Turkey’s lack of diplomatic clout in Syria is becoming more glaring as the crisis moves toward a new trajectory, which includes the highly unsavory prospect for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu of a role for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in efforts to settle the crisis.

Ankara’s failure to consider the historic “Russian factor” has proved to be the main rock that Erdogan and Davutoglu’s Syrian plans foundered on, as Moscow remains resolute in supporting Assad, and is increasing its military support for his regime.

Turkey can also do little now but look on as Washington grapples with the notion of including Assad in any Syrian settlement. Bloody-handed dictator he might be, but Assad — much to Ankara’s annoyance — is emerging as the lesser evil for the West, which is more concerned about the rise of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq.

US Secretary of State John Kerry broached the subject in London last week, during a press conference with Philip Hammond, his British counterpart. "For the last year and a half we have said Assad has to go, but how long and what the modality is … that's a decision that has to be made in the context of the Geneva process and negotiation," Kerry said.