U.S., Russia agree to Syria truce
Syrians gathered in a street that was hit by shelling, in the predominantly Christian and Armenian neighborhood of Suleimaniyeh, Aleppo, Syria in April 2015. (AP Photo/SANA)
WASHINGTON » The United States and Russia agreed today on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect on Saturday, U.S. officials said.
They said the former Cold War foes, which are backing opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, agreed on all the terms and conditions for the “cessation of hostilities” between Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government and armed opposition groups. Those sides still need to accept the deal.
The truce will not cover the Islamic State, the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front and any other militias designated as terrorist organizations by the U.N. Security Council. Both the U.S. and Russia are still targeting those groups with airstrikes.
An announcement is expected after Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin speak on the matter by telephone today, according to the officials, who weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter ahead of time and demanded anonymity.
The timing of the cease-fire is only days ahead of Moscow’s proposal earlier this month for it to start on March 1. Washington rejected that offer at the time, saying it wanted an “immediate cease-fire” and not one that would allow Syria and its Russian backer to make a last-ditch effort for territorial gains in the Arab country’s north and south.
While negotiations dragged, however, Russian airstrikes pummeled areas in and around Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. And Assad’s military made significant gains on the ground. Russia says it is targeting terrorists, but the U.S. and its Arab and European partners say it is mainly hitting “moderate” opposition groups.
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Syria’s conflict started with violent government repression of largely peaceful protests five years ago, but quickly became a full-blown rebellion against Assad and a proxy battle between his Shiite-backed government and Sunni-supported rebels.
The war has killed more than 250,000 people, created Europe’s worst refugee crisis since World War II and allowed the Islamic State to carve out territory across Syria and neighboring Iraq. Independent of Russia, a U.S.-led coalition is carrying out a separate bombing campaigns in Syria, targeting IS militants.
6 responses to “U.S., Russia agree to Syria truce”
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Why give up after the damage is done?
The Syrian Civil War will continue, no matter what Obama wants. Putin just wants the opposition to stop fighting so they can resupply and reinforce positions, Obama on the other hand wants to appear to be the Great Peace Maker, but instead is the fool that Putin needs to get the upper hand over the opposition. Putin has not been striking ISIS, and Obama has tied the military’s hand, to the point that they are bombing largely vacated buildings. Obama was the wrong man for the job, totally out of his league, and Hilliary will extend the incompetence if we are stupid enough to elect her.
The Syrian Civil War will continue, no matter what Obama wants. Putin just wants the opposition to stop fighting so they can resupply and reinforce positions, Obama on the other hand wants to appear to be the Great Peace Maker, but instead is the tool that Putin needs to get the upper hand over the opposition. Putin has not been striking ISIS, and Obama has tied the military’s hand, to the point that they are bombing largely vacated buildings. Obama was the wrong man for the job, totally out of his league, and Hilliary will extend the incompetence if we are foolish enough to elect her.
The Republican alternative to diplomacy is Ted Cruz’s proposal to “carpet bomb” civilians, a perfectly abhorrent coda to the disastrous destabilization of the Middle East, which is the legacy of the Bush neocon chicken hawks.
Your plan would be? Next question, since you always bash the democrats, how about instead advocating for one of your own? That is, who do you support in the upcoming election?
Empty all our jails and prisons and send them to Syria with $100.00 cash as a second chance on their life.
Tell them if they find their way back to America before their sentence is up we will re-jail them.