IQNA

US Threats Aimed at Weakening Syria’s Position in Future Talks

12:03 - September 11, 2013
News ID: 2588167
By making threats of military strikes against Syria, Washington seeks to weaken the position of Syria in the future talks, a Lebanese scholar and political analyst said.
In an interview with IQNA, Dr Talal Atrissi said the Syrian establishment is still resisting 2.5 years after the start of the crisis but terrorist armed groups have been losing their strategic positions in Syria.
“That is why the United States is making threats against Damascus in order to help armed terrorist groups and Takfiris and weaken the position of Bashar Al-Assad government or overthrow it.”
He said the threats aim to put Damascus in a weak position if and when there are talks between the government and rebels.
Atrissi described the situation in Syria as very dangerous as a result of American threatening, stressing that these threats are being made despite the fact that Syrian people have constantly rejected any Western interference during the past 2.5 years since the start of the crisis.
He said the US decision to attack Syria has also been faced with serious opposition from Syria’s allies and it is also against international laws. It would mean the possibility of a big war in the entire region as Syria’s allies would not put up with this and there could be different reactions against the US, the Lebanese scholar stated.
He noted that any war against Syria would create a kind of anarchy in the country and will impact all the countries in the region.
Asked why Washington is now seeking to attack Syria, Atrissi said that until recently the US had been relying on armed rebels and Takfiri groups that are backed by the US itself, and some regional countries like Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
“Washington hoped these groups could topple Bashar Al-Assad government but the Syria army and government have been powerfully standing against the rebel groups in the past two and a half years. Hence, the US decided to come to the help of the armed groups (by waging war against Syria).”
He said the US is talking about a limited strike on Syria only to deceive Syria and its allies. “This (claim) should not be trusted. The US may launch an air raid and then go on to topple the government of Syria or it may destroy all of Styria’s military capabilities and infrastructures.”
The Lebanese political analyst further said that people all over the world have been against the war in Syria.
He also pointed to the obligations of Syria’s allies, saying that they should make efforts to prevent a US strike. He said the US should not expect that attacking the countries of the region would be without costs for it.
Atrissi underlined that Israel plays a major role in putting pressure on the US to attack Syria because Tel Aviv has always regarded Syria’s military and its missiles as a threat to its security.
He said Israel could benefit from US military intervention in Syria. “Nonetheless, it could be targeted by missiles from Syria and the axis of resistance in case of a strike on Syria and then the region could turn into the scene of an extensive war.”
The war rhetoric against Syria intensified after foreign-backed opposition forces accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of launching a chemical attack on militant strongholds in the suburbs of Damascus on August 21.
Damascus has vehemently denied the accusations, saying the attack was carried out by the militants themselves as a false-flag operation.
On August 31, Obama said he has decided that Washington must take military action against the Syrian government, which would mean a unilateral military strike without a UN mandate.

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