Can Russia and America Work Together to Crush the Islamic State?
08/22/14http://nationalinterest.org/feature/can-russia-america-work-together-crush-the-islamic-state-11117
Jiri Valenta, Leni Friedman Valenta
Terrorism, Counterinsurgency, Foreign Policy, Iraq, United States, Russia
While Moscow and Washington face off over Ukraine, a much bigger and longer-term challenge presents a possible opportunity for collaboration.
For
many, the collapse of Russo-U.S. relations over Moscow’s (bloodless)
invasion of Crimea and proxy war in eastern Ukraine points to the
beginnings of a new Cold War. However, Russia has not irrevocably
transformed itself from limited partner into implacable foe. Washington
and Moscow still have many points of shared mutual interest that should
not be easily thrown aside in the heat of the moment. Indeed, it’s often
forgotten that post–Communist Russia has been engaged with America
battling the forces of global terrorism along with efforts to prevent
the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) to rogue states.
Recent happenings elsewhere may create the basis for such a
collaboration to be renewed.
As
events continue to move quickly in Ukraine, a shocking and potentially
game-changing event has occurred in the Middle East. A well-organized
and disciplined terrorist organization, ISIS, has attempted to transform
itself into a full-fledged terrorist state in parts of Iraq and Syria.
Equipped with captured and sophisticated U.S. weaponry as well as huge
financial resources sacked from parts of Iraq, ISIS is now attracting
thousands of radical young Muslims from around the world. Thanks to its
growing resources as well as foreign passports of its soldiers, for the
first time in many years, an extremist state possesses the potential
capability and will to launch attacks anywhere in the world. The
beheading of Jim Foley by a Jihadist with a British accent demonstrates
the outreach of ISIS et al in Western Europe, but also America and even
in Russia.
Considering
the stakes, it would seem both Washington and Moscow could once again
find themselves on the same side—possibly working together to diminish
the capabilities of ISIS and also other groups such as Al Qaeda and its
various offshoots. Assuming a solution in Ukraine can be found, could
President Obama shift the Kremlin’s focus from the crisis in Ukraine to a
joint new struggle against terrorism?
Putin: Russia’s Christian Autocrat
The
first thing Obama must do is attempt to understand what has shaped
Putin’s worldview and how this has evolved over time. Although no
democratic heart beats in his chest, Putin nevertheless holds some core
values similar to many Americans.
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