by Stephen Lendman

At an ongoing Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Vladimir Putin affirmed Russia’s support for Syria “against terrorist aggression. We assist it and will keep rendering necessary military-technical assistance,” he said.

He urged the international community to cooperate with Moscow and Syria in combating terrorism, adding:

“(W)ithout participation of the Syrian army…against the Islamic State, terrorists cannot be expelled from the country and the region as a whole. The…Syrian people cannot be protected against destruction, enslavement and barbarity.”

Putin urged cooperative international community efforts with Assad’s government, Kurdish militias, and moderate internal opposition elements against a common terrorist enemy.

“Elementary common sense and responsibility for global and regional security require concerted efforts of the international community against this threat,” he stressed.

Syria’s ambassador to Russia was clear and unequivocal, saying “(a)ny talk about the presence of Russian troops in Syria is a lie propagated by Western countries and the United States.”

“We think that a new conspiracy is being plotted against our country to penetrate into our territory under the pretext of Russian troops’ presence.”

“Weapons are being supplied under the agreements that were signed between our countries rather long ago. As for Russia’s position, it is based on international law, on our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“We have been cooperating with Russia in various spheres, including the defense sector, for 30-40 years. Yes, we do receive weapons and military hardware.”

“Since the very beginning of the current developments in 2011 and up till now, we have to face terrorist groups that are relying on the help and support from outside.” (Washington and its anti-Syrian allies) call actions taken by terrorist groups, including murders, destruction, executions, seizure of property, ousting civilian population as manifestations of freedom and democracy” building.

“But as a matter of fact, they only sought to achieve a vile political goal -to bend Syria to the United States and those countries that support it.”

US-led Western countries “are fighting not against but by means of the Islamic State,” actively supporting its terrorism.

Ending Obama’s war on Syria depends on observing earlier agreed on “Moscow principles,” including respecting Syrian sovereignty, its territorial integrity, the right of its people alone to choose who’ll lead them with no outside interference, and a unified struggle against imported terrorism.

Instead, Washington insists Assad must go, State Department spokesman Admiral John Kirby repeating the demand Monday, saying he “cannot be part of the solution against ISIL” - blaming him for US-imported terrorists devastating the country with US air support, adding:

“(T)here’s not going to be any solution against ISIL that would involved assisting, aiding, cooperating with, communicating with Bashar al-Assad. It’s not going to happen.”

Previous articles explained Washington uses imported Islamic State and other takfiri terrorists as proxy foot soldiers against Assad - aiming for regime change to install a US-controlled stooge government, pursuing the same objective globally, waging endless wars on humanity for unchallenged dominance.

Washington floods the Middle East with heavy weapons for naked aggression. Moscow justifiably helps arm Syria for self-defense against foreign invaders. There’s nothing civil about ongoing conflict.

Irresponsible Russia bashing remains intense. Accusations about sending troops to aid Assad are malicious Big Lies. No evidence exists to prove what The New York Times recklessly calls “an escalating buildup that could give Moscow its most significant military foothold in the Middle East in decades.”

Its source: unnamed “American officials,” no fact-checking to verify their claims, accepting willful lies as facts, saying Moscow may use a Syrian airfield “as a staging area for airstrikes in support of Syrian government forces.”

Russia openly admits supplying Syria with contractually agreed on weapons and military supplies. Sergey Lavrov explained “(t)hey are inevitably accompanied by Russian specialists, who help adjust the equipment and train Syrian personnel” on how to use what’s provided.

All countries supplying weapons and technology do the same thing. Washington and supportive media want Syria rendered increasingly defenseless and isolated.

Neocon Washington Post deputy editorial page editor Jackson Diehl headlined “Putin shifts fronts in Syria and Ukraine,” repeating the long ago discredited Big Lie about “Russian forces in eastern Ukraine ke(eping) up a daily drumbeat of attacks on the Ukrainian army.”

Now Putin is “shifting fronts” to Syria, he blustered. On the one hand, claiming “9,000 (nonexistent) regular troops (and) more than 30,000 (undefined) irregulars” in Ukraine.

On the other, ludicrously saying “Putin’s use of force…induce(d) the West to accept his Ukraine demands - and he is trying to repeat his triumph in a second theater.”

A litany or more Big Lies followed. Cold, hard truths are polar opposite Diehl’s duplicitous invective, typical of WaPo editorial reporting.

Wall Street Journal editors operate the same way. On September 13, they headlined “Putin’s Syria Play,” irresponsibly accusing him of intervening militarily to aid Assad.

Saying he won’t defeat ISIS but might save him, “giving Moscow a new sphere of influence in the Middle East.”

Journal editors urge establishing no-fly and “no-drive” zones on the ground - illegal without Security Council authorization not forthcoming.

Mostly, they want a hawkish Republican succeeding Obama in 2017 - to wage greater war on Syria and elsewhere than already, especially confronting Russia and China more aggressively. Maybe they want WW III.

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

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

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

It airs three times weekly: live on Sundays at 1PM Central time plus two prerecorded archived programs.