TOW #1 - "Don't Trust Putin on Syria"

Andrew Foxall, the director of the Russia Studies Center at the Henry Jackson Society, shares his view on Western policies for the Middle East and Russia's "diplomatic" approach on Syria in his article titled, "Don't Trust Putin on Syria." Foxall writes to Western political leaders, as result of the destruction occurring in Syria, urging them to not be "stepped" on again by the Russians. As a director of Russian studies, he brings his experiences and knowledge to the table to make his stance clear-cut. His attitude toward the Syrian situation is quite clear, as he begins by starting his article stating, "Syria is being destroyed." He continues to describe the situation in Syria and the policies Western governments have created to combat the jihadists. When describing Russia's role in the Syrian struggle, Foxall makes sure to emphasis President Putin's close relations to Islamist terrorism. He then writes about the Islamist terrorists from the southern Russian republic of Chechnya which lead to recently appointed prime minister to be swept into presidency. Foxall's logic makes perfect sense as he cites evidence of how Putin had convinced the West that the threat it was facing in Afghanistan was the same as Russia faced in Chechnya; allowing him to tamp down Western criticism of Russian brutality in Chechnya. Foxall's writing continues to make an impact on readers as he dismisses Putin's call to action for an international effort against terrorism, as it is only a ruse to rehabilitate himself just as he did after 9/11. Throughout the article, he switches between a second and third person narration to emphasis certain paragraphs, like when he begins his first piece of evidence against Putin's attempts of international coalitions writing, "We've been here before." Foxall's colloquial manner makes his points come across very distinctly and strengthen his argument. As he relies heavily on logos, presenting evidence that makes his article more valid, it encourages his thought that the Kremlin's "enthusiasm" for cooperation could undermine current US-Russian relations and cause many to redefine their relationships with Washington as well. In Foxall's final paragraph, he writes, "We must not let Mr. Putin dictate the terms of cooperation. To do so risks repeating past mistakes." His purpose is clearly stated as he alludes to the issues in Georgia and Ukraine caused by the West's failure to block Russia's diplomacy. He sensibly pushes his call to action to the forefront as he warns the West of what will happen if it repeats its past mistakes.

As a high school student who does not typically follow politics and world news, unless discussed in school, Foxall manages to clearly present his opinion and back it up with evidence in such a manner that the reader is compelled to join his side.