The current reality in Syria is gradually prompting a change in US policy, out of an understanding that the lines between the many Sunni actors operating in the war-torn state are vague and elusive. There may now be a turning point in the Obama administration's assessment of the situation, as it realizes that there are no truly moderate forces in Syria that can serve as an alternative to the Assad regime, and that at the end of the day, all of the Sunni groups, whether Salafist groups or others, will cooperate with al-Qaeda or anyone else who can aid them in forming a unified front in the struggle against Assad. This understanding is at the basis of the US initiative, led by Secretary of State John Kerry, to formulate a shared policy with Russia regarding involvement in the fighting in Syria. In the framework under formulation, the powers aim to "freeze" the situation in Syria, although it has already become clear that the “situation freeze” is an ambitious objective in the ongoing civil war and proxy war and highly difficult to implement.
