This article by Alistair Crooke provides an interesting summary of US-Russia relationship and the drive by many in the US foreign policy establishment to increase tensions with Russia.

In Syria, the US

• wants its Islamist allies, led by al Qaeda, to control Aleppo
• This would take a major population center out of government control and provide leverage to oust Assad
• al Qaeda would be turned loose on the citizens of Aleppo
• This failed due to Russian military actions, but the US still wanted al Qaeda protected as they are the strongest anti-Assad force in the area
• the September deal with Russia seems to have the US agreeing to allow al Qaeda to be separated from the “less radical” jihadies and targeted

Is the US Establishment drive to demonize Russia about the US election?

“Which brings us to the complex question of the current demonization of Russia by the Cold War Bloc (which includes Hillary Clinton) in the U.S. presidential election campaign.

Gregory R. Copley, editor of Defense & Foreign Affairs has described the situation as one in which the U.S. Establishment is deliberately and intentionally “sacrificing key bilateral relationships in order to win [a] domestic election,” adding “in my 50 odd years covering the US government, I have never seen this level of partisanship within the administration where a sitting president actually regards the opposition party as the enemy of the state.”

In short, the stakes being played here – in demonizing Russia and Putin – go well beyond Syria or Ukraine. They lie at the heart of the struggle for the future of the U.S.”

A connection between Syria and Ukraine?

“And Kiev too is deploying along the entire borders of Donetsk and Lugansk. (A description of the military escalation by Kiev can be seen visually presented here).

Is Poroshenko’s U-turn the American “revenge” for Russia’s “win” in Syria – to heat up Ukraine, in order to drown President Putin in the Ukraine marshes? We do not know.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has boasted: “I think I tend to be in more direct conversation, for longer periods of time with the President [Poroshenko], than with my wife. (Laughter.) I think they both regret that (Laughter).”

Is it possible that Biden was not consulted before Poroshenko made his annual address to the Rada? We do not know, although within 48 hours of Poroshenko’s making his Rada address, Defense Secretary Ash Carter was in London, recommitting to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as he signed a “bilateral partner concept” with the Ukrainian defense minister.”

Of course, it must always be kept in mind that none of this is in the interest of the American people who finance it all.