Though the only incidents reported in Aleppo on Tuesday were rebel forces firing on a government-held district, hitting a hospital and killing 19 civilians, the talking points of US officials continued to center on blaming the Assad government for all ceasefire problems.
Secretary of State John Kerry warned that there would be “repercussions” for Assad if the ceasefire failed, hinting at previous reports that the US intends to begin massive weapons shipments to “vetted” rebels as soon as the ceasefire ends.
The fighting in Aleppo, however, has seen both the Assad government and rebels trading fire, both regularly hitting civilian neighborhoods, and both killing scores of civilians. Despite this, the Obama Administration has only warned the government over the incidents, and is avoiding any criticism of the rebels, even when they attacked a hospital today.
And in spite of all of this exchange of fire, neither side appears to have gained any territory or inflicted significant harm on the other’s combatants, almost exclusively killing civilians over the course of this period. US officials, however, are still presenting the stalemated situation as the Assad government attempting to seize territory militarily.
What happened to Russia? It seems Putin is letting his friend Assad down!!!!
Russia is trying to give peace a chance, but US skullduggery is preventing any progress.
Russia will eventually lose patience in the face of US lies and treachery, and return to smashing these filthy terrorist swine.
Russia is making sure no opportunity is missed in exploring joint action. And offering every type of imaginable assistance. But we are dealing with the ideological neocons, and the ideology is preventing them from doing business with Russia. Neocon aims are rather transparent, and if Trump prevails, they will all get fired, as he hinted in his foreign policy strategy paper. Ideology really has no place today in increasingly connected world. Ideology worked in the time before hi-tech communications connected the world. It worked for example in Cold War, as Soviet Union failed to open up to the world, and the population lived in ignorance about the realities.
Now, neocons are trying to recreate those happy times, and isolate Russia. As Russia has no intention of being isolated, needless to say it is a futile task. But the process will go on, and Russia will leave no stone unturned to engage US in cooperating to get the region rid of religious cults as well as other terrorist/criminal groups taking advantage of the situation. But things are getting from bad to bizarre since US decided to adopt Al-Nusra, and is now in bed with Al-Qaeda again. But as UN has designated them as terrorist organization, it will be tough to define the spot on earth in Syria where the mythical rebels are.
Yet, necons, in the absence of better story, are just sticking with defending Al-Nusra, and renaming them “rebels”. As we speak, Turkey is going out of the closet, and admitting that US and NATO allies have been arming terrorist groups, while denying them armaments they asked for. Since Russia pointed out to the connection between Turkey territory and terrorists, Turkey has been bristling and claiming that Turkey does not support ISIS or Al-Qaeda. Well, obviously SOMEBODY did.
I do not believe that US can rush the process. It will have to play along with the events, not liking them — and reacting to them. But not really being the initiator.
Just shows how evil America is–they want a puppet controlling Syria’s land mass to transport oil to Europe-put Russia O.O.B in gas and oil business.
Americans are toying with the Russians.
Soon not later,the Americans will show their ugliness.
Same thing, US holds Russia accountable for the Ukraine’s failure to put the Minsk accords in place.
We should butt out, and let Russia take care of the terrorists in Syria.
Jon query is a despicable man. What makes this guy tick? He was a hero to us antiwar folks when he stood up as Senator and spilled the beans about Vietnam… Now he is reborn as duplicious hawk of empire……. Without shame, as HE spearheads THE Aero/Zionsis Genocide against Muslims writ large… WE should read the secret 28 pgs as see why they threatened to trash the dollar. Crazy stupid self destructive policy seems to have infected elite wonks like him and others, I’m thinking Lanny Davis and how HE sold out the Honduran people to Marcos…..
Don’t worry, Obama has Kerry under control and he’s just babbling out of school. Obama, along with Putin have snookered the US into a ‘no war’ situation in Syria and that’s because Russia has been empowered by Obama and Russia now stands on the side of right and represents to the rest of the world, a possibility of peace.
Likewise with Iran. Obama allowed the nuclear deal that ensures a lasting peace with Iran because Russia has interests there too. And besides that, the other parties to the deal know it’s a good deal.
How will Trump or Clinton get the show back on again? There’s little doubt among those who stay current with US foreign policy that this is a vital part of Trump “making America great again!”
Hillary is a ultra-hawk who on behalf of Israel, will be maneuvering to find a way to go to war with Iran. Trump, who has made it clear he will kick the Neocons to the curb, not so much.
I’m not sure you’re right about Trump, but I’m sure you’re right about Clinton.
I think it was actually Europe that brought this about. Europe has been itching to do business with Iran for years, and the refugees made them understand that destabilizing MENA is not in their interest. Putin and Lavrov had a lot of talks with European leaders before the Russian intervention in Syria, and if Obama didn’t go along with lifting sanctions on Iran, P5+1-1(US) was going to do it on their own.
Obama isn’t holding anybody back. He’s as committed to regime change as anybody. He just can’t figure out how to do it without risking war with Russia. He wanted desperately to see Assad sodomized a la Ghaddafi in 2013, but UK balked when they figured out the sarin wasn’t Assad’s, the military wasn’t sure they could defeat Assad’s air defenses, nor were they sure how Russia would react and even the enlisted military were speaking out.
Proof once again that, despite the opinion of some antiwar pundits, Obama is STILL trying to get a war with Syria started. And blaming Kerry for it all just doesn’t wash – unless you want to believe Obama is oblivious to all this, just sitting around in the Oval Office watching reruns of West Wing…Kerry doesn’t do anything Obama doesn’t approve of and sign off on before it happens.
Obama does what he is told. He was a lame duck before he took the oath. Hillary and her Party have forced him into a deal before 2008 convention. So, why the surprises? What is shocking is the following: slowly, US has declared Al-Qaeda — rebels. There never were any rebels in that region. There were Turkmens who may have thought that being against Assad would allow them to take Aleppo into Turkey. Then there are Kurds, and the rest are majority Sunni Syrians — urban, definitely not Al-Qaeda types, and definitely no breeding ground for ISIS. As US and others armed the Al-Nusra, it became largely irrelevant what Turkmen or any other self-proclaimed fighters angling for US money. Al-Nusra got all the arms. Turkish president, being blamed all the time for proving arms and funding to terrorists, came out and accused US and NATO allies for arming terrorists, while denying Turkey weapons. Dirty laundry is coming out — but we have our mainstream brainwashers to quietly rename Al-Nusra — rebels. Now, Kerry is doing it himself! What a mess, what a royal mess! Is this all, the need to win at all cost? Never mind that Al-Qaeda is holding part of Aleppo hostages, and from its positions hitting hospital and other civilian targets — it is important that we blame “all sides’.
We will have to skip any commemoration of 9/11 this year, as our Government is finding it expedient to ally itself with the Al-Qaeda terrorist group, just to satisfy its venomous urge to win in Syria, and to appoint any government, even ISIS would do. Are all the boots on ground going into the Al-Qaeda controlled territory? Because there are only some ISIS left spaces in the East, and pockets of Al-Qaeda in the center, and occupying part of Aleppo and surrounding area. It is fascinating that nobody is even asking where EXACTLY will those troops go — who are their allies on the ground, as the map of Syria is rather clear.
Dec 9, 2015 US & Britain Planned Use of Islamic Extremists to Topple Syria ’57’ Years Ago
BBC reports that – in 1957 – the British and American leaders approved the use of Islamic extremists and false flag attacks to topple the Syrian government: Nearly 50 years before the war in Iraq, Britain and America sought a secretive “regime change” in another Arab country… by planning the invasion of Syria and the assassination of leading figures.
https://youtu.be/57Qk0wEPZWE