US Playing with Fire in Syria: Russian Analyst
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A Russian political analyst described the recent US-led attack on Syria as “dangerous”, saying that the US adventurism in Syria is playing with fire.
“I do not think (another US-led attack on Syria) is going to happen. Russian troops were restrained, but it could change. And yes the US is a global force, but they do know well that they are playing with fire. We do know for sure that all American ships were a potential target for the Russian military this time,” Rustem Safronov, a Russian journalist, an analyst for Radio Sputnik, told Tasnim in an interview.
Following is the full text of the interview.
Tasnim: Multiple places in Syria came under attack by US, British and French military forces after President Donald Trump ordered a military strike against the war-torn country early on Saturday. What is your take on the attack?
Safronov: I think it is an awkward attempt to show Russia and the entire world that the US is still the world’s only superpower. It attempts to intimidate the Syrian leadership that is winning a civil war with Iranian and Russian help and let the opposition have an upper hand in future negotiations. But all of these war games are very dangerous and need to be stopped unless Trump wants to start the third world war.
Tasnim: Moscow has “irrefutable proof” that the alleged chemical incident in Syria’s Douma was a “false-flag attack,” orchestrated by UK security services with support from the United States, the Russian envoy to the OPCW said. What do you think?
Safronov: I think extremists in Syria and their western sponsors did not assume the possibility that Russians and the rest of the world may find out the truth. They just wanted to create a formal reason for western powers to attack Syria because all extremist groups are in desperate situation from the military point of view.
After the liberation of Douma, Syrian authorities had a chance to show the world that the so-called gas attack was fake, but I have serious doubts that it would change anything in the West.
They would say Russian and Syrian troops have cleaned everything up to destroy the evidence and so on. They do not care about the facts on the ground. If they would really want to find out the truth, they should allow an independent probe into the incident. They should not have bombed the Arab country before the UN Security Council carried out a real and independent investigation.
Tasnim: What would happen if the US and its allies bomb Syria again?
Safronov: I do not think it is going to happen. Russian troops were restrained, but it could change. And yes the US is a global force, but they do know well that it is playing with fire. We do know for sure that all American ships were a potential target for the Russian military this time.
I hope Trump and Putin would meet in the near future and defuse the situation. It would help prevent an escalation of the situation. It would not stop Syrian conflict but would help avoid at least another global war.