Understanding the tragedy from a realistic perspective
By Yawar Hussain
The recent announcement of President of the United States that American troops from Syria are “coming home” very soon has taken many by surprise. This has further complicated the already volatile region where each party is fighting for its own interests and stakes. The situation in Syria is very complex because of the fragile leadership who usually affiliate themselves with some foreign power and carry out their objectives at the cost of their people. In almost every rebel controlled area there is more than one group fighting for different causes as has been recently seen in Eastern Ghouta where Tahrir al-sham (Syrian version of Al-Qaeda) and Al-Rehman Legion (allied with Qatar) on one side fought with Jaysh al-Islam (allied with SA and Turkey).
The crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salam (MBS) has called upon US for staying in Syria for a longer as their pulling out will pave the way for the Iranians to control more area (East Of Euphrates), as happened in Iraq. This validates the fact that nobody is actually considerate of the Syrian people. Everyone is fighting for its own interests. With Olive Branch operation coming to an end and expulsion of YPG (People’s Protection Group), an off-shoot of outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) based in Turkey, from the Afrin city, Turkey plans to capture Manbij (Syria) and also strike YPG positions in Iraq to create what Turkey calls “Buffer Zone” in Northern Syria. Another player in the game is ethnic Kurds with around 30 million population scattered over international borders across Syria,Turkey,Iraq and Iran, and no country to call their own. Their aim to establish a separate state (Rojava) is feared by these regional countries because it will spread separatism to their own Kurdish populations and Turkey has already started taking pre-emptive steps in this regard.
Saudi Arabia is funding and supporting rebels mainly to curb the influence of arch rival-Iran which in turn is supporting its long time ally Syrian President, who nurtures its proxy in Lebanon. Russia came to rescue of Bashir Al-Assad in September 2015 to prevent its lone Mediterranean naval base Tartus. US and West supported rebels to pursue its policy of “Regime Change” though after the emergence of ISIL they admitted that there is no credible opposition that would replace Bashir Al-Assad.
The MBS who is being portrayed as reformer in the west because of his Liberal and pro-west policies aimed at liberalizing the Saudi society, blamed Iranian revolution for extremism in Saudi Arabia and even said that Kingdom preached extremist version of Islam on the directions of West. His policies which include cutting ties with Qatar, Isolating Iran, calling Muslim brotherhood bastion of Terrorists and war on Yemen has been widely criticized in the Muslim world. Despite facing severe criticisms outside, he has equally been appreciated for his policies inside Saudi Arabia where he is the most celebrated. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under his influence (MBS) issued various Royal decrees allowing women to drive, opening cinemas and women stadiums and crack-down on corrupt politicians and business man including members of royal family. MBS has been able to take his people along and stand for their interests which makes him most influential leader in the country.
From these events we learnt that on the one hand there are leaders who fight for the interests of their people even abroad and on the other hand we have leaders who invite foreign powers to rob people of their resources and seize all power. But at the end only those will survive and prosper who rely upon its people, stand by them, listen to their troubles, work for their interests and make them feel proud and important. In the words of the 19th century British Liberal philosopher and Member of Parliament J S Mill, “A state which dwarfs its men, in order they may be more docile instruments in its hand- will find that with small men no great can really be accomplished”
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