History frequently repeats itself.  The Russians are learning this in Syria, where the methods they are employing against Assad’s opposition are much the same as the methods they employed in their attempt to suppress the Muhahideen in Afghanistan. Their methods in Afghanistan did not produce success. Their methods in Syria are not producing success. History repeats.

A hundred days after the start of Russia’s bombing campaign in Syria it is apparent that the status quo in Middle East has not changed.  Russia’s failure to effect change via military action will hurt well-meaning efforts to bring peace to the Middle East for many decades to come.  Long after all of today’s political actors have moved off the Middle East stage, they will be remembered chiefly for the damage they did and the misery they caused to everyone in that region.

“Airstrikes believed to have been carried out by Russian warplanes in western Syria are reported to have killed dozens of civilians, Human Rights Watch says, suggesting that the bombings appear to be war crimes.”

“The aerial attacks took place in the northern part of Homs governate on October 15 as Russian and Syrian planes were supporting a ground offensive by the Syrian military and its allies against rebel groups, the rights group said in a statement Sunday.”

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/25/middleeast/syria-russia-airstrikes-hrw/index.html?sr=fb102515russianairstrikessyria1134pStoryGalLink