Despite a report that the US and Russia had reached an agreement on a plan by which Syrian President Bashar Assadwould step down and a transitional government would assume power, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that neither side would win the civil war in Syria, and that China and Russia would be unable to persuade Assad to quit if they tried.
Russia has been rowing back after the Kremlin’s Middle East envoy was quoted as saying earlier this month that the rebels could defeat Assad’s government and that Russia was preparing for a possible evacuation of its nationals, the strongest signs yet that Russia is positioning itself for a post-Assad Syria.
“Listen, no one is going to win this war,” Lavrov told reporters aboard a government plane en route to Moscow from the Russia-EU summit in Brussels.
“Assad is not going anywhere, no matter what anyone says, be it China or Russia.”
Despite a report that the US and Russia had reached an agreement on a plan by which Syrian President Bashar Assad would step down and a transitional government would assume power, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that neither side would win the civil war in Syria, and that China and Russia would be unable to persuade Assad to quit if they tried.
Russia has been rowing back after the Kremlin’s Middle East envoy was quoted as saying earlier this month that the rebels could defeat Assad’s government and that Russia was preparing for a possible evacuation of its nationals, the strongest signs yet that Russia is positioning itself for a post-Assad Syria.
“Listen, no one is going to win this war,” Lavrov told reporters aboard a government plane en route to Moscow from the Russia-EU summit in Brussels.
“Assad is not going anywhere, no matter what anyone says, be it China or Russia.”
Lavrov repeated that Russia had rejected requests from countries in the region to pressure Assad to go or offer him safe haven, and that his exit might lead to an upsurge in fighting.
“Some regional powers suggested that we tell Assad we were ready to accommodate him,” he said. “And we replied: “Why do we have to do it? If you have these plans, go to him yourselves directly.”
He said the international envoy seeking peace through diplomacy, Lakhdar Brahimi, would visit Russia before the end of this year.
In comments cleared for release on Saturday, Lavrov also said Syria’s chemical weapons had been concentrated in one or two areas and were “under control” for the time being.
Lavrov said the biggest threat from Syria’s chemical weapons was that they could fall into the hands of terrorists.
“Currently the (Syrian) government is doing all it can to secure (chemical weapons), according to intelligence data we have and the West has,” he said.
“The Syrian authorities have concentrated those arms deposits, previously scattered across the country, in one or two centers.”
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said this month that Washington had intelligence raising serious concerns that Assad’s government was considering using chemical weapons against Syrian rebels.
The 20-month conflict has killed over 40,000 people.
Both the above comments are based on bigotry and ethnic prejudice or perhaps the second one simply more it is shallowness regarding humans as some kind of cartoons.
If the second one could actually succeed world wide the we might consider it as a regrettable but necessary solution.
But it won’t succeed because no solution based on bigotry or not universally giving the same solution of life and liberty to all humans can work.
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What could be worse than repression,death and tyranny for the Syrians? Double death, repression and tyranny? We must obviously help save the Syrians from all forms of tyranny. Any part of the world or population under fascism is a threat to the free world.
Islamic Fascism must be defeated as Islamic Fascism.
Fascism must be defeated as Fascism. It makes no difference if as some people believe that Islam will be fascist or is fascist by definition. It is not legitimate, moral or justifiable to attack religion or ethnicity on the world stage on on the human stage (yes I know, Jews excepted).
That’s just the way it must be, the correct path. You cannot convince a common person whether in Pakistan or Florida, that they are not entitled to have a G_d (though to my mind it’s just a superstition) because the humans are entitled to freedom of thought.
It must be defeated for what it is , as it is, or else it is superior. It must be defeated on the intellectual, interpersonal , moral and military dimensions.
If someone is against Islamic Immigration in North America that is perfectly justified in the current situation for a number of reasons that everyone here. This is not anti-Muslim – this is Pro-Human we need to protect all -Muslim and non Muslim alike from any fundamentalist tyranny. We cannot allow anyone our protection unless they have changed to become part of us, instead of opposed to us.
It’s simple logic.
This does not mean it is then logical or moral to condemn any humans, including Muslims or Arabs to tyranny, repression and fascism. We must help the Syrians oppose both Islamic Fascism and tyrants like Assad.
Islamic tyrannies imposed upon any population are unnatural – only a small minority benefits – the rest are under repression. The majority will always seek freedom – this is human nature and human nature trumps any repressive fascism. If it is not true, then we, the free world have no chance of survival.
In the beginning they may be tricked by false promises of Communists or Islamic Fascists but in the final end the populations are always wiling to die for freedom against tyranny.
People. every person, is not born evil – they chose evil – that’s what life is all about. Everybody must be given the chance to chose , in their lives and in their societies. And of course if they chose the wrong thing, we must crush their stupid heads – but still they must chose first. This is necessary in the social evolution of culture which make in fact be hardwired genetic development. In other words the disease or dysfunction must excise itself. There are no shortcuts.
@ Max:
Why?
Kick back relax and just let’em go at each other!
@ Max:
Such sarcasm–such naivete–and yet you are still wrong!
What’s happening in Syria–is the same as what happened in Egypt and in Libya–and I wrote the same about those before it happened. That the Nazi Muslim Brotherhood would take over and make things far worse for the people.
As long as the Arab nations are slaves to Godless Islam–they will not do well–there is no democracy in Islam!
Assad is much better than what’s coming if he is ousted.
C.R. Said:
Yeah, yeah…right..OK, this being a democracy we are free to chose to be foaming at the mouth, in-bold-font bigots and hysterically ethnically biased as much as we want to be. People are not guilty of evil until they chose to do evil, That goes for everyone.
However, if you truly believe that life will be worse for the Syrian people after they depose Assad and that the MB will hijack their revolution and install yet a worse dictatorship you must contact them – quickly!
You are talking to the wrong people here, you need to warn the Syrians -tell them how they are better off if they just allow their tyrant to slaughter and torture them at will, I’m sure they will appreciate your help.
… or not.
@ Max:
The Nazi Muslim Brotherhood is not an open system–and they won’t be brought down by infiltration.
If the Nazi Muslim Brotherhood comes into power in Syria–they will murder far more than Assad!
C.R. Said:
No, not at all, moreover they are open systems which we can openly defeat, convert or infiltrate rather than closed door systems. .
And hoping for the deaths, murder and torture of innocents as a shortcut to maybe, perhaps, could be, almost,might be , saving yourself is immoral and evil.
Let’s hope Assad is staying on as president–because the Nazi Muslim Brotherhood is far worse!
“Listen, no one is going to win this war,” Lavrov told reporters aboard a government plane en route to Moscow from the Russia-EU summit in Brussels.’
They said that in Libya too. They said it was a stalemate even as the walls of Bab-Aziza were being bulldozed And everywhere else thy have been they have lied about what is happening.
They will milk Assad for every last Syrian Pound and political advantage before he is riddled with bullet holes.
Since when does the West take anything the Ruskies say as anything but self-serving deceits?