SUNNI ARAB NATIONS AND U.S. STRIKE ISIS IN SYRIA; QUO VADIS RUSSIA? 9/23/2014

The U.S. together with five Sunni Arab nations, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, began an air campaign against ISIS and Al Qaeda strongholds  in Syria  last night.  The emergence of this coalition is a major breakthrough for America.  Targets included an important oil refinery as part of the need to deprive ISIS of stolen revenue.  

Kudo to our commander-in-chief for an operation  with at least a modicum of strategic surprise.  Possibly, like JFK during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Obama  is tying the attack to Democratic prospects in the  mid term elections.  But let’s forget a dental examination of the gift horse.   This is the right decision at the right time. We are at war and must support him. 

The air campaign is just the very beginning of our war effort against Islamic terrorism.  It must eventually be followed by the deployment of special forces.  We  will surely need the  help of other nations to put ground forces into the war theater.  Don’t expect assistance from NATO ally Turkey, with its eratic and Islamic-minded leader, Tayyip Erdogan.

Meanwhile, there is now three-way chess involved with Syria.  First there is ISIS and other groups like Al Qaeda´s Kohrosan,  plotting  attacks on Western interests.  Then there is Syrian dictator Assad’s regime backed by the mullah´s in Iran, but also by the Christian autocrat in the Kremlin.  Russian President Vladimir Putin  wants to not only protect his oil and gas dealings with Syria, but  Arab Christians from their Islamic foes.

 Be aware that the attack on ISIS and Al Nuestra also strengthens  Assad and the Shi-ite, terrorist organization, Hezbollah, supported by Assad via  Iran. Yet another strategic objective of the U.S. is the prevention of Iran developing nuclear weapons, which would initiate nuclear proliferation among our new Sunni allies in the region.  There is thus no way in which we should ally with Iran against ISIS.   We cannot conduct war together with five Sunni allies in Syria who consider the Shiite regime in Teheran, with its nuclear ambitions, their main threat. So in fact, does Israel.  

Our statecraft must attempt to engage Russia in our coalition.  Here comes the linkage between the Ukrainian crisis and Syria.  Above all, Putin is concerned about Islamic  terrorism and its impact on the 20% of Muslims in Russia, particularly in the Northern Caucasus. The cease fire between the East Ukrainian separatists and the Kiev regime has to be turned into a peace settlement.  Formidable Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko and his parliament, have taken measures to satisfy some separatist demands.  Now it´s up to Putin to forge with Petro an agreement acceptable to both parties.  Russian forces must withdraw from Ukrainian territory and the Russian buildup at the borers must be dismantled.  In return, Ukrainian neutrality should be assured by both the U.S. and Russia.  Nevertheless, as we have suggested earlier in the Kyiv Post, April 21, NATO should provide some lethal weapons to the democrats in the Ukraine, 

If this is accomplished, the question we asked, “Can Russia and America Work Together to Crush the Islamic State?” on August 22, should be "yes."

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