concern among the americans. as one expert put this, there s one clear winner in this entire scenario at this stage and that is the russians. they are now exerting, as they have been all along, influence over damascus. they also have greater influence over ankara and they have a measure of influence over the kurds, who have turned to just about everyone they can for help but have come up dry. the though, it would seem have managed to make a key strategic victory, and that is in seeing the u.s. military pulling back and pulling out without even having to fire a shot. arwa damon, cnn, on the turkey/syria border. interesting in arwa s reporting on her instagram she has a picture where she s there reporting and you see what looks to be the sun setting. she says, clearly that s not the sun setting. naets an explosion. that sets the tone here.