I don’t look at it as negative beyond the fact that the Kurds may end up doing all the heavy lifting and the pro-Assad/pro-Putinistas are going to give him credit for what the SDF and US forces did. Hell, many posters on this forum believe that the SDF is a malignant terrorist force and that Assad should crush them. The fact that its the SDF defeating ISIS doesn’t fit their narrative and does not compute. They’re basically in denial about the facts. They seem to think its Putin’s forces taking the fight to ISIS. That’s the type of thing I don’t get.
Putin has given air cover to Assad’s forces. Past that he has “sold”?? aircraft and tanks, etc.
The problem I have with Assads is what they did in Lebanon and his insane connection with the Iran’s Mullahs. Headshake.
I like the bravery and decency of the Syrian Kurds. There is baggage from outside of Syria. It is connected.
Turkey? I wished there was hope of correcting what is happening there now. I don’t see any evidence there is.
Erdogan is an egomaniac Islamist soon to be dictator. It will destroy Turkey. (they have a huge problem with genocides they have brought about in the past.)
Turkey DID NOT “take” Al-Bab. He made a pact with the devil for the devil to just leave. And then hired some of them to help him kill Kurds. No way to sugar coat that.
Yes, our generals know all this. Unfortunately many of the POLs do not, or are bought with Middle East money to represent foreign interests. (McCain & Graham, etc)