‘The rhetorical war between Washington and Moscow is not going to lead the two countries into a direct conflict unless a false-flag attack pushes the two powers into a war, managing editor of Veterans Today Jim W. Dean told Press TV’s ‘Top 5′ program.

Dean believes that the war of words between the United States and Russia over the Syrian city of Aleppo and other issues of difference is not heading towards a confrontation “unless somebody does something really stupid.”

A direct war between the Americans and the Russians in Syria may happen if a third party tries to carry out “a false-flag terror attack,” for instance by conducting a nuclear strike on the Arab country or targeting a civilian airliner.’

Read more: False-flag attack may push US and Russia to war: Analyst