Thanks Nero - you might feel trapped there, but your input for our (well, my) understanding is greatly valued!
The Syrian civilians are truly between a rock and a hard place

4.5 million on the run and more to follow. And winter is coming. The Red Cross/Crescent is trying to get attention but no-one is listening here.
As I've posted elsewhere the only sane persons in Syria currently seem to be the Kurds in YPG, standing their ground in their own well-known areas and fighting off both Al-Nusra (which partially seems to be financed by Turkey to fight the Kurds) and the Assad regime.