© Sputnik/ Dmitriy Vinogradov
With its airstrikes in Syria against the ISIL terrorists, Moscow "caught the White House off guard," German newspaper
Die Welt wrote.
After a long period of isolation, the US recently invited Russia to coordinate their actions in Syria in order to avoid possible military clashes between the two countries there.
However, as Putin's military operation seems to prove extremely well, Americans have been put to the background, "with hesitant and rational Obama" once again surprised by the success of "brave and willing to risk Putin," the German newspaper wrote.
"Anything we do now will be conditioned by their [Russian] presence and influence. This is a reality we now have to deal with," John McLaughlin, former deputy director of the CIA, recently told the Washington Post.
The US has to agree with Russia's actions, because it does not want to risk a military conflict with the Kremlin. Thus, Putin again did better than Obama, by taking the situation in his own hands and expanding Russia's influence in the Middle East,
DWN wrote.
The US and other Western countries have repeatedly accused Russia of attacking oppositional forces in Syria backed by the US government. Russia denied the allegations and stated that its pinpoint airstrikes were aimed at hitting ISIL targets, ten of which, including an explosives factory, an arms depot and an ISIL coordination center, have recently been destroyed.
After the start of Russia's military operation in Syria, the relations between the US and Russia still remain strained, the newspaper mentioned.
"Apparently, Russia's plan is to publicly humiliate the US government," the newspaper wrote, adding that the Americans will be unable and unwilling to risk a confrontation with Russia, being aware that the resolution of the Syrian crisis would be impossible without the Kremlin's involvement
Comment: Cutting the money supply is an effective way to kill what feeds the terrorists.