"Like a nuclear disaster, the fallout from the meltdown of Syria threatens to be with us for decades, and the longer it is permitted to continue, the more severe the damage will be," Petraeus was quoted as saying be Defense News.
He underscored that international peace and security do not require the US to intervene in every conflict. However, he added that it is Washington’s commitment to participate in the settlement of the Syrian conflict.
Petraeus also warned that it is unreasonable to try to oust Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad without clear understanding of what will follow.
The retired general said that "Russia is an important power." He also claimed that Moscow’s policy in the Middle East has been provocative but gave no explanation to his allegation.
Earlier, Petraeus made a number of controversial comments on how to settle conflict in the region. For instance, he called for using militants of the so-called moderate wing of al-Qaeda to counter Assad’s regime.
