Kerry warns Russia

The AP headline reads “US warns Russia against more aid to Assad amid new violence.” Turning to the story to check out the “warning,” we find this:

[T]he State Department said Kerry made clear to Lavrov that such actions “could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation” with the anti-Islamic State coalition operating led by the U.S. that is carrying out strikes in Syria.

Is that all there is? Are you kidding?

The AP story is apparently based on the State Department readout of Secretary Kerry’s phone call with Minister Lavrov. Here it is in its entirety:

The Secretary called Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov this morning to discuss Syria, including U.S. concerns about reports suggesting an imminent enhanced Russian military build-up there. The Secretary made clear that if such reports were accurate, these actions could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation with the anti-ISIL Coalition operating in Syria.

The two agreed that discussions on the Syrian conflict would continue in New York later this month.

So that is indeed all there was. President Putin and his colleagues will remain serene in the confidence that they may contribute to events as they see fit without calculating the possibility of adverse consequences from the United States.

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