WW3 warning as Putin ‘might do something crazy’ after having ‘ambitions thwarted’ in Middle East
Defence expert Robert Fox has warned on GB News that Vladimir Putin “might do something crazy” after having his “ambitions thwarted” in the Middle East.
The toppling of the Bashar al-Assad regime came as a hefty strategic blow for Moscow given how Syria is home to two major Russian military installations.
Speaking on the People’s Channel, Fox said what Putin may do next should be causing Western leaders major anxieties.
“The big question is, how much of Russia’s military is now trapped in Syria?”, he asked.
“The fact that Putin’s ambitions in the region have been thwarted should be no comfort because he might do something crazy.”
Christians in Syria are also under threat, according to Fox, who added that they always have been.
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He said Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who led the rebels, has pledged to protect Syrian minorities – but this may not mean a great deal.
“They are always under threat as a minority, they always have been and they always come up last”, he said.
“Al-Golani has said all of this but people are saying he really wants a Taliban-lite regime, but look at what he’s done, look at his PR.
“It’s a lot better. This isn’t the dark days of the Taliban leadership, this guy is clever, he knows how to play the media. He has probably read from the playbook of Osama Bin Laden.
“It depends how much he thinks he can get there by diplomacy, he has to establish a regime and revenue and funding and he will see one of the things that really brought down the Assad regime, which was drugs.
“It’s a big can of worms, the whole thing.”
Syrian rebels seized control of Damascus on Sunday, ousting President Bashar al-Assad and ending his family’s decades-long rule over Syria.
The dramatic fall of the regime marks a seismic moment for the Middle East, concluding more than 13 years of brutal civil war that has devastated the country.
Assad reportedly fled the capital earlier on Sunday to an unknown destination, according to senior army officers.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Assad’s departure and called for a peaceful resolution, whilst placing its military bases in Syria on high alert.
The Russian Embassy in Damascus assured its staff remained safe despite the escalating situation.
Thousands gathered at Saadallah al-Jabiri Square, chanting “Freedom” from half a century of Assad family rule.
Rebels reported freeing prisoners from a large detention facility on Damascus’s outskirts, declaring: “We celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing our prisoners and releasing their chains.”
Videos showed civilians entering Assad’s abandoned palaces, with some removing furniture and ornaments.
The fall of Assad’s regime has dealt a significant blow to Russian and Iranian influence in the region.
Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali called for free elections and confirmed talks with rebel commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani about managing Syria’s transition.
The collapse followed recent setbacks to Hezbollah, a key Assad ally, in Lebanon.