U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) speaks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov © Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Reuters: Kerry defends diplomacy as Russian-backed forces pound Aleppo
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry defended his efforts to negotiate with Moscow over the war in Syria on Monday, despite the collapse of a ceasefire that has led to a massive Russian-backed assault on the besieged rebel-held sector of Aleppo.
Medical supplies were running out in eastern Aleppo, with victims pouring into barely functioning hospitals as Russia and its ally President Bashar al-Assad ignored Western pleas to stop the bombing of the last major urban area in opposition hands.
Moscow and Damascus launched their assault last week despite months of negotiations led by Kerry that resulted in a short-lived ceasefire this month. The secretary of state's diplomatic overtures to Moscow had faced scepticism, including from other senior officials within the U.S. administration.
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WNU Editor: John Kerry's critics have been having a field day on criticising him .... McCain calls Kerry 'inept and delusional' (Newsday). But the President is still backing him .... Slammed for timidity, Obama refuses to apologize for ‘seeking peace’ in Syria (Washington Times), as well as Democrats in Congress .... House Dems Urge Obama to Reopen Negotiations With Russia Over Syria Despite Failed Ceasefire (Washington Free Beacon).
More News On U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Defending U.S. Policy On Syria And Negotiations With Russia
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry Defends U.S. Syria Policy -- WSJ
Kerry defends Syria diplomacy as Aleppo is battered for another day -- Yahoo News
Kerry fires back at McCain: I'm not 'delusional' -- The Hill
House Dems back Obama on Syria despite bloodshed -- Politico
Kerry’s Syria Deal Left Pretty Much Everybody Worse Off -- Saagar Enjeti, Daily Caller
Beyond Vice President Biden's hazy Federalization proposal for Iraq there has been no serious talk or suggestions for Syria or Iraq for after the defeat (if this happens) of the anti-Assad and Isis forces.
ReplyDeleteB,
ReplyDeleteAll of what you say is pretty much a done deal. What pricks my attention is they (especially them) have not said a word about post conflict realities.
James,
ReplyDeleteTwo possibilities: 1.)they are focused entirely on defeating ISIS and their opponents right now and will worry about post conflict when they get there. 2.)They have detailed plans but are not sharing them with us. There would be little reason for them to share them with us and doing so carries a certain level of downside risk for them. It's only the United States who thinks we need to share every single detail of what we are doing/want to do etc.
The Russians are absolute masters at long range planning. In contrast, the American government leadership are not only pathetic amateurs at this but they are to stupid to even recognize how stupid they really are. Truly a sad situation. As such, I suspect possibility 2 is what is going on.
B,
ReplyDeletePerhaps I'm being obtuse, sure they have plans. It's the silence about those plans and the West's almost bull headed stupidity to not pressure them into revealing or talking about them that I'm trying to point out.
The West especially the US is so transfixed on it's domestic politics that individually and as a group it is not only afraid to be involved in anything beyond platitudes, but will not even broach the subject. Thus we have the spectacle of outrage about things will mean absolutely nothing to the people who are suffering through this. WNU recently said that he believes that only a military solution is now possible for the area, that is a position I have held for over a year. I will now repeat that on the surface a military solution based on Russian and Iranian motives and means is about as far reaching of influence as you can have. Still we have no inkling publicly of what their post conflict goals are. The Kerry (US) efforts have been disgraceful, especially lately.
When Aleppo falls the story is pretty much over, Mosul is nothing more than a bone thrown to the West and will mean less than nothing.