James Jeffrey visiting Idlib and meeting with the White Helmets “rescue group”, circa March 2020. Click to see full-size
On May 12th, U.S. Special Representative for Syria Engagement and the Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS James Jeffrey took part in a Hudson Institute conversation and made some notable statements.
The topic was “Maximum Pressure on the Assad Regime for its Chemical Weapons Use and Other Atrocities.”
Among other things, Jeffrey apparently hinted that the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad government was supporting Hezbollah against Israel with providing all sorts of weapons and that he questioned the notion that they would stop at providing chemical weapons.
After all, there’s ample accusations of the Syrian government using chemical weapons, little evidence, but it’s become clear that evidence is not what’s important.
US Special Representative for Syria Amb. Jim Jeffrey says the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad is passing “all kinds of weapons to Hezbollah, I don’t see them stopping at chemical weapons”
— Ryan Browne (@rabrowne75) May 12, 2020
He further underlined that US sanctions were “squeezing” Iranian presence outside of Syria.
“We have seen the Iranians pulling in some of their outlying activities and such in Syria because of, frankly, financial problems … in terms of the huge success of the Trump administration’s sanctions policies against Iran. It’s having a real effect in Syria,” said Jeffrey.
“We do see some withdrawal of Iranian-commanded forces. Some of that is tactical because they are not fighting right now, but it also is a lack of money,” Jeffrey said.
Just days earlier, there were reports in Israeli media claiming that Iran was withdrawing from Syria, due to an increase in Israeli airstrikes, among other things.
Jeffrey, however, dismissed the claims, saying that it wasn’t a withdrawal, since the movements didn’t mean any “major strategic change” for Iran or its allied forces.
“What we have not seen — and I want to underline this — is any strategic Iranian commitment not to try to use Syria both as a second launching pad for long-range weapons against Israel and as a conduit — the famous Shia Crescent — on to provide Hezbollah more lethal and more modern precision-guided missiles, again, to threaten Israel,” he said during a May 7 briefing.
According to him, the “maximum pressure campaign” was working, and that it should continue, it should even be made tighter.
“My recipe is more of the same,” Jeffrey said, adding that the United States must “work with the Arab world and Europe to ensure nobody goes wobbly — as Margaret Thatcher once famously said — on sanctions.”
During the same Hudson Institute conversation, Jeffrey also hinted that, the US forces in Syria had a more important role than fighting terrorists, and, in fact, it was to turn the Middle East into a “quagmire” for Russia. To essentially impede their actions and movement, and, generally, get in the way.
“Our military presence, while small, is important for overall calculations. So we urge the Congress, the American people, the president to keep these forces on, but again this isn’t Afghanistan, this isn’t Vietnam, this isn’t a quagmire,” Jeffrey said during the Hudson Institute video event. “My job is to make it a quagmire for the Russians.”
Jeffrey admitted the Russian military has been successful in Syria, but argued “they don’t have a political way out of their problems” with Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the US aims to offer “a way forward” through the UN – presumably referring to Resolution 2254 that Washington has long interpreted as “Assad must go.”
Asked why the American public should tolerate US involvement in Syria, Special Envoy James Jeffrey points out the small US footprint in the fight against ISIS. "This isn't Afghanistan. This isn't Vietnam. This isn't a quagmire. My job is to make it a quagmire for the Russians."
— Jared Szuba (@JM_Szuba) May 12, 2020
Jeffrey’s mention of a “quagmire” like Afghanistan is a sort of a throwback, given that’s precisely what the Carter administration did in 1978, covertly supporting Islamic militants in that country in order to provoke a Soviet intervention.
According to Carter’s national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, this was done to lure the USSR into their own costly, never-ending war such as the US experienced in Vietnam.
On May 7th, during the press briefing, Jeffrey said that the US saw Russia was “unhappy” with President Bashar al-Assad.
“We, as I said, do see the Russians unhappy with Assad, and this has been something relatively new that they’ve been so vocal about it. But – and we have seen some tactical displacement of Iranian, some of it because they don’t need as many ground forces and they’re expensive at a time when they’re under sanctions pressure from the U.S. and also COVID financial pressure. But these may be tactical actions. Also, it’s typical of the Russians to show more or less tactical flexibility with us on a Syrian solution, while at the end of the day defining what a compromise is in terms that looks like it’s 80 percent our compromising and only 20 percent Russia compromising, which is not acceptable to us or to the many countries that work with us.
In terms of getting Russia out of Syria, that has never been our goal. Russia has been there for 30 years. It has a long-term relationship with Syria. We don’t think it has been healthy for the region. We don’t think it really is even healthy for Russia. But that’s not our policy. Our policy right now is to restore the situation in 2011 before the conflict began, and that would eventually lead to all of the other military forces that have entered leaving. Ones were most interested in, of course, are the Iranians and the Iranian-commanded militias.”
