Friday, May 10, 2013
Syria - Is Russia Making Fools of the West Once More?
Tim Marshall, the Sky News chief correspondent on the ground in Syria, gave a rather stark live report today from the line separating rebels and al-Assad troops in central Syria. The topic - peace in Syria. His opinion - we don't know where the Syrian peace conference will be held, who will be there or what the agenda will be. His read in the situation is that we have heard positive commentary from the US, the UK and Europe about Russia's agreenent to participate in the conference, but until Russian president Vladimir Putin actually faces a TV camera and says that Bashar al-Assad has no role to play in Syria's future, there can be no breakthrough. Marshall said that when that happens, peace will be possible...and not before. Meanwhile, earlier today we learned that a Russian shipment of missiles to al-Assad is being completed "under a signed contract." ~~~~~ Dear readers, Oscar Wilde once said that "marriage is the triumph of hope over experience." Wilde was not a political expert, but that remark is spot on point in Syria. The West, naive even after almost a century of failed attempts at trying to negotiate with Russia in good faith, nevertheless continues. Russia is not the key to peace in Syria - Russia is the key to endless stalemate and civil war. The West and US President Obama have to understand this truth in real politik terms. Only when the Syria Free Army is armed and supported by the US and Europe in a way that makes it possible for the rebels to defeat al-Assad on the ground will Russia change its position. Until then, the civil war will achieve only a pushing back and forth of front lines, with more and more of the Syrian people becoming refugees in their own country. Is this really the best that Mr.Obama and the West can do?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The blood in Syria is on everyone's hands ... some more than others certainly. But there is not one single entity that can point a finger and say they really tried more than any one else.
ReplyDeleteNO ONE has tried. Everyone has an agenda ... except NO ONES agenda is the Syrian people who will be many years reconstructing their lives.
To me kit seems that the errors in Syria are the same as with every situation that Progressive Socialists and common old democratic make time after time. They construct these nice little boxes to put everyone into. And when all the differing groups are in their appointed boxes ... THESE DO GOODERS DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM OR THEIR BOXES.
ReplyDeleteA portion of the Syrian people took a giant step out of their boxes into the sunlight expecting their to be help there for them. But to their surprise there was no body to help. And they had NO other recourse than to proceed with their quest for freedom and self reliance.
The West and all other countries that talk a good story about protecting the weak and less fortunate, freedom, liberty, self choice, and doing the right thing ... have dropped the ball badly in Syria.
Obama and his Administration has a large "black eye" over his lack of action and support. They have failed to help Syrians and they have trashed our relationship with Israel. And this black eye will haunt many Washington administrations for years to come in the Middle East.
The WEST has yet to learn a lesson about Russia ... They are not to be trusted in any shape or form. They negotiate and bargain from a position of concern and considerate world citizens. While all the while it is lies and smoke screens and the West seems to be taken in every time... except for President Reagan who conducted foreign policy with them by play with the same ground rules.
ReplyDeleteObama needs to take a crash course in Foreign Affairs and negotiation. Neither of which he understands or has any skills at.
Anyone who thinks Russia has any concern about Syria or the Syrian people the line forms to the LEFT.