The Middle East is growing more dangerous each day with conflicts multiplying.  With the crowded airspace in Syria, the chance of either Russia or the U.S. hitting unintentional targets of each other.  It is so difficult for the media scholars and the average person to keep track of who is on whose side these days.  The Russians are supporting Bashar al-Assad’s government, The Lebanese, through Hezbollah, are also supporting him, while Iran is as well. The U.S. is supporting revolutionaries rebelling against his government, including the Free Syrian Army. That means 2 super powers are bombarding the area.  In this sense, these dynamics have roots in the cold war.  Conflicting alliances since that era have resulted in many divisions amongst these militant groups. At the same time there are indigenous conflicts, such as the Sunni - Shi'i divide.

Get a synopsis of the various groups and alliances and some of their historical and current motives, full recording here.