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A Threat From Russia: The Wounded Maestro of Chaos May Strike Back
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visit the Hmeymim air base in Latakia Province, Syria, Dec. 11, 2017. Photo: Special Report RUSSIA-FLIGHTS/ Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/ via REUTERS
Russia is wounded. It is bleeding and embarrassed. For a country with a history of asserting and reasserting its pride, a diminished standing is not what Vladimir Putin had in mind.
Russia’s strategy in confronting the unipolar world presided over by the United States and replacing it with a new world order where old rules no longer apply can succinctly be described as chaos. That approach has worked and delivered spectacular victories for Russia, which has been expanding its influence in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and South America.
The last four American presidents have been unable and at times unwilling to stop the pace of Russia’s expansion. It looked like in the fight for world order, the West stood no chance.
Then came the quagmire in Ukraine, which Russia spun as another form of chaos, and finally the collapse of Assad’s regime in Syria, the pillar of Russia’s expansion in the Middle East. Suddenly, it turns out, nobody, not even Russia, controls chaos and the fires started by the Kremlin may actually burn the arsonist.
The loss of Syria came, to repeat the words of Ernest Hemingway, “gradually and then suddenly.” The civil war in Syria started in 2011. In 2015, when it looked like the regime of Bashar al-Assad may not survive, Vladimir Putin saw an opportunity to reinsert Russia back into the Middle East. Russia intervened and saved the regime in Damascus.
The latest bout of instability began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas stormed and massacred communities in the south of Israel. It is unclear if Russia had its hand in planning any part of the attack, but it definitely encouraged Hamas’ behavior by supporting Hamas in international forums, giving its full support to Iran, and openly welcoming Hamas’ leadership in Moscow. Given the Kremlin’s close relationship with Hamas and Russia’s intelligence connections with Iran and Hezbollah, it is difficult to assume Russia had no idea about Hamas’ plans.
After October 7, Russia did everything in its power to prolong and escalate the conflict. It sided with the critics of Israel in international forums. It condemned every action Israel has taken in self defense. It supported Hezbollah and Iran militarily.
Given the vast quantities of modern Russian weapons found by the Israel Defense Forces in Lebanon, Russian support was not relegated to warm words and propaganda only. Russia’s plan was to inflame the Middle East even further. It wanted to draw Israel and the United States into direct conflict with terror proxies and Iran. Absolute chaos in the Middle East served Russia’s interest to divert American resources elsewhere from Europe, and to gain maximum freedom of action in Ukraine. And it almost achieved that goal — until the chaos came for Moscow.
From Stalin onward, Soviet and then Russia’s foreign policy is the reflection of its domestic struggles. Vladimir Putin, like most of his predecessors, spent too much time dealing with domestic “enemies.” Like Stalin, he succeeded in crushing all domestic dissent. That achievement, however, accustomed him to the environment where he, as the only real player, controls the time and rules.
Putin lost any respect for or fear of the United States, he believed Israel to be nothing more than America’s puppet, and stopped paying attention to “small” pieces of the puzzle, such as Syria. His view of America, at least its current administration, was not completely wrong.
However, Israel’s willingness to fight for its survival even against American wishes likely surprised Putin. Perhaps old Soviet condescension towards the Jewish State played a role. Pushed too far by the threats from all sides, Israel, in a series of masterful blows, eliminated Hezbollah as a military force (at least for the moment). Back in 2015, Hezbollah saved Assad from defeat. It provided the boots on the ground — fighters willing to die to save the regime. Now that force was demoralized, fighting for its own survival. The rebels sensed that weakness and with Turkey’s help and encouragement, sent Assad packing for his “dacha” in Moscow.
It is unclear if Russia’s bases will remain in Syria. They may — as whoever will control Syria in the near future may find it useful to play Russia against the US and Iran. However, Russia’s status in Syria will diminish significantly. The very same chaos that brought Russia back to the Middle East seems to have expelled it as suddenly, a mere decade later.
Putin was looking forward to the “reset” provided by Donald Trump and his desire to negotiate some agreement over Ukraine. Russia was approaching the future negotiations from a position of growing strength. That was only a month ago. Vladimir Putin feels personally humiliated by Assad’s collapse. Betraying allies was exclusively an American thing. That is not the case anymore. Putin will try to improve his world position before the talks over Ukraine commence. He is angry and may become reckless. Georgia and Moldova provide two immediate opportunities to re-asset Russia’s standing. The outgoing and new administrations must be vigilant and ready for Russia, the wounded maestro of the chaos, to strike back.
The author lives and works in Silicon Valley, California. He is a founding member of San Francisco Voice for Israel.
The post A Threat From Russia: The Wounded Maestro of Chaos May Strike Back first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Hezbollah Says Lebanon Move on Army Plan Is ‘Opportunity,’ Urges Israel to Commit to Ceasefire
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and members of the cabinet stand as they attend a cabinet session to discuss the army’s plan to disarm Hezbollah, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, Lebanon, September 5, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told Reuters on Saturday that the group considered Friday’s cabinet session on an army plan to establish a state monopoly on arms “an opportunity to return to wisdom and reason, preventing the country from slipping into the unknown.”
Lebanon’s cabinet on Friday welcomed a plan by the army that would disarm Hezbollah and said the military would begin executing it, without setting a timeframe for implementation and cautioning that the army had limited capabilities.
