In Syria, Cracks Form Around an Aleppo Offensive

The cease-fire in Syria has more or less evaporated, and Syrian loyalists, heavily reinforced by Iran, are closing in on the contested city of Aleppo. Damascus, working to bring that strategic piece of Syria back under its control before peace talks turn more serious, is painting the offensive as a joint Syrian-Russian operation. But Russia is not showing nearly as much enthusiasm for the offensive as Syria had hoped it would....