As ações da Síria de Trump, um teste de armas da Rússia As proezas militares e a estratégia de Putin em exibição

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting in the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, the home of the Soviet nuclear weapons program and later Soviet and Russian non-military nuclear technologies, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, ... more >







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By L. Todd Wood - - Tuesday, April 10, 2018


Russia doesn’t make much, but they do make really good weapons. In fact, one of the purposes of Russian involvement in the civil war in Syria, in addition to preserving Russian influence in the region, was to promote Russian military technology. The entire conflict has been one big infomercial for the Kremlin’s weapons bazaar for the world to see. Moscow has reaped billions in sales to Iran, Turkey and other sovereign customers. This development is what makes the possible use of force by the Trump White House over Bashir Assad’s alleged chemical weapons use against civilians so interesting.

The scenario will be a public showdown between Russian and American technology, military prowess. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made huge progress in restoring Russian influence in the Middle East and around the world by showcasing a new and improved Russian military, replete with modern equipment and training. No longer the decrepit Soviet army of conscripts that saw more abuse and hazing than professional management.

We will soon see if that narrative will hold up.

There was a reason the Kremlin did not publicize or retaliate against the slaughter of Russian mercenaries by American air power several weeks ago — the public perception of Americans easily killing Russians is not one Moscow wants to publicize, and perhaps the Kremlin wanted the Wagner forces to be removed as an irritant.

This Syria effort will be much different.