The Beginning of the End of the Syrian Civil War

After nearly five years of bloody urban warfare, the battle for Aleppo is coming to an end. Troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad, backed by an array of foreign militias, have steadily chipped away at the remnants of rebel-held territory in the city over the past few weeks. As of this writing, there are only a few neighborhoods left under the rebels' control. The loss of the city comes as little surprise. Aleppo's fate was sealed when the last rebel attempt to break the loyalist siege on the city, launched Oct. 28, failed miserably. In the weeks since, it has become increasingly clear that it is only a matter of time until the city falls. ...