Putin’s concerns about extremism shared by other Russians
Vladimir Putin’s op-ed in The New York Times explaining his reasons for opposing U.S. military action against the Syrian regime also touched on worries within his own borders.
The prospect of a U.S. military strike on Syria has focused new attention on the role and influence of Islamic extremist groups – including Jabhat al-Nusra, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and jihadists from Chechnya, Pakistan and other countries – opposing the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.