With the Russian and Syrian forces now very close to a victory in the city of Aleppo, how will this turning point in the Syrian Civil War affect the markets? I ask this because there's a theory that the west removed Gaddafi because of his plan to introduce a new reserve currency in the region* - a plan that would necessarily undermine the US dollar, with possible major repercussions for the US economy. The theory also states that Syria, Russia and Iran are also working toward that aim, and their relationship with the IMF bears this out. If Russia is now the dominant player in the mid-east - or at least a serious threat to Saudi and Israeli interests - this will surely affect western markets. Thoughts? *https://www.rt.com/news/economy-oil-gold-libya/
Russia isn't a threat to Israeli or Saudi interests. Syria has always been an ally of Russia. The Saudis hated Assad as did the Israelis so I doubt much is going to change. Russia is simply restoring the equilibrium. As for the plans to ditch the U.S dollar, the Iranians have already done that but they'll be getting their oil payments in Euros not Yuans or some other currency.
Pardon me for this comment. I don't think the war in Syria will be over soon because there are too many forces that have joined the intramural. It seems to me that Syria is a battleground of Russia and US with the ISIS and Syrians playing as pawns. Include Turkey in the picture and Saudi Arabia, you will have a merry mix of interests that are right now governing Syria. Poor Syrians because they are trapped inside their own country. That is the reason for the exodus of Syrians to seek refuge in other countries.
If only the countries which claim they are fighting terrorism in Syria would work together then I'm sure that ISIS and other terrorist groups would be driven out of Syria quickly. While that wouldn't stop them from conducting guerrilla warfare the country will be more stable if they have one president. Since they all have conflicting interests the Syrian war will drag on for years and whilst they are it they'll be no end to the oil rout and that I presume is what will negatively impact the stock market.
The problem is, we don't know who really wants to defeat ISIS. Israel has admitted (in fact not just admitted, but openly advertised the fact) that they are aiding ISIS with medical help, and by some mysterious procedure US arms keep falling into jihadi hands. So far, the only two people who actually appear, through both words and deeds, to want to fight islamist terror are Putin and Assad. But we're constantly told they're the emeny, so what's going on? Video of Israel giving medical treatment to ISIS fighters: [video=youtube;tK4K-qsjBh8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK4K-qsjBh8[/video]
There were some rumors circulating last year that Israel and the U.S support ISIS because they wanted the Muslims busy fighting each other. If they were thus occupied no terrorists would be thinking of attacking targets in the West and in Israel. The U.S actually wasn't interested in intervening until the terrorists beheaded someone and even then after a year of airstrikes ISIS had not been defeated forcing Russia to take over and do what the U.S and their allies wouldn't.
