The US armed forces suffered first combat loss in Syria in the course of operation "Inherent Resolve." American soldier died near the city of Ain Issa in northern Syria, after stepping on an improvised explosive device. Right now there are groups of US special forces in Syria, which provide assistance to local groups in the fight against Daesh without consent of the official Damascus.
Commenting on the course of military actions in Syria, president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Colonel-General Leonid Ivashov said that this ongoing large-scale war is not beneficial to any of the parties, including the United States. "We hope that Trump will help to end the war." However, according to general, "the experience of conducting military operations in parallel with the launch of political settlement process, humanitarian pauses, must convince politicians, military and diplomats that political process is impossible without military victory over terrorist groups."
Ivashov believes that war will last forever if people will interfere in military affairs and prevent military operations when it is beneficial to terrorists: "Military structures must have a clear political task, there must joint headquarters, and when we will achieve a military victory, then we should launch a political settlement process."
He thinks that the interference of US Secretary of State John Kerry did not allow to liberate Aleppo: "When a complex operation was already prepared Washington asked us to wait."
Ivashov insists that priority should be given to military expediency: "We see that moderate and immoderate opposition do not agree on any conditions. They win time in order to strengthen the defense, especially in urban areas, in order to replenish ammunition, recruit more people."
Expert suggests to not be distracted by talks about who will be the head of Syrian state, and proceed from the fact that "the Syrian state still exists, no one destroyed it." "Yes, it is weakened, some of the elements of statehood were destroyed, but it's still a country recognized by the international community and the UN. That is why it is necessary to work on the restoration of statehood, and only with the restoration of statehood we can launch internal political process," he stressed.
