Putin’s Failure to Confront US/Israeli Aggression Encourages More of It

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)

Washington has been terror-bombing Syrian sites since September 2014 – using ISIS and other terrorists as imperial foot soldiers, wanting pro-Western puppet governance replacing Assad.

By its own admission, Israel conducted countless airstrikes and cross-border attacks on Syrian targets since Washington launched aggression on the country in March 2011.

Now in its 8th year, conflict resolution remains unattainable because Washington under undemocratic Dems and Republicans want regime change – remaining recklessly in pursuit of this objective.

Forever war continues with no end of it in sight, conditions worsening, not improving.

Overnight, things escalated dramatically. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, 28 Israeli warplanes fired 60 air-to-surface rockets at Syrian targets – falsely called Iranian ones.

Another 10 or more surface-to-surface missiles were launched. Syria’s “air-defense systems shot down more than half of the rockets as they repelled the Israeli attack” – clearly nowhere near all.

It’s unclear how much damage and destruction occurred, nor the casualty count.

Operating from Lebanese airspace and its own, an IDF statement said all its warplanes returned safely.

Iranian official Abolfazl Hassan Beigi said Israel lied, claiming its overnight attacks responded to Tehran rocket fire on occupied Golan.

Make your own judgment. The Islamic Republic never attacked another country throughout its near-40-year existence – what Washington and Israel do repeatedly.

Syrian forces, not Iran, fired rockets on occupied Golan in response to Israeli aggression, not the other way around.

Washington and Israel partner in each other’s aggression. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders turned truth on its head, saying “Israel absolutely has a sovereign right to defend itself and we support them” – disgracefully blaming Iran for Jewish state aggression.

On Thursday, AMN News reported Israeli warplanes overflying the Syrian/Lebanese border – no further attacks launched so far, the IDF likely trying to provoke a Syrian response to escalate further aggression.

Washington and Israel are at war on Syria and Iran without formally declaring it. Russia hasn’t supplied Damascus with advanced S-300 air defense systems it vitally needs to defend its territory – notably with Israeli aggression escalating and Trump’s belligerent threats on Iran, things heading toward greater regional conflict than already.

Russia failed to condemn overnight Israeli aggression. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov merely “call(ed) for restraint from all parties.”

Sergey Lavrov called what happened a “very alarming development,” adding Putin told Netanyahu in Moscow it’s “necess(ary) (to avoid) any actions that might be mutually provocative.”

These and similar remarks by Russian officials, including Putin, show weakness, not strength when toughness is vitally needed – encouraging US and Israeli aggression instead of responsibly challenging it.

Things are increasingly heading toward greater regional war than already, Russian passivity failing to intervene against it.

Is full-scale US/Israeli-led war on Syria coming, Iran to be targeted next? Will Russia continue its bystander role in the face of increasing imperial aggression?

Is Putin more concerned about good relations with Washington and Israel than challenging their undeclared war on Syria and Iran?

In an effort to improve relations with the West (not possible to attain), will he wind down Russia’s Syrian operations like earlier? Will he fail to aid Iran defend itself against possible US/Israeli aggression?

Will escalating Middle East war spark global conflict? Will US/Israeli global imperial aims doom us all?

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”

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