Russia’s proposal to conduct joint airstrikes against Syrian rebels who are not observing the cease-fire, including the al Nusra front, is seen as a nonstarter at the Pentagon.
“It is not something we’re interested in,” one senior official told the Washington Examiner.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made the proposal Friday during a Defense Ministry meeting broadcast on state television.
Shoigu suggested beginning joint Russian-U.S. coalition airstrikes May 25.
The strikes, he said, would be coordinated with the Syrian government and in addition to targeting Nusra front fighters, would also target weapons convoys entering Syria from Turkey.
Washington, which cut off military-to-military relations with Moscow after its annexation of Crimea two years ago, has in the past expressed no interest in any alliance with Russia, which it sees as propping up the government of Bashar Assad, who the U.S. says must go.
“Russian operations are supporting and enabling the Assad regime, and our focus is solely on degrading and defeating ISIL,” said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis. “We do not collaborate or coordinate with Russians on any operations in Syria.”
While Davis stopped short of ruling out cooperation in the future, the Pentagon has been sharply critical of the Russian air campaign in Syria which it has variously characterized as “indiscriminate,” “reckless,” “irresponsible,” and “old-fashioned,” showing no regard for the loss of innocent civilian life.
Russian Minister Shoigu argued that joint airstrikes would help convince “terrorist groups and illegal armed groups” to join the stalled peace process.
He said if the U.S. spurned the offer Russia reserved the right to conduct unilateral strikes.
