As you might have heard, the conflict in Syria has worsened with Russian involvement. Russian forces began airstrikes against the American-backed Syrian rebel group, the Free Syrian Army, a group that fights against the current Russian-backed Syrian government.
I don’t know about you, but this seems more like a deliberate attack on the United States than on the Free Syrian Army.
According to the New York Times, Russian forces have committed over 100 airstrikes against the Free Syrian Army during the weekend, while a small number of insurgent groups have been receiving TOW anti-tank guided missiles from the U.S.
While both governments claim to be using their attacks to fight the militants of the Islamic State, or ISIS, these increased attacks on both sides are doing nothing more than allowing the U.S. and Russia to engage in a proxy war.
Russia backs the current Syrian government headed by President Bashar al-Assad, which the U.S. obviously does not support. While this contrast might appear petty or ironic, this proxy conflict has more sinister implications for our international image.
What is really at stake in the Syrian conflict is which world power can do a better job at creating stability within the Middle East and curb the rise of radical Islam. The President of Russia Vladimir Putin wants to put Russia in the forefront of global power by proving his strategies and resources are better suited to stability than those of the U.S.
The U.S. is always looked to for guidance and resources during times of crisis around the world. The problem with aid from the U.S., in the opinion of the Russian government, is the obsession with spreading democracy. Putin considers this as a cause of instability in the world, and he’s trying to prove it with the conflict in Syria.
In short, this proxy conflict is a huge public relations stunt on behalf of the Russian government that aims to knock the U.S. off of its teetering pedestal of democracy and claim the prize for global hero.
Why did Putin say he thinks supporting a dictator will help stabilize the Middle East? Well, the U.S. is supporting the Free Syrian Army in order to fight ISIS and simultaneously push for a revolution, resulting in a new vaguely democratic government. Putin said he thinks — and rightfully so — that U.S. interventions result in revolutions that produce highly unstable governments, such as the recent Iraq and Afghanistan cases. By pushing for democracy, Putin thinks the U.S. tries to do too much at once and ends up failing. Putin thinks Russia can avoid following in the footsteps of the U.S. by taking it one step at a time.
Russia’s push to change its global persona also comes in the struggle for influence in Central Asia. The region is on the brink of major political and economic changes, as leaders are getting older and economies in the region are becoming stagnate. The U.S. is also in line for influence in the region with the push for the passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would tie the U.S. and Pacific trading partners together, though China will be excluded.
Whether or not the U.S. and Russia are willing to admit the conflict in Syria is a proxy for U.S. and Russian relations, let’s just hope the conflict doesn’t get more serious than it already has.
rcm2@indiana.edu
@RachelCMiller1
