How is the West trying to bring about the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad?
Author: Nikolai Plotnikov, Head of the Center for Scientific and Analytical Information of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Political Sciences, Nezavisimaya Gazeta
An attempt has been made to aggravate the internal political situation in Syria.
Since the end of August, the West, taking advantage of the distraction of Russia’s main efforts and the difficult economic situation in Syria, has attempted to destabilize the internal political situation in this country. The idea is simple - using the effect of the sanctions imposed by Washington against Syria, as well as using the mistakes and miscalculations of the Syrian authorities, to try to shake up the situation and achieve the departure of Bashar al-Assad.
Initially, there was unrest in the province of Suwayda, where the main population are Druze. Then they spread to neighboring Deraa. Protesters then showed up in Kurdish-controlled Hasakah province and northern Aleppo province, controlled by Turkey. From demands of an economic nature, the protesters moved to political ones, up to the autonomy of Suwayda.
There is a foreign trace in the current events in Syria. This is convincingly evidenced by the regular meetings of representatives of French and British intelligence with Malik Abu Khair, one of the leaders of the protesters who maintain close contact with the anti-Assad opposition. Abu Khair, judging by messages in the blogosphere of extremist anti-government Syrian groups, was promised support from the Americans from the al-Tanf base, illegally located on Syrian soil.
West actively uses all kinds of rumors as one of the main means of communication, which are then spread through controlled social networks. In particular, the thesis that Russia is supposedly not interested in Syria now is being actively discussed and all its efforts are directed towards Ukraine.
The role of the Israeli Druze in these events requires close attention. Many questions arise in connection with their support for the protests in Suweida. They wouldn't get involved in this on their own. It is quite possible that Israel will use them to its advantage.
The reports that appeared in a number of foreign media about the support of the demands of the separatists in Suwayda by the military leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazlum Abdi, also did not benefit the Kurds. This, if true, is unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a dialogue between Damascus and the SDF leadership.
The situation is also being shaken by Israeli air strikes on Syrian territory. At dawn on August 28, the Israelis disabled the international airport in Aleppo. This is the 22nd air strike since the beginning of this year alone.
Against the backdrop of attempts to destabilize the situation in southern Syria and incessant strikes by Israeli and American aircraft, the situation in the eastern part of the province of Deir ez-Zor, controlled by units of the Syrian Democratic Forces, worsened. Local Arab tribes began to declare that the SDF served the Americans and were the conductor of their policies, helping them plunder one of the main national riches of Syria - oil.
In response, the SDF arrested the chairman of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council, Ahmed al-Khalil Abu Houl, and some of his associates. After which, armed clashes between Arabs and Kurdish SDF forces began in the province on August 27. There are casualties on both sides, including among the civilian population.
Tribal armed groups managed to take control of several settlements in the province of Deir ez-Zor, including the city of Hijin. 21 members of the Asayish SDF security service were captured.
As always, the question arises - what to do?
First of all, all military formations located on it illegally must leave Syrian territory. These are the forces of the so-called international coalition, which are based on US troops and the Turkish army occupying a number of areas in northern Syria. As long as they remain on Syrian soil and continue to provoke the opposition to continue violence, hotbeds of tension in Syria will not disappear.
The UN should raise the question of the catastrophic consequences of Western sanctions against Syria. The situation of an entire people being taken hostage cannot be tolerated. Now the voices of UN representatives are almost inaudible.
The international community must ask on what basis the United States demands that other countries not provide assistance to Syria. Maybe is it time to stop waving the bogeyman of sanctions against those who are ready to come to the aid of the Syrians? There are many of these, including Arab states, including the monarchies of the Persian Gulf.
The Syrians, as Russian President Vladimir Putin once again emphasized at a recent meeting with the Turkish leader in Sochi, must determine the future of their country themselves. All attempts to impose on them a vision of overcoming the crisis and building a state by a third party do not help to overcome the crisis, but, on the contrary, further aggravate the situation. The Syrian people have paid a huge price since the beginning of the so-called Arab Spring. It itself, without prompting from outside, needs to begin the process of national reconciliation and agree on how to live on his land.
