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
Wait, is that the sound of Putin LHAO? I think so.
Yeah, John Kerry will unfriend Vlad on Facebook!
OOOOOOOOH! SCARY!!
It really stinks to have our country on the wrong side.
That’s how I felt throughout the Kosovo “war” when Bush sided with the Muslims.
Uh-oh. Jugears is going to get all wee-weed up and draw red lines all over the place!!!!
Obama talking smack to Putin especially when Putin is backing up a Russian ally dating back to Cold War days?
I truly think stuff like this makes our president sound insane,
Because obama!
Obama has to cement his legacy in less than a year and a half.
He doesn’t want the Russians screwing things up by delaying the ISIS takeover of Syria.
Warning backed up by.....???
No one in Moscow takes Obama seriously after he capitulated to Iran.
And Putin rightly notes the reason the US did not want to get involved in Syria is because he offered Obama an escape hatch, which the American President took.
American hypocrisy in lecturing Russia about Syria has hit a new low.
And Russia is going to pay attention to America? Like there’s a Reagan in the White House, or even a George Bush?
Strong talk that gets wobbly very quickly.
Our queers in the military will suck them silly....
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