Evidently, "Obama's support to these initiatives was crucial, but it's clear that in Syria the US has followed Russia's lead," the Hindustan Times noted.
So much so that the American leadership seems to have reconsidered the core principle of its Syria strategy. Although many keep saying that Bashar al-Assad has to leave, the Obama administration no longer insists that this is a prerequisite for launching the peace process.
The Indian daily also credited Russia with acting decisively when needed.
"While Washington has been pusillanimous of ground intervention, Moscow went ahead, took the lead and is today determining the narrative in Syria," the broadsheet asserted. "It not only protected [Assad] but also put [Daesh], al-Qaeda and other militant groups on the back foot."
In addition, the group has been "struggling financially, which [includes] various tax hikes, increases in the cost of state-run services, and significant cuts of up to 50 percent in the salaries" paid to its fighters, the intelligence firm detailed.
Russia has also proved that it is capable of carrying out an efficient campaign that is limited in its scope and time. On Monday, Vladimir Putin announced that Russian forces in Syria will largely be pulled out since the operation reached its stated goals.
But the announcement is also significant because it shows that Syria has not become a second Afghanistan for Russia, despite many predictions. For its part, Washington has largely been unable to work out viable exit strategies for its military engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq.
