Towards the endgame

The world should start preparing for what comes after Syria’s President Bashar Assad

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Readers' comments


Kurt Lessing

The only positive thing in the Syrian desaster is, that intelligent Mr. Putin might learn a lesson from betting on the wrong horse.
Russian evilness is sometimes less harmful than American stupidity.

enriquecost in reply to Kurt Lessing

The U.S. and the U.K. have been supporting for years terrorists attacks inside China and Russia with their help to secessionists in Xingjiang and Chechenya.

At the same time, they support the bellicist regime in Georgia, an small nation which should follow the example of Costa Rica, and spend its wealth in health care and education instead of weapons. The same way as Costa Rica, the Army of Georgia should be abolished by a next democratic Government, and the money spend on education and health, promoting free trade with its neighbors.

So, it is no wonder that China and Russia are so much afraid of American intentions as the U.S. lacks any morality, any respect for international law and for international borders. America thinks that Chinese and Russians will shut up and accept their World Dictatorship, but sometimes enough is enough.

The U.S. has invaded three nations during the last decade (Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya), something the World had not seen since Adolf Hitler. The U.S. is breaking the international order as the Nazis did, and that will not rest without answer from the People of the rest of the World.

happyfish18 in reply to Kurt Lessing

That Putin is prepared to use his veto backed by his acolyte show that Russia will not allow the West and the Wahabbi allies to dictate all the terms of political solution by Regime Change. Putin will still has a important role to dictate the outcome of the settlement.

homiedclown in reply to enriquecost

And yet, America is the place where others in the world aspire to come & live. America is still the shining beacon of democracy, even through the bloodshed that citizens in dictator controlled countries won't rise up against on their own.

We're frankly kinda of tired of wiping all the butts in the world - why can't some of you take care of removing your own crap in your ruthless dictatorship-controlled countries?

Cosmonaut in reply to enriquecost

"with their help to secessionists in Xingjiang..."

Chinese whingeing about terrorism in Xinjiang is usually just a pretext for cracking down further on the Uyghurs. There have been less than 50 deaths from terrorism related to Xinjiang since 1990.


Whats the body count to the day?One million ,two millions?Whats the population of Syria? 100 millions 200 millions?Once again poor written economist article forces me to wikipedia research after them.A good article shouldnt live you with questions

happyfish18 in reply to Udoit

The Hegemonic forces combined with the Wahabbi and Turks have provided logistical, intelligence, financial, terrorists, training and arms to the Jihadist opposition. The suicide bombing of Assad inner sanctum shows the Jihadists are already penetrating in the whole military apparatus. This could the turning point as large defections can be expected. Implementation of Shariah laws will be proclaimed for the benefits of the people as they bury the dead.

WME in reply to Udoit

Syria has a population of 22 mln., that means an average deads of 300.000 a year. On top about 7.000 deads (< 3% of total)of which 5.000 soldiers and rebels, leaves only 2.000 civilian victems.

YMalik in reply to happyfish18

@happyfish. Whilst what you say is partially true, I don't see an extremist element and implementation of Shariah laws imminent. The largely moderate Syrian people aren't interested in Shariah rule even if your so-called Jihadists help to hand victory to the rebels.


Wishful thinking, rather premature to make these conclusions. The Syrian army is much too strong for the rebels. Victories by the rebels are very temporary. This is not a war about good and bad guys, but a strategic geo-political one. In this respect Russia and China will not let Mr. Assad down.


TE is openly supporting bomb blasts where scores of people are killed or maimed! Way to go!

Alfred Cossi Chodaton

When you observe the guilty silence of the Westerners in the face of the repression taking place in Togo against protesters and the excessive focus of international media on the crisis in Syria, you will understand the concern of the Western world that has never had anything to do with democracy. Rather, it is for them to maintain on the surface of the earth regimes that are favorable to them and allow them to plunder the planet's resources and in the contrary, to eradicate all regimes that thwart their plan. How else do you understand that with the savage repression faced by Togolese under the hereditary dictatorship of Gnassingbe family, nobody says anything?

diemm in reply to Kurt Lessing

Plus, 16000+ deaths in less then a need to go back a few years west Africa to reach similar figures, or of course the Sudan-DRC hopeless fighting pits. Admittedly, 16,000 killed in a year would be a demographic disaster in Togo.

