While Russian missiles bombard cities and encampments reported to be ISIS strongholds, the people of Syria embrace the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Images of a muscular Putin are pasted throughout the country and the Syrians have begun what borders on idol worship while also bashing U.S. President Barack Obama. It seems as if the Syrian people are encouraged by the action and immediacy of the Russian military and the bravado of the Russian President as he has aggressively attacked ISIS and, apparently rebel forces who oppose current Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The situation in the Middle East has gotten even more confusing since Russian forces have joined the armed conflict in Syria with several different combatants identified including, Russia, ISIS, the Syrian army, and the U.S. led multinational force including Turkey. The ramifications of Russia acting so boldly and in near direct opposition to the U.S. led forces could have global impact. With the powerful Russian army and the powerful U.S. army in such close proximity to one another it feels as though it's only a matter of time before a mistake is made and another armed conflict occurs.
Russian and Syrian missiles attacks have been reportedly hitting civilian targets it seems counterintuitive to hear that Putin has garnered so much adulation and praise from the Syrian people, but he is being portrayed as the man you don't want to mess with.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/amid-russian-airstrikes-a-putin-craze-takes-hold-in-mideast/ar-AAfn2tI?li=AAa0dzB#image=1
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/dec/23/syria-crisis-russian-military-presence
