pretty good list!
I was wondering about a secret deal, wondering what Kerry and Obama, the EU or ?? might have promised Iran to get them to cut back
Pretty sure Israel would prefer to see Hezbollah tied down along with the SAA in northwestern Syria than in Lebanon closer to their border
I would not be surprised if the powers in the region are cutting their own deals, without involving the US.
The Saudi Defense Minister (The King’s son) went to meet with the Russians in Sochi a couple of months ago.
It seems to me that most of the players in the region are dealing with the Russians, and disregarding, patronizing or playing the Americans.
As always in the Middle East, there is likely a mess of shifting alliances, and changing bi-lateral and multi-lateral agreements working against each other.
Russia’s and Iran’s commitments have fundamentally changed the calculus in Syria, as did the Western capitulation on the Iran nuke deal - the Saudis are feeling the heat, and probably need a deal to get out of the Syrian mess, after Obama dropped the ball for them there.
Pulling out the Iranians would be a reasonable trade for the Saudis to stop paying their mercenaries in Syria. Oil prices are kicking all their butts at the same time, so they all need to cut expenses, like war.
Israel has been wise to keep their powder dry, and let the others punch themselves out. Turkey seems to still be committed fighting in Syria/Iraq, and milking out their oil for the Erdogan family retirement fund.