Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, broke a cease-fire on Sept. 26 and bombed rebel forces in eastern Aleppo. The airstrikes were allegedly carried out with little regard for civilian casualties, using incendiary bombs that set buildings ablaze and bunker-buster bombs that destroyed underground hospitals.
The United States, meanwhile, has been playing by the book in how it conducts bombing operations against the ISIS terrorist group. Yet, its inability to get boots on the ground to identify targets in ISIS-held territory has largely prevented the United States from using airstrikes beyond the ISIS front lines, for fear of missing the mark and striking civilian targets.
The two approaches highlight one of the key issues in the war against ISIS and the war between the Syrian government and rebel forces. While the United States is trying to follow the rules, other actors in the war are following their own rules.
