RealClearWorld reports on the Syria-Iran-Russia alliance in the Middle East, calling it "the new hegemon," strong words. An impecunious Russia has somehow afforded to become powerful in the region without losing hundreds of soldier lives or billions of rubles.
What it took was the Russians grasping something our foreign policy establishment couldn't stomach - being realistic about what was possible in the region. Syria's Assad is no worse than other regional dictators we've supported for decades. For all his repressiveness, he is substantially preferable to ISIS or Al Qaeda.
