Russia skillfully took advantage of the situation in Syria via its military involvement and has gained a leading position in the region.
The United States has been very hesitant in its fight against ISIL, and was not able to effectively prevent them from taking over large parts Syria and Iraq.
Not only Syria but also other countries in the region are interested in cooperation with Russia. Iraq is considering possibility to ask Russia for military cooperation on its territory. The Egyptian President visited Moscow four times during his term and concluded agreements on economic and military cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Even Saudi Arabia — a major supporter of the opposition to the Assad regime — recognized the growing role of Russia in the region, with Saudi officials visiting Moscow twice over the last few months.
"The behavior of the United States during the "Arab spring" and the rapprochement with Iran made President Obama an unpredictable and unreliable ally for the Saudis," the author wrote, adding that a dialogue with Russia is designed to help Saudi Arabia compensate its dependency on the United States.
