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Iran and Syria: So Happy Together

[Jerusalem Post] Barry Rubin - Statements made during the visit of Syrian President Assad to Iran this month, by Assad and Iranian President Ahmadinejad, reveal a great deal about the two allies' strategy which seems to escape Western observers. There are huge benefits Syria derives from its alliance with Iran including Islamist legitimacy, protection against being attacked or pressured, money, weapons, cooperation in anti-Israel terrorism and spreading both countries' influence among the Palestinians, Lebanese and Iraqis. Once Iran gets nuclear weapons, which is on the horizon, the alliance's value for Syria will rise dramatically. Assad correctly views Ahmadinejad and the Iranian regime as even stronger after the election. Dictators respect repression. Watching the gradual concessions made by the West to the Iran-Syria bloc, and its evident fear of confronting them, Assad stated in Tehran that he was confident the international community would accept Iran and Syria more than it had done in the past. The two countries are very consciously coordinating strategy in a war against Western interests and the relatively more moderate Arab regimes, a conflict that Western governments don't even perceive as existing: "Iran and Syria are on the same front, and any political event is an opportunity which must be used in the best way possible while helping one another," said Assad.
2009-08-28 08:00:00
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