I feel that ISIS (no matter how brutal are they) represents just an excuse, and real reasons are much deeper ( petrodollar , Sunni vs Shia , reshaping of Europe's demographics , spheres of influence ... ) . And who knows, maybe God really wants to end this world
Anyway, with all this powers with different interests gathered on same place, unexpected things could happen, especially because they support different and hostile parties on the ground .
Indeed, there will be many hidden agendas at play, but I don't think many of them are unknown to those involved.
If anything, I think the European refugee crisis has became a massive wake up call for many countries in Europe, that for the first time in a very long time, the human costs of western military adventurism is being witnessed first hand by many westerners in their own countries, and they have to pay not just for the war, but also for the fallout and aftermath.
Despite all the hype about our information age world, I think there is still a world of difference between seeing news reports about suffering on your TV screens and looking into the living, breathing face of that suffering on your own streets and doorsteps.
I think this has really become a wedge issue between Europe and America+UK.
In the past, America and Britain have been able to leverage and exploit the differences between the Ex-Communist "New Europe" and the established "Old Europe" powers centred around Germany and France.
However, it is the "New European" countries who are taking the brunt of the refugee crisis, even if the bulk of the refugees ultimately want to settle in "Old Europe", so this crisis is pretty much unifying Europe in common annoyance at the part America and Britain are widely believed to have played in fermenting, instigating and enabling the Syrian civil war which created the conditions to allow ISIS to flourish.
The only European country still staunchly pro-American is the UK, who conveniently can effectively insulate themselves from the refugee crisis because they are not part of Shengen.
I think Russia recognises this growing rift, and is now trying to exploit and exacerbate it.
You will all note the very muted response everyone bar the US and UK had to the Russian military deployments in Syria.
If the US and UK tries to torpedo a Russian (possibly with Chinese support) UN initiative that looks like it has a solid chance of working, I think the Europeans would be most displeased, maybe even to the point where they are prepared to break ranks and support the Russian initiative in defiance of America.
I think that may be the jackpot Putin is playing for - to use the Syrian refugee crisis to create a wedge issue between America and the bulk of the European powers.
In that context, his willingness to get directly involved in Syria would make a great deal more sense, and the ultimate goal could be worth the costs in terms of treasure and blood. If he proposed this initiatives to the Chinese with that aim, it may well be enough to sway Beijing to commit money, and maybe even troops to that project.
