Policymakers in the United States have never been intent on degrading and destroying terrorist groups fighting in Syria, international relations analyst Salman Rafi Sheikh wrote for New Eastern Outlook, adding that Washington's primary goal has remained to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power and Russia is aware of this.
Salman Rafi Sheikh turned to recent developments to support his assertions. He pointed to the Pentagon's attack on the Syrian Arab Army's base in the city of Deir ez-Zor that put an end to the fragile ceasefire sponsored by Russia and the US as evidence that Washington wants to escalate violence in the war-torn country, particularly Aleppo.