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US is a pathological liar with zero credibility and should gone a step further and claimed that President Assad also provided Hezbollah with nuclear weapons.
We had to scrap that plan a few years back. It was too stupid even for the US. The current plan is to roll out a narrative about Assad’s secret biological weapon program and how he’s transferring that to Hezbollah. We’ve scheduled that story for the June timeframe, just before Israeli tanks roll into Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. Something about land theft, I guess.
when the disjointed moronic states of A and the dementia stuffed white house have no control of the narrative they scream gas and gas – they did so in Angola in the 90s and in Syria and in Iraq, serving the pretext to start more destruction and more killing and in this case on behalf of the jews in palestine (who incidentally needs to be kicked to kingdom come and hell asap).
If it’s true and they would even dare to shoot one rocket filled with CW into Israel, then we will have a greelight from the world to make Lebanon an unliving territory on this planet.
Do you think that is right ? I not believe Trump he is fake you know
I trust our intel, if it’s true then I believe we would destroy those stockpiles.
Ok but I don’t believe Hezbollah will go to war with Israel Lebanon will lose it all they just want to defend themselves if Israel starts attacking so they will fight back as well
Iran should control their terroristic activities otherwise it will face serious action from israel. We Indians are also punishing Pakistan on the border for their terror activities.
I think very soon there will be a major conflict between Gaza and Israel
I agree Furkan.
but remember I don’t hate Israel I only hate Zionist because they have the same mindset as Hitler I want to go to Israel one day but I wait for Bibi or Gantz not to become president anymore
Dream on, the syrians have class, and never used chemical.weapons, ever.
Jabhat Al Nusrah does not represent the syrian nation, as much as you would like, it aint so.
It is you who attacks their neighbours. Not Syria. Your country is not even part of CWC, so your on pretty shaky ground to start, walk away dude.
Mike, I was talking about Hezbollah which are basically Iranian terrorists and they don’t obey rules like other states do.
what with Gaddafi he is terrorist ?
That’s not for me to judge, it’s up to the Libyans.
but you say Assad is terrorist he is not terrorist people love him
I don’t care about Assad, I care that he won’t let Iran / Hezbollah operate close to the Golan.
Yes Assad is not interested in going to war with Israel Iran just wants to use base in Syria to protect against NATO
No what your doing is called a projection, it worked after 9 11 but it doesnt work anymore.
Like is said, walk away from this one dude, is there no honor amongst thieves?
Hezbollah is a.Lebanese organisation, a chimera that arose from the crimes of your military in Lebanon.
Ask yourself this, if milatary adventure 30 years ago braught you an even bigger threat called hezbollah, how can you justify more military madness??? Its counter productive.
Why make the slope steeper? Surely there is a better way to proceed. Ask yourself, this, instead of justifying more agression, why not start with love. A nice gesture, release prisoners or something. Just release some tension already.
You cant hold the entire region hostage like your doing now, thats not fair for all the residents in the middle east.
The Lebanese as a people are not my problem, I would even wish them a happy and a good life if our countries had peace. Same like I don’t have a problem with Jordanians or Egyptians, they are not my enemy. But if a terrorist organization holds my country under a rocket threat or even a CW threat, it must be dealt wth.
Just read how this moron, iron zion, writes…’ Lebanese people are not my proble…’. He says, ..not MY problem…lmfao. Arrogance will produce their demise. How do you make peace with such people? You dont! First a lesson must be learned. Peace will come when they’re leverage is removed. As it has steadily been coming to fruition.
‘ Dont obey rules…’, you’ve got to be the most ignorrant, arrogant pos…well no, you’re an East euro yid calling himself an semite. You’re all dumass fks that believe rules and law aren’t for you.
here’s an idea, go fk urself
No need to be mad proky, your Hezbollah terrorists know what expects them if another war comes.
Nasrallah made à 3 hour vidéo detailing your entities demise…watch it. Your entity has no reply or answer. The bottom line is, if another war breaks out israel is finished. You may hurt your enemies, but in the end even your military leaders know it’s over.
On the contrary, this time there will be no U.N ceasefires. I’m okay with it, and you?
Anytime UN ceasefire was implemented after israeli aggressions was for the benefit of israel. Read your own historians moron. But it’s to be expected, the manufacturing of events by racist, entitled inbreds.
is that what makes a freedom fighter a terrorist? Simply not following the rules “other states do”
Do rules like nuclear non proliferation count or does Israel get a pass on that one cause they’re special? Remember how modern Israel was born before accusing others of terrorism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing
Israel has never threatened to destroy another country, Iran does it everyday. Giving one of their proxies access to CW is a bad idea, I’m sure you would agree.
