Syria Another US Forever War?

By Stephen Lendman
Source

Is Afghanistan the prototype for all US wars of aggression? Forever war rages in the country, now in its 18th year with no prospect for resolution.

Is Syria following the same pattern, war in its eighth year with no end in sight? 

The difference between Washington’s aggression in the country and all its other war theaters is Russia’s intervention to combat US-supported terrorism at Assad’s request.

Is it enough to make a great enough difference? Will Russia’s involvement lead to conflict resolution?

It’s unattainable as long as US forces occupy parts of the country with no intention to leave – Washington’s goal unchanged since Obama launched war on Syria.

It’s all about regime change, controlling the country’s resources and population, partitioning it for easier control, and isolating Iran ahead of a similar scheme to topple its sovereign independent government.

The ultimate aim is achieving unchallenged US regional control along with eliminating Israeli rival governments.

Forever war could continue as long as US imperial rage remains unchanged – in Syria and elsewhere.

Iranian military advisors are aiding Assad combat US-supported terrorists at his request, intending to remain in the country as long as Damascus values its involvement.

Days earlier, Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) spokesman General Islamic General Ramezan Sharif said his country’s military advisors will remain in Syria as long as their presence is “effective and useful,” and Damascus wants them to stay, adding:

“This fabricated crisis has been led from abroad with the purpose of instigating insecurity in Syria and creating a safety margin for the Israeli regime.”

Last May, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) spokesman Ali Shamkhani said ruling authorities in Syria and Iraq requested Iranian military aid to help combat terrorism in their countries.

In late September, US war secretary James Mattis said Pentagon forces will remain in Syria to combat ISIS – jihadists the US created and supports, he failed to explain.

Last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, John Bolton said “(w)e’re not going to leave (Syria) as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders, and that includes Iranian proxies and militias.”

US forces are “outside (their) borders” almost everywhere, waging aggression and supporting terrorists in targeted countries. 

Iranian involvement abroad is all about helping to combat the scourge of terrorism Washington created and supports, using jihadists as imperial proxy fighters.

Bolton also turned truth on its head, accusing Iran of “attacks in Syria and Lebanon,” along with being “the party responsible for the shooting down of the Russian plane” the previous week.

Indisputable Russian Defense Defense Ministry evidence proved Israeli responsibility for the incident.

Netanyahu repeatedly said Israeli aerial operations will continue in Syria as long as an Iranian presence remains in the country – posing no threat whatever to Israel’s security he consistently fails to explain, nor the illegality of its terror-bombing.

Ahead of leaving for New York to address the UN General Assembly last month, he again said “(w)e will continue to act to prevent Iranian military entrenchment in Syria…”

No Iranian “entrenchment” exists in the country, no bases, military advisors only, operating from Syrian bases and Damascus.

The Russia/Turkey-established Idlib, Syria buffer zone is shaky. Thousands of heavily armed al-Nusra fighters control the province – refusing to disarm and leave.

On Monday, the group issued a statement saying “(w)e will not deviate from the option of jihad and fighting as a way to achieve the goals of our blessed revolution, first and foremost to bring down the criminal regime, free the prisoners, and secure the return of the displaced to their country,” adding:

“Our weapons are a safety valve for the Sham revolution. All the attempts of the criminal regime and its allies will fail and will be defeated, just like every other occupier throughout history.”

Al-Nusra partly accepted deconfliction terms, not enough to make it work as long as they intend to keep fighting, and are supplied with arms and munitions by Western and regional countries.

The group “warn(ed) (about what it called) the trickery of the Russian occupier or having faith in its intentions,” stressing it won’t end jihad or surrender its weapons.

Separately days earlier, Sergey Lavrov said the buffer zone agreement in Idlib is temporary, adding conflict will continue until Syrian forces regain control over all territory in the country, including foreign occupied areas.

Idlib remains the only significant area still controlled by thousands of US-supported terrorists. Lavrov earlier called their presence an “abscess” essential to eliminate.

On October 6, Moscow’s Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov said jihadists refusing to surrender their arms and continue attacking government forces and civilians must be arrested or eliminated.

It’s an unaccomplished goal. So does ending US occupation of northeast and southwest Syrian territory.

Washington’s intention to stay could mean endless war, Syria perhaps becoming another Afghanistan, a dismal possibility if things turns out this way.

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