State Department spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday refused to answer questions from a Russian reporter who asked several times whether the U.S. policy of regime change in the Middle East was responsible for the creation of the Islamic State.
Andrei Sitov from the TASS Russia News Agency pushed Kirby at the State Department briefing after Kirby said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is responsible for the terrorist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
“The assertion you are making that he’s the reason for ISIL is also disputed,” Sitov argued. “Many people in my part of the world believes that the reason for ISIL’s existence is the policy of regime change that is pursued by the U.S. and the American allies.”
“What is your response to that?” he asked.
“I’m not going to dignify that with an answer,” Kirby replied.
Minutes later, Sitov pressed again, and asked whether any of the countries in which the U.S. has supported regime change are better off now.
“Is Iraq better off without Saddam Hussein and with a democracy?” Kirby replied. “Yes, they are, and I think if you talked to many Iraqis they would share the same opinion.”
“I’m not going to dignify your claim though…” Kirby added before being interrupted by Sitov again.
“Is Libya better off?” he asked.
“I am not going to dignify the line of your questioning, or the false claims that you’re making,” Kirby said, ending the debate. “I’m not going to answer any more questions on this from you.”
Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have been growing again, as Russia has been flying over Iraq and Syria to get supplies to the Assad regime.
Kirby confirmed that Secretary of State John Kerry called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday, and said Syria was discussed. But Kirby declined to offer any readout of the call.
Since Russia’s takeover of Crimea, the U.S. and Russia have stopped all bilateral military discussions. On Tuesday, Defense Department spokesman Peter Cook said the Pentagon has the ability to reach out to Russia’s military when it wants, but said Kerry is leading the diplomatic effort at this point.
