Behind The Times

Kari Travis | Managing Editor

Political analysts like to raise a ruckus about Russia's relationship with Syria these days. Why they haven't yet figured out the cause for such an alliance is anyone's guess, but the answer appears quite simple.

No, really. They are.

OK, so the details are a bit more complicated than that. But there's quite a story behind the cozy relationship the countries share. The tale goes back decades and bears much resemblance to a politically-charged romance with a side of arms dealing thrown in for good measure. Such are the details that rarely ever see the light of day.

Let's drag out the records, dust them off and discover the dirty details behind the whole affair.

When the socialist Baath Party came to power in Syria in 1963, the Soviet Union saw a perfect opportunity to move the country toward a pro-soviet political system by offering education to promising young students from the region, according to a report from The New York Times. The intent was to promote an agenda through propaganda. But when Russian and Syrian college students were thrown together to be educated in the ways of the Soviets, the knowledge obtained had more to do with physical attraction than with political thinking.

What followed were weddings. Lots and lots of weddings.

You thought the marriage thing was a joke, didn't you? Admittedly, it does seem ridiculous. But historical accounts show that Russian-Syrian marriages are a huge part of the connection between the two countries. The reasons for such cross-cultural, marital inclinations are too numerous to be detailed here, but the bottom line is that nuptials between Syrians and Russians provided a lot of socio-political benefits for couples and countries alike.

But what does this have to do with the bigger picture, you ask?

Glad you brought that up.

In 1971, less than a decade after Russia started its propaganda efforts in Syria, the two governments were settled in as Cold War allies. They were so tight, in fact, Russia was able to build a naval base in the Syrian port city of Tartus.

A naval base that still exists today.

This isn't just an old storage unit used to house a few soldiers and some leftover weapons, either. No, this base is the last Russian military site that exists outside Soviet territory, and the Russian government has dumped a lot of capital into preserving and building its military presence on-site, according to Business Insider. And if that isn't reason enough for Russia to hold onto the location, recent reports also allege that the base houses nuclear warships and subs.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of weapons, it should also be pointed out that present-day Russia is a major arms supplier for Syria. According to an archived Middle East report from The New York Times, contracts have amounted to $700 million annually in weapons deals, with the money moving from Syria's hands to Russia's pockets.

Granted, Russia halted arms deals in July of this year, saying it wouldn't sign on the dotted line again until the violence calms down, according to the Huffington Post. But that hasn't kept the country from persevering to provide Syria with other exports.

Or, for that matter, from continuing to stand by al-Assad's violent regime.

Just one example of this came in early August when the U.N. voted on a resolution condemning Assad and the Syrian government's crimes against humanity. Russia refused to support the action, calling it a "blatant" support for the rebel groups fighting to overthrow Assad's government, according to al-Jazeera.

It is irresponsible to conclude by saying that history is the reason for Russia's continued alliance with what may currently be the world's most criticized government, but the implications are compelling. Especially when records reveal a decades-long, politically and socially symbiotic relationship between the two countries.

Those facts are something we just can't ignore.

We've just barely uncovered the issues here, but the evidence examined seems to reveal a classically dysfunctional marriage arrangement born out of both convenience and necessity.

And though this relationship isn't exactly a happy one, Russia doesn't look like it will be serving Syria divorce papers anytime soon.