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Syria’s Assad Condemns “Terrorism,” Yet Supports Terrorist Group Hezbollah
By Javier Manjarres
Syria’s President Bashar Assad was finally poked his head out to address the ongoing civil war that has gutted his country of resources and political standing around the world, in an attempt to extend an ‘olive branch’ of sorts to dissidents who he considers not to be “extremists or carrying out an foreign agenda.”
Oddly enough, Assad condemned the “murderous criminals” as Islamist “extremists,” and ”terrorists who carry the ideology of al-Qaeda” and called for an end to “terrorism.”
Assad’s words reek of hypocrisy as his regime has been hit with U.S. Sanctions in 2011 for human rights violations, and has been an active supporter of terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and Hamas. The Assad regime’s favorite proxy against Israel is Hezbollah, as it has continued to offer both political and military support for the terrorist front in Lebanon against sovereign state of Israel.
Speaking at the Opera House in central Damascus, Assad told the hall packed with his supporters that “we are in a state of war. We are fighting an external aggression that is more dangerous than any others, because they use us to kill each other.”
“It is a war between the nation and its enemies, between the people and the murderous criminals,” he added. The audience frequently broke out in cheers and applause.
As in previous speeches, Assad said his forces were fighting groups of “murderous criminals” and jihadi elements and denied that there was an uprising against his family’s decades-long rule.
He stressed the presence of religious extremists and jihadi elements among those fighting in Syria, calling them “terrorists who carry the ideology of al-Qaeda” and “servants who know nothing but the language of slaughter.”
He struck a defiant tone, saying Syria will not take dictates from anyone and urged his countrymen to unite to save the nation.
Outlining his peace initiative, he said: “The first part of a political solution would require regional powers to stop funding and arming (the rebels), an end to terrorism and controlling the borders.”
He said this would then be followed by dialogue and a national reconciliation conference and the formation of a wide representative government which would then oversee new elections, a new constitution and general amnesty.
However, Assad made clear his offer to hold a dialogue is not open to those whom he considers extremists or carrying out a foreign agenda.
“We never rejected a political solution … but with whom should we talk? With those who have extremist id-Fox News
Assad’s extention of peace offering could be a last ditch effort to staive off further international involvement that would all but ensure his ousting from power. Many in the international community believe that Assad’s days have been numbered, and that it is only a matter of time before he truly reads and understands the writing on the wall, and flees Syria to another country that will offer him asylum.
One Syria’s staunches allies,Russia, would be an ideal candidate that would welcome Assad and his family.
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2013-01-07 07:49:30
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