The way the things are taking shape in Syria it does not appear that the USA will retrieve lost ground within a short period. Of course undeniably the next two weeks are crucial for the USA to make a steadfast move for at least instilling confidence in its people about the might of the state.

After waiting for long for USA to act decisively against the ISIS and rebels, Russia has finally decided to go for hot chase on its own. It has begun its largest surface deployment since the end of the Cold War. It is believed to be preparation for a final assault on the besieged eastern part of Aleppo. It would within a fortnight eventually turn the surge in favour of the Assad regime.

The Kremlin has dispatched its Northern Fleet, including the country’s only aircraft carrier, and much of its Baltic Fleet designed to crush the 8,000 rebels in Aleppo, the only large urban centre still in opposition hands. Once the task is accomplished Russia will exit from Syria leaving Assad to undertake the repair work.

Little doubt this scenario would be like USA committing hara-kiri. How could American leadership confront this situation is beyond imagination. While the USA leadership had rejected Assad and had doggedly lobbied for his removal from the power, to the global insult to the USA the very same Assad would continue to be in command and rule Syria. The Russian President Vladimir Putin will seize the opportunity to reach two goals at a time; declare victory in Syria and expose US incompetence.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that USA involved itself in Mosul fight only to extricate it from the ignominy of worst defeat in Syria. The battle for Mosul is a litmus test for Obama’s foreign policy doctrine of solving conflicts from the sideline. It is shocking indeed to watch Obama repeating the mistakes. It is a known fact that his policy has failed in Syria and the fate of eastern Aleppo would further undermine the genuineness of the Obama Doctrine.

Putin deserves appreciation for his bold political initiative notwithstanding the fact that Russia is having a weak economy. One thing is absolutely clear that in the mind game and charting out the war strategies, the US administration is no where nearer to Russia. Kremlin used propaganda as a preventive weapon to keep Russia’s enemies in a state of confusion. This was clearly manifest in Syria. Putin outsmarted the Obama government.

In October, when Russia started bombing Syria, Obama predicted that Putin would regret his decision to enter the Syrian civil war. But the situation prevailing in Syria sends a message otherwise; Russia continues to call the shots. The political developments indicate that Russia and Iran are propping up Assad and trying to pacify the population. Obama has proved wrong.

Putin has not only turned the tide of war in Syria, reversing what was a steady loss of territory for Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, but he is also playing his Syria intervention as part of a global chess match against the West. True enough Putin is running circles around the United States and Europe.

The most important development has been Putin courting the Syrian Kurds, America's most effective allies against ISIS and who hold a significant amount of Syrian territory. The NATO allies and most importantly Turkey have started looking at the Syrian Kurds with suspicion. They even decry them as terrorists. The Syrian Kurds have even opened an office in Moscow, calling the event 'a historic moment for the Kurdish people.' Russia is courting the Kurds away from the United States.

A vile propaganda hs been launched against Russia that it along with Assad has been targeting mostly non-ISIS groups, and they are bombing civilian populations. There is nothing new in this allegation. They have been reiterating it ever since Russia entered into the scene.

The West has now started blaming Russia for accentuating the refugee crisis in Syria. It is also alleged Russia, by creating more refugees, is helping divide Europe. A war of nerves has been launched. The USA allies have been indulging in game of scare, saying that the European Union which has survived a multitude of challenges may not be able to withstand the Syrian refugee crisis.

Little doubt Russian airstrikes had been instrumental in the Syrian government’s recent gains. Capture of the city of Palmyra from the self-proclaimed Islamic State is a candid example. Russia is convinced that Assad is basically indispensable that the decapitation of the regime would result in the collapse of the Syrian state institutions Russia wants to preserve. Putin has pledged continued military support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad despite growing concerns over Moscow's role in the war.

The United States was compelled not just to deal with Russia as a diplomatic equal but also to shift its own stance towards the Assad government to one that falls short of its long-time insistence that President Assad had to go, as the essential pre-condition for any negotiated settlement.

Actually Russia’s gain in Syria is the start of a new anti-Islamic State coalition with Russia, Iran and China’s involvement in Syria. America which has always been promoting the terrorist elements will certainly not welcome this change in the balance of power. Significantly China is working to increase its involvement in the Middle East by providing military training and humanitarian aid in Syria.

While the US and its allies are finding it tough to explain what they are actually doing in Syria, it is explicit that the only progress being made in Syria against the forces of extremism is by Russia, Iran and Lebanon. (IPA Service)