There are parallels and similarities between what is happening in Syria and what took place in Iraq prior and during its occupation by the U.S.
There is a lot in common between the countries particularly in terms of the course the military operations have taken in Baba Amr district of Homs, a Syrian symbol, and what happened to the city of Falluja, an Iraqi symbol, in 2005.
The U.S. destroyed Falluja with the blessing of the political crew which is still ruling in Iraq. The destruction of a city was proudly described as one of the achievements of democracy in Iraq after its liberation.
But the similarities are not confined to Falluja and Homs. They are related to the international sanctions which had ruined the Iraqi society and economy.
One important parallel between the countries playing the time card, the card which proved to be useless for the regime in Iraq because it forced it withdrew into itself and stopped it short of providing sound solutions for the country’s problems.
In Damascus we saw the birth of a new constitution, which was only seen by those who were allowed to see it and it came into being in the midst of the sand storm of fighting and bad news.
There are other parallels. Like Falluja, the Killing in Syria takes place before the glare of cameras while the world watches as if nothing is happening.
The military solution to one residential quarter in Homs is not a decisive settlement of the situation across Syria where conditions move towards a civil war that may lead to foreign intervention and in consequence total chaos which everybody fears now.
Israel dreads the idea of a sudden collapse without enough knowledge of the identity of the alternative regime, the fate of missiles and chemical weapons and who is going to possess them.
Israel might carry out commando attacks the moment the regime falls to control chemical weapons depots.
These things are going to happen soon and but most probably not during the remainder of President Barak Obama’s first term.
Therefore, we envisage months of more chaos for Syria. The idea of settling conditions via force is far from reality and more over it is meaningless. It will only lead to more bloodshed.
Source: Azzaman in English By Fatih Abdulsalam
