Another U.S.-backed ceasefire, which began in Syria on Monday, held for no more than a few hours. Tom Rogan explains why no one should be surprised:
[The ceasefire] is simply another episode in Vladimir Putin’s long-running manipulation game. Consider how the Russia-Assad-Iran axis acted this past weekend. On Saturday, re-emphasizing its disdain for humanitarianism, the axis bombed a crowded market in the city of Idlib. Around 50 civilians were killed. Consider, too, the ongoing deployment of axis forces into the stranglehold of rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Putin and his allies do not seek peace. As things stand, Putin holds the strategic initiative in Syria. . . .
[N]ow, the ceasefire means that rebel offensives against Bashar al-Assad will stall and the axis position will only strengthen. . . .
[A]fter President Obama and the EU react positively to the pretense of peace, the Russians will use massive air power against moderate rebel groups. They’ll do so claiming that they were targeting Jabhat Fateh al-Sham [an al-Qaeda affiliate, formerly known as Nusra Front], but that will only be the pretense. This will be a very one-sided ceasefire. By the time that truth becomes clear, it will already be too late. The moderate rebels will have been degraded, and Russia will have scored another hammer blow against U.S. credibility in the Middle East.
Remember: degrading our credibility is a focal point of Putin’s overarching strategy to displace American influence around the world.
Read more on National Review: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/439938/syria-ceasfire-serves-putin-assad