Reuters: Russia says U.S. refusal to rebuild Syria a ploy to slow refugee return
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will help Lebanon return refugees to neighboring Syria, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday, accusing the United States of impeding the general repatriation process by declining to assist in Syria’s reconstruction.
Lavrov also called on opposition groups in the rebel-held Syrian province of Idlib to distance themselves from the Nusra Front group, formerly the local branch of al Qaeda.
The province was hit by a wave of air strikes and shelling earlier this month, in a possible prelude to a government offensive to regain control.
“We agreed that Lebanon should not be the subject of foreign interference, a pawn in geopolitical games, or a hostage of the Syrian crisis and its negative consequences such as the problem of Syrian refugees,” Lavrov said after talks with his visiting Lebanese counterpart, Gebran Bassil.
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Update #1: Russia: West is obstructing aid to Syria, return of refugees (FOX News/AP)
Update #2: ‘Secret directive’ bans UN agencies from helping rebuild Syria until ‘political transition’ – Lavrov (RT)
WNU Editor: It will cost hundreds of billions to rebuild Syria. Russia does not have that type pf money to rebuild Syria .... but Syria has to be rebuild in order to buy the peace that Assad and his allies want.
14 comments:
The United States doesn't have that kind of money either. Even if we did, the country has to be secured before any serious reconstruction can start. The United States furthermore lacks the ability to make the kind of troop commitments necessary to establish this kind of security and if we had the ability there is not the political will to do so.
It sure is allot easier to destroy something than it is to build it. I wonder is there anyone, country or otherwise, who would be able to afford the hundreds of billions it would take to rebuild Syria? That "someone" could be very valuable to the powers in the region.
While we cannot "know" for certain what would have happened had we made different choices here. I very patiently explained back in 2011 when this started that Assad was going to win. Russia was not going to allow his government to fall. Had we stayed out I think it highly likely Assad and his forces win easily in a matter of months, there's less loss of life, less property damage, the Russians, Iranians, and their allies don't get involved to the extent they have, and Iran and their allies aren't right on Israel's borders. Furthermore the war has battle hardened Assad's forces, the Iranians and their allies as well as the Russians.
Not only this but the "allies" we backed were a questionable lot at best with much of them being Al Qaeda/ISIS and/or being unable to fight effectively. I very easily warned about all of this from the start. The ability of the US government to do stupid and then to double down on stupid is breathtakingly amazing.
Putin puppet
"Putin puppet." Did you not read the post? There's nothing in it that can be construed as pro-Putin.
As we can see from the results of our Syria policies, they were/are flawed. I think that is inarguable. Furthermore the end result of the policies are now a mortal enemy is on Israel's border that was not, at least to the extent that it is now, before.
By your "Putin puppet" slur I will take this as an admission on your part that you acknowledge our failed Syria policies and that you have nothing to offer. Insults are all you have left sir.
Now, if you have a suggestion for a way forward in Syria, please post it. I am all eyes.
your pretty slow huh fred
Russia and Iran helped Assad. We were to help the rebels and the Kurds...suddenly a new president and guess what has been taking place....nada, zip, zero...wonder why
and Chase: argue with a position I might have but just name calling is very Trumpian
China will fund it...of course you would need to sign agreements to pay back or they will take the land from you. Otherwise, let the Russians do it; were not they the ones who allowed and participated in he destruction?
"Russia and Iran helped Assad." Had we stayed out of it this help would not have been as extensive as it would have been unnecessary. Now we have Iran on Israel's border to an extent they would not have been otherwise and the forces of Syria, Iran, Iran's allies, and Russia are battle hardened in ways they would not be otherwise.
"We were there to help the rebels and the Kurds." The Kurds might actually be worth helping. While America can and should support liberty everywhere, we can only guarantee our own. As for the rebels, there is much documentation on who and what they are. I believe we leaped before we looked when we decided to support them.
"suddenly a new president.." our Syria policy along with most of foreign policy pre Trump was and is an absolute disaster. Obviously it had to be changed and is being changed. Cleaning up the mess assuming much of it can actually be cleaned up is going to take some time. With regards to Syria I suspect what will happen is we will withdraw while trying to assist Israel in some way with their security situation.
"but just name calling is very Trumpian." Actually no, name calling is the purview of Trump's opponents. POTUS is best understood as a counter puncher. He seldom if ever throws the first "punch" but when his opponents attack him he often responds with very devastating effectiveness against the attacker.
Michael,
I agree that China will fund it. We can't fund it so even suggesting that one would be out of the questions.
I also agree with you that China's cost for doing so would be extremely high. I think you are right. Let the Russians do it. They were the ones who wanted/want Assad so badly. I wonder if that Naval base is worth the price they are going to have to pay.
Poster, you overlook one thing; Assad's government was very shaky and growing more so before Russia's intervention. The military was shrinking from desertions and casualties and not able to accomplish anything. It had resorted to pulling people off the streets, if they hadn't already immigrated. Syria had been broken up into areas in the speculative press. Assad had lost support from even the Alawites[sp].
I am all for letting Russia and Iran deal with the costs. They, after all, leveled 7 hospitals, dumb bombed cities, and caused many casualties as did all participants. Paying for some level of restoration and maintaining at least two large bases is the cost of a ticket to play for them.
Good for Disneyland, good for Syria. No such thing as a free lunch.
Roger,
Thank you for the reply. As I recall, you are correct Assad had pretty much lost support but as I had predicted at the start the Russians were not going to allow his government to fall. Even if we could have removed him, we lacked the political will to do so whereas the Russians possessed/possess both the will and the ability to preserve Assad's government.
I think we are mostly in agreement. Let Russia and Iran fund the cost of rebuilding Syria. After all they are the ones who broke it. Now they own it. While all participants did much damage, I can hardly begin to imagine the international outcry if the US military had leveled 7 hospitals.
Russia ought to go beg from the Obama Foundation, after all he broke Syria.
Then there is the Bush family, they broke Iraq. Sue them.
Lavrov knows there is no argument anyone can make to the US President to foot the bill to rebuild the Assad house of horrors, what a sick joke from Lavrov.
I think someone once said about the Iran/Iraq war "it's a pity they both can't lose." This probably sums up the situation in the Syrian Civil War. With the exception of the Kurds it's probably a pity that both Assad and the "rebels" couldn't lose.
Fred..Obama didn't help the kurds nor the Ukrainians either. Both wars happened under him and were lost long before by him. May I remind you of the red line debacle? Please for the love of God just stop this hyperpartisan BS. Under Trump,may I remind you again, Ukraine received weapons and financial help, and the east flank of nato has been stregthened.by continuing to propagate this Russia narrative without any evidence for 2 years, you are becoming part of the problem and are no righteous warrior but essentially a lynch mob organiser who spits on due process.
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