US State Secretary’s Assistant Requested Russia to "Get Out of the Middle East"

Russia plays a "destructive role" in the Middle East, so it should be "removed" from the region. Such an opinion expressed State Secretary’s Assistant David Schenker during a videoconference at the Institute of the Middle East in Washington. “For 45 years, this has been the cornerstone of American politics - keeping Russians away from the Middle East. Now they are there, playing a destructive role. And we, frankly, think that they should get out of there,” said the state secretary’s assistant. Speaking of great powers rivalry in the Middle East, implying such countries as the USA, Russia and China, Schenker said that Washington does not force these countries to make any choice. According to him, the United States wants these states to know about the possible consequences that may arise as a result of the choice they make. Among other things, the US State Secretary’s Assistant mentioned the incumbent US President Donald Trump statement that the administration of previous President Barack Obama “welcomed the arrival of Russians in Syria” to help President Bashar al-Assad. According to him, previous American authorities believed that this would "drag the Russians into a quagmire." Schenker is convinced that Russia has changed the course of the war in Syria, however, the Assad regime is still operating in the country. “Honestly, I think it was a failure (of the Obama administration),” said the state secretary’s assistant. According to him, success in Syria has pushed Russia to actions in Libya, where now it "does not play a productive or stabilizing role."