The Pentagon opposes cooperation with Russia.
Cooperation within the framework of military operations in Syria was not discussed during a recent video conference between Russian and US military, spokesman for the Pentagon Peter Cook said.
According to the US official, during the last talks, Russia and the US discussed measures to prevent incidents, but military cooperation in Syria will be negotiated separately.
As Cook said, officials of the US military department held a discussion on security operations since the last bilateral meeting between Russian and US military. “The both sides confirmed the need to adhere to measures to strengthen operational safety for avoiding accidents and misunderstandings,” the Pentagon spokesman said.
One of the central topics of the last video conference was security measures on flights over Syria in accordance with the previously adopted memorandum of mutual understanding. Cook stressed that the conversation with Russian military was constructive. The both sides intend to continue it in the similar format.
The agreement between Russia and the US to cooperate on Syrian settlement has deepened the rift between the White House and the Pentagon. US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter still has many doubts about advisability of the coordination of efforts of Washington and Moscow to fight terrorists in Syria.
Carter was one of the politicians, who opposed the agreement, when Secretary of State John Kerry was discussing details of the agreement with Russia with US officials last week. Despite the fact that US President Barack Obama has ultimately approved the agreement, the Pentagon remained of the same opinion, The New York Times reported.
According to the plan of Lavrov and Kerry, the truce in Syria has come into effect on Monday. It should last for seven days. On the eighth day, the Joint Executive Center will start its work, and Russian and US military should begin to coordinate strikes against terrorists.
“I will not say yes or no. To say that we will participate in this, it would be premature,” Commander of the Air Force in the US Central Command, Jeffrey Harrigian, said.
Earlier, officials of the White House also expressed doubts. Agreement on Syria increases the pressure on Russia, and the US administration has doubts that Russia will fulfill its terms, spokesman for the White House, Josh Ernest, said on Monday.
According to The New York Times, the controversy between the US Secretary of State Kerry and US Secretary of Defense Carter reflects the internal conflict of Obama’s policy in Syria.
In this way, probability of beginning of the joint airstrikes in Syria in the coming days is very low. This calls into question the whole idea of the agreements because if military pressure is not put on the ‘democratic opposition’, it will just ignore the agreement. Now there is a break in connection with the crushing defeat of terrorists near Aleppo. But what will happen next?
Do not deal with a divided house. There is no consensus between WH and the Pentagon. Maybe it is another ploy to slow military operations for the benefit of the Jihadis. Russia and her allies should not fall for it.
How can you communicate with a sub humman species. The longer I read south front the more I understand why, historically, Germany kept attacking Russia.
North Vietnamese kicked your ass up and down the block. How many helicopters and jets did you loose during Lam Son 719 ?
Excerpt wiki The number of helicopters destroyed or damaged during the operation shocked the proponents of U.S. Army aviation and prompted a reevaluation of basic airmobile doctrine. The 101st Airborne Division alone, for example, had 84 of its aircraft destroyed and another 430 damaged. Combined U.S./ARVN helicopter losses totaled 168 destroyed and 618 damaged.[87] During Lam Son 719 American helicopters had flown more than 160,000 sorties and 19 U.S. Army aviators had been killed, 59 were wounded, and 11 were missing at its conclusion.[83] South Vietnamese helicopters had flown an additional 5,500 missions. U.S. Air Force tactical aircraft had flown more than 8,000 sorties during the incursion and had dropped 20,000 tons of bombs and napalm.[88] B-52 bombers had flown another 1,358 sorties and dropped 32,000 tons of ordnance. Seven U.S. fixed-wing aircraft were shot down over southern Laos: six from the Air Force (two dead/two missing) and one from the Navy (one aviator killed)
Like I said…….They kicked your ass up and down the block.
You do realize you’re arguing with a 12 year old who is still waiting for his only testicle to descend. Read his comments…..he’s clueless…..all he’s got are infantile insults. I’d call him a troll but trolls can can be witty ….. this guys gotta be a kid. Watch, it’s past his bed time so he won’t respond until morning.
