Moscow needs to stop backing the survival of the regime

One of the existing Syrian government's strongest international supporters is Russia, which has continued to protect the regime in order to maintain Russian influence in the region. Russia conducts airstrikes and militarily supports the Syrian Assad regime, politically backing their efforts. They claim their primary purpose is to stop the spread of the Islamic State terrorist group; however, they have backed Assad in all areas, including those not related to the IS such as other rebel groups fighting for democracy.^[1] Russia has multiple reasons to be interested in backing Assad. It is a chance for them to test and prove their military prowess, prevent unrest in the Middle East from spreading to Russia's large Muslim population, and to establish themselves as a global power. By being heavily involved in Syria, it cements them a seat at the international negotiating table for one of the world's foremost conflicts. Russian backing of the Assad regime is a major contributor to unrest in Syria. It makes the regime more militarily powerful, allowing them to kill citizens, sometimes with chemical weapons, easily. By supporting the Syrian government Russia escalates and condones the violence and violation of human rights in Syria; if support were pulled from the regime it would help solve the crisis.

[P1] Russia is the biggest international supporter of Assad. [P2] Assad's regime could not function without international support. [P3] Assad's regime is a driving force in the Syrian crisis. [P4] Russia's support allows the Syrian crisis to continue.