It is shameful that any Arab country rolls the red carpet for Bashar al-Assad, someone who is condemned by international resolutions and organizations known for their neutrality and credibility. This response amounts to celebrating this killer, at a time when his victims are still dying of cold and hunger in tents on the borders of their country. It is strange that Assad’s main supporters, Russia and Iran – who adopted his version of the revolution – received him with modesty and stealth.
There are fears that, in the coming period, the red carpet will be rolled out for Bashar in many Arab airports to trample on the Arab blood that he spilled in Syria, indulging his idiotic laughter. This is the same Assad who, just recently, described the Arabs the way he did. In private and amongst his inner circle, he says even more slanderous things about them.
Assad considers that this rush towards him is a natural result of his steadfast position, based on his insistence on killing and displacing Syrians and persecuting those who remain in Syria while rejecting any initiative for a political settlement in Syria.
For many Arabs, supporting Assad is a weakening of the Iranian project. The theory follows that the more powerful Assad is, the more he can stand up to Iran and the less he needs Iran. This stronger position gives him a wide margin of maneuver and the ability to dismantle his relationship with Iran; on the other hand, continuing to boycott and ostracize Assad will give him justification to support Iran and even weaken his options, leaving him under Iran’s control.
The political calculations of countries and their foreign policy orientations do not take into account emotions. Instead, they evaluate their policies primarily based on interests. This is a sovereign right, and perhaps countries have long-term political visions, but will Bashar’s lure with benefits really lead to the abandonment of his Iranian ally? Even assuming so, can he get Iran – which has penetrated both people and infrastructure – out of Syria? Can he dismantle this octopus-like presence that is holding Syria’s corners and stepping on its throat? Does Iran depart if Bashar merely says: “Thank you, your services are no longer required. Dismantle your bases and militias, empty your barracks and leave. Leave your settlements, factories and investments; forgive us our debts to you exceeding US$100 billion, and then return the property you seized!”
What is amazing today is that the Arabs do not know how to weaken Iran and drive it out of Syria. Instead, they strengthen their existence by supporting and empowering Bashar, as every empowerment of Bashar is inevitably the empowerment of the Iranian presence in Syria and support for Iran’s eternal hegemony. Any policy that does not consider the destinies of millions of Syrians will not succeed, and the path to weaken Al-Julani does not justify weakening the Syrian people. Al-Julani is, after all, a temporary phenomenon – his degree of Syrian support does not exceed 1%.
Why do you roll out the red carpet of a murderer and drug dealer whose list of crimes includes raping thousands of free women? And in the name of what? Is it Arabism, humanity or justice? These are questions for those who are preparing to roll out the red carpet for Bashar.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
