The South African Civil Society Information Service

US, Saudis and Russia Vie for Influence in Post-Assad Syria

8 Feb 2012

The domestic uprising in Syria is intensifying with the situation becoming even more complex given vested international interests closely linked to the geo-politics of the Middle East region. "The carnage is going apace," argues analyst, Hamid Dabashi, who teaches at Columbia University. "Who exactly is killing who, is the subject of debate," he adds, as the opposition in Syria increasingly starts resembling the motley crew that brought down Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. The diplomatic scene is even more fascinating, contends Dabashi. While the Arab League and the US backed a resolution for political transition in Syria at the UN Security Council, this was vetoed by Russia and China, amidst stinging criticism from the West.

However, says Dabashi, it is important to understand the Russian veto in the context of the Arab Spring where the Russians were left out of the post-Gaddafi deal in Libya. This time, they have no intention of letting the same thing happen in a post-Assad Syria.

Editor's Note: You may also be interested in "A Struggle for Regional Supremacy: Syria Conflict Escalates as World Powers Debate Assad’s Future" from Democracy Now! where Middle East expert, Patrick Seale, argues that there is a close connection between what's happening in Syria and Israel's threat of war against Iran. Over at Asia Times Online, Pepe Escobar has produced a fascinating eight-point synopsis, which "sees through the fog" in the Syrian saga: "Syria through a Glass, Darkly".

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