While Russia has high hopes for cooperation with the incoming Trump Administration on Syria policy, they still find themselves decidedly at odds with the Obama Administration over their respective priorities in Syria, and neither is shy about insisting that when things don’t go their way, it’s the other nation’s fault.
US officials blasted Russia for seeking “unacceptable” changes to a US proposed ceasefire in eastern Aleppo, a proposal which at this point is all but irrelevant since the rebels, which include al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front but which the US insists are “moderates,” have lost materially all their territory in recent days.
The US sees the losses in Aleppo as the result of Russia “delaying” the ceasefire, while Russian officials have said they view the US ceasefire proposal as a cynical attempt to try to save the rebels from losing and ensure the battle over the city continues.
Meanwhile, Russia saw the Syrian government’s loss of the city of Palmyra to an ISIS offensive as ultimately America’s fault, insisting that better cooperation between Russia and the US-led coalition in anti-ISIS operation could prevent ISIS from overrunning new territory, but “the US does not want to cooperate.”
The US has repeatedly rejected cooperation with Russia in fighting ISIS, but the loss of Palmyra is likely not related to that, since the precipitous defeat of Syrian forces around the ancient city appears to have been the result of Syria shifting its defenses elsewhere and leaving the area too exposed to a rapid ISIS offensive.
Even if we were to assume that our US mainstream media have been honest in their reporting of the Syrian conflict over the past several years, can anyone out there point out any mainstream media reports that Russia has ever supported Al Qaeda (Al Nusra) or ISIS forces in Syria? And on the same assumption, can anyone out there deny that there have been numerous mainstream media reports that the US has at least indirectly (through US allies including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Emirates) been supporting Al Qaeda and ISIS forces in Syria? And can anyone doubt that, with the very detailed US satellite monitoring we have had in place all over the planet for the past many years, our military could easily have targeted and destroyed those Al Qaeda and ISIS forces which our mainstream media have photographed in numerous Syrian locations during the past few years? With due respect to Antiwar.com, I think that this article is not being honest in presenting an equivalency between the US and Russia concerning those nations’ relative culpability for the warfare and loss of life in Syria. If facts still have any significance in this country (the US), surely any reasonably honest observer of the Syrian conflict must conclude that the US — and its unrelenting prioritization of “regime change” in Syria — is far more responsible than Russia for five years of death and destruction in Syria. And as a loyal (North) American, I take no pleasure in coming to that conclusion.
I suggest this article was not meant to do anything but chronicle some of the blame game between the US and Russia.
That the US is more or is less responsible for the horrendous, monstrous disaster in Syria is for another article.
I know what you mean. There is always a TAD of double talk.. But considering that the site is on the list of “fake” media, spreading unsanctioned truth — we may have to accept it.
The issue here today is the following — how can US military explain the escape of ISIS from Mosul, and their easy-breezy path to Raqqa and their concerted attack on Palmyra from two directions — Dar Azzor, and Raqqa. Here we are, again. If Russia now decides that it is tired of the US cat and mouse games, and takes it to ISIS with no apologies, will US then again be calling daily meetings of UN SC to talk about brutal Russia and Syria, targeting poor ISIS. All these years — US has done nothing, zero, nada — to control ISIS in Raqqa. And now, they are getting reinforcements. In fact, US has been COMPLAINING that bad Russians and bad Iranians did not allow the horseshoe operations around Mosul to leave the open end of horseshoe towards Syria. This is why the Mosul offensive is not going well — it would have been peace of cake if ISIS was able to get out of Mosul, and onto Raqqa. Remember how US has declared that they are going to Raqqa in a matter of weeks after the beginning of Mosul operation, and how Kurds were going to be the ground forces in Raqqa region. Just now, US has sent more special forces into Syria — to be imbedded into Kurdish forces. But Kurds are having second thoughts, and some of them are joining Assad forces. They are AFRAID that US promise of state on the tri-country border of Turkey, Syria and Iraq — may not be possible, and that Trump positively despises nation building, and positively supports the idea of sovereign nation-state to have business with. To complicate life of US even more — Turkey declared that it will go onto Raqqa, not Kurds. US is already preparing public for the possibility that Turkey will be killing American soldiers, that is those imbedded into Kurdish forces. Obama’s relaxation of arms supply for Syria is to have authority to arm Kurds. All the forces are gathered around Al-Bab. What is UTTERLY unclear why is Russia so phlegmatic about ISIS sudden invasion of Palmyra. Perhaps because it got tired of Western uppity noses, complaining about Russia planning to restore Palmyra, while they — the only one qualified on earth — should be there. Perhaps, it was needed to demonstrate that US and the forty something coalition is clueless when it comes to controlling ISIS in Raqqa all these years. Yet, ISIS has broken Syrian defenses and is endangering their energy supply. The bottom line — can anyone there just wait on US to disentangle itself from Mosul, while ISIS is wreaking havoc — AGAIN. US claimed exclusive rights over the skies over Raqqa — and was thus responsible for containing them there. Not Russia, nor Syria. Yet — AGAIN AND AGAIN, same story of irresponsibility, lack of any plan for even containing them, never mind defeating. Is US really serious about defeating ISIS, or it intends to just send them from one location to another?
This is now probably the most dangerous part of the crisis. Turkey, Kurds, Russia, Syria, US special forces on the ground — and ISIS out of control and actually reinforced by arms and people from Mosul.
While US is busy in Mosul, if only Turkey and Russia would HELP here, and liberate Raqqa area from the monsters, as US is clearly too busy to attend. It is just intolerable for Us to claim that they will take care of ISIS in that region, and then let them lose on Syrian population. Incompetence or purposeful onslaught on Syrian people — again. Just with other brand of the same cult.
Trump cannot come fast enough to take over presidency. Whatever he does, I am sure it will be decisive, pragmatic and have a clear goal. Nothing can be worse then this torture of Syria with no end.
Come to think of it — what deal? There are a few blocks still occupied by terrorists and their families. And there are some lone wolf small groups that will try something stupid — but does it warrant Security Council meeting, or debating the wording of the deal. Again, what deal, and for whom.
The only thing US wanted was to ALLOW THE TERRORISTS TO GO WHEREEVER THEY WANTED IN SYRIA. Russia and Syria wanted them only in Idlib. But because of such small numbers, it is amazing that US is wasting time talking about it — while neglecting its duty to control ISIS in Raqqa region. After all, this was the ONLY job US had in Syria — and has failed grossly. ISIS just waltzed out onto Palmyra. Clearly, with open US permission. What is going on? Is ISIS just to be moved from one place to another?