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You can’t tell who’s who in the renewed Syrian civil war without a scorecard, but so far, the big loser might be Russia. Before we get to Vlad Putin’s Middle East headache, enjoy a quick rundown of who’s doing what to whom — and, please, keep in mind that the situation is fluid—and bloody.
ThecivilwarwasmostlyquietuntilSaturdaywhenrebelsstrikingfromthenorthwesttookthestrategiccityofAleppo.Theadvancewassoswiftthatrebelscapturedeverythingfromartillerytotankstolightattackjets.Iran-backedIraqiShiiteforcesmovedinfromtheeasttoaidtheregime.
WithanassistfromRussianairpower,Basharal-AssadputtogetheradefensivelinesouthoffallenAleppoatHama.ShouldHamafall,thatwouldthreatenAssad’scontrolofTartus—andRussia’sonlynavalbaseintheMed.IfrebelsmanagedtotakeandholdTartus,thatwouldputabigcrimpinRussia’sabilitytosupportAssadandendMoscow’spowerprojectionintheMediterranean.
Here’sthescorecard,keptasbriefaspossible:
Thecivilwareffectivelypartitionedthecountry.ISISremnantsstillcontrolminorpartsof
