In a letter to the editor published in the New York Times today, SIWPS member Stuart Gottlieb responds to Michael Gordon’s piece on Russia’s move to expand its role in the Syria conflict, “Russia Surprises U.S. With Accord on Battling ISIS.”

Gottlieb contends that Russia’s increased presence in the Middle East is a result of President Obama’s strategy of reduced involvement in the region. While Obama’s approach was prudent in the wake of previous overreach, Gottlieb feels that it is time the U.S. addresses the chaos that has engulfed the region.

Read Gottlieb’s letter, “The U.S.-Russia Discord Over Syria,” on the New York Times website.