Circling the Wagons on Syria

By looking to Russia for influence, America could topple the regime

By Fareed Zakaria Monday, July 09, 2012
    • Illustration by Oliver Munday for TIME

    (2 of 2)

    The Obama Administration has been pursuing a pointless campaign of vilifying the Russians--perhaps as a way to blame someone for the reality that there are few good options in Syria. On June 12, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton publicly charged that the Russian government was sending attack helicopters to Syria that "will escalate the conflict dramatically." It turned out that the Russians were sending back three helicopters that were bought by Syria roughly 20 years ago and were refurbished in Russia. What is gained by these attacks?

    Russia might be unmovable. Its officials are paranoid about Western interventions that topple unpopular regimes, seeing Panama, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya as part of a pattern. But they are also concerned about what would come after Assad--in a country where 40% are minorities--especially if a long sectarian war would energize jihadi groups. Russia has had and continues to have struggles with such groups in its southern regions and border areas.

    If the Russians can be persuaded that Assad is going to fall and that the best way to prevent radicalization is to push for a transition now, they might be willing to help in that transition. It's a long shot--but not impossible--that Moscow will shift from being part of the problem to part of the solution. It's certainly worth the effort before we move toward a wider and deeper war.

    TO READ MORE BY FAREED ZAKARIA, GO TO time.com/zakaria

    3. 1
    4. 2
    5. Next Page