American analysts recognized the effectiveness of our diplomacy in the region
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Photo: Valery sharifulin/TASS
Russia has an advantage over the United States in the middle East that is a cause of concern for Washington. This writes the American magazine The National Interest. According to the author, the success of the Russian diplomacy is associated not so much with the use of military force, but with the ability to build coalitions.
The journal writes that Russia is in contact with all, regardless of past disagreements. So she establishes contacts with Israel, Iran, Turkey. The newspaper notes that the use of Iranian airfield Russian VKS will not lead to the creation of a military Alliance.
Largely with The National Interest could not agree more. Americans do often rely on brute force, blackmail and unrealistic promises. It is clear that it is a little like other States. And if they become partners of Washington, then rather from fear than from my own interests. Besides, US policy is constantly changing and even the most ardent supporter of American democracy in another country cannot be sure that tomorrow it will not declare a dictator.
Russia, by contrast, always maintains a consistent policy. In the internal Affairs of other countries climbs, and offers cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis.
At the same time, not to mention that the United States today hold almost the entire middle East, and Russia’s influence extends only to Syria. But, apparently, Americans are so arranged that any foreign activity perceive as a challenge and aim unlimited dominion on the globe.
— Russia is really back to the middle East, ” says senior researcher of the Centre for Arab and Islamic studies, Institute of Oriental studies Boris Dolgov.
— In Soviet period the middle East was considered an ally of our country. Now, of course, the situation is different. But Russia has returned to the region. If we talk about allies, that Syria is a traditional ally.
But it’s hard to say that Russia plays the United States. Our country certainly has its own interests in the middle East. This is primarily related to the Syrian conflict. We are developing relations with Turkey, which has traditionally been our ally was not. We have normal relations with Iran, and from there our HQs are bombing the terrorists in Syria.
But it is impossible to agree with the American edition that we establish contact with all, no matter what. Russia has its own focus.
While we can’t see what ahead of America. Even in Syria. The important thing is that Russia has returned to the middle East and works there active.
“SP”: — in General, if we have a goal to beat the United States?
— As such this objective is not. We are not trying to beat the US and the West. Politics and geopolitics imply the achievement of any specific goals. Any great power acts on the basis of interests. Russia now has its own geopolitical interests in the middle East. However, we do not want to show that stronger and more active someone.
But in our policy in the middle East has its own difficulties. First of all, the interests of our business. Not always it acts on foreign policy productive. But this problem is faced by other countries.
“SP”: — What’s the purpose of Russia in the middle East?
We are fighting the spread of the “Islamic state” * that is a threat to our national security. Thousands of people from the former Soviet Union are today in the ranks of the radicals. In the event of their return will not be anything good. Russia’s interest is to inhibit ISIS, to give him the opportunity to move into the regions of Central Asia and the North Caucasus.
Today Syria, Iraq and Iran can be called allies in opposition to the radical Islamists. Was “axis”, which protects the far frontiers of Russia. Therefore, an important direction — interaction with these States.
There are, of course, economic interests. They are associated primarily with Turkey and Iran. It is important for the economic component of Russian foreign policy.
“SP”: — Is the publication in The National Interest to consider misinformation? This is because the US has always cooperated with all, not thinking about fundamentals.
— Today, any publication should be considered from the point of view of information warfare. Russia trying to push. Simultaneously, the impact on the American reading public.
The United States consider themselves to be the strongest and most democratic country on the planet, about it repeatedly spoke of American politics. And the US not so much to offer, how much to impose its values and its policies. Americans act in their own interests. An article in The National Interest has a dual purpose.
— Not to say that we replay the United States, we just defend our interests, — the expert of Institute of the Middle East Sergei Seregichev.
— Americans also deal with all, even with radical Islamists. If you take some “account”, then we have a tie. Somewhere we are ahead and where the Americans are ahead of us.
In General, the situation in the middle East is changing constantly. Today it seems that you’re a winner, tomorrow a loser, the next day understand the ambiguity of the situation, and then again in the win. Therefore it is impossible to say definitely who wins the replay.
If you look at things globally, we see that the conflict in Syria continues, the conflict in Palestine continues. Hard to say who won and lost. While we are quite successful policy in the middle East.
But there are nuances. For example, there is a danger of us involvement in the Syrian conflict involving large military formations. For the small contingent we already have large losses. And we can’t reverse this situation. We beat the rebels, but the future is unpredictable. Not the fact that if you liberate Aleppo, we will be able to return Syria to a state in which it was before the war. It will be another Syria. And there is a danger that the country will be fragmented, some regions will support us and others they will hate. And so throughout the middle East.
Our diplomacy in principle, does not think in terms of “lost” and “won”. There are specific tasks and goals. There are goals for the long term. Our main task — to ensure national security, to prevent terrorists from Syria went from there to us. And for this task we are going to have contact with anyone, that’s a fact. But it is not our know-how.
Our foreign policy good PR. We serve the Russians that all is well, as if we did not see. On the other hand, it may be for the best.
Although there are other opinions. That friendship with Iran could turn against us. But in politics there are no friends or enemies, only partners and competitors, and they are constantly changing places.
“SP”: — is it Possible in principle to build a long-term strategy in the middle East?
— It is possible. You just have to proceed from the principle of national security. Our policy in the middle East should be subordinated to this, even the economic benefit goes by the wayside. Another thing is that the region is full of surprises. Say, happened, the “Arab spring” that no one predicted could not.
It is difficult to guess what will be in the region tomorrow. You can try to attract allies to at least to attract them. But it is worth considering that the allies can go over to the other side. The same Syrians, in fact, get along well with the United States, even before the relationship was good. Iran is aiming for regional leaders, and he does not care with whom to deal. It will anyone purchasing a weapon, if only it had a quality and inexpensive. By the way, the Iranians are more friendly with the Chinese than with us.
Middle East policy is extremely turbulent, difficult to predict. Diplomats are more tactical tasks, rather than strategic. Few people think how to fundamentally solve the conflict in Palestine or to solve the problem of water scarcity with the growing population.
Therefore, we can say that our diplomacy more or less cope. But things can change very quickly. Russian policy is good because it reconciled. It does not change per second as an American. Besides, US policy depends on the President, Congress, who between them don’t get along. There is still the policy of the Pentagon, CIA policy. We have everything from a single source, the foreign policy of monolithic.
I wouldn’t talk about whose policy is most effective. We solve your tasks, and the Americans theirs. We have too many problems. It is unknown how much stretch the conflict in Syria. It is unclear how we conduct ourselves with the Kurds. Damascus says that the next war will be with them. Side to be Moscow? This is a complex issue.
While we cope with the task. But there is something to strive for. It is good to have in the middle East was the word, and not a weapon. But it is a utopia.
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* “Islamic state” (LIH) the Supreme court of the Russian Federation from December 29, 2014 it was recognized as a terrorist organization, its activity on the territory of Russia is prohibited.
