Russia is expanding its position in the middle East with the decline of the role of “honest broker” US

Russian back, yeah like you never left.

This week Reuters published an article which has not received due attention, although it discusses in detail the extension of Russian influence in the middle East. This expansion is driven by the economic interests of Russia, which is the leading oil-producing country and a supplier of arms and its history.

Reuters reported that in the West of Egypt near the border with Libya has deployed the Russian special forces, received the task to provide support close to the Russian Libyan military commander Khalifa the Haftarot, which are opposed by competing with it groups located around its stronghold of Benghazi.

Haftar also at odds with the people in Tripoli and supported by the UN national consensus government, which is nominally in charge of this divided country.

The message itself Reuters on location in Egypt two dozen Russian would have no value, but in the overall context it adds new items to Moscow’s efforts to consolidate in this region that it is from tsarist times considered its sphere of influence.

As noted American analyst John Hannah (John Hannah), “Russia is back with new forces”.

New trends appear all the brighter in the Eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Turkey, Iran and the Gulf region: the Russian star is rising, and the us is on the wane. Although American officials invariably argue that the U.S. military superiority is extremely important, resurgent Russia challenging him.

Freedom of action, Washington is slowly but surely shrinking. Successfully demonstrating the military power, Russia also reinforces its political influence. And not only among America’s adversaries. Traditional partners of the United States, such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey, are increasingly forced to search for the location of the Kremlin.

This week, barely having time to complete your visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to Moscow to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation in Syria.

Israel is serious and not without reason concerned about the actions of Iran in Syria to support the regime of Bashar al-Assad, as well as the activity of the Iranian protege Hezbollah on its Northern border.

Another sign that today’s middle East roads lead to Moscow was the visit to Russia of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who held talks with Putin on the coordination of Russian-Turkish action in Syria and the middle East.

These are all important elements of the middle East puzzle, the pieces where not yet formed until the end.

Fair or not criticism of the Obama administration, which is accused of the rejection of Pax Americana in the middle East, but today there is no doubt that America is forced to recognize Russia’s role in the middle East.

Thanks to the cooperation with Syria, Russia has an air base and sea-based points in the Eastern Mediterranean, and therefore can demonstrate its strength and influence.

In this part of the world where more or less dominated the 6th fleet of the United States, severely disrupted the military balance. There are very important events, the consequences of which go far beyond the local Syrian conflict.

What we are witnessing today could lead to the transformation of the modern Middle East. This happens after a century after the great powers Britain and France drew the borders in the middle East on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, creating their own spheres of influence and excluded from this process Russia who lived on the eve of the Bolshevik revolution.

When this month the United States sent to the Northern part of Syria 400 Marines trained to help the Americans rebel forces who are fighting the so-called “Islamic state” (banned in Russia organization — approx. lane), they coordinate their activities with the Russians in order to avoid a possible conflict between America and Russia in the fight against ISIS.

The fact that the new administration at the beginning of its activities, sent back their troops, this is an important point, which can have many consequences for the American position in the region.

Sending the marine corps never got that attention, what he deserved.

Politicians in Canberra should closely monitor these developments because the U.S. is trying to gain a foothold in Syria, and also referred to Australia for further assistance in this region.

The options for dealing with ISIS will be discussed this month at a meeting in Washington organized by the new administration. It will be attended by 68 parties involved in the conflict, but Russia and Iran will not be there, which is very important.

Although these countries will be absent during conversations about what to do next, they will take the Central place.

If you remember how Russia has strengthened its position in the middle East, notably 1972. It was a time when Anwar Sadat, refocus their country to the West, the crowd was kicked out of Egypt thousands of Soviet scouts and spies.

Since then, Moscow during the Soviet and post-Soviet regimes seeking ways to re-establish themselves in the region. She makes the connections, reflecting the changing situation in the middle East.

The Kremlin has traditionally supported the Baathist regimes, including the Assad clan in Syria and Saddam Hussein in Iraq. He was also a supporter of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, maintained a very warm relationship with the theocracy in Iran before the arrival of the Shah and established close ties with the leftist regime in South Yemen until the civil war in 1986 not led to the unification of North and South.

But mostly Moscow’s influence was limited by the fact that it had supplied arms and provided diplomatic support to these regimes at the UN and in other venues, when necessary.

American diplomacy has elevated the U.S. role as “honest broker” after the administration of Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, intervened in the Suez crisis. Gradually, the United States has pushed Russia to the sidelines. But now everything has changed.

One of the consequences of rash decisions of George Bush to start a war in Iraq in 2003 was to destabilize large areas of the Middle East, which strengthened the ambitions of Russia.

The Arab spring of 2010-2012 even more changed circumstances in favor of Russia, and stoked her ambitions.

If not a popular uprising of the Sunni in Syria in 2011, we would be more limited.

Russia used this chance to her.

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