Air strikes and troop movements have sparked fears in the West that Vladimir Putin is engaged in a proxy war of expansion. But there are other reasons why Moscow might be keen to keep President Assad in power – as well as root out Islamic State When Vladimir Putin delivered his first speech to the United Nations for 10 years, one of his more striking passages was an appeal for an international coalition against terrorism. “Similar to the anti-Hitler coalition,” the Russian President told the 70th session of the UN General Assembly at the end of last month, “it could unite a broad range of parties willing to stand firm against those who, just like the Nazis, sow evil and hatred of humankind.” He stressed that Muslim countries should be invited to join, as the