'Western powers don’t see ISIS as a problem'

Western powers’ goal in Syria is not to get rid of ISIS but to overthrow Assad and totally destroy Syria, says Lew Rockwell, President of the Ludwig von Mises Institute.

RT: Why would the Western powers block the proposal to include ISIL on the UN sanctions list as a separate force?

Lew Rockwell: Because they don’t see ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State or whatever we name it as a problem. That’s why. There is a lot of evidence that the US had something to do with stimulating that. Probably Israeli friends, Britain and other Western powers as well. They wanted to bring down [Bashar] Assad and saw this is the best way to do it - cause chaos and more trouble. The US wants to make trouble in Syria causing all the immigration problems and all the horrendous deaths and destruction that is taking place. That’s why. I must say I am not a fan of sanctions that have been put on Russia or any other country. I don’t think doing sanctions unless we're talking about sanctions on arms. If things like the recent US arms drop of 50 tons of advanced weapons to another terrorist group related to ISIS but is not part of ISIS, if that sort of thing is to be stopped - that would be, of course, a wonderful thing. There ought to be no arms sales to anybody anywhere, in my view. I am afraid that is not what’s been talked about. If it is starving people, the seeking to deny medicines and so forth for the civilians, which is what sanctions normally do, keep food away - then it is morally wrong. And I think it is very bad strategy in every sense as well.

READ MORE: Russian, American envoys in Turkey warned against helping Syria’s Kurds

RT: Syrian Kurdish militia have joined forces with US-backed rebels. What are their chances of success?

LR: I don’t know. So far it’s all been a sort of a Halloween wear a mask and a costume kind of business. It hasn’t been real. I am not, by the way, for making it real. I think Syria has had plenty of bombings and has had plenty of people killed. And the idea that you are going step up the war in Syria - with the Syrian Kurds or whoever as the other mercenaries that the US will bring in – it is a very bad idea. I’d like to see everybody stop the bombing and the killing. And if the subsidies to ISIS - the arms and all the financial subsidies and so forth were to cease - I think that would be the first step. And my guess is that Syrians could take care of it themselves then if you did not have outside powers starting with the US involved in one side or the other making Syria a battle ground of blood and destruction and probably fun for some of the types of people who rise to the top in militarism ‘Pentagons’ of the world.    

© Stringer © Reuters

RT: Why is there opposition to Russia cooperating with the new alliance between the Kurds and the rebel coalition?

LR: Because it is the purpose of the Syrian Kurdish alliance and whatever we are going to call the Syrian Free Army - the moderate rebels/the moderate terrorists or whatever group of horrible people the US is funding at the moment. Because their goal is not to get rid of ISIS, their goal is to overthrow Assad, to bring about regime change, to totally destroy Syria. That is their goal, ethically and religiously cleanse it. Their goals are horrendous. So, they have different goals in mind than what, I gather, Mr. Putin’s goals are.

RT: Some Iraqi officials said they'd welcome Russia upping its efforts against ISIL in Iraq. What does this say about the effectiveness of the US-led coalition there?

LR: I would say that is between Iraq and Russia. It is certainly not the news that would make them happy in Washington, but that is OK…In Iraq, of course, after the US war and aggression, may be a million civilians killed, the entire country and culture wrecked, civil war, ethnic and religious hatred stimulated. The whole place is a wreck. So, they are in a very tough situation. And maybe they feel this would help them, again – that is their business, not America’s business if Iraq and Russia want to have a deal. ‘The world empire’ believes that everything is its business and looks down on anybody, of course, who says it ‘nay’…

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