U.S. Tries to Walk Back Peace Deal
Earlier today, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moualem all agreed to place Syria’s chemical weapons under international control, so as to avoid war.
But AP reports:
U.S. officials say they will take a “hard look” at a proposal for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons to international control to avoid a military strike.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Monday the U.S. would consider the proposal floated by the foreign ministers of Russia and Syria with “serious skepticism” because it might be a stalling tactic. She said Syria had consistently refused to destroy its chemical weapons in the past.
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Harf said Kerry wasn’t putting forth a formal proposal.
In other words, the U.S. is unhappy that its bluff was called, and is desperately trying to salvage war against Syria.
Why? Perhaps because it was planned a long time ago.
Earlier:
Did the Parties Just Back Away from War?
The U.S., Russia and Syria all agree to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control.
The momentum towards war has just been diffused.
Will the Syrian rebels also give up chemical weapons which they possess?
And will the U.S. and Russia comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention and destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles?
And will the U.S. and Britain stop using chemical weapons?