Trump "changed his rhetoric completely and subjected himself to the terms of the deep American state, or the deep American regime," Assad said Part 3 - Israel and Regional Alignments The Syrian leader not only singled out the United States as an adversary but also pointed to other regional actors as playing a role in arming anti-government fighters. According to Assad, alliances with Russia and China, especially in military cooperation, have been crucial to securing his government. " The terrorists, acting on Israeli, American, Turkish, Qatari, and Saudi instructions have destroyed some of these (missile defense) systems, " the head of state said. " And it is natural for us to negotiate with the Russians now with a view to strengthening these systems, whether to face any Israeli threats from the air or the threats of American missiles. " Neighboring Israel has attacked Syrian government positions, including an Apr. 23 airstrike in