The Middle East crisis threatens European security

By Vestnik Kavkaza

The offensive by militants of Islamic State in the north of Iraq continues. The Iraqi army is incurring losses, withdrawing from the onsurge of the Islamists. According to Prime Minister of Iraq Haider al-Abadi, on May 31st during an attack at Mosul, militants of ISIS captured 2300 American military off-road vehicles which belonged to the Security Services of Iraq. The occupation of new territories of Iraq and Syria by radical Islamists is one of the main problems for the international community today.

According to Alexander Yushhenko, a member of the Russian parliament, a member of the Inter-factional Group for Preservation of Christian Values, Syria is at the cutting edge of the struggle against international terrorism, which is being spread all over the Middle East. Yushchenko is sure that it not only threatens the Middle East, but also undermines European security: “The militants who have gone through such an awful school will return to their native countries where they are from – to Europe, the CIS countries, Russia. The war is aimed not at depletion; they use severe methods. It is a medieval war with modern Western weapons.”

Alexander Yushchenko states that the Syrian government believes that 75% of responsibility for the destruction and sacking of the country and for the support for terrorist groups lies with Turkey: “500-1000 militants cross the Turkish-Syrian border daily. Russia should strictly demand that the UN Security Council fulfill the resolution which requires the necessity of banning illegal trespassing by armed groups.” 
Another problem on the way to a settlement of the Middle East crisis is thought to be financing of terrorist groups due to selling oil which is produced on the occupied territories: “Today the oil-producing territories of Syria are occupied by terrorists, as well as fertile lands where wheat is growing. Of course Syria feels the deficit. We speak about the control and prevention of financing of terrorist organizations. However, why is oil which is stolen from Syria and Iraq being sold for 20% of its real price? Who buys it? Who controls this? This is the main source of support of terrorist groups.”

However, according to the expert, even though “there is war and constant shelling of cities, the Syrian government headed by the Premier is looking to the future and seeing a clear plan of the republic’s reconstruction. The Prime Minister stresses that the reconstruction of the republic will involve Russian companies, first of all. Syria expects that they will lend a hand to the country in reconstruction of the cities which have been destroyed. None of countries which are involved in the war and supporting terrorism – Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the US – will be attracted to the reconstruction.”

Yushchenko thinks that “on the one hand, the US shows that it is acting within the anti-ISIS coalition, bombing the facilities of ISIS armies; on the other hand, the US is establishing an operational headquarters for coordination of cooperation between terrorist groups such as al-Nusra, a branch of al-Qaeda, and ISIS branches.”