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The Russian Fighter Jet That Will Divide Our Region

Al-Sharq al-Awsat, London, Originally Posted in Arabic on November 28

 

It is simply unbelievable that the Syrian conflict evolved from a civil war within Syria to a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and, now, to a confrontation between Russia and Turkey.

The downing of the Russian fighter jet by Turkey is a monumental event. It is likely to introduce new tensions into an already anxious region; ones we have not witnessed in the Middle East since the end of the Cold War.

New political alliances are being formed as with speak. Syria, Iran, and Iraq are aligning with Moscow, while Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are siding with Turkey and NATO. The Syrian quagmire is spreading throughout the region.

By now, almost every player in the Middle East has been involved with it: Hezbollah, the Revolutionary Guards, and Russian forces. Even the Gulf States were drawn into it, in their support of rebel groups. I still cannot understand why Moscow chose to enter this messy arena, from which it cannot come out victorious. Granted, America’s withdrawal left a big vacuum in the region. But Russia is already paying a heavy price for its involvement, and the lion’s share of the fighting is still yet to come.

These unfolding events, I suspect, will severely divide our region. – Abd al-Rahman al-Rashed