U.S. special operations forces are seen in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa on May 25, 2016. Delil Souleiman, AFP
The U.S. has been increasing the number of private military contractors deployed in the northeastern region of Syria, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova revealed during a press briefing on July 17.
“It is reported that the number of private military contractors in Syria exceeds 4,000, and as many as 540 people arrived in the country in the second half of June, including 70 command personnel and instructors … These mercenaries are transported by car in groups of 12 to 16 people,” the spokesperson said.
These private military contractors are reportedly training US-backed forces, protecting oil and gas infrastructure and ensuring security. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is responsible for their deployment and activities.
Zakharova noted that the U.S. had followed a similar tactic in Iraq before and warned that the deployment of private military contractors in Syria is a dangerous violation of international laws.
“These US mercenaries will be present on Syrian soil illegally in violation of all international norms and rules, which is another outrageous fact,” Zakharova said.
Last year, President Donald Trump ordered a full military withdrawal from Syria. However, a backlash from politicians in Washington and the mainstream media forced him to make a U-turn.
Several recent reports suggest that Washington is now actually stepping up its military presence in northeastern Syria through direct and indirect means.
Uh… It’s not like the 20,000 CENTCOM-paid SDF were the military of any legitimate state (= they are/were CENTCOM mercs). And then there’s this:
According to the U.S. code, any citizen who “enlists or enters himself, or hires or retains another to enlist or enter himself, or to go beyond the jurisdiction of the United States with intent to be enlisted or entered in the service of any foreign prince, state, colony, district, or people as a soldier or as a marine or seaman … shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.” But a court ruling from 1896 involving U.S. citizens who fought with Cuban revolutionaries against Spanish colonial rule interpreted this to mean that it was only illegal for citizens to be recruited for a foreign army in the United States, not to simply fight in one.
The 1896 ruling was utter bullshit, but rabidly kept in force for political reasons. Any American that joins an army (formal or not) or fights in a war against anyone the US has not declared war against should voluntarily and immediately give up their US citizenship. I don’t want those fuckers coming back here – ever. Barring that unlikely act of personal responsibility, the US should – as a matter of law – strip citizenship from the same. Israel is unlikely to allow the US Congress to ever consider such a law, so never going to happen.
“Western partners”.. But Russia is still against all logic, willing to do anything to achieve good relations with the US..
A notion that is coming to an end. Russia cannot maintain a peaceful stance with israhell for much longer. Actually, it’s the other way around. Israel cannot continue to treat Russia as an Ally.
The Zionists will continue to provoke Russia. A Zionist will not allow peace to breakout or the truth to be known.
Partner does not mean friend, Apple partners with Chinese companies to make phones and computers, but they are not friends. You need to brush up on your English, an English dictionary might help.
Did I say “friend” anywhere? Was it insinuated in any manner that I conflate the notion of partner and friend? (Besides your imagination that triggers a knee-jerk reaction whenever your idols are perceived to be offended that is..)
Good thing, so they do not threat the Kurds, the only real fighters from the first houres, and do not let Kerdogan invading Kurdistan. In the end the US might be more honourable then the Russians: they talk pro Syria and pro peace but left the Turks rape, steel and murder and f*ck up the people and country.
What Kurdistan? Where you paying attention when Afrin was lost. The Kurds are just a tool used by Centcom to keep Syria divided.
There is no Kurdistan in Syria.
US more honourable???
LMAO
US doesn’t respect international law so there is no point for Russia to mention the violations. Syria should have never let the US put boots on the ground. Syria now worse off, they now have occupied foreign forces and terrorists on their soil.
in my opinion, that’s what Russia want. to show to the rest of the world who’s the one that breach all the international law. there’s a saying, if you can’t fix it with your hands, at least fix it by your mouth or keep silence. maybe right now, Russia still want to use their mouth before using their hands as the last resort whatever the motives behind it. either to prevent WW3 or just to keep the world a nice place to stay.
If not US marines, those are dead meat.
the Kurds r despised by everyone—except the CIA….this is what unites the Arabs, Turks and Persians—their contempt for the CIA vassal Kurds
“Last year, President Donald Trump ordered a full military withdrawal from Syria. However, a backlash from politicians in Washington and the mainstream media forced him to make a U-turn”.
Did he make a U turn, I’m not so sure he did, I just think he’s just taken a new fork in the road, not turned around and gone back the same way he came from, that’s what you do when you see an obstacle on the road in front, take another path, you don’t turn around and go back home. Everyone always saying they think they know what Trump’s really doing, but not one analyst has got it right so far when it comes to Trump and his motives and objectives, so I don’t believe for one second he’s made a complete U turn. And Trump being afraid of any backlash from the mainstream media is the most laughable thing anyone could ever say, have they ever seen Trump in action, “if you don’t like the US go back to where you came from”, that’s his latest media backlash lightning rod comment, and he didn’t sound scared of any media backlash when he delivered that latest version of Trump’s spoken truth, LOL.
the zioterrorists mafia needs you to go to work so they can steal from your country. Yellow vest the roads and freeze the economy just like french do everytime the ziochitts become too complaisant. make life impossible for aipac and wear BDS shirts constantly