as they close in on Aleppo . Playing chess in Syria is n’t going according to Washington ’s plans . After a wildly successful air campaign against rebel groups , the Russians have largely pulled their forces out of the region , leaving only key air support assets to support Damascus .
He 'll be remembered for not getting a lot of American soldiers killed . We do n't know how relations with Iran will go . If last week 's brief hostage - taking at sea is any indication , 2016 could bring skirmishingconflict.attack.selfdirectedbattlebetween U.S. and Iranian forces . But Obama 's historic nuclear deal has unquestionably made the world safer . Just this month , Iran began fulfilling it end of the bargain , mothballing nuclear facilities and shipping its enriched uranium to Russia in exchange for the lifting of sanctions .
The Pentagon is mostly funneling resources to Kurdish troops in northern Syria , while the CIA is providing TOW missiles to rebel groups from its base of operations out of Turkey . Kurdish troops are mainly focused on taking out the Islamic State , but the CIA is covertly keeping the pressure on Syrian President Bashar al - Assad . Both groups are now skirmishingconflict.attack.naas they close in on Aleppo . Playing chess in Syria is n’t going according to Washington ’s plans . After a wildly successful air campaign against rebel groups , the Russians have largely pulled their forces out of the region , leaving only key air support assets to support Damascus .