From the link you xourself posted "“We’ve seen a race to the bottom in Syria with rebel groups mimicking the ruthlessness of government forces with devastating consequences for civilians”

Looks like both sides are committing war crimes; so why do you blame the US?
I suppose you believe the US started the "Arab Spring"

Unlikely during Obama, who has been able to continue the war without ground troop through the use of drones. So long as we don't have body bags coming in, few complain.

On the otherhand, there is a ramp up of activity in Syria and Iraq where Obama might just come in for a final victory lap in time for the November election, in order to try to give Hillary a boost. Cynical, yet they are motivated by such things nevertheless.

It would be really underestimation of US to assume they haven't tried to assert their control in ME to the largest extent possible.

Now it became a moral obligation. I'm feeiling more and more insecure in Europe...
NYT: Vladimir Putin’s Outlaw State

Major hospital in Aleppo is bombed for the second time in 4 days. Coinciding with Russia's announcement to ramp up air strikes. I can see hitting a hospital once maybe by mistake, but twice in 4 days seems to be deliberate

You think they use the same depleted-uranium bunker busters as US, UK and IL in Iraq, Libya, Lebanon? And white phosphorus like US in Fallujah? I have to dig out "medecins sans frontiers" protests for those wars, but I don't think they were supporting the "wrong" sides of conflict.

Haven't you watched the first Trump vs. Clinton public debate? According to Clinton the Americans plan on pushing IS out of Irak and squeeze them into Syria. It went without saying they approve of Russia's actions, it's one way to "squezee" ISIS in Syria by attacking them from 2 fronts.
It's terrible - what's happening. There will (probably) be a Kurdish state on Syria's territory, who knows. No, it ain't over till it's over and we don't know the deals they made for Syrians..

Depends on whether US needs more Turkey or Kurds in the long run. Have they any local ally that would be supplying them with weapons, or are they at the mercy of US?

Not much information around about the Turkish Army in Syria and their operation Euphrates shield which started in the last week of August.

It started well with a number of villages captured by the Turkish tank supported forces.

Now it seems to have stalled a bit; basically the rebels do not have enough people to keep the villages after the Turkish army has moved on.
Other issues are a number of tanks have been lost to rockets (no official number)
The Turkish army needs to decide whether to commit more boots on the ground to keep captured villages.
There are concerns that too many civilians are being killed by Turkish fire.
A number of rebel groups have walked away in protests against the US soldiers support; claims they are Crusaders

Looks like Turkey will be sucked into the quagmire just like everybody else.

Now US has cancelled peace talks there are concerns they will supply more sophisticated weapons to rebel groups who may not see Turkey as a reliable partner!

"US was planning on having this war" The reality is that Syria, like other ME countries, has artificially created borders that did not account for the geographical distribution of the various tribes in the area.
Like some other ME countries it is led by a tribe (Alawis) who are not in the majority, in 2011 the breakdown was 75% Sunnis, 11% Alawis, 3% Druzes; 7.8% Christians

It is not a cold war issue between US and Syria and cannot be resolved by these countries; it is a tribal conflict that will always simmer on.

According to liveuamap.com this has happened already, rebel forces are shown holding considerable territory in Turkey, and no territory under turkish authority in Syriah.

Perhaps even more important though: Territory shown as held by Kurds has roughly doubled in the last 2-3-4 weeks, makes me question a bit the accuracy of their data as certainly either then or now must be (have been) rather inaccurate. Otherwise the headlines would be full about Kurdish military successes.

Especially when fueled with advanced arms from US.

Surprised the rebels have not won when they are the only ones receiving advanced arms.

Russia vetoed a UN resolution aimed at stopping the bombing of Aleppo on Saturday, prolonging the division and paralysis of the security council in the face of the Syria’s humanitarian disaster.

China abstained, further isolating Russia on the issue, along with Angola. Venezuela was the only other country to vote with Russia against the resolution.

At the present rate of bombardment of eastern Aleppo, The UN envoy for Syria De Mistura said the city of275,000 people would be totally destroyed by December.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, called it “worse than a slaughterhouse”.

Of course as people here have posted the Russians (who left in March ) were invited by Assad so this slaughter of civilians is OK then

When did Putin mention a complete withdrawal, or even a clear number or percentage? Besides, that was during the beginning of the peace talks which obviously weren't much of a success. Al Jazeera quoted him with "I hope today's decision will be a good signal for all conflicting parties. I hope it will sizeably increase trust of all participants in the process"

The article continued with "Those Russian soldiers who stay in Syria will be engaged in monitoring the ceasefire regime, Putin said."

And of course:
"Putin made it clear that Russia will maintain its airbase and a naval facility in Syria and keep some troops there."

According to today's Tagsanzeiger Daesh is on the retreat in Iraq, Mossul their only remaining stronghold. But after conquering a military aiport 60km south of Mossul the Iraqi army's poor logistics is largely a non-issue as the airport allows the US forces to fly in the necessary supplies.

Meanwhile, Daesh's military leadership in Iraq is relocating to Syriah.

Corbyn finally made a statement about Syria. of course, Russia should not be condemned. Putin can carry on killing civilians, Corbyn's got his back.

Now Erdogan wants to join the battle for Mosul Source

Meanwhile "We will liberate our land through the determination of our men and not by video calls," Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi tweeted late on Tuesday night.

And contrariwise ""You are not my interlocutor, you are not at my level, you are not my equivalent, you are not of the same quality as me," Erdogan said, addressing al-Abadi's criticism of the Turkish military presence on Iraq's territory. "Your screaming and shouting in Iraq is of no importance to us. You should know that we will go our own way."

Source

He got the oil from ISIS and now he wants the weapons that he traded for the oil back. Sneaky bastard.

This isn't just wrong, it's absolutely disgraceful': Fury as Jeremy Corbyn's top aide compares British and US bombing of ISIS terrorists to Russia's carpet-bombing of Syria

Source