Syrian army gains in Aleppo game changer in peace talks: Pundit

Press TV has conducted an interview with Mike Harris, the editor of Veterans Today from Oregon, to discuss the Syrian army's recent victories near the northern city of Aleppo and the effects of these gains on peace talks between Damascus and the opposition.   

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: It seems that the Syrian army is getting closer towards securing its border with Turkey. One of the major concerns was the free flow of militants as well as their supply lines between Syria and Turkey. What do you make of that?

Harris: First of all, let’s congratulate the Syrian army. They are a very very effective and highly organized fighting force. They are doing very very good work out in the field. What I make of it is that Syria has been under assault for the last four, five years by foreign agencies, by foreign intelligence agencies in particular. They have been pouring resources into Syria. They have been stealing everything that is not nailed down in Syria and using these stolen materials to fund their war effort.

Syria has been under heels and one of the best things that they did was calling in their allies, both Russia and the Iranians to support them as well as Hezbollah, and collectively they are doing very very good work in cleaning out the infestation of these Takfiri terrorists that have been occupying and asset stripping the country of Syria.

Press TV: If the Syrian army is able to secure Aleppo, how much of a game changer is it going to be both on this momentum against the foreign-backed militants and also when it comes to the peace talks which have been postponed right now?

Harris: It is going to be a tremendous advantage for the Syrian army and for the government of Syria. I have to congratulate President Bashar al-Assad. He has played this masterfully. If they secure Aleppo, suddenly the terrorists are cut off from their supply lines ... They are going to clean house and wipe these terrorists out. It is very very welcomed and has been long overdue. I am glad to see that the Syrian army has made such wonderful progress.

Press TV: How it is going to affect the diplomatic side?

Harris: This is a game changer on the diplomatic side. The West and those who support the Syrian opposition are going to have to leave with their tails tucked between their legs. This has been a sound defeat for US foreign policy. This has been a sound defeat for the Western intelligence agencies, namely Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel and elements within the US. They have taken a shellacking here. This is a weapon for them. It is very welcomed. Maybe now the US can get back to its stated foreign policy of actually fighting terrorists and let’s do that collectively with the Russians on a global basis.

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