Mr. Putin instead has taken his measure of Mr. Obama and has doubled down, saving his client regime in Syria. Russia has won in Syria and NATO and the West are stuck with that outcome, as are the unlucky residents of Aleppo. "I hope Obama doesn't decide to get a backbone now," suggested a retired American general who knows the Russians well, "since the Kremlin is in 'drive' in Syria and isn't about to do 'reverse'."
I have no worries about Obama getting a backbone now or ever, not for foreign affairs.