US Aspires To Political Outcome In Syria
As Syria continues to be engulfed by the strife of civil war, the speculation started to stir headlines if the United States is working on toppling the Syrian leader himself Bashar Assad to finally end the suffering of the Syrian people.
In an interview with Milliyet in Turkey, Special Presidential Envoy John Allen for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL said the US has a policy with regard to Syria, which is that the U.S. intends for there to be a political outcome that represents the voice and the desires of the Syrian people.
“And that policy with that outcome does not include Bashar Al Assad.” – Mr. Allen
He further addressed the issue if the US is working on toppling Bashar Assad by saying that US policy is that they will help to pursue a political outcome in the context of the Communique of Geneva II which looks for a negotiated political outcome that does not, in our case, include Bashar Al Asad, which he thought is very different than toppling.
US Looking For Political Outcome
Mr. Allen underlined the US is looking for a political outcome that does not include Bashar Al Asad.
He also affirmed that President Obama said at G-20 that it is not a priority to overthrow Bashar Assad right now.
“ISIS First” vs. “The Regime First”?
According to Mr. Allen, the US is clearly going to be dealing with ISIL which is a threat to the entire region and that threat not only spans Iraq but spans Syria.
The ISIS is considered by the US as a threat to Turkey, a threat to the United States and a threat to the region.
He added that the US intends to build the coalition, which ultimately brings together in this case 60 countries who are intent on being engaged on ultimately defeating ISIL.
Violence Continues To Rage Inside Syria
Meanwhile, violence continues to rage unabated inside Syria. The crisis is seen by experts as slowly sliding into a sectarian-like civil war between the majority Sunni Muslims against Assad’s minority Alawite sect.
Ankara, which had shown strong disagreement before the plane downing by favoring the rebel forces, may now go a step further with arms shipments to the rebel cause. Confirmation that Assad is responding violently to pro-democracy protests has provoked Turkey to provide refuge to the “Free Syrian Army” on its frontier with Syria.
Erdogan, whose relationship with Assad has taken on a personal nature, provided little hint of additional action being contemplated.
After the regime bombed Raqqah on November 25th, the U.S. State Department issued this statement:
“We are horrified by the reports that the Assad regime’s airstrikes yesterday in Raqqah, Syria, killed dozens of civilians and demolished residential areas. We have consistently condemned the regime’s violence directed against civilians and its ongoing human rights abuses and violations of international law, including murder, hostage-taking, enforced disappearances, torture, rape, sexual violence, and the indiscriminate use of barrel bombs.
The Assad regime’s continued slaughter of Syrian civilians further exposes its callous disregard for human life. We’ve been clear that Assad long ago lost all legitimacy to govern and that the Syrian regime must be held responsible for its brutality and atrocities against the Syrian people.
We remain committed to supporting the Syrian opposition and working towards a political solution that stops the violence and leads to a future of freedom and dignity for all Syrians.
The uprising in Syria is part of a broader popular protest movement that has engulfed North Africa and the Middle East this year and led to the toppling of long-term regimes in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen
