Russia: Putin Considers Sending Troops to Iraq

Stratfor | July 18 2004

Moscow is considering a request by the Bush administration to send Russian troops to Iraq or Afghanistan this fall, just before the U.S. presidential election.

The move would be of enormous benefit to U.S. President George W. Bush and a risky venture for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces his own Islamist insurgency in Chechnya and public opposition to U.S. policy in Iraq.

Torn between his desire to support Bush and his need to address domestic concerns, Putin will delay his final decision to the eleventh hour.