After it became clear that a UN resolution on Syria was not in the cards due to vetoes from Russia and China, many pointed to the rising specter of Syria becoming a theater of proxy conflict between various powers. A Syrian in Damascus, who could not be named for security reasons, has an Op-Ed in the Christian Science Monitor. The subheadline reads: “Syrians feel caught in a proxy power struggle among the US, Gulf states, China, and Russia – who all seem more concerned with their interests and less with democracy for all. This external fight is preventing Syrians from making vital decisions about their own internal challenges.”
The author goes through the self-serving, realpolitick of the postures of the U.S., the Gulf states, China, Russia, and even al-Qaeda and argues that Syrians see through the bullshit. I’ve explored such postures here, here, and here.
Those outside Syria genuinely interested in protecting civilians, ending the bloodshed, and facilitating Syrian self-determination would also do well to keep in mind that those inside Syria are much more than figurines to be shaken up for the sake of changing the landscape.
We know at least some elements of the Free Syrian Army have been vying for a Western-led intervention against the Assad regime, so it’s not clear how representative the view of this writer is, but this is the narrative you cannot find in the mainstream, unfortunately.
