By Working With Russia, the U.S. Loses Leverage and Credibility

 "The coastal region, where Russia has deployed, is nowhere near Islamic State territories. The deployment is clearly designed to shore up the regime’s military capabilities, which have shown serious signs of weakness since March, when the rebels made a string of swift gains in different parts of the country.
 If Russia and the United States join forces against the Islamic State, America should beware: Russia is less worried about collateral damage and civilian casualties could cause serious harm to Washington, especially given the negative perception of Russia inside Syria.

 Washington’s best bet is to increase its engagement with the rebel forces that will prove vital in the fight against ISIS. Russia’s aid is unlikely to help the Assad regime gain control of the country but it will strengthen the government’s ability to protect itself against attacks from increasingly more capable and battle-hardened rebel forces. This is a recipe for a deeper stalemate that leave the U.S. with no allies on the ground."