Several years into the Syrian Civil War, in which the Syrian military has been fighting almost non-stop against ISIS, the French Foreign Ministry today announced that the Syrian military “could be used” to fight ISIS, but only if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is first removed from office.
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius insisting that the eventual defeat of ISIS would require ground troops, and sought to reassure people that the French military wouldn’t be sending its own ground troops, suggesting that the Syrian military could substitute for that.
Still, France and the rest of the US-led coalition are demanding the unconditional ouster of Assad, and suggesting that his military is the key to victory by itself would be tantamount to admitting that he’s going to remain in a post-war scenario.
But adding a conditional as it was done seems downright silly, as the Syrian military is already fighting ISIS, already has foreign air support from Russia, and doesn’t seem to be in line to gain all that much from a French imprimatur.
France helped ,make Libya the place it is today.
The French are merely posturing for the narrative. Regime change is still the objective, and everything is shadow boxing to bamboozle the masses.
Suddenly, France is the bad boy! And that after we were all told that Hollande was going to force Putin's inclusion in the coalition. Of course, I don't see what advantage Putin would obtain by being included in the coalition, other than being able to strut and posture in front of Russian TV cameras. Typical of a European populist. All is superficial. He's pursuing a useless goal in defence of a useless naval base!
Those Russian naval bases really bother you. Did you suffer some kind of psychological setback in a Russian naval base?
Whilst being physically abused by Vlad himself. Of course he liked it.
And most likely after having been caught spying on Russian ship movements.
France is not "suddenly" a bad boy/girl. It has always been. An imperial power that lost its standing after WWI, in spite of being in the winners column. It never gave it up. The atrocities in Ivory Coast and the resulting regime change, the demonizing of the president and his wife just for a sport of it, until they got their chance to invade. And not so subtle politics in Rwanda, Congo region, with only US being more brutal to get what it wants, and as a result, put little France back where it belonged. Now, sugar plums are dancing in the same heads. To be again the master of Levant! Not much has changed, and never will until the little appendix to Eurasian land mass called Europe is made understand its real position in the world. Once had the power. Now are running on illusion of power, and in search of a NARRATIVE.
Europe real position in the world as the EU under Nazi or NATO rule could quickly turn into a power hungry monster some thing like Hitler wanted to run a few yrs ago
Precisely so. But the narrative in Syria is going from strange to the bizarre. Now they have all agreed to the slogan — ISIS cannot be beaten until Assad goes. Or, Syrian Army can win, but without Assad. Comical. Now, from US to France and UK — all of them agree with ISIS, and are justifying ISIS in further slaughter of Syrians because ASSAD MUST GO. And why is it that he has to go? Syrian population, the one not under control of ISIS, and all other groups that are part of the same Salafi cult, would today vote for him. He is the protector of Sunni, Christians and Alawites, and they all supporting him. What is the ISIS objection to Assad? It is not that he is killing civilians, especially Sunni civilians — because they are by far more effective in that endeavor. Then what? It is because a land of the "true believers cannot be run by a schismatic, Sunni cannot be allowed to practice any religion other then Salafism, and other religions will accept their inferiority and special taxes, or else will be killed. Since ISIS — and all other groups with whatever name — is motivated only by their religious goal, and have murdered by now thousands upon thousands of Sunni to prove their dominance — it puts the narrative of the collective West into the same plane with ISIS. They both want Assad to go, and the civilian toll is no object. They both want a destroyed Syria, where chaos reigns like in Libya, and they both want in the end a failed and weak state with some charade of institutions. The difference is only in the ultimate end: Salafi goal is an administrative unit called caliphate, run by religious leaders, and the ultimate power coming from Mecca. The collective West could not care less who "runs" the "state" for as long as they get their objectives. If it is oil like in Libya, or the destruction of all strong states in Israel's neighborhood, or opening up some pipeline projects, appropriating its banking and commerce, using it as an imperial military outpost, name it. Empire has learned to run on cheap, and it is much cheaper to have a chaos, then to be state-building as they tried in Iraq.
So, both ISIS and West want ASSAD to go, as he is a Shiite that protects all other nationalities and religions, and that is a no-no. What is needed is a good old fashioned chaos and barbarity, to insure dominance in key areas of interest. Who cares that the life of those people will return to middle ages. Most Americans nor French know nothing about Syria and its life before the onslaught on their country. They will be easily convinced that they always lived like savages. The collective "they" is already established in Paris and elsewhere. There are no good Arabs or Moslems, and by creating failed states, it becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. Thus Assad must go."" He is the antithesis to the narrative of savage, head-chopping Moslem world, and if he ever gets a chance to rule, and brings to light the documentation of the "deeds" of the "rebels" and other "moderates", that will make even ISIS look tame by comparison. He, and his governance, Syrian institutions as a whole, thus must go. West and ISIS have the same narrative, same goal.
