Michael Weiss, Daily Beast: Russia Puts Boots on the Ground in Syria
The numbers are small, but Moscow may be looking at its own version of mission creep in the treacherous Middle East.
The end of summer. It means back-to-school shopping, tearfully ended beach-borne romances, Labor Day barbecues—and, it would seem, the increased likelihood of new Russian adventurism. As if Moscow weren’t satisfied with the game in Ukraine, the last month has seen a flurry of reports about its ever-expanding military involvement in Syria.
One report has even alleged that Russian pilots are gearing up to fly missions alongside the Syrian air force, dropping bombs not just on ISIS but on anti-Assad rebels who may or may not be aligned with the United States or its regional allies.
Several sources consulted for this story said the Pentagon is being unusually cagey about Russia’s reinvigorated role in Syria. A former U.S. military officer told The Daily Beast, “I’m being told things like, ‘We really can’t talk about this.’ That indicates to me that there’s some truth to these allegations.”
WNU Editor: Russian social media is abuzz with reports that Russian military advisers are now embedded with Syrian army units. Nothing specific yet and no announcement from either Moscow or Damascus, but Michael Weiss is probably correct in his analysis .... there are growing signs that Russia has made the decision to become more actively involved in the Syrian civil war.