Syria’s Future: Another One-Sided NYT Debate

by Stephen Lendman

Russia and Iran are the only countries committed to resolving Obama’s war on Syria diplomatically and restoring peace.

Instead of explaining it forthrightly, Times editors focused solely on Russia, ignored Obama’s full responsibility for merciless war, disingenuously asking “Can Russia Really Be a Partner to Bring Peace to Syria?” Six one-sided views were presented, independent ones excluded.

The Times introduction lied claiming Putin “seiz(ed)” Crimea and continues “aggressive action against Ukraine” - long ago discredited rubbish.

Denigrating Russia is disgraceful NYT policy - willfully substituting misinformation and Big Lies for cold hard truths. Six anti-Russian views were presented, debate nowhere in sight.

Ryan Crocker is a reliable imperial servant, a career US foreign service officer, former ambassador to Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan and Syria, current Texas A&M George Bush School of Government and Public Service dean.

He headlined “ ‘Dear Vlad, Tell Assad and His Crew to Get Lost, Then We Can Talk.’ “

A litany of lies followed - claiming Russia sent heavily armed troops to Syria, blaming Assad for Obama’s war, its devastation and displaced millions, and saying cooperating with Putin is “the best recruiting tool the jihadists could imagine, along with more willful disinformation - a shameless beginning-to-end propaganda piece Times editors disgracefully published replicating their own one-sided views.

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an influential New York-based organization representing dominant US imperial ideology - supporting its naked aggression, its odious human rights record, its hegemonic ambitions.

Ed Husain is an adjunct senior CFR member, focusing on Middle East Studies - as well as a senior (unindicted war criminal) Tony Blair Faith Foundation advisor.

He headlined “No Peace in Syria Without Working with Russia” - at the same time saying “Russia, Iran and the Assad regime alone cannot bring stability to Syria. Their guns falling silent will not stop the bloodletting,” accusing Moscow and Tehran of direct military involvement, a false characterization, ignoring Washington’s full responsibility for endless war.

The Transatlantic Academy is an establishment organization, Ulrich Speck a senior fellow, a vocal supporter of Kiev’s fascist regime, a former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent - part of Washington’s global media propaganda operation.

He headlined “Russia Wants to Prop Up Assad, Not Bring Peace,” saying:

“What Vladimir Putin wants instead is to keep the Assad regime in power…Assad’s terror…created the space for ISIS and that is driving the refugee crisis.”

“And in an unofficial alliance, Assad and ISIS have together crushed the moderate rebels, which have received almost no support from the West.”

“Russia and the West’s goals in Syria are irreconcilable.” No respectable editor would touch this trash. Times editors featured it.

Chatham House is a London-based pro-business as usual think tank, one-sidedly anti-Russian. Hassan Hassan is an associate fellow. He headlined “By Working With Russia, the US Loses Leverage and Credibility,” saying:

“Cooperating with Moscow will only help the Assad regime” - misguidedly claiming Syrians have a “negative perception of Russia.”

US/Moscow cooperation “is a recipe for a deeper stalemate that leaves the US with no allies on the ground.” His brief article was a shoddy piece of analysis.

The Center for a New American Security includes a rogue’s gallery of hawkish, right-wing officials, directors and advisors. Julianne Smith is a senior fellow, a former Joe Biden national security advisor.

She headlined “As Odious as It Seems, We Must Talk to Russia on Syria,” saying:

It’s “one of an array of unsavory options the United States faces in Syria” - accusing Russia of nonexistent “aggressive behavior…particularly in Ukraine, and Moscow’s support for President Assad and his bloody campaign against his own people, extending a hand to Moscow feels both immoral and dishonest.”

Smith turned truth on its head - blaming Russia for US crimes in Ukraine, toppling a democratic government, replacing it with fascist thugs waging war on their own people, while ignoring Obama’s full responsibility for war on Syria, involving merciless terror on its people.

Smith wants “preconditions” established before working with Russia. Assad must go, she insists. Her solution is turning Syria into a US-controlled vassal state.

Rafif Jouejati is spokesperson for the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, an executive committee member of the Day After Project - sponsored by the hawkish, right-wing misnamed United States Institute of Peace.

Jouejati headlined “US-Russia Cooperation Is Not What Syrians Need,” saying:

“(N)othing good for the Syrian people can come out of US-Russian military discussions. It will only encourage President Bashar al-Assad as he continues this modern-day genocide.”

“Russia continues to fuel the regime’s military capabilities…If Washington and Moscow were serious about eliminating ISIS, they would swiftly address its root cause: the Assad regime.”

Hard truths are polar opposite the above rubbish, a willful mischaracterization of events on the ground, wrongfully blaming Russia and Assad for Obama’s war, planned long before initiated in March 2011, to replace an independent government with a pro-Western puppet regime, no matter the cost in mass slaughter, destruction and human misery.

So-called New York Times debates mock legitimate ones, featuring free and open dialogue and discussion, giving opposing sides full opportunity to air views.

Times editors changed the rules. Truth and full disclosure are prohibited, pro-Western sentiment alone allowed.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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