The article explores the military losses incurred by Russia in Syria and the United States in Afghanistan following government collapses. It details the amounts and types of weapons lost and assesses which country experienced greater strategic disadvantages, concluding that Russia faced a more significant impact due to the nature of the arms involved.
The recent collapse of the Syrian regime bears striking similarities to Afghanistan’s fall three years ago, each marked by rapid disintegration of local forces and significant military assets left amid chaos. Following the Syrian conflict, rebels from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have likely inherited a substantial part of the Assad regime’s weaponry, previously supplied by Russia. Simultaneously, the U.S. abandoned considerable military resources in Afghanistan to the Taliban after the fall of the U.S.-backed government. Historical data indicates that Russia’s military relationship with Syria, which began during the Cold War, involved substantial arms transfers, resulting in significant assets left behind after the regime’s defeat. Comparatively, the Taliban captured billions in equipment from the U.S., yet the quality and utility of the military hardware differ significantly, suggesting a more serious impact on Russian military capability than that suffered by the U.S. Consequently, while both countries endured losses, the depth of equipment loss for Russia in Syria represents a more consequential strategic disadvantage than America’s losses in Afghanistan.
By examining the extent of the arsenals lost by both superpower patrons, it is clear that the future military effectiveness of Russia, already strained by its Ukrainian operations, may face further constraints due to the depletion of its Syrian resources, unlike the U.S., which retained more effective military tools elsewhere.
The article discusses the aftermath of government collapses in Syria and Afghanistan, focusing on the military equipment left behind by both Russian and U.S. forces and their implications. It outlines the historical context of the military relationships between Russia and Syria, and the U.S. and Afghanistan, detailing the amount of weaponry supplied over decades. By comparing the nature and quantity of equipment lost by both countries during recent evacuations, it assesses which nation sustained greater strategic losses as a result of its allied regime’s failure.
In conclusion, while both Russia and the U.S. have experienced considerable military losses due to the collapse of their allied governments, the situation in Syria poses a markedly greater threat to Russia’s military resources and operational capabilities than the U.S. losses in Afghanistan. The nature of the weaponry left behind in Syria offers potential for significant future military capability for adversaries, which could further destabilize the region and challenge Russian influence.
Original Source: foreignpolicy.com
