Syria. The military situation is quite complex: the Russians are intervening with targeted bombing raids, primarily targeting anti-Assad rebels trained by the US government; the Russians are fighting to defend their only naval base in the Mediterranean: Tartus, on Syrian soil. In addition to the rebels trained, albeit ineffectively, by the US government, there are also (more trained) rebels armed by the CIA (with Saudi-supplied TOW anti-tank missiles). The Americans are also supporting the Kurdish YPG Peshmerga, a sort of ground force coordinated with allied air strikes. The Iranians have established their headquarters in Baghdad. In just a few weeks, 7,000 men have arrived: 2,000 Iraqi Shiites from the al-Haydarejeen militia, 2,000 Afghans from the Fatimid movement, and 2,000 Pasdaran. These reinforcements join the elite units gathered around the 4th Division and the militia that has replaced the army. Meanwhile, the Turks are bombing mainly Kurdish PKK targets. And millions of people are desperately leaving the area, taking an uncertain path through the Balkans toward Germany, thwarted by various European governments fearful of the massive influx of migrants.
