Risk Of A Russian - Turkish Military Conflict Are Rising

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Owen Matthews, Spectator: Putin’s winning in Syria – but making a powerful new enemy

This time he’s taking on Turkey’s President Erdogan, a ruler as ruthless as he is

Russia’s bombing of the city of Aleppo this week sent a clear message: Vladimir Putin is now in charge of the endgame in Syria. Moscow’s plan — essentially, to restore its ally Bashar al-Assad to power — is quickly becoming a reality that the rest of the world will have to accept. America, Britain and the rest may not be comfortable with Putin’s ambitions in the Middle East, or his methods of achieving them. But the idea of backing a ‘moderate opposition’ in Syria has been proved a fantasy that leaves the field to Putin and Assad.

The Syrian partial ceasefire, brokered in Munich last week by America’s John Kerry, only served to reinforce this sense of Putin’s power. Under the terms of the deal, all combatants were to cease hostilities while humanitarian aid was delivered to rebel enclaves besieged by government troops. Except Russia, whose planes have continued bombing ‘terrorist targets’ — and since Assad insists that all his enemies are ‘terrorists’, the Munich ceasefire effectively means business as usual for Russian and Syrian warplanes.

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WNU Editor: I do not see Russia changing its strategy and/or focus in Syria .... so the ball is in Turkey's court .... should they intervene more forcefully in Syria or should they stay out. If it was not for the Kurds, my money would be on Turkey staying out. But the Kurdish conflict is spreading, and because the Kurds pose a long-term strategic threat to the integrity of Turkey's borders .... Erdogan will intervene in Syria to prevent the establishment of any Kurdish state. And while Russia is making its concerns known  .... Kremlin says concerned by Turkey shelling Syrian territory (Reuters) .... any significant Turkish military intervention will result in a Russian/Syrian reaction.