Josh Cohen: Putin is achieving his goals in Syria
A picture taken on October 22, 2015 shows a Syrian woman talking on her mobile phone in front of a pro-Bath party and President Bashar al-Assad billboard, in Damascus.
As Russia's bombing campaign in Syria drags on, Western commentators increasingly portray President Vladimir Putin's Syrian campaign as a disaster. Many suggest that military engagement could trap Russia in an Afghanistan-style quagmire.