At the recent US Senate hearing on Russia's military campaign in Syria retired US Army General John M. Keane has even gone so far as to suggest establishing "free zones" for "moderate rebels" and populating them with refugees to deter Russian attacks, geopolitical researcher Tony Cartalucci points out.

Russia's counter-terrorism campaign in Syria has obviously upset Washington's applecart; it appears that the United States has "feigned" its campaign against Islamic State, Bangkok-based geopolitical researcher Tony Cartalucci notes.

"It has become abundantly clear that not only has the United States been arming and funding extremists inside of Syria, including groups operating in tandem with listed terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda's al-Nusra Front, it also appears that the US has feigned its campaign against the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL)," Cartalucci elaborated in his article for New Eastern Outlook.

The researcher cited the US influential Brookings Institution's report "The Big Questions on ISIS" that put it clearly: "Should we defeat ISIS? Rather than defeat, containing their activities within failed or near-failing states is the best option for the foreseeable future."

"What do the authors of the report mean by the word ‘containing'? It looks similar to an assassin ‘containing' a poisonous snake under the covers of their sleeping victim until they are bitten and die," Cartalucci remarked.

But that is not all. Racking his brains over how to halt Russia's advance in Syria (instead of welcoming Moscow's war on terror), retired US Army General John M. Keane suggested to use refugees as human shields in Syria.

"If we establish free zones — you know, for moderate opposition forces — but also sanctuaries for refugees, that gets world opinion support rather dramatically. If Putin is going to attack that, then world opinion is definitely against him," General Keane noted at the latest US Senate hearing on the Russian military campaign, as quoted by the geopolitical researcher.

Indeed, for US policy-makers Syrian refugees are nothing but pawns which can be either poured into Europe or put in a conflict zone at the will of Washington grandmasters.

In general, "the hearing appeared to interpret the entire Syrian conflict as a mere pawn in a wider proxy war Washington clearly believes it is waging against Moscow," Cartalucci underscored.

There is something sinister about Washington's role in the Syrian civil war: the researcher called attention to the fact that the proposed "free zone" is inexplicably overlapping ISIL's last remaining supply corridor leading from Turkey, the geopolitical researcher highlighted.

"Should Syrian and Russian forces finally seal off the border, ISIS' [ISIL's] fighting capacity within northern and eastern Syria would quickly collapse," he noted.

But General Keane went even further, claiming that it was Russian President Putin who "has begun a proxy war with the US when Russian combat aircraft struck, continuously, moderate rebel forces trained by the CIA."

"How can the US stand by and do nothing?" the general resented.

Dispelling Guardian hogwash: the greatest concentration of Russian bombs are falling on Nusra. #shame on the Guardian pic.twitter.com/pdCwDqZN7P — Murad Gazdiev (@MuradoRT) 11 октября 2015

Curiously enough, such remarks are usually met with either nodding heads or silent approval in America's highest institutions and influential think tanks, Cartalucci wrote.

"Besides American hegemony, what purpose would "cratering" Russia's airbase in Syria serve? Would that aid in the battle against ISIS [ISIL]? Would it be worth triggering a potential war with Russia to protect militants the entire world has come to understand are in fact terrorists no different or any less dangerous than the ISIS threat itself?" he asked.

Alas, US policymakers are not asking themselves these questions.