Such developments would push Russia into the “missioncreep”
trap typical of many ill-conceived interventions.
Keeping the air war going means wasting the initial effect
of the initiative and waiting for troubles sooner rather than
later; expanding the intervention by deploying two or three
tactical battalion groups (of about 1,000 troops each) to
Latakia would stretch Russian strategic mobility capabilities
to the limit and increase domestic concerns; and
a withdrawal would mean a humiliating loss of face. One
way of escaping from this trap could be created by the
recently opened Vienna talks.