Radio Sputnik discussed the situation in Syria with American journalist, author and columnist specializing in intelligence and international affairs, Wayne Madsen.
The expert commented on the US role in Syria as well as the result of its military activities in the country.
"This is a big mess. The United States has to recognize the fact that they got themselves involved in a big mess and get out of Syria, get out of Iraq, let the Kurds and the Syrian government take care of this situation," Madsen said. "Every time they get involved in something they make the situation worse. Other parties try to make this situation better."
United States Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power blamed Russia for the surge in violence in Syria after the ceasefire agreement collapsed last week following a US-led airstrike in Deir Ez-Zor that killed 62 Syrian Army soldiers and left scores injured causing fighting to intensify to a breaking point. The Russian side believes that that the Deir ez-Zor attack was hardly an "accident" and that it was aimed at deliberately fueling conflict in the country.
"I believe that the US know exactly what they were doing when they hit the Syrian troops," Madsen said. "When they talk about moderate Syrian rebels, that's a joke. There are no moderate Syrian rebels, There may be a few leaders who profess moderation but they are sitting safely in five-star hotels in Istanbul and Ankara," he added.
Russia pointed to the over 300 ceasefire violations by US-backed Syrian rebels in the first days of the ceasefire and the refusal of the so-called "moderates" to adhere to the conditions of the agreement forged by Russia and the United States which called for the rebels to disassociate with the terror group al-Nusra Front, Syria's al-Qaeda affiliate until a recent rebrand.
At the same time, the Syrian ambassador to the UN stressed the possibility of a chemical attack which is being prepared by radicals and which can be later blamed on the Syrian army. According to Madsen, this statement could very well correspond with reality as these rebel groups, he said, have access to chemical weapons, such as sarin gas and others.
Remarkable, however, is that when the Syrian representative began his speech — UK, US and French delegations walked out.
"This is not a way to conduct diplomacy. If she [Samantha Power] doesn't want to even listen to the ambassador from the Syrian Arab Republic, there is not much that can be said about the US diplomacy. American diplomacy is a paper tiger. Their bark is worse than their bite," Madsen said.
According to the expert, the situation is unlikely to change until after the US election. Hopes for any positive developments could only be connected with the victory of Donald Trump, he argued.
"I think if Ms. Clinton is elected, she is going to increase pressure on the Assad government, and Russia. We are going to see an increase in violence in Syria. If Trump wins, he, obviously, said that he is not interested in getting involved in this nation-building, these activities. And I think he would withdraw the US troops and also put pressure on the Turks and other parties, including NATO countries and Israel, to stay out of Syria. And I think this is the only way we are going to see the end to the Syrian civil war."
