Russia and China Object to Israel Bombing Syira

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright May 6, 2013
All Rights Reserved.                                         

       Posing complications for U.S. foreign policy on Syria, Russia and China objected to Israel bombing Iranian-made anti-missile systems destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon.  China and Russia have opposed all attempts in the U.N. Security Council to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power.  Russia especially has a lot to lose if it’s forced to leave its Tartus Naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast.  Both Russia and China have been strong trading partners with Syria, dating back to Bashar’s late father, Haffez al-Assad.  President Barack Obama has stayed on the fence, resisting calls from former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) for a no fly-zone or bombing to stop al-Assad’s assault on rebel forces and civilians waging war against his Baathist regime.  Israel’s bombing near Damascus raised the stakes for a wider conflict.

             Israel insists that its bombing was targeted at Syrian weapons destined for its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon.  “There are no winds of war,” said Gen. Yair Golan, insisting that Israel was not, as Syrian officials said, trying to join rebel forces to topple al-Assad.  Syrian’s Observatory for Human Rights insisted that Israeli air strikes killed 42 Syrian soldiers, though there’s no independent confirmation.  Since the uprising against al-Assad began March 11, 2011, Amnesty International estimates that over 70,000 Syrian civilians had been killed, thousands more displaced, fleeing to neighboring countries, especially Turkey.  Russia and China object to Western powers meddling in Syria’s civil war because they believe toppling al-Assad would bring more anarchy to the region.  Israel’s air-strikes targeted a chemical weapons facility in the Barada River Valley, according to anonymous reports.

             Russia and China expressed concerns that Israel’s bombing could encourage other Western powers, especially the U.S., to follow suit.  Saying that the Israeli air strikes “caused particular concern,” Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich worried that it would lead to more military action.   “The further escalation of armed confrontation sharply increases the risk of creating new areas of tension, in addition to Syria, in Lebanon, and the destabilization of the so-far relatively calm atmosphere on the Lebanese-Israeli border,” said Lukashevich.  Unlike the Russians that only worry about their business and military interests with Syria, Israel sees bigger national security problems if al-Assad succeeds in ferrying sophisticated military equipment to Hezbollah.  Arming Hezbollah with antiaircraft weapons threatens Israel’s Northern border.

             While the U.S. debates and considers options in Syria, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu couldn’t sit on his hands waiting for the U.S. to give a green light.  Whatever groups currently collaborate to topple al-Assad, Israel worries about fighting a multi-front war with Hezbollah raining missiles on Israeli cities.  Russia and China agrees with al-Assad that various terrorist factions conspire to topple his Baathist government.  Obama hasn’t yet decided whether he should directly fund any Syrian rebel groups—including the Free Syria Army—fearing that any weapons could turn up in terrorists’ hands.  Reports of al-Qaeda, Hamas and other radical groups battling al-Assad has discouraged Russia and China from backing any effort to take down al-Assad.  They see a post-al-Assad Syria looking much like as post-Saddam Iraq, where various terror groups roam freely, wreaking more chaos in the region.

               Netnayahu sees the big picture of Iran and its Hezbollah proxy war keeping al-Assad in power.  Iran has no problems with al-Assad—an Alawite Shiite—staying in power, rather than surrendering to another Sunni Wahhabi terror group. Despite pressure on Capitol Hill, Obama has shown reluctance to step into another Mideast civil war.  However many casualties continue to mount in Syria, Barack’s first priority is extricating the U.S. from Afghanistan next year. By all accounts, the U.S. has taken a beating in Afghanistan, squandering priceless U.S. lives and wasting precious U.S. tax dollars.  Stepping into Syria’s civil war would again open up the same can of worms that former President George W. Bush stepped into in Iraq, unable to get out until 4,886 U.S. soldiers had lost their lives together with nearly $2 trillion in tax dollars, leaving the U.S. in a lingering recession.

             Israel’s mission in Syria involves preventing al-Assad from delivering advanced weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon.  While Israel fears more missile attacks in the North, Syria hoped to get more help to repel a growing insurgency threatening to engulf the al-Assad regime.  Russia and China see nothing but more Islamic extremism and anarchy if Islamic rebels and Western powers succeed in toppling al-Assad.  No one likes the daily carnage but it’s not up to the U.S or its allies. to decide whether or not al-Assad survives.  If  the State Department really wants more cooperation from Russia and China, they need to heed concerns about opening up the floodgates of more terrorism in Syria, just like what happened in Iraq.  When it comes to dealing with Iran or North Korea’s nuclear programs, having more cooperation from Russia and China adds more leverage to U.S. national security.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.