As the UN Security Council prepares to meet again today to discuss Syria, America is scrambling to salvage what little is left of its ill-conceived plan to stop the fighting. Violence resumed as soon as the truce ended on Monday night, and is expected to intensify as the Syrian government, backed by Russia and Iran, doubles down on its drive to crush rebel forces in Aleppo. The UN has suspended all aid to the country following an apparent air strike on one of its convoys; feeding the atmosphere of mistrust, Russia has claimed the lorries merely caught fire. With their faith in American policy at an all-time low, mainstream rebel forces are more likely than ever to merge with extremist groups such as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, a former al-Qaeda offshoot. The prospects for Syria’s long-suffering people appear even grimmer than they did before the start of the ceasefire