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Russia Foiled America’s Middle East Strategy


By Stephen Lendman
2-23-17

 
After US-led NATO’s rape and destruction of Libya in 2011, Syria’s fall was supposed to be next.

Things didn’t turn out this way. Not so far at least. Russia’s intervention on September 30, 2015 turned the tide of battle in favor of government and allied forces.

On Tuesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said “(t)he deployment of our group (to) the Syrian Arab Republic helped solve the geopolitical task of breaking the chain of (US instigated) ‘color revolutions’ replicated in the Middle East and Africa.”

At the same time, he warned of the high likelihood that this regime change strategy will continue, explaining:

“Their implementation allows for a minimal cost of resources and the limited use of own weapons and armed forces to crush regional powers while achieving political and economic goals.”

“Relations between states are becoming increasingly strained. The struggle for resources and control of the routes of their transportation intensifies. Attempts by the West, led by the United States, to slow down the process of establishing a new and more just world order lead to growing chaos, anarchy and encounter rejection on the part of many states.”

Military force is the main tool Washington uses to advance its agenda, he stressed - state-sponsored terror, far worse than what’s carried out by various groups.

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin promoted a number of generals involved in combating terrorism in Syria for a job well, the task continuing until these elements are defeated.

Defense Minister Shoigu praised the performance of Russia’s Syria mission, saying “(s)pecial operations forces have demonstrated their high efficiency.”

“They have played a key role in liquidating the terrorists, destroying critically important enemy facilities and directing airstrikes.”

Russia tested 162 new weapons, including air and sea-based long-range cruise missiles. So far, its aircraft flew 1,760 sorties and conducted 5,682 airstrikes.

Shoigu said over 3,100 terrorists were killed, many more wounded. Its warplanes destroyed 40 training camps, 475 command posts and 45 ammunition plants.

Nearly 90% of Russian pilots gained combat experience during ongoing operations. Moscow’s intervention preserved Syria’s territorial integrity, gave government and allied forces a distinct advantage.

Still the struggle against ISIS, al-Nusra and other terrorist groups continues. Shoigu indicated Moscow awaits US proposals for cooperating with Russia in combating this scourge.

“(W)e are ready to talk,” he said. (W)e are waiting for clarification from Washington. We are ready to review any other proposals on” resolving conflict in Syria.

On Thursday, another round of peace talks began in Geneva. Previous ones failed. It’s unclear if this time will fare better.

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.