collapse of its Communism dream. This must haunt Putin every night. Clearly Putin does not need Russian Airplanes being shot out of the air and its pilots mal treated, by Turkey or any other Muslim in the Middle East. The Russian leaders are not stupid and over and over again have witnessed the U.S. failing in its objectives there. They know they cannot do any better, alone. They know their Commercial Jets are just as vulnerable as any other countries. Pages and pages of history prove the area is a cauldron of killing, chaos, and back stabbing. It is not lost on them. Putin and all of the Russian leaders are painfully aware of the trouble Russian has had with the bordering countries other than Mongolia, China, and the Western Powers. The ones in particular are Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The first is dominantly Islam of the Sunni faith. The Second is 91 percent Islam with 85 percent Shia. Georgia is less Islamic with about 10% Sunni. It is the latter which has given Russia the most trouble. Since the Soviet Empire failed, its trouble with the Islamic borders has been nothing but awful.
Putin has publically declared that something is wrong with Islam since its devotees will not assimilate in Russia. He has demanded that they do. They don’t.
Conclusion is all the experience Russia has had with Islam has been bad. Still they have helped Iran with its nuclear and missile efforts. They have meet with the High Religious leader of Iran, just as Putin is doing right now.
The question is why has Russia helped Iran and is now in Iraq and Syria fighting ISIS.? Some have said it is in retaliation for the sanctions imposed by the west. This is short thinking. Some have said it is purely a matter of money in the sale of military knowledge. Russia can use the money but there are other less dangerous ways to do that. Some say it is simply anti- Zionist, and Putin wants to hurt Israel. This is a weak thought to, because there is a very large Jewish population in Russia. They number some 14.2 million there. Putin is not crazy enough to promote a civil war or his sudden loss of popularity. So what is it that motivates Russia in this intrusion?
It is Putin. It is his concept of Islam and what it has done to his Mother Russia. One thing for certain, Putin is a true patriot for his country. He wants it to be big and strong and he wants it to dominate others. Since he has been in power he has had one day after another of terror attacks by Islam. The Islamic population is hefty at about 20 million. Most are along the southern, Middle Eastern, border. Islamic conflict has not been confined to the borders, but has been in Moscow and most other large cities. What he has seen and believes is that it is stupid to support the Sunni sect of Islam. It is smarter to support Shia. He knows both are unstable, but he also knows that the Shia will not appoint a one world Islamic leader, like a Caliphate. This goes way back to the split between the two dominate sects. He knows that the great fear, and only logical fear, is what will happen if Islam becomes united. If that happens then the world, especially Russia, will be in the third world war, and this time it will be between Islam and everyone else. It has been the Sunni sect that has given Russia the most trouble. It is the Sunni who had the last world Caliphate in the Ottoman Empire, and it’s the Sunni who created ISIS. It is ISIS which has created a new Caliphate and through it, worldwide attraction. Russia’s border will be more peaceful, if he can keep Sunni and Shia at each other’s throats and get rid of an Islamic World caliphate.
How does this relate to Iraq and Syria? The Shia, the leaders of Iran, have always wanted to have a Mediterranean influence. If ISIS can be defeated then it is an open road. Iraq has already fallen to Shia leadership. (Thank you Mr. Obama) The leader of Syria, Doctor Assad, is Shia. He has lead a sometimes brutal regime because of the Sunni and Shia conflict. Syria is mostly Sunni. ISIS is just part of that. If Assad can be the winner, then Iran/Shia will have that open door, that open road, to the Mediterranean Sea. It would be an almost East to West drive from anyplace in Iran to the Mediterranean through Iraq and Syria. It would make a major division for the Sunni.
This then is the reason Putin is there and why he will stay there so long as he can help the Shia and Sunni conflict.
PROTEST: Fly the Betsy Ross Flag. It is the one flag where all the States supported the Constitution. WC. 916
Rooster Bradford gives up all rights to this article and seeks no compensation for its use . 2015.