By Stephen Lendman
June 20, 2017 "Information Clearing House" - Straightaway after Trump’s January 20 swearing in ceremony, a White House statement said defeating ISIS and other terrorist groups is the administration’s “highest priority,” adding:
“To defeat and destroy these groups, we will pursue aggressive joint and coalition military operations when necessary.”
“In addition, the Trump Administration will work with international partners to cut off funding for terrorist groups, to expand intelligence sharing, and to engage in cyberwarfare to disrupt and disable propaganda and recruiting.”
Instead of “defeat(ing) and destroy(ing) these groups,” the Trump administration actively supports them.
Photographic evidence shows ISIS firing US-made TOW-guided anti-tank missiles against government forces.
In last year’s battle for Aleppo, al-Nusra terrorists used these weapons, according to Russian General Sergei Rudskoi – supplied by the Obama administration.
ISIS was earlier supplied with shoulder-launched, man-portable, easy to operate, surface-to-air missiles (SAMS), able to down helicopters and low-flying aircraft.
These weapons are still likely being supplied to the group and other anti-government forces. Washington and its rogue allies covertly support the scourge they claim to oppose.
Numerous times Bashar al-Assad accused Western and regional countries of supporting ISIS and other terrorist groups combating government forces.
On Saturday, his political and media advisor Bouthiana Shaaban accused Washington of arming and financing ISIS, flagrantly violating Security Council Resolution 2253 (December 2015) – sponsored by Russia and America, unanimously adopted.
It covers an asset freeze, travel ban, arms embargo and lists criteria for designating ISIS, al-Qaeda, and “associated individuals, groups, undertaking and entities” as terrorist groups.
It states parties responsible for committing, organizing or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable. It called on member states to cooperate fully in investigating incidents involving these groups.
It stressed the obligation of member states to prevent their nationals or persons in their countries from aiding them economically and/or militarily.
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Russia and Iran scrupulously observe its principles. America and its rogue allies repeatedly violate them.
Separately, according to Libya’s Al-Manar TV, Iraqi forces regained control of the strategically important al-Waleed checkpoint on the Syria border – located near the al-Tanf border crossing, along the important Syrian/Iraqi/Jordanian triangle.
Last week, Syrian Defense Ministry officials held talks with their Iraqi counterparts in Baghdad on coordinating border security and combating “a common enemy, which is the terrorist Daesh (ISIS) organization,” adding:
“We discussed holding Syria-Iraq borders to maintain pressure on the terrorist enemy and establishing a joint operations center through which both sides can coordinate.”
On Saturday, Syrian General Mohammad Issa said
“(s)ending US missiles to al-Tanf is (part of a) US (plan) to create a small ISIL state along the Syrian, Iraqi and Jordanian borders to separate Syria from Iraq and Iran, and turn it into a marginalized country which doesn’t play any role in the region.”
A similar scheme is planned for northern Syria to separate it from Damascus control – part of a diabolical US plot to destroy the country’s sovereignty.
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: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.” http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html - Visit his blog site at www.sjlendman.blogspot.com