I got the impression that AgentApple was concerned that the growing Iranian influence might negatively affect the status quo in that respect, and my sense is that it wouldn't.
In other news, Assad appears to be reaching out to the Kurds, who have been authorized to open a representative office in Moscow. Assad has nothing to lose there given that the Turks are already against him. The interesting thing will be how that fits into a broader strategy of including Iraq in the "anti-ISIS" alliance being coordinated from Moscow, rather than from Washington.
Of course, regardless of what you think about Putin's support for Assad you have to admit that Obama has just stumbled around without a clue as to what he wants to do or should do. It just so happens that staying out of Syria altogether is probably the best option (aside from the bombing of ISIS targets, which no one in any country seems to care about too much).
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
