Russian Air Strikes in Syria May Improve Push for Negotiated Settlement, David Kilcullen Says - Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Counter-insurgency expert and strategist David Kilcullen says the start of Russian air strikes in Syria does not necessarily mean the situation there has become more volatile, in spite of reports that some US-backed fighters were hit.
The Kremlin said the air strikes were designed to help Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad push back Islamist militants.
But the US said it believed the strikes — which a US official said Washington was given just an hour's notice of — targeted opposition rebels threatening Mr Assad.
"I've said before that we are in the best position that we've been in for several years ... to have international powers really come together to try to achieve a negotiated settlement," Dr Kilcullen told ABC News.
"That doesn't mean the chances are good, but they are much better than they have been over the past several years.
"I think the question now remains, is the Russian intervention primarily there to support Assad or primarily there to target Islamic State, and I think that's the main point of this agreement that is still being discussed."…