John Kerry has gone from calling Bashar a dear friend to a brutal dictator to thanking him for working with America to wipe out Syria's chemical stockpile, to wanting to talk. But everything else has failed.
The Syrian Arab Army has multiple charities that go house to house looking after its men in uniform.
It must be now be clear to western defence chiefs that there is only one credible fighting force on the ground capable of fighting ISIL and that is the Syrian military.
Why is the Syrian Army, against all predictions, winning the war in Syria? One has to delve into the history of the Syrian state since independence to understand how the military shaped the state and learned to divide its opponents.
Why is it taking so long for Pakistan to choose a new Chief of Army Staff - and who will it be? An insight into the politics and personalities of the brass in the running, and how the US and other allies will react.
