Concern over the fate of 62 Syrian soldiers, killed in a US airstrike just days ago, is now overshadowed by claims that Russian and Syrian forces targeted a Syrian aid convoy, Daniel McAdams, executive director at the Ron Paul Institute, told RT.
Following an attack on a UN humanitarian aid convoy near the Syrian city of Aleppo, which was providing aid to pro-rebel forces, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that neither Syrian nor Russian air forces carried out an attack on the convoy despite claims from pro-rebel groups to the contrary.
The Ministry said the convoy’s movement was being monitored by the Russian military as it traveled through areas held by opposition forces.
Moreover, images from the site of the attacks show no indication that the trucks were actually hit by an air strike.The attack has led the UN to suspend aid deliveries to Syria.
RT: The Red Cross says it doesn’t know who bombed the convoy. Why then is the US so quick to conclude it’s either the Russians or Assad’s government?
Daniel McAdams: The US doesn’t want to talk about the 62 Syrian soldiers that they killed a few days ago. And this very conveniently, perhaps coincidentally, completely changed the topic. Whereas concern over the murder of these 62 Syrian military officers was considered a joke by Samantha Power, all of a sudden the US claims to know who did this and how it was done. The way the US is describing this is very sort of mealy-mouthed because it says: “Yes, the Russians and Syrians knew the destination and yet these people were killed anyway.” It didn’t say “the Russians and Syrians did it.”The Pentagon also said the airstrike was not carried out by American planes. The only other planes there are Syrian and Russian planes…But we don’t know whether it is an airstrike at all. So, it is a sort of an insinuation to plant the seed in everybody’s mind, whereas in fact we have absolutely no idea – at least at this point – who did it and why.
RT: What motive might the Russians or Syrian government forces have to attack the convoy? What could it be of benefit to them?
DM: That’s the question. Who benefits from it? And I think certainly Al-Nusra Front is concerned that the US and the Russians might start cooperating in Syria, which would be deadly to them. But as far as a benefit to the Russians or Syrians, this humanitarian convoy is going into East Aleppo which is controlled by Al-Qaeda. But bombing it once it gets in there, how does it benefit? The entire world is focused on these humanitarian convoys right now, especially after the ceasefire. So, why take a moment when everyone is focused on this particular convoy to blow it up and make yourself look horrible? You have to ask who benefits. The only other answer that I could imagine is simply that Putin and Assad are absolute madmen and they enjoy killing people. And maybe half of Americans will believe that, I don’t know.
Reprinted with permission from RT.
