Biden signals possibility of military solution in Syria
On a visit to Turkey, VP Biden expressed hope in a political solution but left the door open to a military one, presumably one with US support. This is likely a warning to Russia and Iran which may be pursuing a military solution of their own, though more likely they are seeking to strike hard against the rebels an convince them that Assad is not going to fall and that negotiations are needed.
US and Saudi Arabia cooperate in Syria more closely
Training programs conducted by the US are heavily funded by Saudi Arabia and to a lesser extent, Qatar. Riyadh is supplying money for training and buying arms, chiefly in Eastern Europe. Evidently, the chasm that opened up between Riyadh and Washington over the Iranian rapprochement and the issue of democracy in the region, is closing.
Syrian forces advance in northwest
Backed by Russian airpower, the Syrian army has made gains in Latakia province. This is not so much a critical region in the war as much as it’s an area close to Russian military bases in Latakia city and Tartus. The much trumpeted Syrian counteroffensive of the last few months has not been a success – not in Aleppo, not in the south.