The White House raised its war of words Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying Moscow’s military support for the regime of President Bashar Assad in Syria is dangerous and wrong.
“Russia’s decision to double down on Assad is a losing bet,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “Further support [for the regime] is destabilizing and counterproductive.”
Mr. Putin said Tuesday his government would continue to send military aid to the Assad regime, amid heightened concerns over Moscow’s military buildup in Syria.
“We support the government of Syria in its effort to counter terrorist aggression,” Mr. Putin said at a security summit in Dushanbe, the capital of the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan. “We provide and will continue to provide military assistance. We call on other countries to join with us.”
He said the Syrian government is the best option for defeating the Islamic State, which controls portions of Syria and Iraq.
Over the weekend, U.S. officials said the Russian military had deployed half a dozen tanks at an airfield outside the Syrian port city of Latakia, a move Washington believes may be a prelude to Moscow taking a direct combat role in propping up the embattled Assad regime.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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