Showing just how far off-base U.S. foreign policy on Syria, 66-year-old Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed Russia’s undying support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Meeting in Moscow with 56-year-old Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, both confirmed unconditional support for the al-Assad regime. Mired in a bloody civil war since March 15, 2011, over 250,000 combatants and civilians have died, displacing millions into ramshackle U.N. refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon. When al-Assad reportedly used chemical weapons against Wahhabi Sunni insurgents Aug. 21, 2013 killing some 1,500 civilians in Ghouta, Syria, President Barack Obama did nothing. Barack warned al-Assad Aug. 20, 2012 that using chemical weapons would be a “red line.” When the Ghouta chemical attack passed, it was clear Obama had no intent of responding militarily.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called, together with former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, for a no-fly zone in Syria, bombing Syrian military targets for using chemical weapons. While Hillary and McCain’s position against al-Assad show similarity, Obama has been reluctant to join the Wahhabi insurgency attempting to topple al-Assad’s Shiite regime. Throwing a monkey wrench into U.S. plans Russia and Iran have made it clear they back al-Assad, and contrary to U.S. foreign policy, will do anything to keep al-Assad in power. With Russia’s Tartus naval base on the Syria’s Mediterranean coast, Russia has no intent to letting Syria fall to radical Islamic insurgenta, especially the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or al-Qaeda, promising to turn Syria into a extremist Islamic state. White House and Congressional officials can’t agree on what to do with Syria.
Knowing the anarchy caused by former President George W. Bush toppling Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, it’s inconceivable that the White House or Congress would back the same outcome in Syria. McCain has urged the White House to back “moderate” Sunni groups largely the Free Syrian Army, led by 56-year-old Brig. Gen. Salim Idris. Whatever weapons the U.S. gave Idris’s Free Syrian Army, they fell into ISIS hands. While well-intentioned, the Free Syrian Army offers the U.S. no coherent path for dealing with ISIS or, for that matter, Bashar al-Assad. Idris has the same mission as ISIS and al-Qaeda, trying to restore radical Sunni rule to Syria. Russia strongly opposes the White House position of seeking to topple al-Assad. “While some of our partners believe that it is necessary in advance that an end of the transitional period the president will leave his post, this position is unacceptable to Russia,” said Lavrov.
Lavrov stated clearly for U.S. consumption that Russia opposes any effort to topple al-Assad. Moscow put Saudi Arabia and its allies on notice that Russia would not support removing al-Assad from power. Russia sees the same mess happening in Syria as happened in Iraq or Libya after deposing authoritarian rulers: The dreaded power vacuum. Toppling Saddam April 10, 2003 opened the floodgates of Islamic extremism in Iraq, spreading the anarchy and lawlessness that gave rise to ISIS. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wants to hang the blame for ISIS on former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton when he knows his brother’s ill-advised Iraq War caused the problem. White House or Congressional leaders can’t expect Russia, or Iran for that matter, to go along with another disaster, toppling al-Assad. Moscow believes al-Assad must fight insurgents to save his sovereignty.
Moscow’s position on Syria puts the U.S. add odds with Iran, busy trying to complete its July 14 Vienna-based nuclear arms deal. U.S. officials can’t expect cooperation on a nuke deal with Tehran, while, simultaneously, undermining its Syrian foreign policy. While Idris is long gone due to unrivaled ineptitude, his replacement, Brig. Gen. Abdul-Ilah al-Bshar offers no better option. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky,) likes to blame the White House for giving U.S. military equipment to ISIS. Paul can’t admit that ISIS seized the military hardware from the Iraqi military and Free Syrian Army. Revisiting U.S.-Syrian strategy, it’s time for the White House and Congress to get on the same page, not, as before, trying to topple al-Assad but seeing the wisdom of Russia and Iran to keep al-Assad in place. Watching what happened in Iraq and Libya tells the real story of what would happen in Syria.
Instead of whipping up old Cold War sentiment or dredging of past Iranian misdeeds, the White House and Congressional officials should get the big picture in Syria. While no one likes to see the Syrian body count grow, things could get a lot worse if al-Assad were toppled. Various Sunni Wahhabi groups vie to take down al-Assad not to protect ordinary Syrians but to establish a radical Islamic state. White House officials, including Capitol Hill hawks like McCain, don’t see the destructive effect of toppling al-Assad’s Shiite government. While the U.S. and Israel like to rail against Beirut-based Hezbollah, it’s 54-year-old leader Hassan Nasrallah remains committed with Iran-backing to protecting al-Assad. Iran and Russia continues to re-supply Hezbollah and Syrian army with necessary hardware and ammo to stave off the relentless Sunni Wahhabi advance on Damascus.
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