Israel Matzav

Assad's fall no cause for celebration

It's been reported that the United States and Russia have agreed that Bashar al-Assad must go, but a senior Israeli defense official says that is no cause for celebration in Israel.

On Saturday, London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported that two possibilities for Assad's departures were under discussion.

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilad, director of policy and political military affairs at the Defense Ministry told Army Radio, "We are talking about national security, this is an international issue."

"We have to look at the situation soberly, and evaluate them on a day-today basis based on the picture emerging.. without clinking glasses and without fanfare."

According to the Asharq Al-Awsat, one option under consideration is for Assad to be a partner in the transfer of power and as a result enjoy international protection. Another possibility is that world powers negotiate a transfer of power in his absence, and he would lose the protection that a settlement would produce.

It could have been a cause for celebration a year and a half ago before the anti-Assad forces were taken over by al-Qaeda because a certain government thought that Assad was a 'reformer.'

What could go wrong?

Labels: al-Qaeda, Barack Hussein Obama, Bashar al-Assad, Hillary Clinton, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:31 AM