Zero Possibility for Ceasefire in Syria
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
Following Saturday’s unanimous Security Council ceasefire in Syria vote, Russia expressed false hope for foreign supporters of anti-government terrorists to observe it, saying:
“We expect that the foreign patrons of anti-government armed formations will finally fulfill their part ‘of the home assignment’ and ensure that the forces under their patronage cease combat activity in the interests of the quickest and safe passage of humanitarian convoys,” adding:
Combating ISIS, al-Nusra, al-Qaeda, and groups connected to them will continue - “despite the attempts of certain external players to engage international terrorists and groups of opposition militants joining them to implement still nurtured plans to overthrow the legitimate authorities of the Syrian Arab Republic and dismember the country. The terrorists won’t get any respite.”
There is no chance whatever that Washington, its rogue allies and terrorist foot soldiers will comply with Security Council Res. 2401!
Nor will they and supportive media scoundrels stop accusing Russia and Syria for crimes they’re committing daily against defenseless civilians - in Eastern Ghouta and elsewhere in the country.
On Sunday, Al Jazeera said “Syrian warplanes continued to shell (Eastern Ghouta) for the eighth consecutive day,” still accusing them of crimes committed by US-supported terrorists.
Syria’s Operation Damascus Shield indeed began, its goal eliminating US-supported terrorists in Eastern Ghouta.
Thousands of ground forces are supported by Syrian and Russian airpower, targeting terrorist positions, not civilians, as falsely reported.
AMN News cited a Syrian military source, saying government forces launched a large-scale assault on areas controlled by terrorists, breaking through their lines in places, slowly taking control of areas they’ve occupied.
Heavy fighting is ongoing, likely to continue for some time. Terrorists are well dug into fortified sites, including tunnels.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said following adoption of SC Res. 2401, “we will toughly cut short the attempts to additionally instigate the anti-Russian and anti-Syrian hysteria and derail the political settlement process, which took on a new life following the results of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi.”
Russia “will continue working with all the Syrian sides in order to resolve the conflict as soon as possible, achieve reconciliation among those who are seeking this by deeds rather than verbally and to finally root out the terrorist threat.”
Despite adoption of SC Res. 2401, nothing on the ground changed. War continues raging, no end of it in sight.
Hoped for Syrian liberation won’t happen any time soon - not as long as Washington and its rogue allies oppose it.
Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya expressed concern about hostile US rhetoric, threatening escalated war on Syria, saying:
“Let us warn you straight away. We will not allow arbitrary interpretation of the newly accepted resolution. We demand an end to this irresponsible rhetoric.”
“Instead, one should immediately join the common effort to settle the Syrian conflict on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.”
Hostile US rhetoric and actions won’t cease. Will Russia follow through on Nebenzya’s warning, or will it settle for tough rhetoric as usual, failing to deter US-led aggression?
I’ve explained many times that the only language Washington understands is force. It’s high time Russia gave it a taste of its own harsh medicine.
A tough smackdown would go a long way toward liberating Syria one day. Appeasement is a losing strategy. It never works.
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