Russia in the Middle East: “Be with Us — and Remain Yourself”

... erosion of the regional elites’ confidence in the Obama administration and in the USA’s ability to protect them has caused many governments in the region to change... ... though it remains the most influential external player. Russia’s “return” to the Middle East has boosted but did not trigger this trend. Russia has not supplanted the... ... participation in the Syrian conflict provides a vivid backdrop against which the American soft power agenda in the region is being assessed today. By engaging in a critical discussion...