Here is an interesting discussion about the Russian involvement in Syria:

 

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2...egy-213213

 

The article has a lot of experts weighing in with widely different opinions. 

 

Here is one that, in my opinion, has to be considered:

 

"Moscow simply cannot deploy the kind of forces to Syria that could meaningfully change the arithmetic of the war and save the regime. It also means the Russians are now vulnerable: when something goes wrong, as always will in war, they will face the terrible choice of pulling back and looking weak or doubling down and getting sucked deeper and deeper into this bloody vortex of factionalism, repression, jihad and revolution."

 

And this:

 

"People around the world give Putin way too much credit as a master strategist. He’s an improviser and an opportunist of the highest order. It’s true that he’s trying to fill some of the vacuum in the Middle East and Syria as the United States scales back our military involvement in the region. At the same time, I doubt very much that Putin is thinking two or three moves ahead. The war in Syria is about to get a lot worse and he’s plunging Russia right into the middle of it. It’s also only a matter of time before we see surge of jihadist activity targeting Russians, both inside Syria and, I fear, on the streets of Moscow. Russia’s move is going to embolden the Assad regime and motivate the forces of global jihadism."



 

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