Obama: No Russian Talks Until Agreement on Assad Ouster

Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday, Sept. 22, that Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has no further plans to talk to his Russian counterpart unless the Russians agree to the regime-change demand of the U.S.

When Carter spoke to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Sept. 18, Carter “agreed to continue that dialogue with the Russians; if their actions are aimed at countering ISIL and advancing a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Syria,” Cook said. “Actions not in line with those goals will not be seen or treated as constructive.” Cook stressed that Carter was leaving the lines of communication open, but he

Cook’s statement contradicts the report, received by EIR and other press agencies at about the same time, that following the Carter-Shoigu phone call, a working group had been established to conduct military-to-military talks between the two countries, with the goal of at least making deconfliction arrangements so that the two sides don’t inadvertently shoot at each other in the skies over Syria.