THE BATTLE FOR ALEPPO AND THE MASSING OF THE REBELS - IS PRESIDENT PUTIN'S RESPONSE MACHIAVELLIANISTIC?

The rebels in Syria have been telling the Syrian Government and their Russian and other allies, for atleast several days now, that they are going to start a campaign to break the siege of eastern Aleppo, and also attack the government forces in western Aleppo, with the intention of defeating them.

And low and behold, as the saying goes, the rebels have kept their word and are now on the attack, as they promised. They have done so while the Russian government has apparently stopped its air planes from attacking targets in eastern Aleppo. So, what are we to make of this developing situation?

One would have thought that, with the enemy rebels having declared their intention to go on the attack, for the Syrian government and its ally forces, to be 'fore warned' would be to 'be fore armed.'  So, was the Syrian, Russian and allied forces prepared for this unfolding offensive by the rebels, and was the absence of Russian war planes, which would have helped to observe and map the movements of the rebels, apart of this preparation? Have the Syrian and allied forces 'set the trap' for the rebels to walked into, or was there no special strategic and tactical plans to counter the expected offensive. 

I read a report (since confirmed by RT) that President Putin has told his military officers that there is no need for their planes to return to the offensive in Aleppo, as yet. If this report is accurate, how can that be so, while the rebels are apparently having a field day laying waste to western Aleppo, not having to contend with any air attacks.

Is there some more machiavellian scheming going on here again? Could it be that the President Putin is leaving the gate of western Aleppo, as it were, open, so that the rebels can inflict some serious damage on the civilian population, so that there can be more proof of the west's double standards and hypocrisy? If so, then would that not be a great disregard to the need for them to be doing all they can to help the Syrian government to protect and safeguard the welfare of the citizens of Aleppo? As well as negligence in not offering the Russians and Syrian government forces the necessary weapons to defend themselves?

President Putin's action is likely to undermine the defensive and offensive capability of the Government and allied forces in and around Aleppo. Not good, as it will lead to reactive instead of 
preemptive strategies. If this is to appease his Nato and American detractors, then the cost is too high, and it is poor military tactic.

The Syrian government and its allies are experiencing difficulties extricating the rebels from the civilian population in eastern Aleppo, many of whom might be supportive of the rebels - when you are being occupied, it can be prudent to at least give the pretence of being on your occupier's side, unless you have a death wish, especially if the occupier is Daesh or its affiliates. So, you would expect the Syrian and allied forces not to miss the opportunity of confronting the rebels on open ground, as it were, free of their human shield or protectors.

I have also hear a media correspondent making reference to "suicide-bomber" or "suicide bombs." I think these are terms which the media and ordinary people should stop using, because they place too much significance on the criminals who are carrying out these crimes. They would be better referred to as "homicide-bombs" or "homicide-bombers."