With Sabers Rattling

Amidst the horrific carnage in Syria that has gone on for far too long here comes the United States with sabers at the ready leading the charge to gather U.N. support to assert itself, yet again, as the worlds sheriff. Like Wyatt Earp for the 21st century. Questions now are beginning to surface in the aftermath of so much grotesque savagery where thousands have perished in a brutal civil war. But, before we can even ask let alone answer them we have to remind ourselves that not since the end of World War II has the United States been victorious or totally successful when we have sent troops in harms way. The Korean war ended in appeasement where no clear victor stood over the vanquished foe. Vietnam was yet another futile attempt where thousands of American lives were lost. The first Gulf War was a exercise in global response to securing a region that had fallen into the hands of another tyrannical ruler, only to ignite the flames that exploded on 9/11. What has occurred since, we have become like the gun slinger whose quick draw toppled a regime. It is no wonder that so many countries perceive America as the fastest gun in the West. We have become what we thought we never be, the War Monger in the eyes of so many.

 

And, the carnage only continues. When the Arab spring exploded on the world's stage just a couple of years ago it actually was a prelude of things to come. The constant violent overthrow of government in Egypt coinciding with the continuing savagery in Syria has once again drew ire and condemnation from most of the rest of the world. Again, questions have become to surface. Questions that are now more sinister and diabolical. With-out a doubt their is an underlying set of actions that have been carefully orchestrated to bring the results that we are witnessing today. To simple imply that what we see on TV or read in the news as credible evidence of death and destruction brought on by an entrenched leader misses the mark entirely. Every where there are real people who are caught in the cross fire of factions that remain so hidden.

 

To put the Syrian conflict in perspective we have to truly understand the history of Syria and what actually is the driving force behind one of the worlds most violent civil war. Modern Syria was established after the First World War as a French mandate. After the First World War Syria represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Arab Levant but didn't become an independent nation until 1946 after World War II. In 1946 the government of Syria was of a parliamentary republic. But, soon afterward began a series of military coups that began a reign instability that lasted over 20 years. It was in between one military coup that Syria had a brief union with Egypt from 1958 to 1961. It was too short lived and another military coup took effect where the whole country was and still is under Emergency Law. This Emergency Law effectively suspended most of the constitutional protections that were established when Syria first gained independence. Today, Syria is probably best describe as a country whose government is that of a non democratic where Bashar al-Assad has ruled since he took over from his farther in 2000. It was Assad's father who took control of the nation in the last military coup of 1970.

 

The aftermath of the Libyan overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi and the subsequent violent overthrow in Egypt set off a tempest of unrest. That unrest spilled over into Syria. As a result ignited protest after protest against an entrenched leader who has done very little to combat the hellish living conditions that have existed in Syria for far too long. When Assad retaliated against anti government protests where tensions turned violent members of the Arab states issued a mandate to stop the violence or be suspended from the Arab League entirely. Since the violence has only escalated Syria 's membership in the Arab League has been revoked sending more shock waves through-out the Mid-East.

 

For the past two years the Syrian National Coalition has been the voice of an alternative government. This government was formed to gain entry into the Arab league and has since been recognized as the sole representative of the Syrian people completely cutting off Assad's own governmental rule. Recognized by the United States, Great Britain and even France all have made the case against Assad's regime almost to convincing to turn back now.  A little over a year ago the Syrian national coalition elected a Moderate Islamist preacher, Moaz al-Khatib as the group’s leader. Its vice-presidents are a dissident industrialist Riad Seif and Suheir al-Attasi, an anti-regime activist from a prominent Syrian family. Now with a semblance of a form of government, an Islamic one, that has already prepared to topple an existing entrenched leader have found out that to do just that requires more resources than are currently available to the Syrian National Coalition.

 

As in every situation there are two sides to tell. One is the Syrian National Coalition's account of atrocities committed by Syrian governmental forces and the other side of more reports of atrocities committed by Syrian rebel forces that could very well be under the guise of Assad's own troops. In either case the continued violence has ruined all creditability of Assad's government and just maybe the Syrian National Coalitions too. The latest attempt by almost all accounts has resulted in the use of weapons that have been outlawed by the International community. Whether or not  biological or chemical weapons were used on unsuspecting inhabitants in and around Syria still has to be documented. But, what is being found out is that some sort of outlawed means of destruction was used. But, whether or not Assad authorized it's deployment or did some faction within the Syrian National Coalition purposely set out to deceive the International community by using these weapons against themselves and is trying to convince the rest of the world that Assad was responsible still remains an unanswered question. One that has to be answered before any further involvement by the West is undertaken.

 

When the United States has in the past responded like we did in the aftermath of 9/11 we have done so with sabers rattling only to end up creating more of a tinderbox waiting to catch fire. To further add fuel to this tinderbox it is a well known fact that Russia who has a military base located in Syria has remained steadfast and supportive with the Assad's government pitting the US against Russia. This quandary is just the beginning of many situations that pose a greater threat to the stability of the Mid-East. It should be pointed out that the Syrian National Coalition if the international community intervenes on behave of the Syrian National Coalition this coalition must have a concise plan of direction for the future of Syria if they are successful in the overthrow of Assad. One that leads to the stability of Syria and ease the build up of tensions in the rest of the Mid-East.

 

Whether the National coalition is successful in the overthrow of the Assad regime to a transition of a democratic government has to be predicated on the findings of their true intentions. We have to realize that with an Islamic influence that is so dominate democratic rule is of a different variation than what is the dominate rule of governesses in the West where Christianity is prominent.  But the existence of the National Coalition's refusal to usher in open dialogue with Assad has further exasperated the deteriorating conditions within Syria.

 

It is essential to note, that Bashar al-Assad publicly acknowledges that there is an opposition movement in Syria. He has said “We make a distinction between those with legitimate grievances and the saboteurs who represent a small group which has tried to exploit the goodwill of the Syrian people for its own ends." What so important to understand before any further involvement by the West are the ramifications of what would result if we interceded without sanctions from Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Israel and China. Another disturbing question is: why aren't the leaders of the Syrian National Coalition actively pursuing open dialogue with the Assad government instead of entrenching themselves deeper in civil war where more innocent lives are lost or the vast migration of Syrian people continues to flood into Turkey creating more tensions in the Mid-East?

 

It just seems more than probable that the civil war in Syria is being orchestrated purposely and the Assad government is being made to look like the evil empire like "Ming The Merciless" of those old Flash Gordon series. Questions that have answers but those answers may not be the ones that favor the intentions of many, including the United States.