"We (the Pentagon) are not able to associate more broadly with Russia's approach in Syria, because it is wrongheaded and strategically shortsighted," said Carter at a press conference.
Russia began airstrikes in Syria on Sept. 30 after weeks of military buildup inside the Arab country, which was scrambling to deal with a civil war and insurgency of the IS.
While the Kremlin insisted that its goal in Syria was to target the IS, Washington accused it of targeting rebels who opposed the Syrian government.
It was not the first time for Carter to dismiss the possibility of cooperation between U.S.-led coalition and Russia on the anti-IS campaign.
During his trip to Europe last week, Carter said in Italy that the United States would limit its discussions with Russia to "basic, technical discussions" on efforts to ensure that flights over Syria are conducted safely.
"We are not prepared to cooperate in a strategy which as we explained is flawed, tragically flawed on Russia's part," said Carter on Oct. 7.
Despite Carter's dismissal of the Russian strategy in Syria, the United States on Friday announced it would abandon its own train-and-equip program in Syria, a central pillar of U.S. President Barack Obama's counter-IS strategy which was previously aimed at recruiting 5,400 Syrian rebels each year for three years.
Instead, the Obama administration would from now on support existing rebel groups.
The change is a recognition of the failure of Obama's flagship anti-IS training program after a testy congressional hearing in September by U.S. General Lloyd Austin, who oversees the war against the IS, revealed that only "four or five" U.S.-trained Syrian rebels currently remained in fight in Syria.
Later, the Pentagon corrected the number of U.S.-trained Syrian rebels currently fighting the IS in Syria to nine.
Senior officials of the Obama administration had said earlier the initial U.S. strategy to recruit, train and arm moderate Syrian rebels failed partly because most of the Syrian rebels were more focused on fighting the Syrian government.
Then, the Pentagon admitted on Sept. 25 that the U.S.-trained Syrian rebels gave about a quarter of U.S. weapons to an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria.
Meanwhile, Carter on Tuesday reiterated that the Pentagon had no plans to change its policy in Syria after Russia started its own military campaign, but said that talks between the two militaries to de-conflict the airstrikes in Syria were vital.
"Even if we can't agree on Syria policy, we should be able to at least agree on making sure our airmen are as safe as possible," he said, adding that the third round of talks were slated for Wednesday.
- Carter's remarks echoed what a Pentagon spokesman told reporters that U.S. and Russian aircraft came within visual range of each other during missions on Saturday.
To avoid air accidents over Syria during their airstrikes against the extremist group the IS, the United States and Russia were currently engaged in talks aimed at ensuring "deconfliction" of air operations in Syria.
Xinhua -china.org.cn
14/10/15
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Related:
US Refuses to Sign UNSC Statement Condemning Shelling of Russian Embassy
US to Continue Supplying Syrian Rebels With Ammunition After 50-Ton Airdrop
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Spannungen zwischen USA und Russland: Keine Annäherung im Syrien-Konflikt ...
ReplyDeleteDie diplomatische Offensive der Russen zur Klärung im Syrien-Konflikt ist gescheitert, bevor sie angefangen hat. Russlands Außenminister Lawrow sagte, eine russische Delegation sei in Washington zur Zeit nicht willkommen.
Zwischen den USA und Russland ist eine diplomatische Annäherung im Syrien-Konflikt zur Zeit offenbar nicht möglich. Die Koordinierung der Luftangriffe sollte eine Delegation unter Leitung von Ministerpräsident Dimitri Medwedjew in den USA klären. Die Entsendung des Regierungschefs sollte ein Signal dafür sein, wie wichtig Russland eine mögliche Einigung ist. Aber die US-Regierung reagierte offenbar ablehnend. Sie ließ laut Sergej Lawrow mitteilen, man wolle weder selber Diplomaten nach Moskau schicken noch wolle man die Delegation von Ministerpräsident Medwedjew in Washington empfangen.
Angriffe der russischen Luftwaffe in Syrien
Die russische Luftwaffe fliegt seit Ende September in Syrien Angriffe gegen Gegner von Präsident Baschar al-Assad. Um zu vermeiden, dass sich amerikanische und russische Kampfflugzeuge dabei versehentlich in die Quere kommen, verhandeln Militärexperten beider Länder derzeit über gemeinsame Sicherheitsregeln. Darüber sollten nach russischen Angaben Militärs beider Seiten in einer Videokonferenz beraten. Gesprächsgrundlage sollte eine Vorlage des russischen Verteidigungsministeriums sein, berichtete die Nachrichtenagentur Interfax.............http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/russland-usa-syrien-103.html