Mr. Hurwit, some see the situation in Syria differently than you.  The form of Syria's government is not our concern.  For decades, the Assad family ruled Syria autocratically but functionally.  A stable country with productive citizens having homes and professions.  A few years ago, certain countries decided that Assad should go so as to create a puppet government willing to due the bidding of Israel and the US.  Arms flowed in to "killer rebels" that the US media called freedom fighters.  Absent the external support, the killer rebels would have been quickly dispatched without massive disruptions to the citizens of Syria.  But arms continued to flow, innocent civilians were displaced and suffered.  All in the name of establishing a western puppet government.  The US, as much or more than Assad, is responsible for the suffering.  Acting in the interests of Syria's people, the Russians are finally helping to restore order.