WORLD ROUNDUP Iron Curtain in Orbit, and more
· Why The West Shouldn’t Celebrate Russia’s Withdrawal from Syria
Increased Iranian and Hezbollah presence in Syria poses new challenges for all players—including Israel and the U.S.
· Don’t Call What’s Happening in Venezuela a Civil War
Citizens are rising up against an oppressive government, not against one another
· The U.K. Riots Were Fomented Online. Will Social Media Companies Act?
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called out social media groups for the misinformation on their platforms that sparked violent clashes this week. But holding them accountable is tough
· Iron Curtain in Orbit: China and the U.S. in Race for Space Supremacy
Since the end of the Cold War, the lead the United States achieved in the race for space has been unchallenged — until now
Why The West Shouldn’t Celebrate Russia’s Withdrawal from Syria (Arman Mahmoudian, Foreign Policy)
When Russia began its military intervention in Syria in 2015, shifting the civil war’s momentum in favor of the Assad regime, many in the West grew concerned about the Kremlin’s intentions. They feared that Russia’s return to the Middle East was not only to support the authoritarian regime in Syria but also to form an alliance with other anti-Western forces in the region, including Iran.
However, almost a decade later, with wars raging in both Europe and the Middle East, Tehran and Moscow’s partnership in the war-torn country seems to be undergoing significant changes, with the previous symmetry in favor of Russia now leaning toward Iran.
Following the launch of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia—strapped for resources—withdrew and redeployed a number of its troops, alongside some of its weaponry including the S-300 air defense system, from Syria to the front lines in Ukraine. In 2023, after the Russian paramilitary group Wagner waged a mutiny against the Kremlin, resulting weeks later in the death of the mercenary group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner’s activities in Syria were brought to heel by the Russian army and the Assad regime—resulting in a further pullback of Russian troops.
These developments sparked initial optimism among some Western observers who believed that Russia’s reduced presence in the Middle East might allow the U.S.-led Western coalition to bolster its influence in the region. Many viewed the withdrawal as a positive development, hoping it would at least prevent a new era of regional conflict among major powers.
However, Russia’s withdrawal from Syria has ushered in a new chapter of the conflict. While the retreat might have reduced concerns about the return of great power rivalry to the Middle East, the absence of the Kremlin’s influence has created a power vacuum in country’s south that is being quickly filled by Iranian and Hezbollah troops—making the situation far more complicated for the U.S. even as its focus and resources remain divided between Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel.
