Russia continues to provide military support to Syrian army

Russian 'build-up' getting worse

Fox News reported that Russian troops are still being sent to Syria to participate in military operations by President Bashar Assad against the Islamic State. 

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - U.S. politicians addressed their disappointment over the Obama Administration's failure to push democracy in Damascus and force Bashar Assad to step down. 

The administration has already failed at their strategy of training a moderate Syrian rebel group into pressuring Assad to step down and open the country to democracy. According to Politico, the Pentagon has spent almost $42 million dollars to train 54 fighters but they are now either captured, dead or missing. 

The State Department warned that Russia's involvement in Syria could "risk confrontation with the anti-ISIL Soalition operating in Syria," but Moscow continued to help Assad fight ISIS. 

The Associated Press reported Israel's defense minister said Russia could launch jets and combat helicopters to help fight.

Sen. John McCain said it is Russian participation that keeps Assad in power. 

During a news conference on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Russia is aiding Assad's troops and continues to send military equipment to combat ISIS. 

According to Lavrov, the participation is within the "existing contracts" and that their country "will continue aiding the Syrian government in equipping the Syrian army with all that is necessary for it to prevent a repetition in Syria of the Libyan scenario and other sad events that have occurred in this region, because of an obsession by some of our western partners with ideas of changing unwanted regimes." 

The Pentagon has seen 7 An-124 "Condor" flights -military cargo flights from Russia- to an airbase near Latakia. Another U.S. official said they have no plans on what to do with the Russian military "build-up" in Syria.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Lindsey Graham told Fox News that America should have established a no-fly zone 3 years ago, "when it would have mattered," to help the Free Syrian Army.

The Syrian president's most powerful opponent is the Islamic State.

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