Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin (R) during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on October 20, 2015. Assad, on his first foreign visit since Syria’s war broke out, told his main backer and counterpart Putin in Moscow that Russia’s campaign in Syria has helped contain terrorism and protect the Assad government from groups that have more in common with ISIS than they do peace and love Syrian moderates.  (Photo by  ALEXEY DRUZHININ/AFP/Getty Images)
Syrians want Russian multinationals to help rebuild the country, once (and if) the smoke clears. At least this is the view from Russian politicians with skin in the game.
“(Syrian leader Bashar) Assad specifically stated that when rebuilding Syria the Syrian people will rely on Russia’s help. He asked (Russian oil) companies to cooperate with Syria,” Russian Communist Party member Alexander Yushchenko told RIA Novosti news wire on Sunday.
Syria is not a big oil and gas player in the Middle East. Russia’s interest in the country may have as much to do with protecting its only Mediterranean naval port in the country as it does pounding the smithereens out of jihadis, both of the ISIS variety and of the anti-Assad ilk, whom have been known to intermingle with the terrorist group. Most Russian companies in Syria operate in the oil and gas space, like publicly traded firms Tatneft and pipeline product maker TMK . Russian airline Aeroflot also has a hub there, but most flights have been grounded because of the ongoing civil war in the country.
Russia’s involvement in Syria surprised Washington when it came late last month. But now, both the U.S. and Russian military are running separate bombing missions of ISIS strongholds in Syria. And the U.S. has suspended tactical and weapons support of the anti-Assad Free Syrian Army following word that many of these fighters have jumped ship for ISIS, as Vladimir Putin warned.
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The U.S. is hell-bent on kicking Assad to the curb, in Washington’s cookie-cutter Middle Eastern foreign policy of regime change. Assad, speaking through the state run Russian media, allegedly said he would allow for democratic elections or even resign if it would help Syria heal. That would give someone the chance to challenge Assad for the first time ever. This may very well be lip service, in order to show the West that Russia has Assad eating out of the palm of their hands.
Assad met with Putin in Moscow last week to discuss the possibility of the Syrian government sitting down with so-called moderate opposition leaders; read: non-jihadis who will go Osama bin Laden on the West once in power.
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