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Source: http://www.jcpa.org/brief/brief004-22.htm
Putin Leads Russia's Return to the Middle East and the Arab Embrace
(Institute for Contemporary Affairs/Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Michael Widlanski - Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to support Egypt's bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and insisted that his country sell advanced missiles to Syria, while continuing to aid the nuclear development of Iran, particularly the Russian-built, 1,000-megawatt, Bushehr nuclear reactor. PA Chairman Abbas did his advanced university training in Moscow, speaks fluent Russian, and once served as the PLO ambassador to the Soviet Union. The renewed Russian drive for influence in the Middle East raises serious questions about the entire idea of relying on a multilateral Quartet for peacemaking, where a united front of Russia, the EU, and the UN can be depended upon to offset the position of the U.S. Why empower those who oppose you?