Obama 'Not Confident' Russia Can Help End Syrian War

[uhnope]

Source: VOA

President Barack Obama on Thursday cast extreme doubt on whether the United States could trust Russia as a partner to end the Syrian civil war.

“I’m not confident that we can trust the Russians and Vladimir Putin, which is why we have to test whether or not we can get an actual cessation of hostilities,” Obama told reporters at the Pentagon after meeting with members of his National Security Council to discuss the fight against Islamic State.

The president said Russia might not be able to help end the violence, “either because they don’t want to, or because they don’t have sufficient influence over [Syrian President Bashar al-] Assad."

“That’s what we’re going to test,” Obama said, “We go into this without any blinders on.”

Read more: http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-lacks-confidence-russia-help-ends-syrian-civil-war/3451036.html