European countries urge US and Russia to work together in Syria

Despite disinformation about the ground realities in battle-scarred Syria going in full swing, the political differences between the US and the Russian-led coalitions are perceptibly undergoing visible changes in their strategies to dislodge the Islamic State (IS) extremists from vast tracts of Syria and Iraq. The IS has established de facto control over a third of Syria and Iraq and declared a self-styled caliphate complete with its own currency. This has been possible, primarily because of the differences of the international community to deal with the over four-year-long conflict in Syria.       
The intensified Russian bombings in the IS strongholds together with efforts made  separately by the French air force could not check the IS advances into the areas held by the so-called US-trained "moderate" rebels near the outskirts of Syrian township of Aleppo and took them within a few kilometers of the city last Friday. The "moderate" rebels whose task is primarily to fight Syrian government forces were reportedly either killed or retreated through 'safe passage' provided by the IS fighters by sharing part of their US-supplied ammunition and vehicles with them.      
 Reports quoting European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said that the EU "must restore practical relationship" with Russia and "not let the US dictate that policy." He has also criticised US President Barack Obama's description of Russia as a merely "regional power." While visiting Passau in Germany he said: "Russia must be treated decently."
Passau has become a major transit hub for non-EU migrants seeking a new life in Germany and Juncker's visit was focused on the EU's efforts to handle the migrant influx. The civil war in Syria is forcing increasing number of Syrians into Turkey and onward to Central Europe. Turkey already hosts about two million Syrians in basic refugee camps while millions more have fled to Jordan and Lebanon.
Despite differences in opinion, major European nations are coming to terms with the flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa. After a meeting with leaders of some West European countries, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofvan told newsmen in Rome last Friday that up to 150,000 people could seek asylum this year in his country. The country is currently struggling to find housing for the new arrivals.  
Further, Reuters reported from Beirut last Friday that as Russian air strikes raised tensions Germany and Spain urged Washington and Moscow to work together to help unlock a political solution to the Syrian war.
However, the latest report from Paris by AFP made it further clear. It said: "Blind-sided by Russia's sudden escalation in Syria, Western powers must abandon hopes of toppling the regime (in Syria) and instead make do with steering Moscow away from actions that deepen the conflict, analysts say."
Julien Barbes-Dacey, Middle East Fellow at the European Council, was quoted as saying: "The Russian Mission is tight and focused around the aim of preserving Assad while the West had a muddled approach, trying to remove Assad, prevent the rise of extremists and preserve state institutions at the same time." She added: "There is no desire in the West to go to war with Russia over Syria, and there is a legitimate fear that counter-escalation will only lead to more violence, state breakdown, extremism and refugees… There is no win to be had from making things more difficult for the Russians, when Europe will pay the cost as well."    
BBC online has informed that the media in the Middle East welcomed the latest development, especially the Russian involvement in the war against the IS. While the Syrian and Iranian media understandably welcomed the development as both the countries actually belong to the Russian-led coalition, but positive comments in the Egyptian press is surprising. Pundit Nourhan el Sheikh writing in Egypt's widely known and government-owned daily Al-Ahram said: "(It) is a clear message that Russia will not allow extremist powers to blow away Syria and Moscow's interests in the region."
Syrian daily Al-Ba'th, the ruling party's mouthpiece said that despite conflicting reactions from the US and the West, all parties could benefit from the move. It added: "What is certain right now is that this is a new turning point in the conflict and there is no turning back." Likewise, Iran's conservative newspaper said: "If the West does not create obstacles, it could pave the way for the restoration of security in the region as well as the world."
As expected, Turkish media were unhappy over the Russian incursions into their airspace and HaberTurk quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying: "I will not call Putin again."        
The West was certainly surprised by the Russian initiative against the IS in Syria's western-initiated civil war. But why has Russia done so? The Russian Foreign Ministry has estimated that about 800 Russian nationals were fighting with the IS since early 2015. The number has increased only marginally in later months, but Moscow has become deeply concerned about the presence of Russian terrorists who are carrying out criminal acts with the IS. It fears the spread of mercenaries, militants and terrorists into the wider region, including into the North Caucasus and Russian territory.
     The Russian announcement late September that four of its warships in the Caspian Sea launched 26 cruise missiles at 11 Islamic State (IS) targets, destroying them without causing civilian casualties was received in the West with considerable angst. The upgraded strikes show Moscow's strength of will and also Russia's exceptional capabilities of making long-range accurate attacks.
Analysts think that though the Russian GDP (gross domestic product) is even smaller than South Korea with a fading manufacturing sector, but it does remain a geopolitical force that gives the West its biggest headache. To the US strategists, Russia has inherited the Soviet Union's quality of mediocrity and the West had greatly squeezed Russia's strategic room after the Cold War, but Putin has managed to rejuvenate the country. Despite much scorn for Russia's major power position and recent pressure from the oil price slump and ruble depreciation, Russia never flinched over the Ukraine and Syria issues and instead shows much momentum. This explains Obama's angry description of Russia's being a "regional power" and European Commission chief's firm assertion that "Russia must be treated decently."
A Chinese commentator last week has pointed out that the Washington media tend to believe Moscow's attacks against the IS are intended to protect the Assad regime and accordingly keep reporting with that particular slant. However, in view of the ground realities, the continuation of Washington's demonisation of Russia is no longer tenable. Both of them need to work closely to eliminate the IS and that depends on to what extent the anti-IS coalition can cooperate and bridge their divergences.    
Meanwhile, BBC online reports on October 09 suggest that Washington has decided to put the $500m "new Syrian rebel training programme" on hold and instead will shift the amount to provide equipment and weapons to the existing forces. BBC, pointing to the heavy criticism being faced by the Obama administration following the disclosure that the US-trained rebels had handed vehicles and ammunitions over to the extremists, said that only four or five fighters were in Syria. The programme, it said, aimed to train and equip 5,400 fighters this year and a further 15,000 in 2016.
The authoritative New York Times reported on Friday quoting anonymous US Defence Ministry sources: "The US would no longer go through its training programmes in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates."
The mounting pressures of ever increasing number of refugees entering into Europe to escape the brutalities of civil war in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East (supported by the US, its protectorate oil-rich Gulf monarchies and its Western allies) appear to be influencing the European leaders to find a lasting solution. The continuous downtrend in the European economy is also having its psychological impact. The surprising involvement of Russia in aid of its long-time ally Syria seems to have provided a flicker of hope to the Europeans and they may try to seize the opportunity by pressuring Washington to come to a deal with Moscow to end the war and eliminate the scourge of the IS extremism.
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