Brass Balls Vs. Raisins

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

The conflict in Syria has gone on for almost two years now and there is no end in sight. Why? There is no National leader or international contingent able to match the bravado of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in bizarre and brutal actions carried out by both sides in the conflict. Hundreds of thousands have abandoned their homes seeking safe haven in Turkey and Jordan. Still others have taken up arms to fight for their freedom in a civil war that has turned into a futile conflict.

Turkish Prime Minister  Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish President Abdullah Gul

Political leaders from around the world have proven to be impotent when standing up to al-Assad. Syrian forces have fired mortars and rockets into Turkey and shot down a Turkish plane. These provocations garnered only a limp response from Turkish Prime Minister  Recep Tayyip Erdogan who talked tough during the beginning stages of the conflict. Erdogan’s words have not been backed up with action proving he is a dog that is all bark and no bite. The President of Turkey Abdullah Gul has also issued empty statements regarding the Syrian conflict but has done nothing militarily to resolve the situation. Turkish leaders when asked about their stance in the conflict they all remark that the Syrian and Turkish people have a deep kinship dating back centuries.

Jordan's King Abdullah

Jordan's King Abdullah originally took a pacifist role in the situation by sending his representatives to Damascus for discussions on how to resolve the political uprisings and protests peacefully.The king has also supported all resolutions proposed by the UN and Arab League to bring the conflict to an end. Like Turkey Jordan has been host to millions of displaced Syrians. These acts of generosity prove that Syria's neighbors do have a longstanding affinity for each other. The ever expanding refugee populations are draining Jordan of their resources, particularly fresh water. These reasons alone should be enough to force al-Assad from his ivory tower but King Abdullah has been reluctant to raise his fist in anger. The king has found sufficient resolve to invite the American armed forces to stay behind after a joint exercise “Operation Eager Lion” that took place last spring. The Army special operations forces set up shop with personnel that specialize in biological and chemical warfare and decontamination. Combat ready units are also deployed along Jordan’s northern border with Syria. The 150 U.S. Army Special Forces are there to augment the king's army and are by no means sufficient to carry out a cross border action with the Syrian military.

U.S. President Barack Obama

The President of the United States Barack Obama has said that the only way American armed forces would intervene in the Syrian civil war was that if al-Assad moved any of his chemical weapons. Well chemical weapons were moved and Obama changed his tune, he is now saying that their would only be repercussions if the bio/chem weapons are used. CIA sources report that MOST stockpiles are secure? The Stockpiles are not centralized but scattered around the country in 50 to 60 depots. These weapons can be deployed quickly and by various methods. aircraft, ballistic missile, mortar shells, artillery rockets and IEDs. If  these weapons are deployed in small quantities no one will be able to stop their use and when they are used it will be too late for not only a preemptive strike but a retaliatory strike as well. Small quantities of agents such as mustard gas canisters could already be on the move to al-Qaeda in Iraq and no one would be alerted till after an attack.

President al-Assad has played his cards very well and his brash military moves have kept him in the seat of Syrian power. No matter what you think of the man or his tactics he has the brass balls and he has shriveled his detractors into raisins. Now that the conflict is approaching the two year milestone it is a very real possibility that the people of Syria will be experiencing his brass balls for quite some time.

Brigadier General Manaf Tlas

The United Nations at this point is a non-actor in the Syrian situation and will continue to be a stooge organisation on the world stage. It will take a strong regional leader to step up and take charge of the situation in Syria if their is a real desire to overthrow President al-Assad and bring about a new democratic government. However the motivation is just not there right now. A political resolution to the Syrian civil war seems to be as distant as the moon but what maybe in al-Assad’s stars is a military leader like Brigadier General Manaf Tlas. Now living in France in a self imposed exile Tlas may be able to take control, unite the countries opposition and assume power if he can match the brass of his former boss.