In an interview with BBC, United Nations special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi said that the 40 years of uninterrupted rule by President Bashar Assad’s family was “a little bit too long,” the first time he has taken a public position on the matter.
The comments may be relatively tame on the surface, but Brahimi and his predecessor Kofi Annan had both sought to avoid taking specific positions on what post-civil war Syria might look like in an attempt to focus on getting peace talks going.
Brahimi went on to criticize Assad for recent talk of reforms, saying that the time for such offers has passed and that the Syrian public wants a specific say in their own future instead of just getting whatever the regime chooses to offer.
Rebels were quick to embrace Brahimi’s comments, but while they style themselves as a reflection of the will of the Syrian public, their own ambitions to impose rule on the nation are unlikely to be any more welcomed.
In the end, Brahimi’s comments could make his position all the more difficult, while neither side is liable to be able to agree to his negotiations any more than they were before.
Is this servant, Lakhdar Brahimi, determining who is in power for so long or he is paid to maintain peace by going after the terrorists that US , Saudis, and Turkey are trainting militarily and funded with Saudis' money?
Shame on Brahimi, a puppet and a petty man.
The so-called "Arab League Envoy" tool Brahimi publicly states the so-called "Arab League's" 'position'–which we've already known for 2 years or so now??? Wow…this is real "news"…
So, Brahimi is all of a sudden a political pundit 'expert' of Syrian politics now???
Obviously Brahimi isn't being responsible and isn't interested in a "peaceful solution"–as he is just following orders from his masters to push forward an agenda in a bigger game… What a complete stooge and charlatan he is… I can't believe he can sleep at night knowing all the Syrians he's partially responsible for killing by acting this way for personal gain… He's going to die soon anyway…even so, he's still all about "Brahimi"–even to the very end… Disgusting but typical…
Brahimi’s "thoughts" about what the "Syrian people" may, or may not, want mean as much as your so-called 'thoughts' about the matter Ditz–which is ZERO…as neither one of you are "Syrian"…
Duh…
Tell me: who does Brahimi 'think' the next President of the US should be? I'm all ears…
He is toeing bankeemoon line who toes america line who toes the gulf states who desires to destroy Syria as they did to Libya.
Now that all western bought rats involved has come out in the light, it´s time for serious business.
As in Russian Iskanders & Sunburns protecting the Syrian sky and the biggest Russian naval armada in this part of the Mediterranean since way back Sovjet times, it couldn´t be a clearer message (wish you where there Ditz!). Predictably, NATO and it´s neo-ottoman poodle Turkey backs off and the mercenary and NATO death squad weapon supply has dried on all fronts and Syrian national army are mopping up their sorry a*ses as we speak. Leaving a small face saving but yet for the western aggressors, stunning defeat in joint consultations with Russia in Geneva on Friday.
We have seen a bunch of colour coded NED-"revolutions" since Belgrade backfire but this is the first in many to come, NATO "regime change" "humanitarian" blood bath´s down the drain…
Let the Syrian people decide that in their next election. Assad had initiated a constitutional reform process before the conflict broke out. The US-NATO could have waited until then. Instead, they initiated the violence and when the February, 2012 referendum was overwhelmingly in support of the government they discredited the result. If another election were held tomorrow and Syrians only voted the result would be the same because it is the only thing that has saved them from utter disaster.
Same as in Libya – Gaddafis son was ready for anything – including UN supervised elections. But USA does not want democracy, but brutal Islamic Sharia dictatorships brought to power by their mercenaries and their brutal bombings. Alone bombing the main water pipeline for 78 % of Libyans *and* the related pipeline factory – in order to avoid quick repair is a war crime against civilians that requires to put Obama and its "backoffice" of wallstreet &Co. to the electrical chair.
You are so right. Hopefully, one day soon, a comprehensive history of the life and achievements of Qadaafi, and of Libya under Qadaafi will be written.
The second and third sentences said: "Assad had initiated a constitutional reform process before the conflict broke out. The US-NATO could have waited until then".
I meant to say: "Assad had initiated a constitutional reform process before the conflict broke out that was scheduled to be completed in 2014. The US-NATO could have waited. In no case did they have the right to intervene militarily or fund, supply and coordinate an intervention since Syria was not threatening war with anyone. Instead, the UN could have demanded that the planned elections in 2014 be internationally monitored to insure fairness."
As for any requirement from the outside, whether by a foreign power or a UN negotiator, that Assad step down because his family was in power too long, that would be anti-democratic and contrary to the UN Charter, since only the Syrian people would have the right to demand it, and they would be able to exercise that right by voting him out of power if they wished.
To the best of my recollection, the al-Saud family have been running Saudi Arabia for well on 80+ years. Does Brahimi think they should also be done away with?
How long rule families in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain?
The source of the Syrian problem, as mentioned, is Saudis.., they been placed by the English for over 150 years, the source of the Syrian problem is Turkish government, a sunny religious government with very good relation to Saudis that been in power for sometimes now and have killed or imprisoned many of their opponent.., the source of the Syrian problem is the Kingdom family in Europe from Sweden to England supporting the Saudis tyrannical an stone age regime for over hundred years, so what is wrong for Assad Family being in power for last 40 years… why this man is not looking for what Assad has done for Syria and Syrian people for Syria.., or he is not after those who started it all wanting to destroy the country .., why this man is not after those terrorists whom are supported by mentioned regimes both in Europe and US. But then again.. this is the modernized version of UN doing a "political" job as UN been told to do.., in regard to Libya and Kosovo and other political and strategical importance for US and EU UN did the same thing by forgetting its responsibility being the world source of unbiased organization.
It is time for him to go. Let Syrian people decide, who is he to tell them what to do. Many monarchs of Europe are by far longer in power then Assad's family. Anybody cares about that?
Assad started constituional reform proces even before the conflict started. But this is all ignored, and all brushed aside. Like the millions that voted in February 2012 refrendum.
It is clear that the uprising has NO support among people. And most of the fighers are from the outside of the country. Who are all these meddlers that want to shove the brutal thugs on Syria, to represent the civlizied and urbane Syrian people?
o
The UN envoy knows not what he speaks off. Clearly, any tyrant that kow tows the US imperialist line should be limited to terms in power. However, one who spreads the anti-imperialist rhetoric even while engaging in the same horrors as the ones who quitely acquiessence should not be limited to terms and ought to be adored for his do as I say not as I do policies. Long live Assad, Qaddaffi and Fidel Castro!
Why this article? We need no 1001th proof that the UN is and imperialist tool of thr USA.
To keep such a man in this position show that UN fueling this hidden US WAR with proxy guerrilla mercenaries.
That this was has be planned long ago by US governments has been never reported by Mr. Ditz or others here.
And why this "antiwar" website had never reported that a poll of the Arab League showed an 55 percent support of Assad by the Syrian people?
Why only such undemocratic statements of US tools supporting the slauthering of Syrian people by US sent killers are promoted by – in my opinion – clearly hypocrite "antiwar" writers?
There are many statements that it is expected taht Assad has now support of about 75 percent of Syrians – since nobody wants these criminal mercanaries of the US/AL and foreign Isalmic extremists to rule Syria:
They killed tenthousands and destroyed the whole country. How could they accept them as US puppet government and get exploited by wallstreet and European corporations?