One thing everyone can agree on Catgut is that everyone is fighting everyone else.
A key reality is that notwithstanding everything else, the both the US and Russia seek the extermination of ISIS and Al Nusra. They don't care about anything else including the history of how the Syrian conflict got to where it is.
The Russians have of course been there for some time, and in the last month or so have been establishing support for the MIG 31 (interceptor) squadron.
The other day, Co-Chair of the PYD (Salih Muslim) invided the Coalition and the FSA to operate from Kurdish held territories in the North of Syria in their advance against ISIS. The PYD don't trust the Turks (Neither do the Americans following the Turkish instigated attack on Division 30) and so want as many other interests in their territory as possible. If the Coalition fails to take up the offer my thinking is that the Russians and their allies will.
Where do the Saudis sit on this given the suport they provide to certain Islamic Front entities ? They will IMHO seek to retain influence in Central Syria. For that to happen however they will need to move very quickly on the PYD offer. they can use Rojava as a base to take as much ISIS Sunni Arab territory as they can (the Kurds aren'ty interested in Sunni Arab land) .... and we can but wait and see where the Russia/Iran Axis draws its dotted red line on predominately Alawite lands.
ISIS may be posting pictures of Shiite prisoners in orange suits being roasted alive like flame grilled chickens in the last few days BUT the movement is itself a dead man walking . Essentially all permanent Security Council members want them exterminated along with al Nusra (which is now on lifeline support from Turkey).
Iran and Russia will I believe sort out the North of Syria in consultation with the PYD and if they need to get rid of Assad to do this they will. That said they won't directly control the PYD as it isn't anyone's proxy. Will the US live with this??? In view of Turkish attacks on covert (and not so covert) US military operations I believe they will. they can gain influence through other means.