But it said continued Israeli military operations in Lebanon would hamper the army’s progress. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Lebanese information minister Paul Morcos stopped short of saying the cabinet had formally approved the plan.
Qmati told Reuters that Hezbollah had reached its assessment based on the government’s declaration on Friday that further implementation of a US roadmap on the matter was dependent on Israel’s commitment. He said that without Israel halting strikes and withdrawing its troops from southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s implementation of the plan should remain “suspended until further notice.”
Lebanon’s cabinet last month tasked the army with coming up with a plan that would establish a state monopoly on arms and approved a US roadmap aimed at disarming Hezbollah in exchange for a halt to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.
Qmati said that Hezbollah “unequivocally rejected” those two decisions and expected the Lebanese government to draw up a national defense strategy.
Israel last week signaled it would scale back its military presence in southern Lebanon if the army took action to disarm Hezbollah. Meanwhile, it has continued its strikes, killing four people on Wednesday.
A national divide over Hezbollah’s disarmament has taken center stage in Lebanon since last year’s devastating war with Israel, which upended a power balance long dominated by the Iran-backed Shi’ite Muslim group.
Lebanon is under pressure from the US, Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah’s domestic rivals to disarm the group. But Hezbollah has pushed back, saying it would be a serious misstep to even discuss disarmament while Israel continues its air strikes on Lebanon and occupies swathes of territory in the south.
Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem last month raised the specter of civil war, warning the government against trying to confront the group and saying street protests were possible.
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UK Police Arrest Dozens at Latest Protest for Banned Palestine Action
Demonstrators attend the “Lift The Ban” rally organised by Defend Our Juries, challenging the British government’s proscription of “Palestine Action” under anti-terrorism laws, in Parliament Square, in London, Britain, September 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Jasso
British police arrested dozens more people on Saturday under anti-terrorism laws for demonstrating in support of Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian group banned by the government as a terrorist organization.
Britain banned Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation in July after some of its members broke into a Royal Air Force base and damaged military planes. The group accuses Britain’s government of complicity in what it says are Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
Police have arrested hundreds of Palestine Action supporters in recent weeks under anti-terrorism legislation, including over 500 in just one day last month, many of them over the age of 60.
On Saturday, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near parliament in central London to protest against the ban on Saturday, with many holding up signs that said: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”
London’s Metropolitan Police said officers had begun arresting those expressing support for Palestine Action. Police did not say how many arrests were made but a Reuters witness said dozens of people were detained.
Palestine Action’s ban, or proscription, puts the group alongside al-Qaeda and ISIS and makes it a crime to support or belong to the organization, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
“I can be unequivocal, if you show support for Palestine Action – an offense under the Terrorism Act – you will be arrested,” Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan said on Friday. “We have the officer numbers, custody capacity and all other resources to process as many people as is required.”
Human rights groups have criticized Britain’s decision to ban the group as disproportionate and say it limits the freedom of expression of peaceful protesters.
The government has accused Palestine Action of causing millions of pounds worth of criminal damage and says the ban does not prevent other pro-Palestinian protests.
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Macron’s Meeting with American Jewry ‘Won’t Happen’ Amid Palestinian Recognition Drive, Surge in Antisemitism
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a press conference in Paris, France, June 12, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
i24 News – French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to set up a meeting with American Jewish leaders later this month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
i24NEWS has learned that the meeting won’t happen, firstly because Macron was only available for the meeting ahead of the UN General Assembly during Rosh Hashanah, and yet, a person invited to meet with Macron and who has knowledge of the discussions told i24NEWS the sit-down simply wasn’t going to happen, anyway.
“I think the organizations, for the most part, would not have participated,” the person said, adding that AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee would have likely received invitations, among other entities.
“The guy has a 15% popularity rating in France. It’s not our job to help him out,” the person said.
Asked by i24NEWS whether Macron’s push for greater Palestinian state recognition or his lack of action in tackling antisemitism at home led to the stance of organized American Jewry, the person said it’s more of “the climate” which allows one to say ‘Look, the American Jews met with me,’ regardless of the content.”
The person said they are sure, if a meeting would have happened, that everybody in the room would have taken a hard line with Macron, including his “statements on Israel, the failure to respond to antisemitism” and France’s announcement this summer that it will recognize a Palestinian state later this month, and is leading an effort to get more countries to do the same.
But, the person told i24NEWS they are convinced that, in the end, while no final decision actually had to be taken, there was enough pressure that a consensus would have been reached to decline the meeting.
Of the timing of Rosh Hashanah allowing for leadership to not be forced to officially say no to Macron, the person said “G-d saves us every time.”
Another source familiar with the matter noted that it cannot be ruled out that Macron may eventually succeed in arranging a meeting with certain representatives, as the organizations are not a single unified body. However, he is unlikely to be welcomed by the overwhelming majority of groups representing American Jewry.
i24NEWS has also learned that French President Emmanuel Macron explored the possibility of visiting Israel ahead of the convention, but was advised by the Prime Minister’s Office that the timing was inappropriate. The message came as Macron continues to push for recognition of a Palestinian state, a move Israel strongly opposes. Sources further told i24NEWS that Israel is weighing additional retaliatory measures against Macron, including the potential closure of the French consulate in Jerusalem, which primarily serves Palestinians in the West Bank.