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Syria's Assad Gets a Prize with US Withdrawal, Russia Deal

Associated Press

   BEIRUT - Once again, Syrian President Bashar Assad has snapped up a
   prize from world powers that have been maneuvering in his country's
   multi-front wars. Without firing a shot, his forces are returning to
   towns and villages in northeastern Syria where they haven't set foot
   for years.

   Assad was handed one victory first by U.S. President Donald Trump's
   decision to withdraw American troops from northeastern Syria, analysts
   said. Then he got another from a deal struck between Turkey and Russia,
   Damascus' ally.

   Abandoned by U.S. forces and staring down the barrel of a Turkish
   invasion, Kurdish fighters had no option but to turn to Assad's
   government and to Russia for protection from their No. 1 enemy.

   For once, the interests of Damascus, Moscow and Ankara came into
   alignment. Turkey decided it was better having Assad's forces along the
   border, being helped by Russia, than to have the frontier populated by
   Kurdish-led fighters, whom it considers to be terrorists.

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