Russian Foreign Ministry on Syria, Venezuela, and US Support for ISIS
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Ministry spokesman Artyom Kozhin (AK below) discussed endless war in Syria — launched by Obama, escalated by Trump.
It continues in its 9th year with no prospect for resolution because US hardliners reject restoring peace and stability to the country.
Multiple ceasefires agreed on in areas controlled by US-supported terrorists failed because jihadists breached them every time.
The latest ceasefire reached by Russia and Turkey in northwestern Hama and southern Idlib provinces is failing for the same reason.
Ankara is part of the problem in Syria, actively supporting terrorists, supplying them with heavy weapons, used against Syrian forces, part of President Erdogan’s aim to annex northern parts of the country.
According to AK, conditions in terrorist-controlled Idlib remain unchanged. US/Turkish-supported al-Nusra and allied jihadists “continue to escalate tensions in (the province) with random shelling and attacks, keeping civilians at bay both inside and outside the zone,” adding:
“The jihadists are completely ignoring the ceasefire that was introduced on June 12 after mediation by Russia and Turkey.”
“They renounced the truce and continued to aggressively attack Syrian government forces’ positions and strike residential neighborhoods.”
The only solution is striking forcefully them until their ranks are depleted, their resistance crushed — by heavy aerial and ground attacks.
Throughout the war, ceasefires never worked, why it’s foolish to believe they’ll hold ahead.
AK believing “grounds for optimism on the political track (exist) for a Syrian settlement regarding the completion and initial convening of the Constitutional Committee” are greatly exaggerated.
US aggression against Syria is all about regime change, Washington gaining another imperial trophy. Diplomatic resolution hasn’t worked since first tried in 2012. It’s highly unlikely to work ahead — diplomacy a language conflicting with US imperial aims.
AK misinterpreted the visit of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNCRA) Michelle Bachelet to Venezuela.
She serves US imperial interests, not the rights and welfare of the Venezuelan people or the country’s social democracy she opposed as Chilean president.
Calling her visit “balanced” is false. There’s nothing “balanced” about failing to condemn the Trump regime’s war on Venezuela by other means, responsible for hardships on its people, wanting legitimate President Maduro forcefully toppled.
Meeting with designated US puppet Guaido was shameful, a figure guilty of treason against his nation and people, belonging in prison longterm, the fate likely awaiting him.
Bachelet’s visit was unrelated to seeking “an impartial way (to) help find compromise solutions” — categorically rejected by Washington and its imperial partners.
On Wednesday, Venezuelan Vice President of Communication, Tourism and Culture Jorge Rodriguez presented evidence of another Trump regime coup plot to eliminate Maduro.
It involved Israeli, Colombian, and other subversive elements, aiming to abduct the president and National Constituent Assembly head, among others, seize the La Carlota airbase, and take over the presidential palace, proclaiming a new regime in charge.
According to Rodriguez, the plot was hatched “with the support of the United States government.” He should have said the scheme was orchestrated by hardliners in Washington.
Commenting on the coup plot, AK said it was “prepared against President Nicolas Maduro and his inner circle, as well as plans to organize new actions further undermining the situation in the country,” adding:
“Venezuelan law enforcement agencies managed to duly stop (the scheme) in time.” More of the same is highly likely.
AK stressing that resolving things “must be (accomplished) by the Venezuelans, without destructive or moreover coercive interference from the outside” falls on deaf ears in Washington and capitals of its conspiratorial partners.
Separately, the US deployed thousands of ISIS jihadists to Afghanistan, using them as proxies to continue forever war — in its 18th year with no signs of resolution.
According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry Middle East department head Zamir Kabulov in 2017, thousands of ISIS fighters moved from Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan, saying:
“Russia was among the first nations to ring alarm about the expansion of IS into Afghanistan,” adding:
“Lately, IS has boosted its presence in the country. Our estimate is that their force there is stronger than 10,000 troops and is continuing to grow. That includes new fighters with combat experience received in Syria and Iraq.”
Numbers today may be much larger. They didn’t shift from Syria and Iraq to Afghanistan on their own. The Pentagon and CIA transported them there.
Relocation required circumventing Iran, traveling over 1,600 miles from Syria, around 1,400 miles from Iraq. Iranian territory borders Afghanistan in its east, Iraq in the west.
ISIS terrorists had to travel by air, unable to enter Iran by ground transportation. They’d be intercepted, attacked and eliminated.
The Pentagon has significant airlift capacity, able to transport large numbers of troops to any locations worldwide.
AK noted the ongoing “armed struggle between Taliban detachments and ISIS in the east of Afghanistan, as well as…covert military support for ISIS from US forces,” adding:
Pentagon and Afghan forces “are not taking any action against ISIS in the field,” supporting their fighters, not combatting them.
Calling on the US and its imperial partners to “concentrate on…fight(ing) against ISIS” is an exercise in futility, achieving nothing.
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