Is Syria A 'Low-Risk Gambit' For Russia?

Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg: Russia's Low-Risk Gambit in Syria

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Friday that four Russian cruise missiles fell in Iran rather than in Syria. To Carter, the errant munitions reflect Russia's "unprofessional behavior." To the Russians, they may be part of the reason they are in Syria in the first place.

Strategically, Russia's involvement in the Syrian war looks like a terrible idea, or at least a big gamble. "Doubling down" on President Bashar al-Assad, as Carter put it, could give the Syrian strongman some breathing space, but not necessarily a lease on life. At the same time, Russia is alienating Turkey, where President Vladimir Putin until recently had a comfortable partner in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It also threatens to make enemies in the Sunni Arab world just when relations with Saudi Arabia seemed to be improving.

WU Editor: Too early to make predictions now .... but for the moment the momentum of the war appears to have shifted to the Russian - Iran - Assad side .... Syrian army, Russian jets drive back rebels in fiercest clashes for days: monitor (Reuters).