Ultimate Hope: Russia 'is the Driving Force Behind' Syria Peace Talks

Russia has remained true to its word of making every effort to resolve the deadly Syrian conflict; in fact, Moscow, as former CIA officer Philip Giraldi put it, is "the driving force" behind the nascent peace process in the Arab country.

The executive director of the Council for the National Interest also named Russia a "good partner" and a "reliable ally" when it comes to tackling global terrorism, which many countries consider to be the top challenge the world is facing.

"Russia has proven to be a good partner in Syria where it negotiated and carried out Damascus's elimination of its chemical weapons in early 2014. It is also the driving force behind current negotiations to end the conflict completely. It has consistently been a reliable ally against terrorism, in recognition of its own vulnerability to [Daesh] and other Islamic militants," Giraldi wrote for the American Conservative.

In an article titled "The Distortion of Russia," Giraldi made a strong case for promoting cooperation between the US and Russia since both countries have shared interests. He emphasized that working with Moscow is "a vital US interest." Yet the American political and military leadership does not seem to apprehend this.

"There appears to be little understanding in the media and inside the Beltway that a good relationship with Russia is indispensable, and not only because Moscow has the power to incinerate the United States if it is ever backed into a corner and motivated to do so," he observed.

Giraldi believes that Washington should not waste the opportunity to truly "reset" relations with Moscow at a time when Russia is open to dialogue.

"This year, [Putin] has stated very clearly that his country wants to work with the United States. It is an offer that should not and cannot be refused by anyone who genuinely cares for the United States of America and the American people," he noted.