Putin now holds the cards in Syrian conflict

Europe wants to stop the flow of Syrian refugees and the US wants to debilitate IS. Putin may deliver both if Russian bombing reasserts Assad’s territoriality in Syria, says Josh Cohen 

AS Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria drags on, commentators have suggested that President Vladimir Putin’s bold move could drag Russia into an Afghan-style quagmire.

This negative outcome is far from guaranteed, however, and Putin holds more cards than his critics realise.