You have invaded every Country around you asshole,you would still be in Lebanon if you hadn’t been thrown out.
They don’t obey YOUR rules they have their own.
They are considered a terrorist organization according to the U.S and the EU, they are just an Iranian proxy. They obey Iran’s rules, and they will pay the price for that too.
No one uses Chemical weapons esp chlorine as they have no tactical or strategic value. However, I expect Israel to stage a false flag ‘chemical attack’ and blame it on Hezbollah to herd US and EU sheep into another war. I don’t think Europe will join in such a war
Why do you think it’s even mentioned? A chemical weapon is going to be shot at Israel alright, but it won’t come from Hezbollah or any other resistance group but the same place other chemical attacks came from: operatives of western intelligence apparatus.
I smell a false flag in the cooking. They’ll sacrifice a few of you (if they use anything other than bleach) or even better, a few Arabs to have an excuse to attack Lebanon because all other ways to oust Hezbollah have failed.
I doubt it, but then again anything is possible in the ME.
Come then, you might get your war with us afterall.
How are you going to do that you prick?
Think for yourself.
More facts an´d less speculations pls
Where’s the fun in that Jens? You used to be more fun and exciting and $#it, now you give sage advice.
you iranians better save your monetary system
Its surprising to hear President Asssad is so evil. Look at all those Syrian Military Bases all around the world striving for total hegemony!
Always with the ‘attack on Israel’ crap…no one has attacked Israel. Israel, on the other hand…This US/Israel ‘cry wolf’ crap has gone to new heights with the peace-loving Trump admin.
As usual, baseless claims, beliefs, accusations and lies…..no facts, evidence and proofs.
Everybody’s talking about everything else said in the article but no one’s talking about this part of the article, and yet to my way of thinking you could just about leave out everything else and just read this statement to get to the important part of the news.
“In terms of getting Russia out of Syria, that has never been our goal. Russia has been there for 30 years. It has a long-term relationship with Syria. We don’t think it has been healthy for the region. We don’t think it really is even healthy for Russia. But that’s not our policy. Our policy right now is to restore the situation in 2011 before the conflict began, and that would eventually lead to all of the other military forces that have entered leaving. Ones were most interested in, of course, are the Iranians and the Iranian-commanded militias.”
Read this part again and understand it properly,
“Our policy right now is to restore the situation in 2011 before the conflict began, and that would eventually lead to all of the other military forces that have entered leaving.”
That means a lot more than most of you realize, It’s saying the US wants to go back to a time before the political opposition started, meaning Assad can stay in power [The US and Israel have been saying that since june 2018]. They also want Syria to retain it’s territorial integrity, which will mean an eventual withdrawal of all US troops, which will also mean all the SDF controlled territory will be returned to Syrian government control at some point. A lot of you will be focusing on this last part of the comment,
“Ones were most interested in, of course, are the Iranians and the Iranian-commanded militias.”
But the fact is the US wants everyone but Russia to leave Syrian territory, the Iranians and their militias, the Turks, the foreign Jihadists, and themselves. So unlike most of my fellow SF readers I don’t see this article as a doomsday prophecy at all, it’s quite the opposite in fact, it’s actually a good news story for both Russia and Assad, but it’s not for the Iranians and Turks or the foreign Jihadists.
Ruskies really don´t want Assad:
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/former-russian-ambassador-to-syria-slams-assads-approach-to-ending-war/
In Afghanistan they betrayed Babrak karmal, later Najibullah, in Syria will betray Assad. Moreover, ruskies betrayed ALL partners in warsaw pact, in vietnam, laos kambodja, cuba, nicaragua, angola ….
Are you on drugs?
You doubt in words of russian ambassador?
Shove it up our arse Jeffrey.
I would hope they did. Israel invade’s it’s neighbors sovereignty and kills their citizens at will. No country has attempted to invade Israel in decades. The threat of a terrorist chemical attack may be what is needed to keep Israel civil.
These “WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION” can speculate whatever they want, we know these people very very well.
James Jeffrey is not USA envoy to Syria, the two countries have no diplomatic relations. James Jefrey is one mercenary fighter or militant working for terrorist movements as USA covert agent. But not real USA agent. He is Israel agent, al-CIAda agent, ISIS agent, al-Zinki terrorist agent, paid by USA citizens tax fees and Israel Mossad and Israel lobbies organizations. Not a diplomatic envoy, nor good diplomatic envoy nor bad diplomatic envoy. He is purely a mercenary fighter at level of information and counter-information, and suport, to militants and terrorists under covert umbrella of USA and Israel.