NATO Tells Putin Syria Bombing Is Hindering West's Peace Effort

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

Russia’s bombing of Syria is hampering the West’s efforts to bring an end to the five-year civil war that’s sent hundreds of thousands of refugees to Europe and aided the advance of Islamic State, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

“Intense Russian air strikes, mainly targeting opposition groups in Syria, are undermining the efforts to find a political solution to the conflict,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Amsterdam on Friday. He called for Russia to start a “calm de-escalation” of its actions.

The remarks came a day after Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said as many as 70,000 Syrians are on their way to Turkey from northern Aleppo. Russia’s air power has helped the military forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad move to within 3 kilometers (2 miles) of the city, according to the U.K. based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization chief, in the Netherlands for a meeting with European Union defense ministers, said Russia’s actions were “causing increased tensions and violations of Turkish airspace.” On Thursday, the Russian Defense Ministry said it has “reasonable grounds” to suspect Turkey of “intensive preparations” for sending troops into Syria.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-05/nato-tells-putin-syria-bombing-is-hindering-west-s-peace-effort

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[nyabingi]

1. I think the Syrians were fleeing

the head-choppers from ISIS, Mr. Stoltenberg, not from the Russians or Assad. The West started this conflict, so who believes they are trying to end it peacefully? I don't.

There wasn't a mass exodus of Syrians before the anti-ISIS coalition starting sending radical Islamists there to overthrow the government. If Assad was killing hundreds of thousands of Syrians prior to that, then maybe it would be logical to say the refugee crisis is of his making.

As the regime change plans for Syria continue to fall apart, the supporters of ISIS (NATO and Turkey, in this case) are sounding crazier and crazier in their efforts to shape public opinion. It's almost laughable.

[forest444]

2. Do they mean all those ISIS caravans they "couldn't" find for three years?

And that Syrian refinery that was their biggest single money maker that NATO somehow "couldn't" locate in satellite imagery?

These are the same satellites that can read license plates and even detect the presence of people inside buildings.

It's been obvious for at least two years that there's a faction in the Defense establishment that frankly doesn't want to rid the world of ISIS because, from the MIC's point of view, they are just too effective as a boogeyman. Something to keep voter support up for all this meddling in the the Middle East.

If these elements refuse to be part of the solution because there's much money to be made, they're definitely part of the problem. We need to stop screwing around, and work together against this ISIS monstrosity.

[bemildred]

3. Russia asks NATO not to interfere to resolve its violation of Turkish airspace

Andrei Kelin, director of European Cooperation Department in the Russian Foreign Ministry, asked NATO not to interfere or play any role in resolving the incident involving a Russian fighter jet violating Turkish airspace, claiming, “There is no concept of airspace within the alliance.”

In a press release given to Russia’s Novosti news agency, Kelin expressed his surprise at NATO’s hinting at resolving the incident of the Russian aircraft’s violation of Turkish airspace, noting: “The issue must be resolved between the two countries; between Moscow and Ankara.”

The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that a Russian Sukhoi-34 violated Turkish airspace on 29 January near the city of Gaziantep, which is close to the Syrian city of Aleppo. The violation lasted 25 seconds, despite the fact that the Turkish Air Force issued several warnings in English and in Russian.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed on 30 January that a Russian fighter jet violated Turkish airspace despite continuous warnings by Turkish officials. He called on Russia to move about responsibly and respect the alliance’s airspace.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/europe/23718-russia-asks-nato-not-to-interfere-to-resolve-its-violation-of-turkish-airspace

[Xolodno]

4. Ahem. Peace Efforts? Really?

There were NO peace effort attempts until the conditions below occurred:

1. Russia moved military assets into Syria.
2. Russia used those assets to help Assad.
3. Syrian and Iranian forces started turning the tide against the Allied back Rebels.
4. Syrian and Iranian forces, backed by Russian air-power started to re-gain significant territory.

Then, they wanted peace talks and negotiations. But prior to the above, it was always "Assad must go".

[daleo]

5. They forgot to put quotes around the word peace