America Continues Supplying Anti-Syria Terrorists with Weapons
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)
Washington didn’t wage war on Syria to quit. US cooperation with Russia on resolving years of conflict is more illusion than real.
On Thursday, Rex Tillerson and Sergey Lavrov discussed Syria by phone, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement saying:
“The foreign policy leaders discussed prospects for further cooperation in resolving the Syrian conflict with an emphasis on the sustainable functioning of de-escalation zones.”
They’re a vital step along with Astana peace talks toward ending war in the country but not enough. US and Turkish forces occupy northern parts of Syria, Pentagon troops operating from seven military bases.
Trump wants congressionally approved funding for more bases in Syria and Iraq. America came to both countries to stay, permanent occupation planned – in Syria showing it wants war and regime change, not peace.
In Iraq, puppet prime minister Haider Abadi serves US interests at the expense of his own people.
A new report by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) and Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) provided clear evidence, showing the Pentagon pouring weapons and munitions into Syria, arming terrorists to seize and occupy territory on the phony pretext of combating ISIS America supports.
The joint report discussed a Pentagon “spending spree,” falsifying documents “to disguise their final destination: Syria.”
The Defense Department budgeted $584 million for Syria for FY years 2017 and 2018, another $900 million for Soviet-era weapons, a way to try hiding US involvement in what’s going on.
According to the report, $2.2 billion spent by the Pentagon since 2015 “understates the flow of weapons to” anti-Syria terrorists.
They’re supplied “through a sprawling logistical network, including an army of arms dealers, shipping companies, cargo airlines, German military bases and Balkan airports and ports,” the report explained.
The operation is run by the Pentagon’s Special Operations Command (COCOM) and Picatinny Arsenal, a New Jersey weapons depot.
Vast amounts of weapons and munitions supplied by the Pentagon to anti-Syrian terrorists show Washington wants endless war and regime change.
Newly produced and older Soviet-style weapons are coming largely from central and eastern Europe, US taxpayers footing the bill, supplies delivered cross-border or airdropped to US-supported terrorist fighters.
The BIRN/OCCRP report forced the Pentagon to admit what it tried keeping secret – a way to keep waging war, peace a nonstarter for Washington in all its active theaters.
“Between December 2015 and September 2016, SOCOM also chartered four cargo ships from Romanian and Bulgarian Black Sea ports, laden with 6,300 tonnes of the purchased munitions to be delivered to military bases in Turkey and Jordan, the main logistics bases for supplying (anti-government terrorists), according to procurement documents, packing lists and ship tracking data,” the report revealed.
“It also commissioned commercial cargo flights with the Azerbaijan airline Silk Way to air bases in Turkey and Kuwait, other key hubs in the (phony) anti-ISIS mission.”
“The Pentagon has requested an additional $322.5 million for the financial year ending October 2017 and has asked for $261.9 million for the following 12 months to buy munitions for the Syria train and equip program.”
The Picatinny Arsenal is heavily involved in buying and supplying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of weapons and munitions destined for anti-Syria terrorists.
It’s “Pentagon policy not to label” weapons and munitions shipments heading for Syria, other destinations listed to conceal where they’re going.
Deliveries to terrorist fighters are planned to increase, nearly a $1 billion worth of weapons and munitions by 2022, according to the report, part of Washington’s plan for endless war in Syria – besides enormous shipments financed and/or supplied by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE and Israel.
“A leaked Pentagon email obtained by BIRN and OCCRP reveals how Berlin had become ‘very sensitive’ to the huge quantities of Eastern Bloc weapons passing through its territory to US bases, apparently forcing a reroute of the supply-line to Syria,” the report explained.
Supplying terrorists in Syria with weapons and munitions is one of many examples of America’s imperial agenda, its Nuremberg-level high crimes of war and against humanity.
VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home – Stephen Lendman). Contact at [email protected].
My newest 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
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
