Jamal Wakim, a professor at the Lebanese International University, was a guest at a Press TV interview on Washington’s recent decision to ramp up airstrikes against purported positions of Daesh in Syria.
Following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: One of the highlights as stated by the Syrian Foreign Ministry is the destructive effect of the US attacks in Syria, stating that Syria’s economy and infrastructure is suffering for the worst as a result of these attacks. Tell us more please.
Wakim: So far the US raids that came after the direct Russian involvement in Syria have only targeted civilian, infrastructure plants, electricity plants and other infrastructure, and they have not targeted any terrorist groups; and, of course, there were reports and declarations by the United States criticizing Russia for targeting such groups.
So I believe that the US raids come at a time just to prove that they have influence and that the Russians and Syrians need to talk to Americans in order to sort out any matter related to Syria. This is how I understand the US raids in Syria now.
Press TV: The Syrian Foreign Ministry has handed over a formal letter to the United Nations secretary general and to the Security Council. The ministry has also stated that the US raids are illegal because they do not have consent from Damascus. What will the United Nations do in this regard?
Wakim: Too bad the United Nations has been under the influence of the United States for the past three decades, and I do not expect any action by the United Nations, especially that the United States has the right to veto any decision by the UN. So the Syrian move is a mere moral move just to corner the United States under diplomatic level, but I do not believe that it would go beyond that.