"Putin of Arabia"
Mai Yamani, Carnegie Middle East Center | September 30, 2008
A petro-emboldened Russia is becoming resurgent in the Middle East. ++ With US power waning, Russia is seeking to fill the vacuum. ++ And they’re being well-received, as “autocratic and wealth-loving Russians” have more in common with the conservative majority of the region than “the US, with its pop culture and liberal democracy.” ++ Russia’s desire for a bloc to counter the US presence is misguided; a nuclear armed Iran is of interest to no one, and bolstering radical Islamic elements will one day lead to blowback, perhaps in Chechnya.
