General Discussion

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,719 posts) Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:37 PM Aug 2013

OK. Maybe I haven't been paying sufficient attention, but WHY does Russia support Syria and Assad?

They supply Syria with arms, right?

Is it to piss us off?

Or what?

I know, I should have been paying more attention. Well, now I am.

21 replies

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OK. Maybe I haven't been paying sufficient attention, but WHY does Russia support Syria and Assad? (Original Post) CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2013 OP

Good question. Common Sense Party Aug 2013 #1

Ah, Wikipedia! That makes sense. CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2013 #6

I've heard this a lot, yes. Syria is Russia's toehold in the Middle East nt steve2470 Aug 2013 #8

Just my observation JustAnotherGen Aug 2013 #2

To try to find out, I Googled Syrian Oil Reserves. NYC_SKP Aug 2013 #3

That's their (Russia's) JustAnotherGen Aug 2013 #7

Thanks! Oil, dirty oil..............so often at the bottom of what's going on. CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2013 #10

I would bet on that one too. Rex Aug 2013 #11

$ Boom Sound 416 Aug 2013 #4

Because Assad is secularist and Russia has been fighting Islamists for a few centuries FarCenter Aug 2013 #5

Some background... PoliticAverse Aug 2013 #9

Cold War allies. NuclearDem Aug 2013 #12

they don't like the Islamists , same reason muslim brotherhood wanted to get rid of Assad JI7 Aug 2013 #13

Because we don't. nt kelliekat44 Aug 2013 #14

His name is Bashar al-Assad greatauntoftriplets Aug 2013 #15

It does help; thank you! Wow, it's a messy history! CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2013 #17

You're welcome. greatauntoftriplets Aug 2013 #19

This message was self-deleted by its author mother earth Aug 2013 #16

The Russian economy is however weak or strong oil/gas prices are cthulu2016 Aug 2013 #18

This alliance goes back to the Cold War. Syria began buying weapons from DevonRex Aug 2013 #20

Thanks, everybody! CaliforniaPeggy Aug 2013 #21

Common Sense Party

(14,139 posts)

1. Good question.

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:41 PM

Aug 2013

Russia has a Mediterranean naval base in Syria?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93Syria_relations

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,719 posts)

6. Ah, Wikipedia! That makes sense.

Reply to Common Sense Party (Reply #1)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:44 PM

Aug 2013

steve2470

(37,457 posts)

8. I've heard this a lot, yes. Syria is Russia's toehold in the Middle East nt

Reply to Common Sense Party (Reply #1)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:45 PM

Aug 2013

JustAnotherGen

(31,907 posts)

2. Just my observation

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:41 PM

Aug 2013

I believe Putin aka Russia sees an oppressive dictator as 'better than' a steeped in religion Muslim government . . . Religion being the opium of the people and whatnot.

Though- I'm probably going to get into a lot of trouble for typing that in regards to Islam. At DU - only Christianity (I'm not one) is fair game for pointing out mindless following of myths and fairy tales.

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)

3. To try to find out, I Googled Syrian Oil Reserves.

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:42 PM

Aug 2013

I'm not vouching for any of the results, but I think that fossil fuels has got to be a part of what's going on there.

JustAnotherGen

(31,907 posts)

7. That's their (Russia's)

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:44 PM

Aug 2013

Only ally in the Middle East I think. But of note . . . Syria is not Russia's largest (nowhere near that) customer for arms.

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,719 posts)

10. Thanks! Oil, dirty oil..............so often at the bottom of what's going on.

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:45 PM

Aug 2013

Rex

(65,616 posts)

11. I would bet on that one too.

Reply to NYC_SKP (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:45 PM

Aug 2013

Russia is just like all other industrialized nations in that regard...oil has value and so does the nation that has it.

Boom Sound 416

(4,185 posts)

4. $

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:43 PM

Aug 2013

FarCenter

(19,429 posts)

5. Because Assad is secularist and Russia has been fighting Islamists for a few centuries

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:44 PM

Aug 2013

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

9. Some background...

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:45 PM

Aug 2013

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93Syria_relations

NuclearDem

(16,184 posts)

12. Cold War allies.

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:45 PM

Aug 2013

A warm water port as well.

JI7

(89,276 posts)

13. they don't like the Islamists , same reason muslim brotherhood wanted to get rid of Assad

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:48 PM

Aug 2013

kelliekat44

(7,759 posts)

14. Because we don't. nt

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:50 PM

Aug 2013

greatauntoftriplets

(175,752 posts)

15. His name is Bashar al-Assad

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:52 PM

Aug 2013

This might help.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%27s_role_in_the_Syrian_civil_war

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,719 posts)

17. It does help; thank you! Wow, it's a messy history!

Reply to greatauntoftriplets (Reply #15)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 03:59 PM

Aug 2013

greatauntoftriplets

(175,752 posts)

19. You're welcome.

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Reply #17)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 04:17 PM

Aug 2013

The history it messy. Too many foreign interests having at it, as was true throughout the Middle East. Hassan II was the king of Morocco back when I was there in the late 1970s.

Response to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

mother earth This message was self-deleted by its author.

cthulu2016

(10,960 posts)

18. The Russian economy is however weak or strong oil/gas prices are

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 04:01 PM

Aug 2013

Russia supports any middle-east unrest that keeps a risk-premium in global energy prices.

Same reason they support Iran's nuke program despite not really wanting Iran to be nuclear

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)

20. This alliance goes back to the Cold War. Syria began buying weapons from

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 04:18 PM

Aug 2013

Russia in 1956. In 1972 Russia built a naval base there. It is pouring money into that base now to refurbish the whole thing. Russia exports $1.1B to Syria annually. Russia's investments in Syria in2009 were estimated at about $20B. There are many joint ventures involving oil and gas pipelines.

China is also an ally of Syria.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%E2%80%93Syria_relations
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Syria_relations
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia%27s_role_in_the_Syrian_conflict

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,719 posts)

21. Thanks, everybody!

Reply to CaliforniaPeggy (Original post)

Thu Aug 22, 2013, 04:21 PM

Aug 2013

Obviously this is a multi-part, complex and layered question.

I appreciate everyone's pitching in to help me understand.

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