Russia Nixes Western Move at UN to Condemn Syria for Air Strikes Against Insurgents

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According to media reports, Russia blocked an effort at the UN to condemn Syrian government air strikes on insurgents holed-up inside cities in the war-torn Middle Eastern country. Reuters reported that diplomats said that Russia suggested so many amendments to a UK-sponsored motion that the UK withdrew the proposal, finding it weakened to the point of an empty gesture. Russia strongly backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad; it’s repeatedly blocked moves to condemn his régime in the continuing Syrian Civil War. AFP stated that the British proposal expressed “outrage” at Assad’s targeting of civilians in his forces’ bombardments of urban areas during the Battle of Aleppo, which is still in issue between rebels and government forces. The Syrian government enjoys total air supremacy over the opposition rebels. Apart from brief international unity over the decommissioning of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile brokered between the USA and Russia, the UN is in gridlock over how to respond to the Syrian crisis. Russia vetoed three UN Security Council resolutions condemning Syrian government actions since the civil war broke out in 2011. According to the UN, the present conflict caused over 100,000 deaths and displaced over a million people.

9 January 2014

RIA-Novosti

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140109/186363090/Russia-Blocks-UN-Move-to-Condemn-Syria-Bombing–Report-.html

Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev: The USA Acts as “International Executioners”, Sacrificing Muslims and Christians in Syria

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Speaking to AsiaNews, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk, head of the MP DECR, condemned threats of NATO intervention without a UN mandate. As a Western military intervention against the régime of Bashar al-Assad appears increasingly likely, He expressed “strong concern” about possible developments of the crisis, following American charges that the Assad government used chemical weapons against civilians. Metropolitan Hilarion said, “Once again, as was the case in Iraq, the USA is acting as an international executioner”. Speaking to AsiaNews, he strongly criticised the American position, calling it “completely one-sided”. He went on to say, “Without the endorsement of the UN, they want to decide the fate of a whole country of millions of inhabitants. Once again, they’ll sacrifice thousands of lives on the altar of an imaginary democracy; first of all, Christians, about whose fate no one cares. They’re at risk of becoming hostages to the situation and the main victims of radical extremist forces, who, with the help of the USA, will come to power. The international community must do everything to avoid that events develop in this direction”.

27 August 2013

AsiaNews

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Moscow-Patriarchate:-acting-as-international-executioners,-the-US-is-sacrificing-Muslims-and-Christians-in-Syria-28848.html

Editor’s Note:

Orthodox Christians have a choice… to support the US government…. or, to oppose it if it tries to launch aggressive war against Syria on flimsy grounds. It’s our choice… oh, yes; the Republican Party and the rightwing are loudly calling for war. Am I being catty by mentioning that Victor Potapov and Alexander Webster are paid minions of the US government (along with their running dog, Paffhausen, who yips for approval in all the proper Radical Right circles)? I think not… remember, their advocacy and support of war in foreign parts contributed to the Golgotha of Iraq’s Christians. Don’t let them do it again in Syria. Follow the money… it’ll tell you who’s naughty and who’s nice…

BMD

Lavrov Rejects Kerry’s Assessment of Syria Situation

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On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MID) reported that Russia’s top diplomat disagreed with his American counterpart in a phone conversation about the situation in Syria. The MID stated that US Secretary of State John Kerry told Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Syria’s government was to blame for the use of chemical weapons in that country, but Lavrov rejected that viewpoint. The MID said, “Lavrov rejected such an assessment, citing relevant arguments on the Russian side”. Western powers are considering armed intervention in the two-year civil war in Syria after an apparent nerve gas attack killed hundreds of people last week in Damascus, which the opposition claimed was an action of government forces. The Syrian government quickly denied the allegations, saying that it had evidence of rebel groups using chemical weapons. US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul wrote on Facebook on Monday, “The Syrian régime has chemical weapons. The opposition does not”.

The Syrian unrest began in March 2011, later escalating into a civil war. According to UN estimates, more than 100,000 people have died in the conflict so far. The UN Security Council has so far not authorised any military intervention in the Syrian crisis. Moscow, along with Beijing, previously vetoed three UN Security Council resolutions condemning Syrian President Bashar al-Assad‘s government. Russia has been Syria’s most important ally during the civil war. Moscow sent to Damascus weapons that it said it was supplying under previously-agreed deals. On Tuesday, Russia harshly criticised the USA for allegedly using “unproven excuses” to justify military action in Syria and said that Moscow was “seriously disappointed” by Washington’s decision to put off a bilateral meeting to discuss the crisis.

