Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
US Establishing Base in Syria
During the regime of the al-Assad family, Syria was a Soviet/Russian satellite. Today, the Russians have Hmeimim airbase near Latakia and the Tartus naval base on the Mediterranean coast. A third base is located at Qamishli airport in the northeast. Despite the fall of the Assad government, Russia continues to hold these bases and is reportedly seeking to formalize its presence with the new Syrian leadership. So, it was a bit of a shock to learn that the USA was talking to Damascus about setting up an American base to support a potential Israeli-Syrian security arrangement. This shows the re-alignment in the region is significant and real. It also creates a new theatre of friction between the US and Russia.
Reuters, which broke the story, reported, "The new U.S. plans appear to mirror two other new U.S. military presences in the region monitoring cessation of hostilities agreements: one in Lebanon, which closely watches last year's ceasefire between Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel, and one in Israel that monitors the Trump-era truce between Palestinian military group Hamas and Israel." This journal would normally take Reuters at its word, but the wireservice viewed this as so important to get right that it has no fewer than six sources. That makes it close to a metaphysical certainty.
The wireservice also said, "The base sits at the gateway to parts of southern Syria that are expected to make up a demilitarised zone as part of a non-aggression pact between Israel and Syria. That deal is being mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration."
Further, Reuters says that the US military has already scouted the base and has determined that the runway is adequate for the purposes envisioned. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa will be in Washington for a meeting with Mr. Trump, and both sides seem to want to get a deal done before then.
A US base in Syria would cap the transition Syria has made since the al-Assad family fled. While President al-Sharaa is a former jihadi (and one is skeptical of the adjective), he is also in charge of an actual country. That makes a certain level of pragmatism necessary. Having the Americans in to monitor a deal with Israel makes a good deal of sense.
The Russians, however, so not seem to be leaving their bases. Kurdistan24.com (a news organization of some repute based in Erbil, Iraq, reported just a month ago, "In a major development signaling renewed Russian military focus in Syria, large-scale reinforcements have arrived at Hmeimim Airbase in the coastal province of Latakia, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Over the past several hours, more than nine massive Russian transport aircraft of the 'A124' model were observed landing at the base, carrying heavy equipment, logistical supplies, and advanced weaponry directly from Russia.
Simultaneously, four military convoys departed from the Russian naval base in Tartus toward Hmeimim, transporting dozens of military trucks and heavy cargo into the airbase. The convoys, seen moving along the coastal highway, reflect Moscow's ongoing reinforcement of its presence along the Syrian coastline, a key strategic corridor for both its naval and aerial dominance in the region.
The USA will have its people in Damascus, and if they are not keeping tabs on the Russians, one would be very disappointed in them. The Russians will be aware of this, and they will keep an eye on the Americans at the same time. From there, things can always get messy. Mr. Putin is probably furious about this, but there is little he can do at the moment.
© Copyright 2025 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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