Hollande has taken the lead in his marathon to get global consensus on striking back against ISIL in both Syria and Iraq, following the terror attacks in Paris on November 13, which left 130 dead and hundreds injured.
November 26: Vladimir Putin will meet with the French President to discuss combating the terrorist threat https://t.co/mpKCFZqP1w
— President of Russia (@KremlinRussia_E) November 25, 2015
In doing so, he has helped US President Barack Obama out of a political hole he had dug for himself over Syria, which left US foreign policy in the Middle East in shambles. Moreover, if NATO forces join Russia in a combined attack against ISIL, it will add to the pressure to resolve the Ukraine crisis and the sanctions regime.
The US and its allies have long been leading a campaign to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power, but is has been stymied by the chaos left in Iraq, following the toppling by NATO forces of Saddam Hussein. The country was left in total chaos after the US-led invasion of 2003.
The political fallout from that campaign has led to deep wariness among many people in the US and Europe — the UK in particular — over whether the West should become embroiled in another campaign after Iraq and Afghanistan.
Many critics also believe the intervention in Libya was not a success, as the country has been plunged into civil war for four years since UK, French, US and other forces went into the north African country to topple Muammar Gaddafi.
No Bombing Assad
When UK Prime Minister went to his parliament to ask for backing to go with the US on airstrikes against Assad, in 2013, he lost both the vote and political credibility. The loss of the backing of one of its closest allies led Obama to postpone plans to obtain similar consent from US lawmakers, leaving his foreign policy towards Syria in limbo.
Cameron is Thursday again asking parliament to join the bombing in Syria.
Since Moscow's intervention in Syria — and the downing of the Metrojet A321, killing 224 people — the situation has changed. The US now finds itself on common ground with Moscow in its fight against ISIL.
The French terror attacks on November 13 brought the whole of Europe into the game — struggling as it is against the tide of refugees pouring out of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other nations. Hollande — suffering from poor personal ratings at home — has stepped in to mediate between Washington and Moscow.
As such, his meeting with Putin Thursday marks a significant move in western policy towards Russia: France taking the international lead on Syria, saving the blushes of Washington and leading to inevitable discussions over Ukraine and western sanctions against Russia. Moreover, Putin's actions have kept Moscow firmly at the top table of international affairs, much to Washington's chagrin.
