WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Leandra Bernstein — The conflicting objectives between the United States and Russia in the Syrian conflict could lead to a US-Russia proxy war, former US National Security Adviser General James Jones told Sputnik on Thursday.
"It is something that certainly has the characteristics of becoming one if we are not careful," Jones said of the possibility of a US-Russian political disagreement in Syria turning into a proxy war.
He added that such a development "would be a big mistake, because it is a proximity war in very close proximity."
This week, US media have reported on clashes between Syrian rebels trained under the secretive Central Intelligence Agency program and the Syrian military.
Jones warned that the conflicting US and Russian interests in Syria has led to "a stalemate" in the Syrian conflict, which could benefit the ISIL terrorists.
The Syrian battlespace is becoming increasingly dense with US and anti-ISIL coalition allies flying air missions, and covert CIA and Pentagon-trained Syrian fighters on the ground.
In September, Russia began precision airstrikes in Syria at the request of the Syrian President Bashar Assad.
