Russia Profile Weekly Experts Panel: Could Russia Deliver Assad’s Ouster?

UN Special Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan made a commendable last minute effort to bring about an international settlement to the ongoing civil war in Syria by convening a meeting of nine countries in Geneva on June 30 and putting forward a reasonable blueprint for a Syria-led political transition. But does it have a realistic shot at ending the violence in Syria and launching a credible political transition? Are outside powers really in a position to force the Syrian parties to put an end to fighting? Can Russia really force him to step down?