a quarter of syria with russian and iranian intervention, and now this moment, assad has reconstituted. >> right. they were really clear eyed about what civil war means and they were careful not to get involved. they had an agreement with the regime from the beginning. we're going to control our areas but won't rebel against you. because of that, isis attacked them. they control oil fields in the kurdish region. they control oil refineries and lots of valuable real estate. the war kind of came to them. and then partnership with the u.s. began. and now the same soldiers that the u.s. trained, armed, think about it this way from a counterintelligence standpoint. soldiers who worked with the most elite united states military are now going to work with assad and russia and bring you all that knowledge with them and by force, with no other choice saying hey, please protect us. they don't have any leverage and what goes on after that. >> what do you think -- what