Chinese officials appear consistent in supporting a peaceful transition and a political outlet in Syria. China may be passing the test of ascending to international leadership.
The claim that Al Qaeda is responsible for Syrian massacres is outlandish. Yet, terrorists were responsible, in the form of Shabiha militants, at the command of the Syrian regime.
The conflict in Syria has gone beyond the point of no return. The rules of the game are Hama Rules; the regime views the contest in terms of us or them.
Absent the circumstances that facilitated the transition to majority rule in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Iraq, the prospects in Syria appear to be extremely poor.
Achieving an effective international consensus to stop the killing in Syria has little to do with semantics. It has much more to do with the squandered legacy of the Responsibility to Protect.
Months after the outbreak of the uprising in Syria, Damascus continues its steady descent into sectarian strife and is at the epicenter of a regional struggle that may well shape the new political contours of the Middle East.
One can see why some would argue that the Annan plan has failed. However, it is important to retain a realistic perspective about how much a third-party mediator can hope to achieve given the circumstances.
Syria is different to all other countries hit by the Arab Spring. The international community’s main security concern should be the fate of Syrian WMDs.
The question is not whether the regime will crumble, but rather when, and under what circumstances. The answers will have a profound impact on the future of Syria and the Arab world.
Turkey should push for humanitarian assistance and sanctions, whilst putting serious diplomatic pressure on the Assad regime.
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