The Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS)
For a Policy Roundtable Discussion & Rooftop Reception on
Analyzing the Russia-Syria Alliance:
Is Putin's defense of Al-Assad all bark — or bite?
A senior level expert panel discusses implications for policy makers
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
509 C Street N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
(office is co-located with the American Foreign Policy Council)
Throughout Syria's popular uprising against Bashar-Al Assad which has now claimed over 100,000 lives, Russia has stood firmly behind the regime, even in the face of possible U.S. military action. In an eleventh hour move to avert punitive strikes on Al-Assad's military, Russia has devised a plan for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons to the international community for destruction.
Considering Russia's plans to deliver the advanced S-300 air-defense missile system, in addition to replacing aircraft, tanks, artillery, radar and other military hardware destroyed, Russia's billions of dollars in arms sales to Syria, and protection of its only military installation outside of the former Soviet Union at Tartus– motivates Putin to defend Al-Assad and maintain a long-term, top ally in power in the Middle East. But if and when U.S. missiles start raining down on Damascus, will Putin's defense of Syria be all bark — or bite? Or somewhere in between?
Featuring:
Dr. Evgueni Novikov
former senior official in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, author of new book “Rethinking the Reset Button: Understanding Contemporary Russian Foreign Policy.”
Dr. Walid Phares
Professor, author and scholar on Islamic terrorism and Fox News Middle East analyst.
Mr. Ben Harris-Quiney
Chairman, Bow-Group (based in the United Kingdom)
Gordon Lubold (moderator)
Pentagon correspondent, Foreign Policy Magazine
Light refreshments will be served, a rooftop reception will follow the panel (if weather permits).
Admission is free of charge, but seating is limited; to RSVP, please e-mail events@securefreesociety.org or call J.D. Gordon, SFS Senior Fellow @ 202.758.9083.