Alfred Cossi Chodaton


Thilips in reply to Alfred Cossi Chodaton

Mr. Chodaton, I agree Western powers and countries do what is necessary to further there own interest not a goal of "Common Good". Only issue is, find me a country or people that haven't or do not to this day try to push there own agenda. First, true democracies never work, truly to unstable. Republics give a sense of democracy but, sense is the key word. It is only by the hand of God that nations stay balanced by there rise and fall; and when that takes place is only in the mind of God.

happyfish18 in reply to Thilips

The Hegemon and other Anglos like to think that their liberal democratic values are universal. But as scholars have pointed out, theirs are not completely democratic as they only practice democracy quite selectively. There is no such thing as a Universal democratic model. In fact, pushing democracy by vote counting to a society still mired in feudalistic and tribal values tantaumout to "Tyranny of the majority." The whole facade of Western intervention is to capture resources and markets for themselves.

Cosmonaut in reply to happyfish18

"But as scholars have pointed out, theirs are not completely democratic as they only practice democracy quite selectively."

Many 'democratic' countries, including the US, do place some checks on the power of the majority, just like there are checks on the power of the government. That's to prevent "tyranny of the majority". A similar system could be put into place in Syria, but of course, that's up to the Syrians.


I agree now is the time to start preparing for regime change but, unlike the changes in Egypt and Libya, the search and declaration of a leader should already be taking place. Rebel leaders according to tribe, Muslim identity (Sunni or Shiite (wrong spelling I apologize) ) and numbers of soldiers under them starting at 100 men and more should be made to sign an agreement stating whom they will follow as a leader. This leader should not be of the military but one the military will respect, a man with good rapport amongst his people. If elections are held then they should be oversaw by a UN council and enforced by the Syrian rebels (which would then be the Syrian Army). As for the America getting involved, I disagree. If America is to get involved we should not get involved directly but rather through neighboring states such as Turkey and God forbid I say it Iran. America should make sure Iran doesn’t try to bully its way in and dominate Syria through political propaganda such as: “The great Satan America is trying to manipulate events to there fortune” and keep Russia from getting TO out of hand. It is also of my opinion that America should work through a Turkish lead stability effort but we should not be involved directly. Syria along with Turkey could be a great stabilizer for the region as far as a democratic process but the best way to ensure that is for Western powers and the super power to the east to keep their hands to themselves. It would also help if Russia and China kept America’s hand from getting to far into the pot thereby keeping one another in check. If nobody gets everything they want then Syria will have more of a chance to form and grow on it’s own accord rather than lead and manipulated by Western influence.

happyfish18 in reply to Thilips

The best chance for preventing further bloodshed is for the Military to form a transitional junta. The Russian can play a role by supporting the Military as Syria is their traditional ally.

WesternCanuck in reply to happyfish18

I don't think many Syrians would accept any support/involvement of Russia in a post-Assad administration. They have already shown that they are merely concerned about protecting their geo-strategic interests - irregardless of the costs to human lives.

After any type of transition, Russia will be about as welcome as they are now in Libya: this is what is meant by being "on the wrong side of history"...

Bismarck888 in reply to happyfish18

The days of secular strongman dictatorships are dead. They are fragile because they are based on nationalism (long dead) or force, religious dictatorships or monarchies are much more robust, something lost on the Russians and Chinese. None of the Gulf Monarchies cracked.


in a post-Assad Syria grow(th) ? Not a spelling error here?


It now is the time to start preparing for the day when Syria is at last rid of Bassar and to prepare the future without him.

Next Iran's regime.

Next Putin's regime.

Then Hong kong will have fee election and the move in China will have already started.

Last two and half centuries have told us that always the people win when they start a revolution, what we call now a "regime change".

The result of the regime change depends of many parameters : it could be worst or better. But it's always happened.

Nickuru in reply to walterbenjamin

Cynically speaking, this promotes the military-industrial complex. Who benefits from these wars? Only those with rich holdings in weapons manufacturers.

Case in point: why not develop Thorium nuclear power? It is clean and you cannot make a bomb out of it. It seems that the military-industrial complex wants to convert everyone into medieval serfs.

Yukon Dave

It looks like Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and I are the only people that noticed pictured at the top of the article was a Syrian Freedom Fighter/Terrorist carrying a US made M16A4 battle rifle with an Aimpoint scope and 720 rounds of ammunition on his person.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned against the United States arming rebels in Syria, saying “such a move could inadvertently lead to support for the Al Qaeda and Hamas terror groups.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "That contrasts with what the United States is doing with the opposition, which is providing arms to the Syrian opposition which are being used against the Syrian government," he said, in remarks translated from Russian into Farsi by an official interpreter.

walterbenjamin in reply to Yukon Dave

Poor Yukon, one of these Russian Chauvinist slave who is writing here. Yes Russia is arming the Syrian government, yes Putin and his associated desire that President Assad wins ... why? Because Putin's regime is a dictatorship and wants to apply to his own population what President Assad - and what Putin did already in Chechnya - on which , one day or another, he will be sued as war criminal.

