Alwaght- In a clear withdrawal from a five-year position on Syria, American Secretary of State urged Syrian militants to accept the presence of Bashar Assad in a future election.
The American New York Times newspaper published a leaked recording of a meeting between the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Syrian militant groups on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York last week.
The meeting took place at the Dutch Mission to the United Nations on Sept. 22. There were perhaps 20 people around a table: representatives of four Syrian groups, active in the militant-held areas; diplomats from three or four countries; and Mr. Kerry’s chief of staff and special envoy for Syria. The recording was made by a non-Syrian attendee, and several other participants confirmed its authenticity.
During the meeting the US minster told Syrian rebels to prepare for accepting the presence of their president Bashar Assad in any future elections in the country, a clear departure from a longstanding US position requesting Assad to step down before any political solution were to be implemented in the country. The American newspaper describes the position as “astonishing, five years after President Obama demanded that he [Assad] step down".
The revealing is in direct contrast with Obama’s address to the UN General assembly on the same day where he reiterated his position that Assad should step down.
Russia was invited to Syria whereas US has no mandate
In another part of this recording the US diplomat confirmed that the Russian presence in Syria was justified because they were invited by the legitimate government.
The remark is considerable as many western media try to misrepresent the Russian support for the legal Syrian government fighting terrorists as an outrage war against civilians.
In a contradicting remark, however he claims “the problem is Russians don’t care about international law, but we do”.
This is while the US has record of breaking international law in various occasions, including its aggressions on Afghanistan in 2001 and against Iraq in 2003 despite the fact that the UN Security Council did not authorize the attacks.
The ensuing kidnapping of terrorist suspects and keeping them under torture in the notorious Guantanamo prison also violated multiple international laws.
I am frustrated
In remarks described by the New York Times’ report as an ongoing disagreement inside the US cabinet, Kerry refers to the positions of the US government on Syria and says “I understand it’s frustrating. You have no body more frustrated than me".
Referring to the remarks by the US Secretary of State, New York Times writes “his frustrations and dissent within the Obama administration have hardly been a secret, but in the recorded conversation, Mr. Kerry lamented being outmaneuvered by the Russians, expressed disagreement with some of Mr. Obama’s policy decisions and said Congress would never agree to use force."
The contradicting positions on the US side is a clear sign of inability of the country to push ahead with its desired position of toppling president Assad on one hand and persuading its supported militant group on an alternative option on the other.
US won’t fight hezbollah in Syria and you will be destroyed
In another part of the meeting the US top diplomat rejects facing the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah in Syria as requested by the militant groups.
"Hezbollah is not plotting against us” Kerry says rejecting a demand by the militants for US support in their fights with the Lebanese group which is helping Syrian army fight terrorists inside the country.
Kerry refers to the support of Iranian government for Syria as another obstacle on the way to intervene against Damascus.
"The problem is that, you know, you get, quote, enforcers in there and then everybody ups the ante, right? Russia puts in more, Iran puts in more; Hezbollah is there more and you all are destroyed,” Kerry said.
Militant groups feel betrayed
Representatives of the Syrian militant groups present at the meeting were mostly astonished and frustrated by the change in US stance after years of a war against their Syrian army when they laid their hopes on a US support.
The frustration is best shown in a short dialogue between the US Secretary of State and Ms. Shehwaro when Kerry asks her “So you think the only solution is for somebody to come in and get rid of Assad?”
"Yes,” Ms. Shehwaro said.
"Who’s that going to be?” he asked. “Who’s going to do that?"
"Three years ago, I would say: You. But right now, I don’t know,” she replies.
Referring to the same feeling of being manipulated by Washington, New York Times writes “several of the Syrian participants said afterward that they had left the meeting demoralized, convinced that no further help would come from the Obama administration. A civil engineer named Mustafa Alsyofi, said Mr. Kerry had effectively told the Syrian opposition, “You have to fight for us, but we will not fight for you."
“How can this be accepted by anyone?” Mr. Alsyofi asked. “It’s unbelievable.”
In the meeting, he and the others pressed Mr. Kerry politely but relentlessly on what they saw as contradictions in American policy. Their comments crystallized the widespread sense of betrayal even among the Syrians most attractive to Washington as potential partners.
