AP analysis: US/Russia deal props up Assad

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_SYRIA_THE_WAR_ANALYSIS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-09-20-16-46-20

BEIRUT (AP) -- For Syria's divided and beleaguered rebels, the creeping realization that there will not be a decisive Western military intervention on their behalf is a huge psychological blow.

President Bashar Assad's regime has gained strength, largely because the world community is concerned that if he is toppled the result may be an Islamist Syria in the grip of al-Qaida.

The immediate result has been an uptick this week in fighting between moderate and jihadi rebels.

The long-term outcome is likely to be a prolonged war of attrition that continues the slow destruction of Syria as a coherent state and further fans the flames of sectarian hatred and extremism in a turbulent Middle East.

[cthulu2016]

1. Indeed

Russia's primary interest is propping up Assad.

Assad's total interest is propping up Assad.

Accords to which those parties agree will tend to be only those that prop up Assad.


That said, I am not sure that the absence of undermining constitutes "propping up." Had we struck Syria in the way we were planning (air-force, command and control) Assad would have collapsed pretty darn fast, but I don't know if failure to attack constitutes propping up, versus failing to knock over.