Posted on 09/10/2015 7:17:16 PM PDT by robowombat
America's Warning to Russia: Back Off Syria
By Heather Sells CBN News Reporter Thursday, September 10, 2015
The U.S. is growing increasingly worried over signs of increased Russian military presence in Syria and has warned Moscow to back off.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the second time in five days.
U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Kerry "reiterated our concern about these reports of Russian military buildup."
Kirby added that if the reports are true it could "lead to greater violence and even more instability."
Also on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is concerned about the reports.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the West of creating "strange hysteria" over Russian activities. She noted that Moscow has supplied weapons and sent military specialists to Syria for years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has long maintained that Russian arms shipments and military advisers in Syria are just part of international efforts to combat the Islamic State.
That's what makes the situation complicated because both the U.S. and Russia oppose ISIS, but the U.S. also wants to see new leadership in Syria. The U.S. fears that Russia's military buildup there could allow Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad to maintain his lock on power.
Meanwhile, the world must grapple with the massive Syrian refugee crisis. More than 4 million Syrians have fled their country since 2012.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon noted this week, "The Syrian government in particular has not lived up to its obligation under international law to protect the civilians."
"The conflict is a colossal tragedy for Syria and a shameful symbol of international divisions," he added.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama's critics have called for a more forceful military response in Syria and accuse him of "leading from behind."
"The current crisis before us is not a migrant issue," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said. "It's a mass exodus of refugees who are fleeing conflicts that this administration has refused to address for years
Another comment on this article: President Obama hopefully, has come to terms with the grave error he made in Syria by threatening the Assad regime with military intervention, or in the Ukraine with promises of support for the citizens there and failing to keep his word. Otherwise, Putin already has his answer about the kind of man President Obama is, and has no reason to expect anything more than strong talk in this instance. American credibility has been reduced to talking points when it comes to negotiating globally.
Or what? We’ll kick them out of Ukraine?
Red Line.
we will write a very very angry letter.
I guess I have missed something here. Why??? is my question that we want Russia to back off???
Yeah, I’m sure Russia is afraid of America’s first woman president..
I don’t get it. The WH thinks they can kill, overthrow and depose any government in the world, but Russia is not allowed to stop the US imperialism/expansionism. Why is that?
Wow, I’m sure the Russians are quaking in their boots now that old horse face has told them to back off. /sarc
Or else?
According to US intelligence.
I would tell them to kill all the ISIS members they can. Maybe they could move some soldiers out of the area of Ukraine and send them to Syria to kill even more terrorists.
Perhaps POSOTUS and Kerry and Hillaryous and the ‘Rats & RINOS should talk to Iran also…
I got a better idea.
Support the Sov, er, Russkis and Assad. They’ll do a better job killing ISIS and other rebel scum, without all those stupid ROEs (like not bombing ISIS training camps ‘cause we might kill their dependents - which I would consider “bonus points.”)
In other words, let the slaughter continue.
ISIS -is- our policy.
Somebody needs to fight ISIS if that’s their intention. I know prophetically they have a big role in The Middle East - not a good role...
What the hell is “America” worried about Syria for? The Syrians are all either in Europe or on their way to Chicago.
“both the U.S. and Russia oppose ISIS,”
With the critical difference being, Russia supplies the forces opposed to ISIS while Barry opposes ISIS by supplying ISIS with `abandoned’ small arms, crew-served weapons, munitions and vehicles.
We’re at war with ISIS. We’ve always been at war with ISIS.
That is a great question. If the Russians were getting their way, the middle east would be a much more stable place than it is now, and there would be no Syrian refugees. What is it that the USA and our allies want?
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