Russia would also lose the huge political influence they have over Europe as the monopoly supplier of nat.gas to Europe. Several years ago in the dead of winter as we tried to form a united front with European nations in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine there were a few minor problems with the Russian pipeline supplying the Europeans their gas. The Europeans immediately went into appeasement mode and the united front fell apart. What choice did they have? Freeze to death in the middle of January without any natural gas. This “thing” in Syria is a big thing. Realpolitiks of the Kissinger type is playing out on the world stage right now.