The ongoing Vienna talks on Syria have made headlines this week for being the first to include the Iranian government. Still absent, however, is anyone from inside Syria, as neither the Assad government nor the rebels appear to have sent representatives or even been invited.
The Syrian National Coalition issued a statement saying they believe the talks show a “lack of seriousness” for not inviting anyone from their coalition, which styles itself as the official “government-in-exile” of Syria. They also objected to Iran’s involvement.
Free Syrian Army (FSA) officials further affirmed that there was no invite made to any armed rebel force, and the Assad government, while not making any statements as such, appears to have simply been resigned to not being invited, what with these talks occurring so often and seemingly never including them.
Such meetings have been happening on and off for years throughout the war, but the recent incarnations have mostly centered on the US and Russia debating what they intend to impose on post-war Syria, with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and most recently Iran being allowed to provide some input, but the Syrians themselves treated as all but irrelevant to the process.
The "US and Russia debating what they intend to impose on post-war Syria". Suddenly it's "a plague on both your houses"! Usually, it's the dastardly US (aided and abetted, of course, by the even more dastardly EU!) trying to impose its will on poor, innocent people and Sir Vlkad, the White Night of the White Sea fighting to protect them from such a horrible fate! Refreshing change, but will it last?
Agreed. Apparently our "leaders" in Washington have ceased even pretending that they know or care about the wishes of the Syrian people. It is simply "geopolitics as usual" for our Government, whether Democratic or Republican, Administration or Congress. And worse, it is "geopolitics" which are obviously stupid and counterproductive. And so it goes, here in the Land of the Submissive and the Home of the Paranoid.