As the ceasefire elsewhere in the country begins to expire, Russia and the United States have brokered a 48-hour ceasefire in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, where two weeks of firing between military and rebel factions have killed nearly 300 civilians, and hit several hospitals.
US officials are continuing to “warn” the Assad government about the ceasefire, though there has been reported shelling since the pact was announced. They insisted that they would hold Assad responsible for any violations.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, by contrast, sees al-Qaeda’s Nusra Front as a major threat to the truce, accusing them of thwarting previous efforts to get a ceasefire in place in that city. In the city, materially all the rebels are either with Nusra Front or are allied with them.
The presence of the al-Qaeda affiliate has been a big problem in the city, as they were previously, deliberately excluded to the ceasefire, which meant all factions could attack them freely without violating the ceasefire. Despite this, the US has repeatedly accused Assad of “violations” for military attacks on al-Qaeda.
It is official. US Government PROTECTING AL-QAEDA, known as Al-Nusra. Under UN agreement, ISIS, Al-Nusra, and a list of other terrorist organizations, are not covered by cease-fire. It was LEGITIMATE for Syrian Army to respond to Al-Nusra’s attacks on civilians in Government-held territory of Aleppo, but US has objected. Now, US has managed to get Russia to agree to a cease-fire in Aleppo, to PROTECT Al-Nusra.
Without US protection, this terrorist group would have long time been wiped out. They were wiped out from most of their previous territories, and over 400 places have been liberated. Does anyone from our intrepid “free” press dare go to the liberated places, and ask them how they liked living under Al-Qaeda? If US is protecting “rebels” in Aleppo, why cannot our press go there, talk with rebels, see how they are doing? If we are putting so much of our money, lives and international prestige on the line to support the “rebels”, why not talk to them? Why not go there, and ask them what they are fighting for? Ask people, see how they live? See if they will freely support the “rebels”, or are in hiding? Why not show their cause, and their vision for Syria should they get a chance to govern? The whole thing is now a mess, a sham for the whole world to see. While the Russian air attacks concentrated on Al-Qaeda, US had ample time to focus on ISIS — yet, did not liberate one village, not one from ISIS. Only focusing on “killing some commanders”. Isn’t media catching on that the news of the death of one more “commander” of ISIS has become a joke? Even among teenagers?
We do not have leaders, we have bureaucrats. Bureaucrats are driven by control of “their turf”. While it is praise-worthy when one is running a water system, or a railroad, it becomes a calamity when bureaucratic minds take over any government. Obsessed as they are with a span of control, not brooking any disagreement or opposition, they care more about retaining their imaginary patch, then what this may mean. Real bureaucrats are constrained by budget, while today’s “leaders” can produce money from thin air. They do not see a problem, nor care who will pay for it. They will “borrow” from Social Security, and then tell us that there is no money. Good bureaucratic budget game we feel on our skin.
Yet, in Iraq and now Syria and Libya — being bureaucrats they cannot define what is the purpose of involving US money, life and prestige in pursuing the “control” without even being able to define it. A leader will asses IF US even has a vital interest in any country or even a region — a real vital interest that requires use of military force, or even aggressive diplomacy. Sometimes it is better to renegotiate expectations, and not get stuck in expensive quagmire. This is what we are looking forward to Hillary Clinton’s presidency whose instincts are to dig deeper when in doubt.
So, here we are, our bureaucrats in charge have redefined Al-Qaeda as our “rebels”, probably sending our boots to help support Al-Qaeda. Poor souls. Ask them again what 9/11 was all about.