Saber-Rattling: Russia and Iran Express Rage at US Strikes in Syria
The Russian and Iranian regimes are furious with America’s retaliatory strike against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad following his use of weapons of mass destruction.
Last week, President Trump ordered a missile strike on the Syrian base that was reportedly used to launch a chemical weapons attack against an opposition stronghold in the city of Idlib. On Thursday, Trump launched 60 Tomahawk missiles at the base to retaliate against Assad killing of dozen of innocents men, women, and children earlier that week.
Russia and Iran, which are allied with Assad, condemned the military action, and threatened to retaliate if the U.S. “crosses the red lines” again.
Iranian dictator Ali Khamenei slammed the strikes, pushing the conspiracy that the U.S. apparently created the Islamic State terror group.
Former US officials created or fostered #ISIS & current ones empower it or similar groups; such terrorist groups will backfire on Americans.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) April 9, 2017
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who presides over the world’s foremost state-sponsor of terrorism, condemned what he called “flagrant U.S. aggression,” and said the strike on the airbase in Syria “benefitted terrorism.” Rouhani also alleged that the Syrian opposition was behind the chemical attacks, not the Assad dictatorship.
“Previous US officials created ISIS, and the current ones are strengthening ISIS or groups like them; however, the danger these terrorist groups present will backfire on Americans,” he said.
Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin teamed up with Rouhani for an additional memo that claimed the strike was “a violation of international law.”
Another statement sent by the “joint command” of Russia and Iran threatened military action against the United States.
“The United States crossed red lines by attacking Syria, from now on we will respond to anyone, including America if it attacks Syria and crosses the red lines,” the statement said. “America knows very well our ability and capabilities to respond well to them … we will respond without taking into consideration any reaction and consequences.”
#Putin and #Rouhani emphasize that aggressive actions taken by the USA against Syria and the violation of international law are inadmissible
— Russia in RSA 🇷🇺 (@EmbassyofRussia) April 10, 2017
Russia and Iran have long sided with the Assad regime over opposition forces. Both countries have ground troops in the country fending off threats to Assad. Iran’s Hezbollah proxy is also heavily militarily engaged in the country on the side of the Syrian dictatorship.
Russia and Iran are largely responsible for escalating the complete devastation and chaos in Syria. The two nations have propped up a man who has been responsible for the vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of deaths during the Syrian civil war. Without their help, there’s likely no possibility that Assad would have been able to stay in power.
Russia and Iran’s tough talk should be taken with a grain of salt. The two countries combined have a military that is vastly inferior to that of the United States. It is certainly not in their interests to use kinetic action against America. To attack the United States military, even if framed as a “retaliatory” strike, would draw the two U.S. adversaries into a conflict that would undoubtedly threaten the stability of both authoritarian regimes. (For more from the author of “Saber-Rattling: Russia and Iran Express Rage at US Strikes in Syria” please click HERE)
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