WarSclerotic

The root of Sunni Muslim absurdity lies in its expectation of being saved by the “Crusader” West.

In their current view, the West is supposed do their dirty work for them in Syrian and Iran. In the meantime, the Arab media continues to discuss how both sides have failed to fight Israel and to describe the events in Syria as a “Zionist plot.” In the Arab media’s eyes the Arab spring is dying in Syria and Israel is the beneficiary.

The inter-religious and inter-ethnic blood feud in Syria outlines a picture of the future “statelets” taking form once the country crumbles: Kurdish, Sunni, and Alawite-Christian. It appears likely that in any future scenario Assad will be unable to rule over his people, not even through his campaign of continued slaughter and oppression.

Even though the Russians have made a desperate gamble on Assad, despite understanding that his fate is sealed, it is increasingly apparent that the Russians won’t have a solid foothold in Syria for the foreseeable future. The Syrian people, the majority of whom are Sunni, harbor a searing hatred toward the Russians fighting against them. The Russians, however, don’t have a choice. They need to protect their weapons-purchasing client and their access to the Mediterranean Sea; in other words their Middle East outpost. They don’t believe in democracy and won’t be enticed into just letting their darling Assad fall.

The air attacks in Syria, attributed in foreign reports to Israel, signaled to the West that Iran can also be hit and exposed the Syrian arsenal as a paper tiger. The attacks forced the Russians to display more advanced capabilities and provide their ally with a means of deterrence. So, they armed the Syrians with modern weaponry and reinvigorated the Cold War. By taking this step the Russians signaled to the West that outside intervention in Syria and Iran will not be feasible.

Israel’s desire to defend itself has dragged it into the middle of a fight between two global superpowers, with only hesitant support from its American “protector.” The possibility that Russia will allow a pro-American government to rise in Syria only exists in the imagination of naïve statesmen such as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Regarding the Iranians, the situation in Syria points to the disintegration of the Shiite axis and highlights the Syrian people’s undying hatred toward them. The violent conflict is also inevitable between Sunnis and Shiites in other axis countries, such as Iraq and Lebanon. Iran, meanwhile, is relishing the spotlight’s shining on Syria, as it quietly continues developing a nuclear bomb and sending troops and weapons, along with Hezbollah, to Assad.

The situation in Syrian exposes the a-symmetrical nature of the “Cold War” between Russia and the West. This stems from America’s track record of tentativeness, on the Iranian front as well. The Russians brazenly support the Syrian regime as part of the Iran-Iraq-Hezbollah axis, defiantly transfer lethal weaponry to the Syrian regime and disregard Israel. America’s weakness has led to the strengthening of Russia’s deterrence.

In contrast to the Russians, the Western-led alliance of the United States, NATO, Turkey and the Arabs, provides the Syrian opposition with funds, training, material support and non-lethal arms, but has avoided direct involvement. The Western dilemma stems from the radical Islamic elements comprising the Syrian opposition, which are not preferable to Assad.

The Americans have learned the hard way as Islamists they once helped eventually turned their guns toward them. However, just as the Iranian nuclear program is not aimed only at Israel, the Russian armament of Syria isn’t aimed only at the U.S. Therefore, similar to Iran — here, too, the Americans have the right to be heard. In regard to Syria, there is much to say.