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Ceasefire Charade in Syria


By Stephen Lendman
9-17-16

 
Diplomats pretend it’s largely holding while Syrians die - US-supported terrorist attacks more intense than before ceasefire began last Monday.

On Friday, Lavrov and Kerry ludicrously claimed cessation of hostilities is “at a satisfactory level,” both diplomats wanting truce (sic) made permanent.

What country are they talking about? War rages in Syria. No ceasefire exists, nor will it ahead because Washington wants war, not peace, Assad eliminated, Syrian sovereignty destroyed, pro-Western puppet governance replacing it, America gaining another imperial trophy.

How long will the charade go on? When will Damascus and Moscow admit America again deceived them and declare all-out war on all US-supported terrorist groups, not just ISIS and al Nusra?

When will they admit liberating Syria can only be achieved on the battlefield, diplomacy a waste of time because deals America agrees to aren’t worth the paper they’re written on - breached every time, the current regime of silence the latest glaring example?

On Friday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman General Igor Konashenkov said Syria is the only party observing Geneva ceasefire terms. America did nothing to constrain the so-called “moderate opposition” - comprised of terrorists as vicious as ISIS and al Nusra.

I’ve stressed repeatedly no moderate rebels exist. All anti-government forces are US-supported terrorists, cutthroat killers used as imperial foot soldiers.

It’s time for Russia to stop pretending otherwise and openly declare it, along with explaining they exist because of US-led foreign support.

Dozens of ceasefire breaches continue occurring daily - with full US support and encouragement. Washington wants conflict continued, not ended, then escalated if Hillary succeeds Obama, perhaps with shock and awe terror-bombing, targeting Syria’s military and strategic government sites, maybe striking Damascus, aiming to kill Assad and topple his government.

Russia wants Geneva terms disclosed to other Security Council members, a resolution adopted affirming them. Washington wants secrecy maintained. What’s being hidden? Why doesn’t Russia publish ceasefire documents on its own?

On Saturday, Moscow’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said “(t)he United States is not prepared to share the documents with the members of the Security Council, and not even describe them in detail.”

“When we agreed to do a briefing, at least you need to describe the content of the document. And in my mind, what we have been saying publicly and my foreign minister (Sergey Lavrov) has been saying publicly, we believe the document needs to be circulated.”

“(W)hy make a secret of them? Those are things on which we are going to base our work if the whole thing is implemented.”

“So, it's another (obstructionist) attitude of the United States which does not make it possible to proceed with the briefing and also, I'm afraid, to proceed with the adoption of that resolution.”

“We believe that we cannot ask members of the SC to support something the content of which they don't know. There are a number of documents there.”

“There is a document which was negotiated on September 9 but as a package, there are a number of documents which were negotiated before, in July, and even before.”

Washington’s opposition to transparency is another example of its real objectives - pursuing war, opposing peace, wanting nothing standing in the way of its imperial aims.

Moscow wants ceasefire terms published, then affirmed in a Security Council resolution so “the whole world will learn about obligations of the (opposing) sides…and will be able to give unbiased assessments to how each side fulfills the agreements, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova explained.

It doesn’t want America interpreting them falsely with no public information available to challenge its deception.

Washington wants no constraint on its support for terrorist groups wherever they’re deployed as imperial foot soldiers.

Sunshine is the best disinfectant. Full disclosure of Geneva terms obstructs its ability to violate them.

It’s foolhardy thinking America negotiates in good faith - never before, for sure not now. Believing otherwise aids its imperial ruthlessness.

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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