RNA - On Wednesday, the newly-elected president made the announcement which was in stark contrast to the stance of the previous French administration. “The new perspective that I have had on this subject is that I have not stated that Bashar al-Assad's departure is a precondition for everything because nobody has shown me a legitimate successor. My lines are clear, firstly, a complete fight against all the terrorist groups is required, they are our enemies. My second priority is safeguarding Syria’s stability and sovereignty.”
It is said, our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks. It is clear that President Macron wants to sustain his country’s interest in what he is doing; unlike many others in the West, he is an extremely fortunate politician who has found his own light:
- As maintained by President Macron, global cooperation is required to solve the crisis in Syria. To this end, Iran and Russia's cooperation is “especially needed” to eradicate the terrorist group of ISIL. However, there still needs to be a diplomatic and political roadmap. Iranian and Russian diplomats have stated frequently welcome international partnership by those who hold a realistic and pragmatic view towards the Syrian crisis and war on terrorism.
- The ancient Great Mosque of al-Nuri in the Old City of western Mosul, an over 800-year-old mosque that was the site of the declaration of the ISIL caliphate back in 2014, was destroyed this week in a sudden explosion by ISIL. The terrorist group knows better than anyone else that its days in Iraq are numbered. Its Western patrons feel the same in Syria, and now is the time for the Western states to distance themselves from the failed regime-change project there.
- The Syrian government is winning the war on ISIL and other terror proxies because of the support of Russia, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Iraqi volunteer forces, and Iranian military advisors and commanders. The allied forces have turned the course of the US-led regime-change war. They have turned the tide. That is what has happened since the capture of Aleppo city.
- Because of the Syrian war blowback and refugee crisis, and ever since European and American cities have come under direct attack by ISIL terrorists and suicide bombers, the world community has decided to improve its ties with the Syrian government with international recognition of President Assad’s stay in power. That in turn rested on the backing of his key allies, Iran and Russia, which have signed an agreement with Turkey to establish de-escalation zones within Syria. They hate the idea of “international intervention” because they see this as Cold War-style Western imperialism and ultimately a threat to Iran and Russia.
- To do anything with Syria, ISIL must be removed. And removing ISIL requires that the Syrian government and military forces be able to work with allies. France’s first instincts to see allied forces take out ISIL are correct. Doing so, and recognizing Iran and Russia on the Syrian-Iraqi border to help with this, is the best way to begin to unravel the knot of the Syrian conflict. Taking out ISIL will restore security in Europe as well. Destabilizing Syria and handing it over to terrorists makes things worse for France and for the European region’s security.
- The Syrian people and those living in the West are grateful for President Assad for fighting ISIL, Al-Qaeda and their affiliates. They support his government for this and other reasons. When ISIL took large swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, the consensus was that Assad would never survive. He put such myth to rest. His victory over terrorism in places like Aleppo has elevated him from a normal peacetime leader into a steadfast war hero. Against all the odds, he is winning and he will continue to do so until the conflict is over.
- With the international community as well as Iran and Russia on Syria’s side, it will be very unlikely for the US to continue with its regime-change plans once the war against terrorist forces is won. Iran and Russia are indisputable powers in the region and Syria is their most important Middle Eastern ally. They will continue to resist any attempts by the United States and regional allies to pursue regime change in Syria.
- The “Assad Must Go” gang have gone themselves. From David Cameron to Matteo Renzi, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Barack Obama, the politicians whose flagship Syria policy was ousting President Assad have gone, ousted by their own populations. French President Hollande and his regime-change fantasy are both gone as well. The new leaders of the countries whose former leaders wanted “Assad to go” have largely given up on regime-change fantasy. Even Turkey’s leadership has publicly stated that they have given up on removing the legitimate president of Syria.
It is not just Russian or Iranian backing that ensures the elected president will remain in power and that Syria will win the Real War on Terror. It is the fact that the West cannot afford any more blowback from the Syrian war and certainly any more power vacuums in the Middle East. Any doubters should ask President Macron whose country learned from failure, not from success in Syria.
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