Putin's Syrian War Gamble Stokes Fears About His Real Goals
- Russia says jets struck 8 targets controlled by Islamic State
- Kerry, Lavrov agree they will avoid `unintended consequences'
Putin's Strategy Behind the Russian Airstrikes in Syria
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Russia President Vladimir Putin’s airstrikes inside Syria are forcing the world to confront his latest military adventure, against a backdrop of deep distrust over whether defeating the Islamic State is his only goal.
While the U.S. and its allies want to see the extremists crushed, Putin’s actions -- the U.S. said he bombed an area where the terror group doesn’t operate -- fueled fears that he just wants to prop up ally President Bashar al-Assad, who Western leaders say should step aside. It also raises the odds of high-stakes accidents as Russian and U.S. jets share the same air space but potentially different missions.