Speaking out about the Dec. 25 death of 44-year-old Syrian rebel leader Zahran Alloush, the Saudi government came close to admitting its proxy war against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Killed by a Russian air strike, Saudi officials conceded it doesn’t serve its long-term interests in Syria, backing various Wahhabi Sunni groups trying to oust al-Assad’s Shiite government. Backed by Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Iranian-funded militia Hezbollah, al-Assad showed signs to beating back the Saudi-funded proxy war trying to takeover Damascus. “We believe that assassinating Zahran Alloush or fighting leader that have supported a peaceful solution and fight Daesh [Islamic State] in Syria does not serve the peace process in Syria,” said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, showing solidarity against al-Assad.
U.S. foreign policy under President Barack Obama rubber-stamped the joint Saudi-Turkish position seeking regime change in Damascus. Fought since March 11, 20111, the so-called Syrian civil war has caused over 250,000 deaths and displaced some 2 million refuges to neighboring countries and Europe. Syria’s war zone and death toll has created the biggest humanitarian crisis since WWII. Meeting Saudi King Salman in Riyadh, al-Judeir and Cavusoglu hope to getting warring parties in Geneva Jan. 25, 2016 to map out an end to the Syrian conflict. Neither the Saudis nor Turks admit to fueling the civil war causing untold death and destruction. “I don’t know the reason that made them do something like this. But what I do know is that if we wanted to reach a peaceful solution in Syria, we must deal with all the Syrian groups whose hands are not smeared with terrorism,” said Juebir.
Meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Dec. 17, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry finally agreed to let al-Assad alone. For over two years, the White House accepted the Saudi and Turkish position of toppling al-Assad, defying Moscow’s strong support for Damascus. Putin argued to President Barack Obama that toppling al-Assad would repeat the mistakes of Iraq and Libya, plunging the region into more chaos. White House officials couldn’t explain why they thought ousting al-Assad would improve security in the region. Obama and Kerry eventually got it that toppling al-Assad, no matter what he’s done to preserve his sovereignty over the last five years, made no sense. Since downing a Russian fighter jet Nov. 24, the world’s learned about Turkey’s close financial ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS], proving that Turkey’s no real NATO ally.
Turkey has hid behind NATO, justifying its Nov. 24 blunder of shooting down and Russian fighter jet. Whether the Russian jet strayed into Turkish airspace or not, there’s was no excuse to fire on the Russian jet. With numerous countries patrolling the region, air space breaches occur daily without incident. Since entering the air war Sept. 30 to defend al-Assad, Russian fighter jets went after any terror group posing a threat to Damascus. Al-Jubeir insists he doesn’t know why Putin would target Jaysh al-Islam, the Saudi-backed terror group targeting al-Assad. Before the White House came to its senses about toppling al-Assad, it criticized Russia Oct. 2 for targeting Syrian opposition groups. White House officials admit that ousting al-Assad would have far-flung consequences on the region. Watching the evidence of Turkey’s financial ties to ISIS pile up, the White House shifted gears.
Hosting a Syrian “peace conference” Jan. 25 in Geneva won’t get anywhere if the Syrian people aren’t included in any final agreement, especially about the fate of al-Assad. U.N. Syrian mediator Saffan de Mistura has an uphill battle convincing Russia and Iran to accept the Saudi’s position. Setting up a “Strategic Cooperation Council” won’t have much weight if they don’t take into consideration Russia and Iran’s position of defending al-Assad’s Shiite regime. Admitting he found Alloush’s death objectionable, the Saudi government acknowledges the role they play in the Syrian civil war. No matter how many Saudi-backed groups support ousting al-Assad, the ultimate say must be left with the Syrian people. Moscow and Tehran won’t let Riyadh pick the government in Damascus. Neither Saudi King Salman nor Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdowan can pick Syria’s government.
Saudi’s direct involvement in funding the late Alloush’s Jaysh al-Islam proves that the Syrian civil was is really a Saudi proxy war designed to topple al-Assad’s Shiite government. U.S. officials have finally come around to putting Damascus regime change on hold, until the Syrian people can pick their government. While Erdogan rejects Putin’s charge that some elements in Turkey profit from cheap ISIS oil, he also didn’t flat-out deny the charges. U.S. and Russian reconnaissance have watched ISIS oil tankers head north and disappear across the Turkish border. Whatever happens in Geneva, U.N. Syrian mediator Saffan de Mistura must expose the Saudi proxy war against al-Assad before reaching agreement on Damacus. No matter what the death-and-destruction, al-Assad—and his allies—has every right to defend his sovereignty against a well-funded and carefully orchestrated Saudi proxy war.
