This article originally appeared at advance.hr translated by Stevo Marjanović exclusively for SouthFront
The Relationship towards the war in Syria has changed since the terrorist attacks in Paris. What are the consequences and will those consequences solve the conflict or will they just prolong the war? Something will definitely happen and it seems that this war is entering a new phase. Maybe the most important phase.
It is becoming obvious that “someone is attacking us, and that is not Assad.” So we will have to choose the “lesser evil.”
Of course, “the evil” in this case was created artificially, with the help of the media. Even if we say that the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is the last and the most cruel dictator in the Middle East (hardly, since he has a strong competition), the fact is that nothing bad will happen to a single Frenchman or European if he stays in power. In the opposite scenario, the safety of the entire Europe is threatened.
The Syrian government and the Syrian president are definitely not a threat to anyone in Europe. It can be said that their a threat for a certain part of the Syrian population, that part which wants Assad gone – but this can be said for every government in the Middle East (and probably beyond).
Now, the moment has come and many in Europe have woken up after the bloody terrorist campaign in Paris – it became clear that Assad is not the threat – his enemies are.
This is the key moment when the West, once more, has a chance to make a large and sudden twist and choose the right stance. Of course, we don’t think that this position is ideal or that the West can choose it without compromise or critics. But if we were to follow the absolute liberal values then we can cut off our relationship with 90% of the world. For starters, we can cut off every contact with absolutist monarchies like Saudi Arabia that implemented the liberal value of separating religion from state by separating the nonreligious people (atheists) from their heads.
When we stop every relationship with them, the entire Middle East, the entire Africa, and half of Asia, we can easily stop relationship with the USA because of the simple fact that they are still practicing various death penalties.
This kind of implementation of liberal and moral values while there are innocent people getting killed in Paris is very dangerous for entire Europe.
No one is suggesting that we should turn to the other, the extreme side – no one here, but across Europe that extreme side is waking up. People will react to these tragedies unreasonably and radically. Unfortunately, it is certain that the popularity of various racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic and fascistic organization is growing these days.
People don’t want complex explanations. Maybe they did before, but this type of life today is fast so people want that type of explanations – fast and easy to understand. Of course, these explanations can be overly simplified and thus, very dangerous.
Those simple explanations will lead to retaliation, mosque burnings, and in the end, to the uprising of some new führer that will claim how he has the best, quick solution for all of Europe’s problems. This all looks as the beginning of a new genocidal ideology, because it is genocidal.
Some say that this is exactly what ISIS wants – to radicalize the Europe. This fits them because they know that the bombs and cruise missiles can destroy their fighters on the ground, but not their ideology. ISIS’ ideology will expand that moment when Europe responds with same measure, when it starts to persecute Muslim just because they are Muslims. They are counting on this, because then they can start recruiting the largest group of Muslims, moderate and secular Muslims.
Is this scenario becoming true? Yes, but it is not too late, it can be stopped. It does not sound good, but a lot of it will depend on the Western leaders.
Those in power probably don’t care enough for their own population. Speeches like the ones we could hear a week ago, after the Paris attack are written by a well payed and well organized PR experts. Changes won’t happen unless those in power are afraid for their own survival. Afraid of whom? From radical reaction that will held them responsible.
If now is the time when they wake up, then they must do the only logical thing, and that is to join the fight against ISIS, while they still can, because time is running out. ISIS does not wish to ignite Europe with weapons and shootings, ISIS plans to ignite Europe by provoking the radical reaction that will lead to a clash of civilizations.
There is very little time, and now is the time for military action. Even the biggest enemies of military interventions must understand that this is a different situation. Even the biggest diplomats and negotiators must understand that it is to late for something like this.
Europe, in order to avoid falling into abyss, in order to avoid implosion, must become a part of a anti-ISIS coalition. That means that France – which is the main military power in Europe – must stop waiting. Hollande suggested this, by stating that Europe cannot wait for the realization for Americans to “degrade ISIS.”
On 26th November Hollande is going to Moscow where he will meet Putin in order to discuss the creation of a large anti-ISIS coalition. This is a step in good direction. Large coalition is now the key, and this coalition must be made up of all those members for which we thought it would be impossible to see on the same side. We are talking about all of those actors that are willing to fight against ISIS: Kurds, Iraqi and Syrian army, Shia paramilitary groups, Russia, Iran, Palestinian fractions, secular militants… Anyone who is the authentic anti-ISIS fighter now must become an ally because we have reached this point.
Along with this military might, the most important political act must happen – to say “enough” for ISIS sponsors in the Gulf.
This is the largest obstacle for them, all because the Western nations are tied too much to regimes that are supporting the international terrorism. When the West says how it will “degrade” ISIS, their Gulf allies hear “we will maim them, but we will not exterminate them.”
On the other side, ever since the beginning Russia has been pointing out how this is absurd, that you can’t view terrorism as “more” or “less bad” – terrorism is terrorism and you can’t negotiate with it.
America is not realizing this, and how should they? They are on the other side of Atlantic and they have very invasive system of surveillance that it is very hard to organize terrorist attack on its soil. Europe is not in this situation. Europe is probably full of so-called “sleeping cells” that are waiting to be woken up. The Paris attacks are proving this.
But, to stop those cells from waking up, they need to be discouraged, now is the time. Now is the crucial moment in which Europe must give up on the American geopolitical plans and understand that these plans are bringing only chaos, tragedy and disaster.
It is time to create a large force, largest possible anti-ISIS force. This is the last chance. In opposite, ISIS will win, it will create a radical reaction within Europe, and then it will be too late.
People forget that China and India are with the Russian People and most of the American People are with Putin and the Russian People..