Russia's success in Syria forces America to listen

For the first time since the Afghanistan war, the Russian military has entered a confrontation with CIA-trained rebel forces, The New York Times writes.

Illustration: Sputnik.

But if at that time these forces were dominating Afghanistan, today in Syria the situation is reversed.

The NYT notes that a year ago, under pressure from militants, the Syrian army was forced to abandon its positions. The attacking rebels were supported by the CIA and provided with anti-tank missiles. Then the Russians arrived and the rebels began to retreat.

In response to Russia's military activities, the CIA increased support for the militants, but that did not achieve the expected results.

“Russia has won,” the NYT quoted political scientist Michael Kofman of the Woodrow Wilson International Center.

The NYT notes that Moscow’s successful strategy in the region is now forcing the Obama administration to establish a dialogue with President Vladimir Putin. This is contrary to recent threats to isolate the Russian Federation, denying Russia’s ability to influence international politics.

“Mr Putin has achieved several important goals – supporting the Assad government, maintaining access to naval bases in the Mediterranean and using Syria as a testing ground for advanced Russian technologies,” the article concluded.

According to Sputnik