Since Trump’s inauguration,
US-led so-called “coalition” warplanes continued attacking Syrian
infrastructure.
Bridges and Raqqa’s water lines were destroyed, cutting off supplies
to the city. On Thursday, an Israeli helicopter shelled a Quneitra
residential building.
Separately, in response to an errant shell, harmlessly landing in
Israeli occupied Golan, the IDF struck a nearby Syrian military
position - without explaining if it was by airstrike or artillery
fire.
The Israeli regime actively aids ISIS and other anti-Syria terrorist
groups. It invents reasons to launch periodic aggressive attacks
against Syrian targets, acts of war by any standard.
Damascus maintains restraint to keep ongoing conflict from expanding
into a greater one it can’t win against Israel’s military
superiority, greatly aided by Washington. Its complaints to UN
authorities are ignored.
Interviewed by Belgian reporters, Assad called US-led coalition
actions against ISIS “illusive,” saying the terrorist group is
“expanding,” adding:
“What we heard in statements by Trump during the campaign and after
the campaign is promising regarding the priority of fighting
terrorists, and mainly ISIS. That’s what we’ve been asking for
during the last six years.”
“We have to wait. It’s still early to expect anything practical.” So
far, no US operation against ISIS or other terrorist groups exists,
Assad explained - saying, at most, America’s operation is
“cosmetic…illusive (and) illegal…a breach of our sovereignty.”
Washington and its allies have been aiding ISIS and likeminded
groups throughout the conflict, not combating them. Assad hopes
Trump will change things. It’s too soon to tell.
Syria’s leader, its officials and millions of devastated civilians
urge all the help they can get to defeat the scourge of terrorism -
so far provided by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah - America, NATO,
Israel and other regional rogue states Syria’s main enemies.
On Tuesday, US-led airstrikes on Idlib killed at least 15 civilians,
wounding scores more, destroying residential buildings in the city
on the pretext of combating ISIS.
Separately, Assad thanked Vladimir Putin for Russia’s indispensable
role in turning things around in Syria, greatly aiding eventual
conflict resolution.
It’ll be a while coming. Assad said Russia’s intervention turned the
tide of battle in Damascus’ favor - events “moving quickly in the
direction” of a desired outcome.
On February 20, peace talks resume in Geneva. Previous rounds failed
because Washington undermined them. It remains to be seen if Trump
intends working with Russia cooperatively to end the conflict Obama
launched.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at
lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in
Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the
Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
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