For the fourth consecutive day, Russian airstrikes in Syria have outraged the US and its allies. Russia is accused of using the cover of targeting the Islamic State (IS) in Syria for targeting all insurgent groups in Syria fighting Bashar al-Assad. The other insurgents are supported by the US, which hopes to topple al-Assad who has long been a thorn in its side. The outrage is palpable but also mystifying. Russia came to Syria to provide support to its long time ally al-Assad, so it should not surprise anyone that its airstrikes would indiscriminately target all forces rebelling against the Syrian regime. IS happens to be one of several, and if Russia’s airstrikes only target IS, that would leave the al-Assad regime open to being attacked and toppled by the disparate rebellion forces. Such an eventuality is not ideal for Russia’s own interests in Syria as the country houses a key strategic port that Russia uses and leaving Syria as an anarchic mess will also deprive Russia of one of its strongest regional allies. The hue and cry of the US and its allies rings hollow and is distinctly hypocritical, since the bemoaning of civilian casualties has only begun now when Russia has made its military presence felt in Syria. Russia’s intervention in Syria’s affairs has been necessitated by the mess made by the US’s own rudderless and contradictory policies. By Obama’s own admission, the rebellion forces the US is funding and training do not consider IS a primary target, which means that the US has failed in its stated aim of battling terrorism. To then go on and label the disparate rebellion forces as “moderate” elements designed to stitch Syria back together post-Assad and criticizing Russia for targeting them is laughable. The Obama administration, which was elected to end Bush’s wars, inexplicably jumpstarted two more wars and it is the lessons of the mess made in the first one in Libya that have hardened Russia’s resolve to prevent a similar outcome in Syria. However, while Russia’s involvement in Syria lends strength to al-Assad’s battered army and increases his chances of victory, the fears that this involvement will prolong the conflict can also come true. Russia may be walking into a quagmire, because, even though it has gambled on the US not directly sending its troops into Syria, if the US ups its questionable support for the non-IS Islamist rebel groups in response to Russia’s involvement, a repeat of the disastrous Soviet-Afghan War may be on the cards. This will be the worst possible outcome for both the people of Syria and the long term stability of the region. The US should also learn the lesson of its harmful policies of propping up extremist proxies in a narrow minded focus on defeating its immediate enemy and avoid repeating the mistakes of Libya and Afghanistan. *