Syria is the new Spanish Civil War

Is the conflict in Syria coming to resemble the Spanish Civil War?

If the conflict is a war waged by proxy can someone explain what the Russians are hoping to gain, and also what the western powers are hoping to gain? (military bases? help yourself to free oil? a blocking move in a geopolitical game of chess?).

Especially as the winner is just going to inherit a ruin filled with corpses.

And if Syria is the new Spanish Civil War who will be the new George Orwell who writes about it (Homage to Qusair perhaps).

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/06/after-obamas-intervention-will-level-playing-fields-in-syria-become-level-killing-fields/