Time to Worry? What Russia's Really Up to in Syria

Since World War II, a major U.S. strategic objective has been to keep the Russian military out of the Middle East.  But now the Russians are moving into Syria.

With an old ally, Bashar al-Assad, on the ropes in his fight against ISIS and other rebel groups, the Russian military is building a strong military presence near the Syrian naval port of Latakia, an airbase protected by tanks and heavy armor.

"We, like you, are watching this with concern. We don't truly understand yet what it is that Russia is going to do in Syria," Philip Breedlove, NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Europe, told reporters.

State Department spokesperson John Kirby said the United States continues "to monitor this closely. There is a degree of uncertainty about their intentions that continue to concern us."

But in point of fact, U.S. officials have a very good idea about what Russia is up to in Syria.

They're building a forward operating base that will host Russian combat aircraft and housing for as many as 1,500 Russian military personnel -- advisers, instructors, logistics personnel, technical personnel and pilots -- along with the sophisticated weapons systems.

Syria's ambassador to Russia on Monday called talk of a Russian troop presence in Syria "a lie."

But unidentified Pentagon officials have told the press that Russia has already sent artillery and seven T-90 tanks to the Syrian airfield near Latakia.

Critics call this yet another major strategic blunder by the Obama administration.

U.S. presidents dating back to Harry Truman have used threats to keep the Russian army from gaining influence in the Middle East. But that may be precisely what is happening now, and perhaps because the Kremlin views President Barack Obama, in the words of a Wall Street Journal editorial, as a "pushover."