Featured image: Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

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US-led aggression was discussed in a same day article. CENTCOM’s pretext rang hollow.

Conflicting explanations were given. Syria’s Foreign Ministry called the incident “a new act of aggression that constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity, shows the direct US support for terrorists who and is aimed against sovereignty and integrity of Syria.”

State media blasted US “aggression…an attempt to support terrorism.”

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova raised disturbing questions, asking:

“(H)ow can a 500-strong unit attack a headquarters with the support of tanks and artillery and injure only one of the attackers?”

“How (were) the people inside the headquarters able to survive in these conditions for at least half an hour that is needed for aviation to arrive at the scene?”

“How could a decision to open a massive fire to defeat the Syrian militiamen be made in such a short period of time?”

Clearly the incident was premeditated, unrelated to false claims of Syrian and allied military elements threatening US-supported so-called Syrian Democratic Forces.

Washington’s version of events was a bald-faced lie, an attempt to justify aggression, calling it “self-defense.”

Syrian and allied forces were conducting a reconnaissance mission in the area when they were aggressively terror-bombed.

Russia’s Defense Ministry blasted the incident, saying

“once again (it) shows that the United States’ illegal military presence in Syria is actually aimed at taking control of the country’s economic assets and not fighting against the ISIL international terror group,” adding:

On February 7, “a pro-government militia unit was conducting surveillance and research activities near the al-Isba oil refinery (17 kilometers southeast of the Salhiyah settlement) to eliminate a militant group shelling the positions of government troops” when it was attacked by US-led forces.

Russia knows Washington launched naked aggression in 2011 for regime change, to replace Syrian sovereign independence with pro-Western puppet governance, to loot the nation’s resources, exploit its people, and isolate Iran ahead of targeting its government the same way.

It knows war will continue endlessly as long as Washington and its rogue allies continue pursuing these objectives unchallenged.

Russia wants things resolved, peace and stability restored to the country, confrontation with Washington avoided.

Its strategy failed. War escalated after Trump took office. The only language US administrations understand is force.

As long as Russia maintains the myth of partnership with Washington instead of giving it a taste of its own medicine perhaps by downing one or more of its warplanes to say enough is enough, conflict will likely continue escalating, not end.

America attacks countries it believes it can roll over – why it hesitates confronting Russia and China militarily, except perhaps one day by preemptive nuclear war it may foolishly believe it can win by striking hard and fast before they can react, what I call a doomsday scenario.

Since war in Southeast Asia, Washington never faced an adversary able to inflict large-scale casualties on US forces.

Russia and China surely can, North Korea and Iran to a lesser extent.

Bullies like America don’t like even matches, fearing they’ll lose, or get too bloodied if win. They like unfair fights against weak adversaries.

Russia for sure isn’t one of them. It’s about time someone boldly gave Washington a bloody nose, a taste of its own medicine.

Moscow would be heroic for rising to the challenge, America unlikely to escalate a fight it can’t win against an adversary able give as much as it takes.

Appeasing bullies is wrongheaded. If Hitler was confronted before things got out of hand, WW II would have been unlikely.

The best way to prevent another global war with nukes is by confronting Washington forcefully enough to show its bullying no longer will be tolerated.

Otherwise, peace in our time will be unattainable the way things were in the late 1930s. I deplore war, strongly against endless US wars of aggression.

I fear where things are heading if Washington isn’t challenged and stopped before unthinkable nuclear war erupts, dooming us all.

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Stephen Lendman is a Research Associate of the CRG, Correspondent of Global Research based in Chicago.