Issues Under Fire: Russians Hijack Control of Syrian Conflict

Issues Under Fire: Russians Hijack Control of Syrian Conflict 

In no uncertain terms, the Russians have wrestled control of the Syrian issue from the West's slippery grip. Lacking a clear comprehensive and cooperative strategy to unite regional partners behind, Russia saw opportunity. While the West appeared dumbfounded as to which way to turn, who to trust and what to do next, Russia's Vladimir Putin took a position and never wavered. Bahsar al-Assad is the legitimate leader of Syria and an ally of the Russian Federation. 

As an ally, Russia has always maintained the right to provide weapons, training and military advisors to assist the Assad government in combating opposition to its authority be it foreign or domestic. With unyielding support for the Syrian government no secret, the Russians have rejected the notion that Bahsar al-Assad is a murdering maniac of his own people. To the contrary, the Russians assert Assad is a valiant fighter in the war against violent Islamist extremist. 

Taking that support to the next level, the Russians are now challenging the U.S. led coalition of the "WTF Are We We're Doing?" to get out of the way of progress. The Russians have a plan to execute and the bumblers in the West, who've failed to identify, isolate and eliminate the true culprits will only muck up "serious efforts" going forward. The Russian plan is simple. They will target anyone and everyone not loyal to the Assad government. From this point on, ISIS/ISIL, al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda and even, if not especially Syrian rebel forces are legitimate targets. 

Understandably, the United States and Israel have major issues with the Russian plan since they are committed to regime change in Syria and will stoop to inconceivable lows to affect that outcome. Unfortunately, the U.S.-Israeli Union failed to recognize regime change was never more than a Western wet dream. After witnessing the downfall of Libya's Muammar Gaddifi and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, Bahsar al-Assad prepared his country for the long struggle, while  never bowing to international pressures.  

With Iran always firmly in play, gaining influence regionally and just as committed to the survival of the Assad government, while China quietly runs interference in the background, Assad simply had too much support to fold during the outbreak of the so-called Arab Spring. Any thoughts to the contrary were misguided. It should be no wonder why Bahsar al-Assad simply blew off the Obama administration's demand to step down. 

Bottom line: Since the Russians will be targeting many of the opposition fighters Western powers would love to see continuing to give the Assad government grief, it'll be interesting if and how the Western coalition will protect them. Will the U.S. provide air cover to Assad's opposition when they come under attack from Russian forces or will the Western coalition fade into the background until Washington can come up with a plan that actually makes sense. Presently, the Obama administration appears outmaneuvered, stunned and relegated to the sidelines. Podcast below!