The same holds in northern Syria – along the 820 km border with Turkey. Thousands of US special forces and other combat troops prevent Syrian control over its own territory.
Washington intends creating a 30,000-strong “Border Security Force (BSF)” – comprised of Kurdish YPG fighters and terrorists, a permanent occupying force.
The Pentagon and CIA are working with these elements on the phony pretext of combating ISIS they created and support.
According to the Defense Post, “(t)he BSF will be stationed along the Euphrates River Valley – marking the western edge of the territory within Syria currently controlled by” US-supported anti-government YPG fighters and terrorists – so-called Orwellian-named “Syrian Democratic Forces.”
Last month, US CENTCOM commander General Joseph Votel said a training program was being established for Kurdish and Arab fighters – to become a permanent US occupying force in Syria, he failed to explain.
Turkey slammed the scheme, Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, saying Ankara has the right to defend itself against “terror groups” (referring to Kurdish YPG fighters), calling Washington’s plan “unacceptable,” adding:
“Turkey will continue to take all necessary precautions aligned with its national interest to preserve its national security.”
Separately, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said “US cooperation with YPG (fighters) jeopardize(s) our national security and territorial integrity of Syria, and that is unacceptable. We condemn the persistence of the United States in this erroneous approach, and once again remind that Turkey is determined to eliminate any threats against it, and has all possibilities to do this.”
Syria calls all anti-government forces in the country “traitors.” Russia strongly opposes Washington’s plan.
On Sunday, lower house State Duma Defense Committee chairman Vladimir Shamanov said the Trump administration’s plan “stands in direct confrontation (with Russia’s interests), and we and our colleagues will certainly undertake certain measures on stabilization of the situation in Syria.”
His deputy Defense Committee head Yuri Shvitkin added:
“There’s a clear equivocation here. I think it’s an obvious attempt to reanimate the militants, who can flow from neighboring states, namely Iraq, to achieve (Washington’s) geopolitical goals, escalate tensions, and, probably attempt to overthrow the legitimately elected president Bashar Assad.”
US and Russian aims for Syria are worlds apart. Moscow wants conflict resolved, peace and stability restored to the country, its territorial integrity protected and preserved, along with the right of Syrians alone to decide who’ll lead them – free from foreign interference.
Washington wants Assad removed, a pro-Western puppet replacing him, Syrian sovereign independence destroyed, the country balkanized for easier control by a permanent occupying force comprised of US combat troops, Kurdish fighters and terrorists.
How Russia intends challenging this unacceptable scheme remains to be seen.
Will Syria become a flashpoint for confrontation with Washington? Is US/Russian confrontation inevitable?
