Russian Navy Moves to Counters US and Allies

The Russian Navy in an unprecedented move not seen since the Cold War has been recently deploying its forces to global flash points. Two of these deployments are to global flash points that interest the U.S. and it’s closes allies, such as Israel. The two flash points are the Eastern Mediterranean specifically off the Syrian coast, the second Venezuela. The deployments may be nothing more than what they are declared, as acts of strengthening ties with foreign countries. They could also be especially with regards to Venezuela a way for the Russians to fling mud in the eye of the U.S. for Washington’s support of Georgia. Then again neither may be Russia’s objective. Indeed Russia’s recent deployments may have a far more strategic objective.

The Bush Administration will soon be out of the Whitehouse and these next few months are their last opportunity to strike out at Americas’ enemies. Israel as well may see this as a last opportunity to shut down the Iranian Nuclear program while; there is still a warlike administration sympathetic to such actions. Russian naval deployments therefore may be seen as a way to dissuade the U.S. and Israel from any eleventh hour military actions against Russian informal allies, such as Iran, Syria, and Venezuela.

Russian fleet deployment off Syria, positions the Russians to ward off Israel and to a lesser extent possible U.S. strikes on Iran. The deployment is led by Russia’s one and only operational aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. Operating in the Eastern Mediterranean, could complicate any planned airstrike Israel maybe planning on Iranian Nuclear facilities, as a Russian fleet operating just off the Israel or Syrian coast could observe the launch of an airstrike, aimed at Syria or Iran, providing either of these two countries with early warning of a pending attack. Iran of the two would benefit the most as a Russian warning could give its defenses over an hour to prepare to repel an Israel airstrike, hence forcing the Israel’s to surrender the advantage of surprise.

Closer to the U.S. backyard the Russian fleet is sending its powerful Battle Cruiser Peter the Great and one destroyer plus a handful support vessels to conduct joint exercises with Venezuela. Russian fleet deployment to Venezuela could counter any possible US intervention, such as direct military action or indirect CIA coup on the anti-U.S. Chavez government.

Just the presence of these two powerful Russian fleet should be enough to give both the U.S. and Israel pause, before taking any last minuet actions against Russian interest. Both of these Russian fleets could do a great deal of damage in a potential war, before being destroyed by overwhelming U.S. naval power. Still the thought of overall superior U.S. naval power should not be used as and argument that Russia will not intervene militarily. As Russia has shown recently with its brief war with Georgia as testimony that the Russian bear is easily agitated and willing to wage war. While war is highly unlikely, political and military leaders in the U.S. and Israel should take the Russian naval deployments as serious signs that Russia is serious about protecting its perceived interest, for it certainly would not send its best ships if it was not.