Who (and why) are Assad's allies in the syrian civil war?

The US has accused President Assad of responsibility for widespread atrocities and says he must go. But it agrees on the need for a negotiated settlement to end the war and the formation of a transitional administration. read more

While Muallem was the highest-ranking Syrian official to travel to India since President Bashar al-Assad’s visit in 2008, a steady stream of Assad aides have paraded through New Delhi since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011. read more

Syria is the main conduit for weapons to the group, whose members are fighting alongside Assad's troops in the civil war. As the Council on Foreign Relations noted: "Western and Israeli analysts fear that Hezbollah fighters, armed with sophisticated Iranian missiles, may tip the balance on the battlefield against Sunni rebels. read more

This past weekend was emblematic of the way the U.S. and much of the world have dealt with Assad since Syria's devastating civil war erupted in 2011: harsh criticism and occasional action, but no sustained effort that's come close to ousting him. read more