There are so many idiotic comments from Western leaders the mind boggles. How on earth can you have a more or less intact army , which is pro-Assad, after removing Assad? Nonsense like this just clouds the ability of the West to take a position that means anything. Perhaps that's the point – chaos and confusion and endless bloodshed and destruction.
These are the same idiots who thought that by overthrowing Saddam Hussein they would get a pliable puppet state in Iraq.
Exactly. Assad must go because ISIS and West have the same objective. In fact, what Western leaders are saying is that ISIS is justified, and will be even stronger, until Assad goes. Good recruitment tool, then they blame deluded youth in Europe for falling for this cult. We are their biggest advertiser! Yep, Assad must go. Both ISIS and the "moderate" head choppers concur, as he is an infidel, and he supports equality other infidels — from Christians to Sunnis that do not practice Salafism. And since Western leaders know that the loss of human life of Sunnis is NOT the motivation of Salafis — quite the contrary, they have dispatched to another world thousands upon thousands of Sunnis for not being compliant with their cult. They are NOT fighting Assad, the brutal dictator, but Assad the infidel. And US and France are not fighting Assad the brutal dictator, but Syrian institutions that are the obstacle to destroying the society Libya style. Far from that being a "mistake", it is an imperial policy that was instituted under Clinton control of the State Department. Obama never ruled, not for a day. He will only have the honor of taking the blame. It is the empire star wars style. Destroy and turn all human habitation into dirty imperial outposts, then reduce population to scrounging for living, and let criminals and warlords keep each other under control, while the freedom to indulge in all sorts of human vice and perversity is the only existence. Those few that profit from it all — they are already nicely sheltered from it all, and their children are thought entirely different values. The only societies that are the obstacle to the global population degradation are cultures that still have institutions and values that transcend individual, and protect families and society from sinking into self-destruction. To undermine them, all the empire needs is to encourage the EXTREME VERSION of those societal values, to divide society, to bring in bloody civil wars, and in the end destroy the institutions that are blocking the societal disintegration. After that — path to the imperial dusty outpost is assured. It has been done in Europe and US already, but the tools were extreme liberalism, and extreme social conservatism. Neither care for the society as a whole, but salami style divide humans into ever so smaller interest groups, and then encourage them to push their tiny agendas to extremes. Everything sensible and holistic has been marginalized and silenced.
I'm continually amazed at the abject arrogance of these non-Syrians who are dictating who will rule the Syrians or who can fight the terrorists trying to overthrow Assad. I'm reminded of the outrage exhibited by the American people when Netanyahoo attempted to influence (dictate) the Obama/Romney election – though not as outraged as I would have expected. Sadly telling.
I assume you're including the arrogant non-Syrian who's backing Assad merely to keep a militarily useless naval base, regardless of what the Syrian people might want.
You are incorrect…again.
In other words, Hollande puts Israel's wants ahead of what would be good for France …
Everybody in France knows that that is how it has been for years.
Michael, you have no original thought of your own? your just trolling man, quit.
This is nothing new.
Do our so called leaders really believe that if they just keep repeating the same mistakes often enough that it will somehow, miraculously produce different results, this time?
If by same-results you would mean hell for people in the region, and free reign for folks who oughta be in jail, those are the desired results. And it probably won't stop with the middle east.
A lot of people have a hard time accepting that chaos and destruction are the desired result, no matter how often the Yinon and Clean Break plans are pointed out. Sometimes, it helps to consider alternatives: is it more likely that the West's leaders are lying, or that they are collectively insane?
Further evidence of Putin's total failure to "turn" Hollande. It will be interesting to see what Marine Le Pen does. She's unlikely to leave her Russian benefactors in the lurch!
Why are they so insistent on removing Assad ? Is it not for the Syrians themselves to determine that?
The Syrian Army wouldn't fight so hard and determined if they wanted Assad to leave. If hopefully they destroy ISIS with Russian help the Syrians will see Assad as the saviour of their country and would most certainly vote for him. That's a logical conclusion and Russia knows that too. Refugee Syrians have already indicated wanted to go back to an Assad ruled Syria. Before the war started Syria was a fairly prosperous and stable country under the Assad government. They remember that.
Why are they so insistent on removing Assad ? Is it not for the Syrians themselves to determine that?
France has the right to say who can fight Isis in Syria?
This is beyond silly. It's murderous.
Responding to your second question:
Yes; determining Syria's president is solely the responsibility, and duty, of the Syrian people. However, there are politicians from other countries (with no legal standing in this matter, whatsoever) who disagree with the decision Syria's voters made. It should be noted that Assad's re-election was an event that was closely monitored by "the west". No violations or corruption were detected. The people of Syria lawfully, and legitimately, re-elected Assad as their president.
All Assad/Syria has to do is say "The Frog is not welcome in Syria" and this little drama will be over. Suck on that, Frenchy.