NOVANEWS
In a rare interview, Syria’s President Bashar Assad threatens that the war supported by Arab states who are allies of the U.S. and Israel will spread to neighboring Jordan. If he steps down, he argues, al-Qaida will step up.
Haaretz
“There is no option but victory. Otherwise it will be the end of Syria,” Syrian president Bashar Assad said Wednesday in a rare interview that was interpreted by the Arab press as a prepared speech – since the Syrian president was obviously prepared for all questions. Assad warned that the toppling of his regime would lead to Syria being divided into cantons based on ethnic borders. The interview came shortly after one of the leading rebel factors, Jabhat al-Nusra, declared it was loyal to al-Qaida.
As usual, Assad dealt with the minute details of the Syrian crisis. He expressed his concern about the future, but insisted that he wasn’t fearful of his personal future. Rather, he said, his concerns are for the Syrian state, and the possible repercussion of the fall of his regime on the Middle East. Assad stressed the implications of supporting al-Qaida in what seemed to be a warning aimed at Middle East leaders – if I fall, you too shall follow.
The interview, aired on the state al-Ikhbariya television channel , was granted in honor of Syria’s independence day – the date that marks the end of French rule in 1946. Assad spoke in length about the armed militias who have no interest in Syria, but aim to transform it to a base for terror organizations that have already declared that they aim to create a state based on Islamic law. Assad then turned to Western and Arab leaders, saying the war in Syria will definitely spread to the neighboring states, especially Jordan. He revealed that in the past two months he sent an emissary to Amman and warned against opening the border for smuggling arms to the rebels, as well as training them on Jordanian territory.
“Why did Jordan block whoever tried to pass through it on their way to join the Palestinian struggle, but failed to do so when it came to Syria?” he asked.
Assad then severely criticized Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, claiming he failed in all his foreign and domestic policies and was trying to improve his standing through the Syrian crisis. Assad then turned on to Syrian opposition groups, saying they were funded by states implementing U.S. and Israeli policies in the Middle East – probably alluding to the Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Assad again restated his support for a political negotiated solution and made a point in praising what he termed as “the national opposition,” that remained in Syria. He stressed that a comprehensive reform in Syrian government can be achieved by negotiations and that the Syrian people could determine which form of government it prefers, whether it is based on parliamentary or presidential rule. Assad further stated that two years after the beginning of the conflict, all those who predicted that his regime would fall within weeks or months were patently wrong.
Pundits said that Assad’s speech could be seen as unequivocal statement meaning “Either me, or nothing.” They stressed that all his talk in recent months about negotiations were no more than an effort to gain time and that he has no true intention of reaching a political solution. In any case, all sides agree that the window of opportunity for a negotiated solution is about to close, since Assad and the rebels both insist they will fight to the end. Neither side can predict when this will happen, or what the price will be for the Syrian people.
