Russia’s global strategy

Is it a “Matryoshka” or a “Russian roulette”?

Russian President Vladimir Putin working on a Matryoshka*

Before hitting on the usual geopolitical topics, I would like to share with you two famous Russian cultural traditions:  1- The sweet wisely made Matryoshka doll and 2- the risky crazy Russian roulette game. The aim is to understand the Russian political moves on the international arena, whether in Syria or elsewhere in the world, which spirit do they have? the Matryoshka or the Russian roulette.

Those who are familiar with the traditional Russian oval wooden doll the Matryoshka, know that it is carefully crafted in different sizes and measurements, with great talent. What is interesting about the Matryoshka is that all the smaller shapes are contained within the bigger ones, only the artist who made it knows what is hidden inside the bigger doll for the different characters, if it is the case.

On the other hand, the Russian roulette is haphazard, ruthless and deadly. You don’t have to be an artist to play it, maybe you should be drunk or suicidal. The game about placing one bullet in the cylinder of a revolver and then aiming on one’s own head and pulling the trigger randomly. The player could be mortally wounded if the trigger hits the bullet.

The goal of this comparison is to see what if the global mass media and the western Think tanks endeavor to tell us by all means about the Russian mindset strategies in world conflicts, whether in Ukraine, in Syria or elsewhere, is true or not. To make it short and clear, the image given is that the Russians are “mini Stalins” and “Rasputins” including their President, they play with fire and just love to drink vodka and play the Russian roulette on the international arena. Reading these words, I can hear John McCain and Victoria Newland saying “Amen!!!”

But let’s get real, Moscow’s aim is to eradicate Islamic terrorism located in its “red line” geographical strategic interests, and that includes Syria.  On the top of the list is the Islamic State & Co. (Jabhat Al-Nusra, Jaysh Al-Islam etc…)

I’d rather believe in Santa Clause and Snow White than believing in the fable of the “pure”, “innocent” and “moderate” armed opposition, the so called “Free Syrian Army (FSA)” which is nothing but the (ESA) Enslaved Syrian Army to the tiny microscopic State of Qatar, to the elders’ house of Saud and to the new “Caligula of the East” the megalomaniac Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. On the other hand, Al-Assad isn’t far better…well maybe slightly better but still he needs the dark-age theocratic dictators back there in Teheran in his back…Believe me that’s a real nasty combination.

In all that, Uncle Sam is enjoying the Hollywood scene and the cash poured by the Saudis, while the Russians are taking it seriously and for the first time we can talk about the “Russian dream” just like the “American dream”, Russia’s leadership has a vision and most of all ambitious. Morals are guiding Moscow’s decision making.

Speaking of Morals, Europe is in a real mess now with its moral, economic and identity crisis… By the way I wish to the next “ethnic” minority of European generations good luck with the majority of the migrants’ descendants in Europe.

It’s easy, Europe forsake its Judeo-Christian identity and Christianity isn’t its religion anymore, that’s the result, someone else will fill the gap, another religion and another identity… And another nation.

When I say that Russia’s decisions are guided by morals and Christian orthodox ethics, some will argue that Moscow’s actions aren’t motivated by these beliefs at all. The same voices will claim that the real reason behind its military intervention in Syria is the fear of the growing Chechen terrorist groups who were being trained and financed by Turkey, Saudi-Arabia with the blessings of some Western powers, to be sent back to Russia after the downfall of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime in Damascus.

If this is the only strategic motivation behind the Russian intervention like these critics falsely allege… So? what’s wrong about it? That means in all that chaos taking place on the Syrian territory, the Russian President Vladimir Putin is patriotic enough to move forward and guarantee his country’s security with a preemptive war. But that isn’t the only reason behind the military action. The fall of the current regime in Damascus could be matter of time. By the way, Russia doesn’t really stick to Bashar, he’s not talented enough that is he is not ‘the man of the moment’ to cope with the coming changing game in Syria, which President Putin will lead wisely. But the question is, in whose hands shall Damascus fall? And if the Capital falls, this shouldn’t be a huge strategic achievement for any of the current fighting camps.

So President Vladimir Putin is keen not to let Syria fall in the hands of any Islamic terrorist movement, especially that Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the actual archenemies of Russia in the region, have them all in their fist.

In the case of Syria, Russia won’t stop there, Turkey for example will pay a dramatic heavy price the moment Moscow chooses “For everything there is a season, a right time for every intention under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Believe me it would be historically devastating for Ankara and its insane “neo- ottoman” rulers.

From all that, we can see that the master of the Kremlin works on his country’s foreign strategies just like an artist who works on the Matryoshka, everything is carefully crafted and meticulously designed according to his patriot standards, love to mother Russia and orthodox spirit.

Nevertheless, the “artist” has some hidden strategies -which will upset his foes- one inside the other just like the Matryoshka… Obviously, the Russian roulette was never Putin’s favorite game, maybe he’ll enjoy watching some people like Recep Erdogan playing it.

Syria’s war isn’t the end, oh no!!! It’s just the beginning because there are too many actors, and there is no place for all of them on the international and certainly the Middle-Eastern stage. Some layoffs will take place soon…very soon. The Russian leadership knows that and believes in the holy scripture which says “Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves…” Mark10:16 Who has ears to hear let him listen.

*Photo taken from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/318700111105762324/