Not really my "assessment", bodad. Where the truth lies is beyond me to make any judgement. There are two theories, and both of them seem equally hard to believe. It would be extraordinarily difficult to organise an operation like this by an element of the opposition, and at the same time it is hardly believable that Assad's people could have carried out something potentially so damaging to their interests, with no discernible advantage to them.

It's true enough that the Russians support Assad's regime, but equally true that statements by Hague (and others) reflect fixed hostility to it.

The one thing that appears clear is that there are some very unpleasant and untrustworthy people on both sides.