War is hell, isn't that the quote. Russia was asked to come in and not only help try and get rid of ISIS but also to help the Assad government maintain control against REBEL fighters. The US is there on behalf of the same rebels, what Russia is doing is their job in supporting relations with a regime they support. What the US has done in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc brought up the same questions of if it was slaughter or help. Is this a great thing, hell no, it's a civil war though and Russia was invited to help Assad, in doing so they will have to fight rebels wishing to topple him, rebels are known to hide and live with civilians to make the one they fight seem like even more of a monster. I'm just saying that in a war there is no such thing as one without "war crimes" and there are no good guys. You're talking about a country fighting people trying to take it over and a people fighting for the hope of a better life under different governing. /end babbling

TL;DR: ISIS Bad, Assad Bad, Rebels Bad, War Bad, UN bah humbug...

The U.S. has assisted "rebel" anti-Assad groups, filtering weapons, that somehow in the process ended up in "terrorist" hands, ISIS, Al Qaeda, et al. The press no longer differentiates rebels and terrorists. The lines blur between the two. This is not strictly a "civil war".

But to now label all the fighters as "rebels" just echo's this Admin's anti-Assad stance and throws away in the process an accurate description of who and what is involved in this struggle. Rebels per se are not the major antagonists it's Isis, Al Qeada, and other militant terrorist groups recruited and sent/chased from neighboring states, partially armed, intentionally or not, by the U.S.

U.S. participation has done nothing but prolong the length and devastation of this war.