Yes Chinese government acts in the same way because what they have done in Tian Amen in June 89 it is exactly what President Assad is doing.

These both dictators - Chinese and Russian - are squared of what will happen to them if their own people start to fight against them - and they know it will happen sooner than later.

They dream to succeed as Iran's present government succeed.

They are scared that if President Assar failed or is simply killed which is really possible, even more credible, it will be Iran present government who will go down.

And of course after Putin.

Not the Chinese one - because of their own history.

It is really funny to see a Russian Chauvinist slave like yourself doesn't realize that History is made with Revolutions - and two of the greatest in the XXth century were the Russian of the Chinese one. Both have been very beneficent to the two countries - surely much more to China than to Russia which is normal because Russia has four centuries of Mongol state habits and their citizens have always been considered as slaves. It is even the essence of Russian conservatism.

Then again - as in Iran - there will be a Russian revolution - hopefully less bloody.

In China it is in their History that every seven decades or every three centuries they create a regime change. Their history also told them that some period of time they are united, some they are not. They are used to that. During the period of transition most of the time there is no unity. Read "Three Kingdoms" to know what they mean by that.

Russia as a state exists a little more than three centuries and half. And of course as many states ( empires, kingdoms, etc ) in Europe, it will disappear as it is in the present stage.

Most probably the new "Russian" state will be more focus on the life of their Russian Ethnic - the Western part - and will leave to the Islamic, Tartar, Caucasus, Siberian minorities the possibility to manage themselves . Siberia will surely be managed or under influence of the Chinese during a while.

Is this change be good for Russian Ethnics? Most probably. But they are scared of that because it is an unknown territory for them.

One of the possibilities in Syria will be the partition of the country - the Assad clan will keep the power near the harbor where Russia army is. Surely Putin will push for that - to create like a South Osetian state. Why? Because that Putin and his allies know.

But the Chinese will refuse this solution as they did for South Osetia.

Does this have a chance to happen?

Probably in the short term, but surely not in the long term. The other Syrian will invade them.

I am sure that the new Syria without Assad will be a better place - as in Tunisia, Lybia, Egypt - even if these places are in transition. Why? Simply because it will have been the result of the people will.

Simon Hibbs in reply to Yukon Dave

The Turkish army use the M16 and we already know the Turks are supporting the FSA but it's still very small scale. A few light arms like that only

Meanwhile the Syrian Army is armed to the teeth with huge quantities of the latest Russian military equipment. So who is interfering most in Syria's internal affairs?


Reading these comments I find the Wahhabi's scaremongering really funny. The West and China defend/facilitate/cooperate with the Mother of all Wahhabis , Saudi Arabia. Chinese posters here constantly reminded the West about helping the evil "Wahhabbi" terrorist, but 500 of Chinese workers "converted" to Islam so they could snag a contract to build a high speed rail network in Mecca. China is now the largest consumer of "Wahabbi" oil. If the Chinese were so concerned with Wahhabi, stop buying their oil.

Terrorism / Al Qaeda loves a vacuum. The longer the civil war drags on, the more radicalised the Sunnis become, and the more likely they will fracture after Assad is finished. Right now the West is really not doing much, despite what the Chinese and Russian say. Had the West stepped up to the plate earlier on, ignoring the Security Council, most like the outcome would have been resolved faster, preventing old ethnic / sectarian wounds to fester in a prolonged civil war. The likelihood of AQ setting up in Libya is very remote, the likelihood of Al Qaeda establishing a base in a war torn Syria extremely high.

The other option is to actually back Assad and help him finish off the rebels in the beginning by sending arms and not imposing sanctions. Again you are left with the horrible situation that there could be severe blow back. The US, unlike China and Russia, knows that sooner or later those dictators have to give way. No one lives for ever, some that is lost on our Chinese / Russian posters.

There are worse things than the Muslim Brotherhood. Let's talk dollars and cents. Most Sunni Muslim clerics in most corrupt Muslim countries can be bought, if they issue a fatwa, you pay them give donations to reverse or make accommodations. I know, because I have done it before. On the other hand, Secular nationalist are a pain in the butt if you are a foreign businessman, they want to protect their cronies with restrictions on foreign investment, tariff on imports.

