Recall that last month, shortly before George Floyd protests plunged a number of American cities into unrest and chaos which witnessed often violent confrontations between demonstrators and police, a top US envoy for Syria policy boasted "my job is to make Syria a quagmire for the Russians."
But in the wake of the raging protests, which last week created a bit of a crisis for the White House as it mulled "action" against the worsening security situation on the Capitol, Russia has gone on the offensive, demanding that US forces get out of Syria in order to handle America's own mess at home.
Instead of “protecting” oil fields in Eastern Syria, should the US Army be protecting the streets of America?
Specifically this was in response to a statement days ago from Assistant Secretary of State David Schenker, who called on Russia to ‘go out of the Middle East’.
“For 45 years, this has been the cornerstone of American politics – to keep Russia away from the Middle East,” he further claimed.
The Russian Embassy in the US immediately reminded Washington that the "Russian military is stationed in Syria at the invitation of its government.”
The embassy added according to TASS: “The real question here: what are the grounds for the USA to occupy several swaths of this sovereign country? As far as we know none of them are legal. Neither the legitimate authorities nor the UN Security Council sanctioned American troops deployment.”
Additionally, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the remarks "crazy" and "stupid" - and added:
"The US should leave Syria and deal with its internal crisis."
Both China, Russia, as well as other American rivals and officially dubbed "rogue regimes" by Washington have called out the US for its rank hypocrisy, lecturing others as it faces chaos at home, which has involved not only the police killing of George Floyd, but at least 15 deaths amid the 'protest' and riot mayhem which followed.
Just over two weeks ago The Washington Post revealed that "the Trump administration has discussed whether to conduct the first US nuclear test explosion since 1992."
It was said to have been under serious discussion during a May 15 “deputies meeting” of senior national security officials at the White House - and though doesn't appear to currently be something seriously pursued - the possibility remains “very much an ongoing conversation,” according to a senior admin official.
While all eyes were initially on Russia's reaction, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has belatedly issued a response, warning Washington in a press briefing on Monday that it must abide by its international obligations and abandon any possible plans to carry out nuclear tests.
"We insist that the United States should strictly abide by its obligations to end nuclear testing… and we hope that it will listen to the international community," ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. "The US should abandon plans that could undermine global stability and strategic order," she added.
Emphasizing Beijing has repeatedly urged the US to honor its commitments, the top diplomat continued: "The US needs to contribute to international cooperation to ensure disarmament and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."
However, the administration is sure to shrug off these words and hit back, given it's lately repeatedly accused China and Russia of 'illegally' conducting low-yield nuclear tests, which both countries have denied.
In Beijing's case it's believed China's military is able to conceal such provocative tests at an elaborate underground testing facility.
There hasn't been an American nuclear test (that's officially known about at least) since 1992, upon the end of the Cold War and collapse of the USSR in the year prior. But there are signs we could all soon witness a new provocative test given landmark weapons treaties with Moscow are fast being shed, also as Trump might entertain using nuke tests as powerful "leverage" for desired negotiations "for a better deal" - as he's said in the past.
All of this leaves the potential for a new global arms race centered on nukes, given at this point Beijing, Moscow, and Washington are already trading warnings to step back from the brink of nuclear testing.
Meanwhile Beijing has shown itself resistant to Trump's floating the idea of a new nuclear weapons pact involving China. He dumped the INF in part because it failed to take into a account developing Chinese missile technology and capabilities, according to admin officials.
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