Clinton's war hawks ready to pounce

Paul Mansfield
Sott.net

As the clock ticks down to the US presidential election in November, it also ticks down on an opportunity to end the five-year war in Syria which has cost over 300,000 lives and displaced half of Syria's population. As the Syrian Army and its allies completed the encirclement of Aleppo, opening up humanitarian corridors in partnership with Russia to afford civilians and "rebels" — provided they laid down their arms — the opportunity to leave safely and be provided with humanitarian assistance, we could be forgiven for believing we can see the end of this abhorrent war on the horizon. However in recent days, the Jaysh al-Fateh coalition, heavily featuring the rebranded and very well equipped Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, led counter attacks which breached the siege lines, although they have failed to as yet open up secure routes for new supplies, fighters and weapons, as well as to launch further counter attacks.

Meanwhile, the polls fluctuate on who is the favourite between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to become the next US president, and we can't yet confidently predict who will be the Commander in Chief presiding over the Syrian conflict and therefore what policy changes may occur. The wild fluctuations see Clinton ahead by a massive 15 points, 48 to 33 percent, according to a McClatchy-Marist poll, yet less than 48 hours later a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll has Clinton holding a narrow 42-39 percent lead. Clinton's infatuation with war causes huge consternation, not least over what she may bring to the table on the war in Syria.

One thing is clear: Clinton is the favourite, and we should all prepare for what awaits us with Clinton as the leader of the "free world." Clinton has a ready made band of neocon war hawks waiting in the wings, not hard to find in a US political establishment dominated by neocons with a thirst for war and conquest. This cabal jockeying for position in her prospective administration does not bode well for the Syrian conflict, or for relations with Russia. Let's examine some of the candidates and their boastful record of war mongering and Russophobia.  

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