An editorial by John Paul Piérot. Only the Syrian people have the right to go after the invaders under the black flag. To achieve this, the Syrian army, Kurdish forces, and the democratic opposition must be able to count on the support of a broad international coalition working on the basis of a UN resolution.

Is the Syrian crisis becoming the launching pad of a third world war? At the current stage of this conflict and humanitarian tragedy’s internationalization, this question has been raised in the public conversation. It conjures up ghosts of the twentieth century from the Sarajevo assassination, the prelude to the 1914-1918 war, to Vladimir Putin’s call for a grand coalition, "like the one that was formed against Hitler." Comparisons can be misleading, but one thing is certain: four years after the pro-democracy demonstrations, which Bashar al-Assad ignored, "the solution has so far escaped Syrians," says a leader of Kurdish forces who has liberated part of the territory from the grip of the Islamic State (IS).

While the Gulf monarchies are waging a war against Shi’ite Iran by jihadists proxies and Turkey, a NATO member, wants to weaken the Kurds, in recent days, the US and France have carried out air strikes which have not yet curbed the IS offensive. Russia has entered the game and bombarded jihadist positions for the last forty-eight hours. Far from wanting to coordinate operations, Paris has accused Moscow of hitting "rebel forces" who are in reality the al-Nusra Front groups affiliated with al-Qaida!

It is ridiculous to think that the conflict will end with air strikes alone. What about sending in ground troops? The United States has already lived through the 2003 disaster in Iraq, and the Russians are not willing to relive their failed 1979-1989 intervention in Afghanistan. Only the Syrian people have the right to go after the invaders under the black flag. To achieve this, the Syrian army, Kurdish forces, and the democratic opposition must be able to count on the support of a broad international coalition working on the basis of a UN resolution. Once peace returns, Syrians will finally be able to decide for themselves the political future of their country.

Comment by Henry Crapo, published as commentaire on the site of l’Humanité

This article is a disgrace to the journal that has published it. It supports US policy of seeking "a coalition" and UN support for its proxy war by its mercenary jihadists against the state of Syria, waged with the active participation of Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, et al, with diplomatic and now military support from France and the UK, and then shamefully blames Russia for having so effectively come to the aid of Syria. Russian aid, at the request of the Syrian government and with the approval of the Russian parliament, is entirely legal under international law. There is much more reliable information readily available in the digital press, for instance, this article by Mike Whitney at Information Clearing House.

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