Stephen Lendman

Russia seeks conflict resolution, Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity protected, and the right of its people to decide who’ll lead them, free from foreign interference. Washington seeks regime change, why Obama launched aggression in 2011.

Generals delegated warmaking authority under Trump seek the same objective, wanting the Syrian Arab Republic destroyed, its leadership ousted, pro-Western puppet rule replacing it.

Russia’s de-escalation zone plan hopes to restore peace and stability to these areas - if successful, followed by instituting the plan nationwide.

According to Sergey Lavrov on Sunday, “several days ago, at the meeting in Astana, Russia, Turkey, Iran, the Syrian government and the armed opposition coordinated the memorandum, which sets such zones in four Syrian districts, meaning that this practice will be then extended to the rest part of the Syrian territory” - if things go as planned.

Given Washington’s rage for conquest and dominance, it’s very much in doubt, US efforts to undermine the plan likely coming.

Turkish intentions complicate things further. Erdogan wants northern Syria annexed. According to its Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak, Ankara may establish a military base near al-Bab - toward achieving this objective.

An illegal temporary base was set up, furthering Erdogan’s imperial aims, opposed by Damascus and Russia.

On May 16, he’s meeting with Trump at the White House, aiming to convince him to reconsider arming Kurdish YPG fighters with heavy weapons, saying if an accommodation isn’t reached, “we’ll have to sort things out for ourselves.”

Separately, Washington keeps spreading vicious anti-Syria propaganda, aiming to justify its aggression, likely heading for escalation.

On Monday, acting Assisting US Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart Jones lied, claiming Syria is killing thousands of prisoners, then cremating them to hide evidence, saying Assad “sunk to a new level of depravity” - no evidence of his spurious accusation presented.

So-called photos released are fake, unrelated to anything involving Syria’s government or military - the tactic a common US, NATO and Israeli practice, used to demonize enemies, ignoring their own high crimes.

According to Jones, Washington has “reason to be skeptical” about Russia’s de-escalation plan - code language for likely US efforts to undermine it, wanting endless conflict, not resolution.

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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 http://www.sjlendman.blogspot.com.