As an estimated 10,000 Syrian-led ground troops amass east of Aleppo, the US is considering a tougher response to Russia over its support for the Assad regime and its role in the bombardment of the city, senior administration officials told CNN.
EDITOR'S NOTE: How pathetic is the pusillanimous Obama administration with their pacifistic "lead from behind" policy. Russia unleashes a massive aerial bombing on Aleppo, and John Kerry's official response is "we are seriously considering cancelling the peace talks". Wha...??? How insane is that? Look closely at the photo at the top of this article, that's what it looked liked when Russia bombed Aleppo the other day. And to that we say "considering cancelling peace talks"? This is one of the many reasons why America is neither respected or feared by any foreign nation in 2016. Especially not Russia, who happens to be fully in control of Syria and the Middle East at the moment.
The troops have gathered in advance of what is believed to perhaps be a final ground assault over the coming days by Syrian government forces against rebels holding the key city, in what one US official described as an unprecedented degree of firepower to be unleashed on the besieged area.
While no decisions have been made about moving against Russia, American consideration of more aggressive actions comes amid a threat by Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday to halt diplomacy with Moscow over Syria.
With diplomacy failing, US officials say initial brainstorming sessions are taking place throughout the government at the staff level on alternatives to working with Russia, ranging from economic to military measures.
They stress no recommendations have been presented to the White House. One official said the US is looking back to the "Ukraine playbook," a reference to the non-military measures the West used to pressure Russia for its aggression toward its eastern neighbor.
In Syria, the US is looking at holding Russia accountable for the brutal assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo this week, some of the worst violence since the start of the five-year war. Some US officials are already suggesting war crimes have been committed.
After speaking for the second time in 24 hours with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry told an audience at the Washington Ideas Festival that the US is "on the verge of suspending the discussion" with Russia, which was aimed a brokering a ceasefire that would have grounded Syrian aerial attacks on the city and paved the way for greater US-Russian cooperation on attacking terror groups who have taken hold during the civil war.
"It's irrational in the context of the kind of bombing taking place to be sitting there and trying to take things seriously," Kerry said, calling the assault on Aleppo "inexcusable" and "beyond the pale." With diplomacy failing, US officials say initial brainstorming sessions are taking place throughout the government at the staff level on alternatives to working with Russia, ranging from economic to military measures.
They stress no recommendations have been presented to the White House. One official said the US is looking back to the "Ukraine playbook," a reference to the non-military measures the West used to pressure Russia for its aggression toward its eastern neighbor.
In Syria, the US is looking at holding Russia accountable for the brutal assault on rebel-held areas of Aleppo this week, some of the worst violence since the start of the five-year war. Some US officials are already suggesting war crimes have been committed.
After speaking for the second time in 24 hours with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Kerry told an audience at the Washington Ideas Festival that the US is "on the verge of suspending the discussion" with Russia, which was aimed a brokering a ceasefire that would have grounded Syrian aerial attacks on the city and paved the way for greater US-Russian cooperation on attacking terror groups who have taken hold during the civil war.
"It's irrational in the context of the kind of bombing taking place to be sitting there and trying to take things seriously," Kerry said, calling the assault on Aleppo "inexcusable" and "beyond the pale."
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