photo: AP/dpa
Germany is stepping out on a limb in trying to prod the rest of the Western world into the realization that remaining inactive in the Syrian civil war conflict could lead to a much larger war that could very easily involve Europe.
The recent bombing in Turkey, which the Syrian Intelligence machine have blamed on Prime Minister Erdogan, although the location of the bombing is within Turkish territory, is a move that shows a concerted effort by the Syrian government to cloud not only their activity but that of their militia and mercenaries.
Although Turkish authorities have moved quickly to arrest 9 people believed to be involved in the conflict, the bombing alone is a forewarning of things to come. If the Syrian affiliated terror groups and mercenaries can so brazenly attack a foreign country in retaliation for that country's position to assist the civil war rebels, then there is no telling what action the Syrian government is ready to take to precipitate a wider conflict.
The bombing apparently had been carried out by Communist Turks belonging to a faction sympathetic to al Assad's regime. But it remains to be seen under whose orders they acted upon.
And that alone is controversial enough to muddle the water.
The attack came immediately after Prime Minister Erdogan's call for international intervention in Syria, following his statements that chemical arms were used, and not by civil war rebels against Syrian citizens and insurgents.
For their part, Turkey is commendably keeping its calm, but the question on everyone's mind is: who is next, and how long will it take before the conflict blows up to proportions that will be unmanageable.
Syria in the meantime, seems to have become devoid of people, with more than 4 million refugees spread out in neighboring countries, and its conflict has become more of a conquest on the part of islamist rebels, than a civil war for democracy.
It is almost as if, having resolved to wait and let things unfold in the same manner as Egypt and Tunisia, the West is now aghast at the horrific mess the conflict has become.
Knowing the man, and knowing what his capability for cruelty is, not to mention his stockpiling of deadly chemical weapons, there is an outcry now on the shortsightedness of the international community in regards to the conflict itself and to the extent to which Bashar al Assad is willing to go to hold on to his country.
But the Turkish prime minister also reminded the international community that if the ultimate responsibility for the bombing of the Turkish border town is found to rest on the Syrian dictator's government, that Turkey at that point could act, and will ask for the help of the neighboring states and the West in resolving the explosive conflict.
It is almost a given, now, that the conflict will spread. But is it too late already?
Turkey is still keeping its channel open with Syria's Assad to resolve the conflict, and today Russia has promised to re-evaluate its stance on the Syrian conflict to seek a solution. However, Russia has troops now amassed at the Syrian port of Tartus and has readied air defense positions.
In the meantime, there is more of the same : death and waiting, from all sides.
Partial source : Spiegel online 5.13.13
No comments:
Post a Comment