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Understanding Syrian Crematorium News And How It May Relate To Russia

Kremlin.ru (CC BY 4.0)

From Texas Standard:

Officials with the State Department say the Syrian government has constructed, and is using a crematorium at a military prison. Just a few hours later, the Washington Post broke the news that President Donald Trump revealed classified information when he met with Russian officials last week in the Oval Office.

 

For some perspective on these developments, the Texas Standard turns to University of TexasLBJSchool of Public Affairs Professor AlanKuperman.Kuperman says news that Syria's Assad regime is burning prisoner bodies after torturing and executing them is shocking.

"It is reminiscent of the Nazis in WWII," Kuperman says. "We have to see if it is confirmed. I don't think it's going to change very much what we think of the regime and what we do about the regime."

Kuperman is hesitant to make a connection between the release of information about the Syrian crematorium and allegations that Trump revealed classified information to Russian officials last week.

"There obviously is sensitivity within the Trump administration about accusations that it's in bed with Russia, that it colluded with Russia," Kuperman says. "We have investigations at the FBI and both the House and Senate and so I think there has been an attempt to claim that there's distance between the Trump administration and Russia. Whether this disclosure about a crematorium in Syria is part of that PR effort, I simply don't know."

Copyright 2020 KUT 90.5. To see more, visit KUT 90.5.

Rhonda is the newest member of the KUT News team, joining in late 2013 as producer for KUT's new daily news program, The Texas Standard. Rhonda will forever be known as the answer to the trivia question, “Who was the first full-time hire for The Texas Standard?” She’s an Iowa native who got her start in public radio at WFSU in Tallahassee, while getting her Master's Degree in Library Science at Florida State University. Prior to joining KUT and The Texas Standard, Rhonda was a producer for Wisconsin Public Radio.