US Aggression Against Syrian Forces by Stephen Lendman
For the third time since its April 7 attack on Syria’s Shayrat airbase, US-led coalition warplanes preemptively and aggressively struck pro-government forces.
Tuesday’s incident occurred within what CENTCOM called a “deconfliction” zone. At least two soldiers were killed, more than 15 others injured.
Following the May 18 US-led attack on government and allied forces in southern Syria near the Iraqi and Jordanian borders, killing six military personnel, wounding others, Sergey Lavrov called the incident an illegal violation of Syrian sovereignty.
He made similar comments after Tuesday’s incident, calling it “an aggressive act,” adding he knows nothing about a so-called deconfliction zone, “which the (US-led) coalition unilaterally declared.” Russia rejects it.
Monday’s US-led attack naked aggression. America operates illegally in Syria - with no Security Council authorization or permission from Damascus.
Its terror-bombing is naked aggression against a sovereign independent country - no world community condemnation after over six years of war, using ISIS and other terrorists as imperial foot soldiers, supported since September 2014 by US-led coalition terror-bombing.
Following Tuesday’s aggression, a USCENTCOM statement tried justifying the unjustifiable, saying in part:
“Despite previous warnings, pro-regime forces entered the agreed-upon de-confliction zone with a tank, artillery, anti-aircraft weapons, armed technical vehicles and more than 60 soldiers posing a threat to Coalition and partner forces based at the At Tanf Garrison.”
Fact: Government and allied forces operate legally anywhere within Syria’s borders. The US, its rogue allies and terrorist foot soldiers they support do not! They’re aggressive invaders - flagrantly breaching international law.
Fact: CENTCOM’S claim about “training and advising vetted Syrian partner forces engaged in the fight against ISIS” is a bald-faced lie. America supports the scourge it claims to oppose.
Days earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced US-led coalition air strikes massacring civilians.
She minced no words, saying “(w)e condemn these ill-conceived attacks as they have nothing to do with the fight against terrorism.”
“(T)hese raids (are) exacerbating the situation in Syria, increasing the civilian death toll and spreading chaos and destruction which benefits militants of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terror groups, as well as their affiliated units.”
Following Tuesday’s attack, Russia called for an extraordinary Security Council meeting, condemning what happened.
According to Russian upper house first deputy Defense and Security Committee head Frants Klintsevich, Tuesday’s US-led strike was “an act of aggression” against a sovereign state - continuing over six years of US-instigated war.
The al-Tanf area targeted is located on the strategically important Damascus to Baghdad highway, a key supply route Washington wants to control.
Undeterred by what happened, Syria’s military said it will continue its operations to eliminate the presence of terrorists near its border with Iraq.
Russian special forces operate in the area, aiding government and allied troops. It’s unclear if any of its personnel were killed or injured in Tuesday’s attack.
Washington’s aim is destroying Syrian’s sovereignty, ousting Assad, replacing him with a pro- Western puppet, eliminating an Israeli rival, and isolating Iran ahead of pursuing regime change against its government.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.