Let's compare how friendly, secular Arab countries versus their Wahabbi brethren have been, in the most important Western influence, foreign investment. When did Syria have its First KFC? In 2006. Does Libya have a KFC? NO !!!! In Saudi Arabia they opened in the late 1970s. In Kuwait, in 1973.

Secular Arab Nationalist (like Assad in Syria) are bad for Western or Chinese firms. Despite what many people think, the Muslim Brotherhood is generally alot more free market and are more welcoming to foreign investment than their nationalist secular counterparts. This is lost on many commentators here. We assume that the Muslims are not economic creatures, but merely religious / political creatures. The more religious they are, the less welcoming to the West, not always true, particularly in business. The reason why the Gulf states are rich, besides having a lot of oil, is they are alot more open to foreign business /trade than the more nationalist "secular" regimes found in the likes of Syria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria etc.

I don't care if their women can't drive, or they like to stone people, as long as they buy our stuff, eat our "crap" and hire our people. Gaddafi and Assad were not holding any Beyonce or Justin Bieber concerts. Beyonce is never going to hold a concert in the Arab world, why even bother. So one should concentrate on selling fried chicken and burgers.

Looking at it from an economic perspective, the fall of secular dictators like Assad and Gaddafi is good for Western multinationals.

happyfish18 in reply to Bismarck888

Of course, that is the point in interfering. You only care that the Wahhabis buy Western arms and export resources like oil. Otherwise it will be back to regime change again if some dudes want gold dinars.

Bismarck888 in reply to happyfish18

Your problem is you have never lived in a Muslim country, so you fear what you don't know. National Secular regimes are always bad for foreign businessmen, whether Chinese or Western. Something, lost on alot of people.

Secondly, why complain about the West. China is the largest consumer of Wahabbi Oil, but you never complain. Why? The uncomfortable fact is the more conservative Gulf States are much much more business friendly than the likes of Libya or Syria. Its sad fact that ignorant and biased people like you fall to realize.

Bismarck888 in reply to happyfish18

China only cares about money? What do you care about? Having them live under wretched secular dictator like the Assad family that close off his country to much of the world for 50 years. No Western music, no foreign investment, no Chinese food etc. What you present is a smear job. You want to portray the peoples of the Wahabbi as primitive and backward, but the irony is they are richest, most open of all the Arab states. Look at the freedom indices.

Almost all the Gulf States are free or moderately free in terms of Economics, with the exception of Jordan, not one of the non-Gulf states is even moderately free.

They could have remained closed off like Libya/Syria economically, but they did not. In the 1970s, Libya's per capita income was double that of Saudi Arabia, now its half? What happened?

happyfish18 in reply to Bismarck888

What do you mean? I am a national in a Moslem country. My observation is generally that only some Moslems are very God fearing and faithfully religious. But when the fews who are brainwashed by extremist ideology by foreigners, they are apt to burn churches, temples etc,; treat the Shias, Ismaili as Kafir cults; get involved in bombing foreigners in the bars, hotels etc. These Wahhabis will force all to go through the form but not the substance of Islamic teachings.
Yes, I know that the Notionally secular can be very Islamic. But they are quite corrupt and will live to enjoy material lives. So, money talks louder for them than religion. So these buggers will pay lip services to Shariah laws etc and co-existence with minorities are tolerated.
Now the questions are returned to you. Maybe you are also influenced by Wahhabi ideology,

Bismarck888 in reply to happyfish18

I am not wahabbi. But the fact is in the Arab world the Gulf states are more open to foreign investment and foreigners much more so than the secular nationalist states are. Its a fact that you cannot dispute.

What about all the bombings the PLO, Secular Arab-Nationalist terrorist did in the 1960 and 1970s. People like you have a slanted and myopic memory. Here are some of the good stuff Arab nationalist have done

Gaddafi - Lockerie Bombing, Funded Berlin discotheque bombing
He funded the Moro Liberation Front, Red Army Faction and the IRA. Libyan Diplomats shot and killed a police woman in London in 1984

Palestinian Terrorism - Black September in Munich, Savoy Hotel, MS Achille Lauro, Attack on the Japanese Embassy in Kuwait in 1974 ??? and numerous other incidents.

Have the Gulf States attacked anyone in the last 40-50 years. How many times have secular Arab states attacked Israel or other states. Iraq - Iran War, Iraq Invasion of Kuwait. All the Arab Israel wars. How about the Algerian Civil War? Islamist have bore the brunt of persecution and violence in the Middle East for the last 40 years, merely for winning an election like in Algeria.

