Gulf Arabs oppose Russian intervention in Syria claiming it will prolong war

Russia’s military intervention in support of President Bashar al-Assad has dismayed Gulf Arab enemies of the Syrian leader who say it will prolong the war and keep Syria firmly in the orbit of their arch regional rival Iran. Russia says it is providing arms to the Syrian leader, a longtime ally, while a leading defence research group has distributed what it says is satellite imagery that suggests Syria may be preparing to receive Russian ground forces.

In Russia’s estimation, Assad’s days are not numbered. It wants to obstruct any Arab effort to bring Assad down.

Ebtisam Al Ketbi, head of Emirates Policy Center in the UAE

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday that the Obama administration hopes Russia and Iran will play a positive role in Syria and back a political transition for the country to end the current conflict and blunt the Islamic State group. Kerry added that Russia’s military buildup in the country appears initially intended to protect its existing assets and personnel on the ground.

I think he has actually a limited window of a couple of years to continue provocative actions in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Syria, Georgia and so forth, and we have to be very careful during this time, when he could actually lash out and be even more dangerous than he has been.

Retired U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus

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