Top U.S. officials are acknowledging that the violent anti-government revolt in Syria may not represent a majority of the Syrian people and that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad may survive the rebellion.
The admission is significant because U.S. officials have for months referred to the unrest as a popular uprising and publicly called for the end of Assad’s rule, which they claimed was imminent anyhow. President Obama said on Tuesday, “ultimately, this dictator will fall.”
The Obama administration has made it a matter of policy to aid the Syrian opposition in their quest to overthrow Assad. But that policy will be much more difficult to justify if even U.S. policymakers admit that the opposition fighters represent a small minority of Syrians in a violent civil war.
Despite army defections to the so-called Free Syrian Army and some other bureaucratic defections from Assad’s rule, U.S. officials have anonymously admitted, Assad’s rule remains largely intact. Plus, with continuing military and economic aid from allies like Russia and Iran, the regime appears firmly entrenched, contrary to statements from the Obama administration in recent weeks.
The Obama administration thus far has been reluctant to commit to an actual military campaign against the Assad government, but recent changes in policy began to make it seem like such a campaign was fast approaching. Pushing for regime change in Syria – that is, gaining another strategic foothold in the region and knocking out one of Iran’s main allies – is much harder for them to justify if it can’t be branded as being aligned with the popular will or as some humanitarian mission.
"ultimately this dictator will fall"… Careful there bucko. Those words apply to YOU as well.
You were wrong from the beginning and you still wrong Hillary Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama, your calculation about Syria was a failure from day one because it was calculated upon your falsified democracy, therefore it was wrong, your calculated war mongering and supporting Israel is wrong, you were able to fool the UN once to get what you wanted in Libya pleasing the masters of deception in Middle East, Saudis and UAE, but about Syria and Syrian people you were and are wrong, so is the matter of the Iranian, your still wrong.
You want democracy in Middle East, then you need to stop supporting apartheid regimes, dictatorial, kingdom feudalist and look at other direction where democracy is shining, you been looking at a dark side of the matter for last 60 years therefore you are at wars all the time wanting bomb countries after another. Senator McCain, Lieberman and the rest reasons for pushing the Syrian bombing campaign is because they can see that all the effort by the west falsified democracy is a lost cause so they need to act as an destrier in justifying their case.
I wonder why the article is presenti ng the US government as rational, when by accepted standards – it isn't.
Why are you inferring that the US hasm't already sent in CIA, Spec-OPs. Tons of weapons, money communications equipment and helped to send in insurgents from elsewhere – as they did in Libya.
The US's hands aren't clean – Lebanon has intercepted 2 huge containers of war-bling from the US.
This article is dishonest and misleading IMO
I'd like the citations about the bling. I wouldn't doubt it but would like to see it none the less.
Would that be the reason why the US bestest friend and only ally(tm) in the Middle East went into Lebanon last week, tanks/fighter jets/mercenaries ablazing and all?
Sorry Mister, killer by drone, your armed thugs in Syria, including your AlCIAda friend Alzawahiri couldn't pull it off in Syria what they did in Libya.
Instead of war mongering and interfering in the affairs of other nations and murdering their people for oil, war profits, and geopolitical advantages, if the government exerted all those efforts and wealth towards creating jobs, providing health insurance and wellbeing of its people, this country would be a much better place to live in and a whole lot more respected.
BBC is a notoriously discredited propaganda outfit serving British interests and individuals such as lapdog Blair.
Whuuuuut? You mean to tell me that they struck a pact with this rat and they're not going to bestow the Quaddafi fate on him if he agrees to bail out and do as they tell him? I'm shocked, shocked I say.
how revolting
Russia and China drew a line in the sand that the Evil Empire (aka US/NATO/Israel) could go no farther.
And the Empire and its filthy Emperor Obomba have stumbled badly.
Now it is time to press the idea that Israel is a mighty force behind all this and that its Amen Corner in the US is a traitor to the US and an enemy of humanity. The same for the humanitarian imperialist NGOs and the domestic pwogwessive organizations that stand behind them.
Let the trials for treason and crimes against humanity begin.
Roll out the tumbrils.
jw