The truth that mainstream media do not show: The overwhelming support of Syrian people for their President Bashar Al-Assad

by Angie Todd

Apr. 13, 2013 (TSR) – SYRIA has entered its third year of internal warfare, accompanied by sanctions designed to cripple the country economically; the insistence of the United States, its European allies and client Arab states that President, Bashar Al-Assad must go; and increasingly overt military support for armed opposition groups operating within the country.

Some 25,000 foreign troops are estimated to be operating in Syria, including members of Al Qaeda.

This situation has resulted in tens of thousands of dead and injured and over one million Syrians externally or internally displaced, while these figures are hard to confirm and could be exaggerated for political ends, given that foreign interference in the country’s affairs is still being justified by statements about saving the lives of civilians and those resisting Al Assad’s alleged dictatorship.

In his first foreign tour to Europe and the Middle East to drum up support for deposing President Al-Assad, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry promised an additional 60 million dollars in aid to the opposition Syrian National Coalition headed by Moaz al-Khatib, during a Friends of Syria meeting in Rome.

In the wake of President Obama’s Middle East visit, and amid talk of increasing U.S. ‘non-lethal assistance’ for the so-called Free Syria Army, the New York Times revealed that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been shipping weapons to Syria via NATO-member Turkey and Jordan since at least early 2012.

This confirmed admission directly implicates NATO in military intervention in Syria’s ongoing conflict and reveals the source of arms and cash that have ended up primarily in the hands of Al Qaeda’s Syrian franchise, Jabhat al-Nusra.

In 2007, U.S. officials divulged plans to destroy Syria by arming sectarian extremists, using Saudi Arabia and other regional actors as proxies to launder U.S. and Israeli support.

The build up of sophisticated weaponry available to these opposition groups is evident from news reports. Also evident is their terrorist nature, given the targeting of civilian facilities such as the Universities of Aleppo and Damascus, with horrific results.

The recent chemical weapons attack near Aleppo was also deliberately aimed at civilians. The U.S. and its allies were quick to at least imply that the national army was responsible for the attack, given that a possible state chemical weapons arsenal has been utilized by the corporate media to establish another pretext for invasion. However, an immediate Syrian government refutation and its call for a full UN investigation resulted in the London Telegraph quoting reports that the attack in fact was mounted by al-Nusra.

On the political front, the U.S. is working behind the scenes, using other players. Robert Ford, former U.S. ambassador to Syria, has established a U.S-approved government-in-the-wings. The initiative is known as the Riad Seif plan, after a wealthy Damascus businessman and former Syrian parliamentarian. Acceptable to Washington given his neoliberal politics, Seif has been endorsed by Washington to lead a “proto-parliament” comprising 50 members, 20 from the internal opposition, 15 from the Syrian National Coalition/ exile opposition, and 15 from various other Syrian opposition organizations. An executive will work directly with the United States and its allies, the Gulf States, UK and France.

What are the objectives of the countries intervening in Syrian affairs? In the case of the United States, to reshape the Middle East in accordance with its own hegemonic designs. In the case of France and the UK, to further their neocolonial forays into the region and Northern Africa.

The spoils are also there for all these players, in varying degrees; basically, in the exploitation of the region’s gas for a fuel-hungry European Union.

SYRIAN RESISTANCE

It is an evident truth that the Al-Assad government could never have survived since March 2011 – when initially peaceful demonstrations for reforms in Syria were immediately utilized by the Western powers to destabilize the country by fueling a civil war – without the support of the national army and the Syrian people, despite the deaths, destruction of infrastructure and displacement.

Syria’s internal opposition largely supported President Al-Assad’s decision to call a referendum on constitutional reforms, followed by National Assembly elections in May 2012, in the midst of warfare in certain cities. Despite this situation, 51.62% of the population voted for 250 legislators representing 12 political parties, seven of which were new ones. The government Socialist Ba’ath Party secured 60% of the vote.

These reforms have been accompanied by the release of prisoners, amnesty for those prepared to lay down weapons, and constant government calls for dialogue, rejected by the externally influenced opposition, which is seeking to bring down the government.

President Al-Assad has announced a new three-point plan: dialogue, a referendum on the future of Syria; and parliamentary elections.

In a recent interview with the UK Sunday Times he made it clear that his government “can engage in dialogue with the opposition but we cannot engage in dialogue with terrorists; we fight terrorism.”

He is also realistic about the country’s situation, stating to Russia Today at the end of 2012, “…as long as you have continuous supply of terrorists, armament, logistics and everything else, it is going to be a long-term war.”

IN DEFENSE OF SYRIAN SOVEREIGNTY

The legitimate Syrian government is not alone.

Russian and Chinese efforts to promote a political solution which respects the country’s sovereignty have been consistent and active.

Within the region, Iran has solidly and openly defended Syria; however, according to Bashar Al-Assad in the RT interview, “Many countries support Syria in their hearts but they do not dare to say so explicitly. First of all, Iraq which played a very active role in supporting Syria during the crisis, because it is a neighboring country and they understand and recognize that if you have a war inside Syria, you will have war in the neighboring countries, including Iraq. I think there are other countries which have good positions like Algeria, and Oman mainly.”

This is confirmed by the Algerian Foreign Minister’s response to the recent Arab League decision in Qatar to grant Syria’s seat, left empty since the country’s expulsion in November 2011, to the opposition National Coalition. “It is up to the Syrians to decide, and any decision coming from just one Syrian group – more than that, any decision coming from a group of Syrians subject to external pressures – risks having a very short life,” he noted.

In the international context, the BRICS 2013 Summit in Durban reaffirmed, “A Syrian-led political process leading to a transition can be achieved only through broad national dialogue that meets the legitimate aspirations of all sections of Syrian society and respect for Syrian independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty…”

Finally, asked by RT where he would go if he left the country, Al-Assad’s reply was resolute. “I am not a puppet. I was not made by the West to go to the West or to any other country. I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria.”

First published in Granma.

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