Reuters: Syrian military official: There’s been a ‘big shift’ in Russian military support for Assad
While the desperate flight of Syrians from their country's war was dominating news bulletins this summer, yet another diplomatic push to end the four-year-old conflict was quietly running into the sand.
That largely unnoticed failure has reinforced the view amongst Syria experts that there is no solution in sight, with one of the biggest obstacles a seemingly unbridgeable international divide over President Bashar al-Assad's future.
As a consequence, Syria looks set for ever greater fragmentation into a patchwork of territories, one of them the diminishing Damascus-based state where Assad appears confident of survival with backing from his Russian and Iranian allies.
WNU Editor: From what I am reading in Russian social media, talking with my Russian friends and family in Russia .... there is zero public support for Russia to become involved in the Syrian conflict. As to why is Putin pursuing this course .... with no public support .... and no net benefit and no exit strategy .... I am still mystified. Something has happened that made Putin decide that this is the best course for Russia .... my prediction .... we will learn the reasons why in the next few weeks.
Update: Some are wondering if this increase in Russian military support is blow-back because of U.S. sanctions and Ukraine .... Analysts Link Syria to Latest US Sanctions on Russia (Defense News).