Lol…..ya…was expecting to get called idiot . No response….Maybe he split his big toe open kicking chairs : )
We are now getting close to the 1 year anniversary of the Russian intervention in Syria. My how it has all changed.
At that ime, jihadists were spreading, not only in Syria but outside of Syria, with Iraq, Egypt and Libya for examples. The US coalition was ineffective and fostering the spread of the terrorists. It was not even publically acknowledged to any sufficient extent, concerning the relations of the rebels to violent jihaidsts. As was said, the FSA didn´t exist anymore in reality. Meanwhile in Yemen, the US was very committed to assisting the KSA with it´s war in that country. Yet this speaks of nothing to what progresses in other parts of the globe.
Everybody can have their opinion and I think that is a good thing. But, …. and it is a big one, it cannot be denied that the landscape in geopoliical matters has changed, since Russia re-emerged onto the scene. People can talk all the smack they want about Russia. It just doesn´t add up to anything of value, when placed side by side with what has unfolded since the Bear has returned.
Russians open yours eyes and don’t be wits. The friend of your enemy will never be your ally. While he’s laughing with you, he’ll be stabbing you in the back. Do not trust the Americans because they never will never be your friends for difference of ideology and politic. The only thing that matters for them is the foreign oil and their dream of greatness at the expense of whatever no matter how many ruined lives and countries in the attempt. Be smartest people russians, and stop believing in miracles.
But Washington has warned Russia that unless aid is delivered to Aleppo, it will not move ahead with the formation of the joint coordination center.
Where’s this “joint coordination center” to be based?
Russia? Doubt the US would agree. The US? Doubt the Russians would agree.
Somewhere closer to the action, in neutral territory, a warship in the Mediterranean, perhaps?
And more to the point, who will be in overall charge of calling the shots, if anyone, and who will they report to, who will be the political authority?
Putin? I doubt Obama would agree. Obama? I doubt Putin would agree. Ban Ki-moon? Gimme a break.
Well I think the world’s supreme leader should be Condoleezza Rice, so I suggest Condi for political authority for the joint coordination center.
Where’s this “joint coordination center” to be based?
Jordan, apparently, if this report about a similar proposal confined to anti-al Nusra operations mooted in July is anything to go by.
The Hill – Report: US proposes joint facility with Russia to target al Qaeda in Syria http://thehill.com/policy/defense/287732-report-us-to-propose-joint-facility-with-russia-to-target-al-qaedas-syria
By Rebecca Kheel – 07/14/16
“Under the proposal, the Joint Implementation Group would be headquartered in Amman, Jordan. Each country would maintain separate offices, as well as staff a joint coordination center “to exchange intelligence and operational information.”
Operations against al Nusra would be coordinated, with both countries agreeing to targets beforehand. Only one country’s military would carry out an operation, but “at some point, national authorities may authorize the participants to coordinate on integrated operations,” the proposal reads.
Also, one country could target al Nusra without telling the other in the case of “imminent threats,” the proposal says.
Regime forces would also not be allowed to fly in “designated areas” where al Nusra is located. There would be exemptions, though, for medical evacuations, personnel recovery and humanitarian assistance.
Meanwhile, operations against ISIS would be “independent, but synchronized,” the proposal says.”
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And more to the point, who will be in overall charge of calling the shots, if anyone, and who will they report to, who will be the political authority?
No one person calls the shots it seems. Both countries would hold a veto over operations.
BREAKING: US Planes Hit Syrian Government Forces – Many Casulaties https://southfront.org/us-led-forces-hit-syrian-army/
US-led coalition jets have targeted positions of the Syrian government forces near the city of Deir ez-Zor, resulting in at least 62 death and more than 100 injured soldiers.
So presumably, if this joint facility had been in operation the US would have “synchronised” with the Russians before attacking what they thought was ISIS and would have been told “Woah! Those are SAA!” by the Russians and hopefully the attack called off?
Well I could salute that.
I still think we need Condi in there somewhere though. ___