Putin's Confliction Zone - WSJ editorial
The White House has confirmed that Donald Trump will meet with Vladimir Putin at a July 16 summit. Whatever else happens, let’s hope Mr. Trump doesn’t make another agreement like the one his Administration struck with Russia in 2017 for a “deconfliction” zone in southwestern Syria.
Bashar Assad’s regime is now firing artillery and conducting airstrikes on rebel areas in Daraa and Quneitra provinces near Jordan and Israel with Russian and Iranian help. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports at least 90 people have died and the United Nations estimates about 45,000 civilians have fled.
The attacks violate a July 2017 agreement among Russia, Jordan and the U.S. to “de-escalate” conflict in the area so the countries could turn their attention to fighting Islamic State. A State Department official said at the time that the U.S. was “morally bound where there’s an opportunity to bring about a cease-fire to save people’s lives and to de-escalate the violence.” Morally bound apparently doesn’t translate well to Russian.
The cease-fire was a head fake, which then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Mr. Trump were eager to believe. The lull in fighting in the southwest allowed Mr. Assad to press offensives elsewhere, especially against rebel strongholds in the Damascus suburbs in May. That campaign is now done, so Mr. Assad can turn to wiping out the rebels in the southwest, no matter the previous arrangement.
The Trump Administration has reacted by waving its hands and begging Mr. Putin to stop. Last month State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert headlined a statement “Assad Regime Intentions in the Southwest De-escalation Zone,” imploring Russia to “live up to its self-professed commitments.” This month Ms. Nauert issued another statement to “request that Russia fulfill its commitments.” Last week U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley issued another entreaty. Begging is embarrassing.
Mr. Assad and his backers figure that Mr. Trump wants to proclaim mission accomplished in Syria and bring U.S. troops home. The White House’s limp reaction to the fighting in southwestern Syria shows they’re probably right.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/putins-confliction-zone-1530226032 (paid subscription)