Gomer_rs in reply to Bismarck888

With the obvious and glaring exception of Al-Qaeda I totally agree w/ Bismarck's point. But, the other side is Al-Qaeda and other violent Islamist resistance groups have been empowered over the years because legitimate protest and petitioning of government for redress have been barred in much of the Arab world, and thank god that's about to change.

Bismarck888 in reply to Gomer_rs

Many people in the West seem to have a short memory. Why is that people automatically assume "secular" Arab good, "religious" ones bad. Each group have their own crazies, and both Al Qaeda and the Arab Nationalist groups have committed terrorist attacks against the West. Setting aside the the crazies, the Conservative Gulf states and Jordan have been more welcoming of foreigners / outside influence than their secular counterparts. Many Qatari youth speak better English than Arabic.


Replacing Syria's Assad by other military men, or theocracy, or a mix, as in Egypt, would not be something of a fundamentally different nature. It would still be the reign of Pluto, with another face.

In the Occident, the Middle Ages finished, when god went back to heavens, to mind his business. The same recipe will apply in the Orient.

Secularism and democracy, that is what the West should manipulate for.

Tyranosopher in reply to happyfish18

Islam, like Christianity, is not a civilization. It's just a superstition that thinks of itself as civilized. A clash between a superstition and civilization, is not a clash of civilizations. Civilization is used to do away with primitive beliefs. Always had, always will. Yesterday the Catholic church, today financial plutocracy. Surely yesterday's theocracy is not much to munch on.

The story of the West, overall is not that superstition. The secret of the West is the triumph of intelligence and reason, under the cover of crucifixion, and that is best served by democracy. This general philosophy and vision of history is amply documented in the following site (and its ancestor, Tyranosopher):

USS Geometer

How sad that it had to come to this. I'm not sad that Assad is on the fast track to streetlight pinata, but rather because this was all so unnecessary. He just couldn't bring himself to share power. I wonder if those guys who got blown up advised him to do that. I wonder if he isn't regretting that decision a whole lot right now.


Well Mr Putin you may have to find another military base soon!!


I have Neither the Temper Nor Time, to Respond adequately to this Week's WEAK Leader!
So here are my Slim-Pickings, for this Week:

"IN EVERY revolution, there is a moment when the tide turns against the regime. In Egypt it came on January 28th last year, when protesters occupied Tahrir Square and torched the ruling-party headquarters. In Libya it happened on August 20th last year, when people in Tripoli rose against Qaddafi. In Syria it may have happened on July 18th, when a bomb struck at the heart of Syria’s military command....."

This first paragraph, started off on the WRONG Foot!!
Egypt is NOT Libya, and Libya is NOT Syria!!!
Continuing to Compare the EVENTS in Libya & Syria, with the REVOLUTION in Egypt, is Foolhardy!!!!
Egypt ERUPTED Spontaneously, while Libya & Syria were Obviously the Target of the Shytsem/System!!!!!

"...But backing the FSA is probably the quickest way to prise Mr Assad from power......"

The ONLY Free Syrian Army (FSA) I FEEL like Backing, are those True Patriots that are Still Serving-BUT are NOT Sold Out!!!!!!
The Quickest-Way out of this Quagmire, is for another Coup d'état in Syria!!!!!!!

The Holy month of Ramadan is about to start, so this is as GOOD a Time as EVER, to END this Debacle..................


Peace, Love & Respect.


As the West rejoice with their backward assing of the King of the East and his allies. But one have to look at the historical context.

The King of the North was sacked by the King of the West in 1204 AD opening the gambit for the King of the South. Now History is coming back in a cycle as the King of the North will be humiliated by the King of the West in collaboration with the King of the South.

However the endgame as in the Biblical prophecy will be the final Apocalyptic battle between the King of the West and the King of the South.

atashi in reply to happyfish18


Kings are getting so rare nowadays, let's see...

The king of Sweeden will be humiliated by the king of Canada (when Elizabeth II will be replaced that is) in collaboration with the king of Swaziland. Did I get it right?


The "world" seem to be prepared. We assit to the fabrication of an islamist Syria over a mass graveyard.

happyfish18 in reply to javier-hache

All the Zionists in the West led by the treacherous Apostate are now obsessed by the Universality of their values called Democracy = the Rule by Majority ballot boxes. Hilliary should experience for herself, life under the Wahhabists before backward assing others into submission to Syariah Laws.



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