‘Kerry’s Syria remarks for domestic consumption’

Press TV has talked with Eugene Michel Jones, the editor of Cultural Wars Online Magazine from Indiana, to discuss the US’ role in fanning the flames of violence in Syria.

The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.

Press TV: E. Michael Jones you have the United States, through its Secretary of State John Kerry in addition to UK, saying that the Syrian government is delaying its delivery of their chemical arms, at the same time Syria saying that we are going to meet the deadline, we have actually thwarted two attacks on these chemical arms on transit.

Do you think that the US and its allies are looking for a way to perhaps, mull military action again, or is it just a mere pressure on the Syrian government?

Jones: I think that we are dealing with double standards here, and mixed will.

First the double standards: The double standard is in the media reports coming out of Syria. Every time the media seize on every opportunity to portray Assad as acting in bad faith, he is not doing what he is supposed to do; and they suppress the stories which are coming out of Russia, which is, basically, that this stuff is very dangerous, if people attack it and set off a poison gas attack again, people will die and these stories are suppressed.

The other side of the coin is, I think, that certainly Washington is divided here on this thing. The state department up to this point, was pursuing what seems like consistent policy against the Congress, which is totally in the hands of Israel lobby, but now you begin to realize that the state department itself is divided and what you are seeing now is, basically the fighting, the residual fighting, that goes on after the agreement has been signed to make sure that the full agreement does not go into effect.

Press TV: Of course we cannot forget what John Kerry said at the Geneva II conference when it took place in Montreux and of course then in Geneva. He said that the US President Barack Obama still has the option of the military action against Syria…, so is that option really something still that the US and perhaps some of its allies are having on the table?

Jones: No, I do not think so. I mean first of all the military option was taken off the table two years ago, so it is not going to be put back on the table and secondly I just have to say that this is Kerry speaking for domestic consumption talking tough to the hawks in Washington.

It makes no sense for the Obama administration to undermine its own agreement. So they are trying to talk tough whether they have the courage to continue with the determination to pull this off, that is another matter but it makes no sense for Kerry to undermine his own agreement.