Russian Charms
Stratfor with more on Putin’s charm offensive. Russia’s goals in the Middle East. Very charming:
… President Vladimir Putin said Monday during a visit to Saudi Arabia that Moscow is willing to help Riyadh develop a nuclear program.
… In his speech at the Munich conference, Putin said the United States is responsible for growing instability and insecurity in the international system. By lashing out at the United States, Russia hoped to appeal to a latent perception among the United States’ Arab allies that Washington is playing with fire in their region.
… Russia has correctly realized the potential for an opening in the Middle East. The Russians know that the Arabs, despite their continued close relations with Washington, are unhappy with U.S. policies in the region and are looking for leverage in dealing with the United States.
… the most significant relationship that the Russians are looking to develop in the Middle East is that with the Saudis, especially given Riyadh’s close relations with the United States. The Russians are aware the Saudis think the U.S. position in the region is weakening, and that Riyadh has grown wary of U.S. policies there, which have empowered rival Iran. In fact, Putin’s visit to Saudi Arabia is in part the result of Riyadh’s assistance to Moscow to help quell the jihadist insurgency in the Caucasus.
Under King Abdullah, the Saudis are trying to diversify their foreign policy options. They see the decline of the U.S. position in the region and want to have other choices for security. … The Saudis also want to counter Iran and Syria, which they hope will be possible by engaging the Russians, who have backed both Tehran and Damascus.
Though the Russians and Saudis hope to benefit from their relationship, energy and the sale of military hardware limit the extent to which they can cooperate. Russia and Saudi Arabia do not see eye to eye on oil production — Saudi moves to increase production lead to a drop in oil prices, financially hurting Russia. And though Moscow wants to sell Riyadh military hardware, it is unlikely since Riyadh can purchase superior U.S. weapons.
Despite Moscow’s ambitions in Saudi Arabia, Putin’s visit there has not gone quite as well as it might seem. Mintimer Shaimiev, president of the constituent republic of Tatarstan, is a member of Putin’s delegation … he is the most influential of Russia’s 30 million Muslims. On Monday Putin had to sit through a ceremony in which the Saudis awarded Shaimiev a cash award for his service to Islam — a religion and ideology that is seen in Russia as weakening Moscow’s hold. Furthermore, ethnic Tatars and Russia’s other Muslim minorities have among the world’s highest birth rate, and Russians among the lowest, making the end of Putin’s visit perhaps not as pleasant as the media suggest.
Stratfor prior on Putin’s charm offensive here.
Topics: Russia
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:38 am Comments (6) on Tuesday, February 13, 2007
6 Responses to “Russian Charms”
Leave a Reply
Trackback URLYou must be logged in to post a comment.
February 13th, 2007 at 11:41 am
I suggest a name change for Putin. I’m thinking A.Q. Khan. Hey, their can be more than one, A.Q. Khan. I mean after all, check your local phone book and you can probably find, scads of Joseph Smiths or Johnsons. No, not those kinds of Johnsons.
I think Putin…’cuse me Khan, has forgotten his history, the Muslims don’t give a shit for the Slavic origins of the Russians. Remember Afghanistan, Vlad….ummm, A.Q.?
Hey Khan, since you are so eager to pass out nukes, try Chechnya.
February 13th, 2007 at 11:42 am
their=there…
February 13th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Possibly Putin is merely playing to his Russian constituents in order to strengthen his position, when he really ought to be buying a retirement property in Miami.
February 13th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Oops. Considering Miami’s large Cuban population, maybe that wouldn’t be such a good place for the old communist to retire after all.
February 13th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
You mean Putin isn’t really on our side? I’m shocked!
When is he supposed to give up his office? Does anyone think he will go without a fight?
February 13th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
saltydog
”Does anyone think he will go without a fight? ”
He’ll win by default. Large doses of radiation ‘treatments’ will be had by all opposed.