The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is bolstering his military might in Syria, while also keeping his mind on Ukraine. Russia cannot afford itself another Afghanistan, but it needs to take action in Syria as a bargaining chip against the West. To be effective Moscow needs to fight the Islamic State group and the Nusra Front (al-Qaida's Syria branch), and by doing so it can enjoy the best of both worlds: global support for fighting ISIS and keeping Assad in power. The president of the United States, Barack Obama, still hasn't decided what to do, if anything. He did in fact draw up some red lines back in the day, but on Aug. 31, 2013 he erased them with his own hands after Assad used chemical weapons, for the umpteenth time, and the U.S. did nothing. Two years later, Syria is offering us two options: Assad's fascism or the jihadism of 157 terrorist groups active in the country. What is Washington doing? In Syria, it continues to navigate in the dark. The prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has to follow the developments unfolding across Israel's northern border very closely. The Syrian chaos is troublesome and concerning. In the old days, the American sheriff was around, but these days every player is a kingpin. Israel cannot stand idly by as Putin deploys his military machinery in Syria. It needs to have its hand on the pulse. In the days of the Soviet Union, we had no lines of communication with them; today, we have them on speed dial. The Israeli and Russian interests in Syria are far from being compatible, but both countries are worried about the rise of terror in that country and are seeking stability. Israel is concerned over the security of its borders and citizens. Russia is concerned for Assad's security. This is where the differences begin. Russia's activity in Syria reminds us of the Cold War era, but it's not quite the same: The Soviets built blocs, the Russians are sewing pockets. And it is because we are not in Russia's pocket that Netanyahu's visit to Moscow on Monday was so important, to explain to them why the "open skies" policy in Syria is so vital for us.
