Our strategic interest in Syria *WAS* too keep Ivan out of there. So much for that.
Wasn’t Ivan already in Syria? Not in as big a way as now, but they had a small port there.
Russia has always had interests in Syria. It’s right next door, for heaven sakes. Putin has always backed Assad. We are the meddlers as he sees it. Let Putin get rid of ISIS. Russia had influence and trade with Syria before ISIS and will have it after ISIS is out of Syria too. What Putin gets out of all this is a warm water port in Syria. That’s very important to him.