Sources Claim US Ready To Attack Syria – OpEd
By VOR
By Konstantin Garibov
Washington and its allies have been considering a plan to attack Syria, the U.S. media reported quoting several anonymous sources. The reports claim that a planned military operation will be aimed at protecting civilians, including refugees. Actually, it will offer support to armed opposition forces in their attempt to topple Bashar Assad.
No information on those involved in the talks has been revealed so far. It is known, however, that no agreement has been achieved either. All options that could be used in Syria cause much doubt, including an attack on Syria’s anti-aircraft defenses.
The West fears that its air attacks could be repelled by Russian-made missiles. Expert in Oriental studies of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Analysis, Sergei Demidenko, thinks that those who back a military intervention of Syria are not afraid of Russian missiles:
“There will be no intervention right now since all sides involved in the conflict could pay too high a price for this. I do not mean Syrian anti-aircraft defenses and its military might. I believe that such intervention could have very grave geopolitical consequences for the entire region. An unstable situation in the Middle East would certainly send oil prices up. In case of the attack, Israel will be the most vulnerable country because when Assad is overthrown power will most likely be seized by Islamists, who have support from Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, there is not a single Islamist who would say he likes Israel.”
Vladimir Akhmedov of the Institute of Oriental Studies draws attention to the fact that the US and its allies have been considering different options on Syria:
“Neither the US nor the leading Western countries are interested in sending their troops to Syria. Most likely they will decide to supply more arms to the opposition and mount pressure on Damascus by preventing humanitarian aid from accessing the region. This would be enough to topple Assad.”
Reports on ‘likely’ intervention in Syria play into the hands of the militants, who have been able to repel attacks by the government forces only thanks to arms supplies from abroad, as well as cooperation with Pakistani, Afghan, Lebanese, Iraqi, Libyan and Yemeni hirelings. There is evidence that Al-Qaida rebels are among those fighting against the Assad regime. In view of this, U.S. plans to supply more arms to the Syrian opposition and establish ‘safe zones’ for rebels will only help Al-Qaida strengthen its position in the region.
