It takes a bulldog type strong man dictator to govern Syria and others mainly to keep them at least half ways secular so they don't tear themselves apart. Some Western powers stepped in to initiate regime change  
based on the notion and recommendations of the  liberal (and some not so liberal) Middle Eastern  ex-pat community  that all it would take was to topple a few despots to cure societies ills in the region.  Remember the Arab Spring?
So it was done and now we have a complete humanitarian disaster and Western Governments are still supporting this failed policy.  The Russians are right this time.