Guardian.co.uk
Syria’s President Bashar Assad has publicly stepped up his outreach to old ally Russia in recent days, seeking aid to build up Syrian military forces and offering Moscow help in return - in an apparent effort to exploit a new Russian-American rift. U.S. officials have noticed: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Mideast leaders this week that they should worry about Syria’s efforts to gain more sophisticated weapons. Syria’s long-term aim, however, remains unclear, in part because Assad also continues to pursue peace efforts with Israel - a key U.S. and European goal - even as he makes overtures to Russia that are sure to antagonize the West. Syria has a long history of apparently contradictory diplomatic moves as it maneuvers to find options and balance its interests. More
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