Unity of purpose needed

By Syrian President Bashar Assad’s admission, the Russian military intervention in his country was a major game changer that benefitted Damascus.

Moscow deployed advanced warplanes, naval units and ultra-modern missiles in order to make a difference in the war against Daesh.

In a recent interview, the Syrian president projected that the Russian involvement will increase and prove effective in deciding the fate of the civil war that has been raging in his country for over four years now.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been steadfast and uncompromising on the role of his military support for the Syrian regime, despite great opposition from US President Barack Obama who wants Assad, who he accuses of being the reason for the Syrian conflict, and definitely no part of the solution, out.

Syria has become the theatre for both direct and proxy fights. Two coalitions of powers seem to be working at opposite poles: one led by the US and including some 65 nations, and one made up of Russia, Iran and Hizbollah, with each waging its own war against Daesh.

Internationally, the Western alliance appears to enjoy wider support, but this is not a popularity competition.

It is counterproductive, to say the least, to work from differing sides of the fence.

It does not only give weapons to the rival Syrian factions, thus increasing manifold the death toll on both sides, it also seems to be playing well into Daesh’s hands; the group expands and shrinks with amazing elasticity, making one wonder whether all the air strikes are indeed designed to inflict losses on this terrorist group.

If they indeed want to be effective, all those involved in the fight against Daesh should pool their resources, including their air power.

As long as the two coalitions are at loggerheads, Daesh could emerge the winner.

The fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad must not stand in the way of efforts to reach a compromise, indeed an agreement, on how to defeat Daesh.

Surely both Washington and Moscow have this as the overriding goal of their involvement in Syria.