Washington’s view on Russia’s Syrian campaign depends on who’s commenting at different times along with what the Western media reports or suppresses.
Pentagon commanders are awestruck by Moscow’s formidable military power, its sophisticated weapons matching or exceeding their own capability, outdoing the prowess of other NATO countries.
Its navy once derisively called “more rust than ready” is reinventing itself impressively. Its overall military capability dispels the myth about unmatched US superiority.
Its Syrian campaign since September 30 has been devastatingly effective by any standard, permitting government ground forces to recapture lost territory, making slow and steady gains.
Peace remains elusive. Expect late January talks to be no more successful than earlier ones. Washington wants US-controlled puppet governance replacing Syrian sovereign independence.
Russia’s intervention changed the dynamic on the ground dramatically – short of hastening an end of conflict.