MOSCOW, December 7. /TASS/. US President Barack Obama’s address to the nation after the recent act of terror in California can be regarded as the result of the correction of mistakes, but not of the main mistake — confidence of the US monopoly on the truth, head of the international affairs committee at the Russian Federation Council upper house of parliament Konstantin Kosachev wrote on his Facebook page on Monday, commenting on Sunday’s statement by the American leader.
The Federation Council official said that a number of theses in the US president’s speech could be regarded as the result of "the correction of mistakes." First, "the Islamic radicals, not the Syrian leaders" were named as the main targets of the antiterrorism fight. Second, Obama said "cooperation was possible with the armed forces of Syria and Iraq." Third, Syria’s political settlement was named as a prerequisite for the victory over terrorism," although the US president still meant the change of Bashar Assad’s regime. Finally, he "articulated the need for uniting the efforts, also mentioning Russia in this context."
However, the United States reserves the main role in the Syrian settlement process, the parliamentarian says, as Obama said that "with American leadership, the international community has begun to establish a process and timeline to pursue ceasefires and a political resolution to the Syrian war."
"There are very strong doubts about that. There is no "correction of the main mistake" — the US confidence in its monopoly on the truth. There is no recognition of the previous mistakes — in Syria, and before that in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and in Ukraine. And, therefore, there will be more mistakes and that all, including Russia, will have to correct them one again," Kosachev said.
On Sunday evening, US President Barack Obama addressed the nation in connection with a recent act of terror at a social services facility in San Bernardino, California on December 2, as a result of which 14 people were killed and 21 — wounded. The American leader said that the United States would combat terrorism and succeed in the fight against the Islamic State terrorist group "by drawing upon every aspect of American power." He also said that the international community’s efforts to pursue a political settlement to the Syrian conflict "will allow the Syrian people and every country, including our allies, but also countries like Russia, to focus on the common goal of destroying" Islamic State — "a group that threatens us all".