By Elena Gromova
What happened on the evening of May 18 in the al-Tanf area in the south of the Syrian Arab Republic, near the border with Jordan, is the third blow of the States against the forces fighting against terrorism. And this is not counting the actions of Americans allegedly aimed at combating ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), as a result of which civilians are killed.
The first blow to the Syrian army was inflicted by the United States in the province of Deir ez-Zor on September 17, 2016, after which the forces of ISIS immediately went on the offensive. Dozens of SAA soldiers were killed and injured. Washington copied this to a mistake and even muttered inarticulate regrets.
The second blow was with the Tomahawks, fired at the Shayrat airbase in Homs province on the night of April 7, 2017. This is not an accident, but alleged revenge for the use of chemical weapons in the village of Khan Sheikhun in the province of Idlib. Is it worth reminding that there is still no evidence of involvement of the Syrian army in the incident in Khan Sheikhun?
And now the US has struck a third time on the forces fighting on the side of the legitimate Syrian authorities. The Coalition, led by Washington, claims that a blow to the convoy of armored vehicles was a response to the attack on “opposition forces backed by the United States.” It was brought “after repeated demands to retreat, which remained without reaction.” Moreover – it turns out, truly Jesuit nobility – at first the planes of the “coalition” made a “demonstrative flight and gave warning shots”.
Representatives of Washington also say that they do not know if there were soldiers of the Syrian army in this column. While the anti-Syrian “opposition” claims that there were Syrian military and volunteer soldiers in a column bombed by the United States.
Translating all this casuistry into a normal language, we get the following picture: the Syrian army, together with militia detachments, carried out a military operation against terrorists. Suddenly it turned out that these were “good terrorists”. That is, those who enjoy the support of Washington. Then the American “coalition” demanded from those who fight for Syrian land in Syria to stop the offensive against their puppets. There is nothing surprising in the fact that the Syrians did not obey such impudent demand. In response, a direct act of aggression followed.
This attack was preceded by information and political attacks on the international arena. First, in addition to all the accusations against Syria, another one was added, as monstrous as it was unsubstantiated. As the rest of the charges.
The US State Department published another “report on the crimes of Bashar Assad”, which claims that in the prison in Saidnaya (Damascus province), the Syrian authorities staged a crematorium where the bodies of the executed are burned. In this connection, calls were again made from Washington to Russia and Iran “to stop supporting the regime.”
Since it is obvious that hardly anyone will listen to these appeals based on unsubstantiated statements in Moscow and Tehran, Washington decided to act by the method of a whip. The House of Representatives of the US Congress passed a bill on sanctions against the allies of Syria. According to this draft, the US president should make entries in the sanctions lists of persons who cooperate with the Syrian authorities. These individuals will be prohibited from obtaining US visas and have any business relationship with US citizens, and their assets will be arrested.
And, although in the text of this bill, Russia is not directly mentioned, but it is clear that sanctions should be imposed precisely against the citizens of Russia, as well as Iran. The drafters of the bill consider these countries as allies of Syria. And it is to these countries that an appeal is made to stop supporting Damascus in connection with the new accusations.
Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave an official response to these insinuations, saying that they “are absolutely untrue and unjustified”. Moreover, “these accusations were made during the start of a new round of political dialogue in Geneva.”
Yes, indeed, the report of the State Department was published exactly during the regular negotiations between Damascus and the “opposition”. Now it is also an act of direct US aggression against a column of pro-government forces.
European allies joined Washington. The European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Moscow and Tehran to “influence on Syria” and “put an end to the civil war”. Of course, the document contains speculation in a difficult humanitarian situation.
All this contributes little to a real settlement of the conflict. On the contrary, it strengthens terrorists and gives them indulgence for any crime. Terrorists of different shades, for their part, are happy to continue the murders.
And the latest news – in the city of Daraa, as a result of the terrorist attack, two missiles hit the city park in the Al-Kashef area. At least five children were killed. More than ten people were injured. But it is unlikely that anyone will regret in Washington and in Europe.