Crisis in the Middle East: Beyond Terrorism

For years, Russia’s role in the Middle East was viewed primarily through its relations with Iran, Iraq, and, more recently, Syria. In 2006, however, a nearly forgotten dimension of Russia’s Middle East policy came to the fore with a new escalation of the Arab-Israeli conflict, this time in Lebanon. Russia has long played an extraneous role in the Quartet on the Middle East, the grouping composed of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, and Russia. A more proactive Russia has now emerged, however, pursuing policies which, at times, are significantly different than those of the United States. Is Russian activity in the Middle East driven by new dynamics, or are old superpower rivalries in the region resurfacing?