27 August 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://en.ria.ru/politics/20130827/183001444/Lavrov-Rejects-Kerrys-Assessment-of-Syria-Situation.html

Editor’s Note:

They’re beating the war drums on CNN and Fox News! It’s all bullshit, smoke n’ mirrors, and political theatre. Everybody “in the know” is aware that Moscow and Beijing will veto any UN Security Council Resolution, so, it’s all Sturm und Drang for the yahoos. Only a Rod Dreher or John Whiteford will take it all seriously, so, relax kids. The only way that it can blow up is for someone to fuck up or for some cowboy to “misconstrue” orders. The chances of either are slim to none. Don’t interrupt your Labour Day weekend plans…

BMD

Russia and the USA Want Talks Between Syrian Régime and Opposition

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On Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that Russia and the USA would set up an international conference on Syria by the end of this month. He’s optimistic that it’d involve both the Syrian government and opposition forces. At a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov, Kerry said that the conference would aim at facilitating a solution to the Syrian crisis through political dialogue. Lavrov added that the Syrian government assured Russia that it’s ready to participate in the conference, saying, “But, of course, so far, these are just words that have yet to be transformed into actions”. He went to say that the Syrian opposition hasn’t commented on the proposal. So far, opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have refused to sit down for talks with the régime in the past, saying that Assad’s removal is a non-negotiable issue. Lavrov pointed up that the conference would be a follow-up to last year’s international meeting in Genève that drafted a peace roadmap for Syria.

The communiqué passed in Genève by the UN Action Group on Syria, which includes Syria’s neighbours and the permanent members of the UN Security Council, proposed to start with the creation of a transitional government drawn both from the opposition and Assad’s administration. Both Kerry and Lavrov stressed that Russia and the USA support the Genève roadmap, seeing political dialogue as the only solution for Syria. Kerry said that the alternative is increasing violence, a humanitarian crisis, and the country’s disintegration.

Moscow and Washington have clashed over Syria in the past; the USA put the responsibility for the civil war on Assad’s régime, whilst Russia insisted that the opposition should share the blame for the conflict. Russia blocked several UN Security Council resolutions on Syria, saying that they were biased in favour of the opposition. The USA supported the Syrian opposition, providing the motley coalition of forces (which includes many radical Islamists) with non-lethal military equipment. Recently, a bill filed with the US Senate proposed the supply of weapons to the Syrian insurgents. Kerry said the bill’s fate depended on the American inquiry in progress into reports that the rebels used chemical weapons, but added the matter may become a moot point if the government and the opposition begin dialogue. More than 70,000 have died in the two-year-long present conflict in Syria, according to the latest UN estimates.

8 May 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/world/20130508/181018883/Russia-US-Want-Talks-Between-Syrian-Govt-Opposition.html

Editor’s Note:

Let’s not put too fine a face on this. The USA has woken up to the fact that Islamist radicals would benefit from the toppling of Assad. Besides that, Russia and China are adamant… NO MORE BOMBS! To put the kybosh on the idea of “intervention”, it’s unaffordable (there ain’t nuttin’ in Motha Hubbard’s cupboard, kids… Bush wasted it all on the adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan) and it’d destabilise the entire region (the Gulf States are most jittery on that score, and they’re American allies). Look carefully at:

Recently, a bill filed with the US Senate proposed the supply of weapons to the Syrian insurgents. Kerry said the bill’s fate depended on the American inquiry in progress into reports that the rebels used chemical weapons, but added the matter may become a moot point if the government and the opposition begin dialogue.

That is, Kerry’s given the US government a face-saving fig-leaf. The opposition will refuse to sit down with Assad… then, the USA will piously (and hypocritically) withdraw its former offer of arms. “They won’t sit down for peace talks… they’re terrorists intent on mayhem”. Let’s not be coy, the Boston bombing incident makes it politically impossible for any American régime to cooperate with any group that even looks like it might have Islamic militants within it. Any road, most of Obama’s rhetoric on Syria was election-year hogwash, not meant to be taken seriously by mature adults. Reflect on this… Wet Willy would’ve gotten the USA involved in a very sticky wicket just to placate the Religious Right troglodytes in the GOP. God IS in His Heaven… the Old Master does it again (just like when he defused the claptrap over Iran)… hey, anybody who still chain-smokes, backs Spartak, plays the guitar, goes white-water rafting, and cusses when he wants to can’t be all bad.

BMD