Kofi Annan's Failing Syrian Peace Plan

by John M. Curtis
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Copyright July 7, 2012
All Rights Reserved.                                         

                 Launched Feb. 23, 2012, 74-year-old former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s U.N. Syrian peace plan is in shambles, with violence spiraling out-of-control.  Annan’s six-point plan, designed to end the rising bloodshed, has failed because Syrian rebels refuse to accept any ceasefire until Syria’s 47-year-old President Bashar al-Assad announces his resignation.  Syria’s revolt started March 15, 2011, only a few short months after the Tunisian Revolution Jan. 27, 2011, causing over 14,000 civilian and military deaths.  “The evidence shows that we have not succeeded,” Annan told the French daily “Le Monde.”  Whatever the deaths, al-Assad faces stiff headwinds trying to hang onto power as a member of the minority Alawite Shiite sect.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has called on Assad to step down on more than one occasion, without knowing the origin of Syrian rebels.

            Sending 200 U.N. observers to Damascus April.14, 2012 hasn’t stopped the bloodshed; first attempted by the Arab League Nov. 14, 2011.  When al-Assad couldn’t guarantee the safety of Arab League monitors, they suspended Syria Nov. 11, 2011 after observing the Syrian military massacaring civilians for nearly a year.  Instead of pointing fingers at al-Assad, Annan blamed Russia for supplying arms to its political ally.  Annan also observed Iran’s role in the Syrian uprising, saying Iran “should be part of the solution,” not part of the problem.  Blaming Russia as a major Syrian arms’ supplier, Annan criticized Russian for rearming the Syrian Army.  “Very few things are said about other countries that send arms and money and weigh on the situation on the ground,” said Annan, blaming Russia for making matters worse.  Without admitting it, Annan, like Hillary, wants al-Assad out.

            Annnan’s approach assumes that what’s driving the Syrian uprising is a Democratic-driven movement.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  After watching Tunisia, Egypt and Libya go down in 2011, Syria’s restive Sunni population, largely Palestinian, seized the chance to topple a Mideast regime.  Annan and Clinton haven’t the foggiest idea what Sunni groups drive the Syrian revolution.  When you consider the execution style murders of Shiite troops loyal to al-Assad, it makes you wonder about various radical groups seeking a foothold in Syria.  Hamas’s government in exile, run by Damascus-based radical Palestinian Leader Khaled Meskaal, is not innocent.  Like the revolution in Gaza, if the Syrian uprising is based on Hamas’ radical Palestinians, then there’s more anarchy ahead.  No one also knows the extent the Saudi’s financial involvement in toppling al-Assad.

Radical Sunni groups, funded by the extremist Saudi-backed Wahhabist sects, could be at the bottom of the Syrian uprising.  Osama bin Laden’s Saudi-inspired radicals were responsible for toppling the World Trade Center and sponsoring terrorism around the globe.  Annan blames Syria—and arms-supplying Russia—for defending itself against unknown terrorists groups but not the radical groups for driving the Syrian uprising.  Russia and China, Syria’s closest trading partners, don’t understand the West’s paradoxical support of potentially dangerous terrorist groups.  Annan’s bias against al-Assad’s regime makes him a prejudicial third-party, requiring more balance, less pressure on al-Assad and better intel to understand the groups driving the revolution.  Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t want to jeopardize his naval base in Tartus on the Syrian Mediterranean Coast.

            Al-Assad’s tiny Shiite Alawite regime fights for its survival in a sea of hostile Sunni elements.  While no one really understands Iran’s agenda, Iran—a Shiite country—has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.  No one wants to see al-Assad’s regime handed over to Wahhabist groups responsible for Sept. 11 or current piracy in Yemen.  Al-Assad has consistently maintained that his army fights radical Islamic groups hell-bent on toppling his 12-year-old Alawite government.  Russia and China are the only members of the U.N. Security Council providing balance to the West’s feverish pursuit to evict al-Assad.  Rebel groups currently hide in Syrian population centers, especially the Aleppo region, where “the most violent” exchanges occur between rebels and the Syrian army.  Syria’s right to defend its sovereignty against domestic and foreign invaders is protected under the U.N. Charter.

            Annan’s attempt to force his six-point plan on Syria has backfired because it’s one-sided, favoring Syrian rebels.  White House and State Department officials, led by Hillary, should listen more to Russia and China to learn the true nature of the Syrian uprising.  Truth be told, there’s numerous unknown Sunni groups that seek to topple al-Assad, including restive Palestinians frustrated by their peace efforts with Israel and now willing to accept Syria as a possible homeland.  Human rights groups should stay focused on the nature of Syria’s radical groups before tossing the al-Assad regime under the bus.  U.S. officials should recall the linkage between key relationships with Russia and China and ganging up on al-Assad.  While Bashar has made many mistakes with Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran since taking over July 17, 2000 from his late father Haffez al-Assad, he’s kept radical Islam out of Syria.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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