I think you're talking about different Arabs. The Arabs fighting right now are rolling RPG's and are stoked when they get armored vehicles. Those Arabs don't even have an air force, let alone access to nukes. The Russian military is probably pound for pound as strong as the US military. In addition, the Arabs fight each other as much as they do outsiders whereas the Russians are united.
You're right about NATO, I thought they were part of it.
