US vs. Russia in the Middle East and Africa: Clash of Policy Agendas
By Voice of America – https://www.voanews.com/a/sdf-is-using-smoke-suicide-attacks-to-slow-advance-on-last-syria-stronghold/4784555.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77295884
The US and Russia are already embroiled in a de facto proxy war in Ukraine. Now, with the escalating conflict in the Middle East, US foreign policy goals clash with Russia’s, effectively opening a second front. While it’s clear both Washington and Moscow pursue self-interest, their objectives and methods diverge significantly.
Both undertake military interventions and endorse proxy armies in the region. The distinction lies in Russia’s covert military involvement in the Middle East and Africa, primarily through private military companies (PMCs) like the Wagner Group. The US, however, overtly sends uniformed troops to the area. Russia’s PMCs have a notorious history of severe human rights violations,
