Salvation of Syria hangs on the fate of the brutal Assad

29 September 2015 - 02:24 By The Times Editorial

The hand of Syria's despotic Bashar al-Assad appears to have been strengthened by the reluctant admission of some world leaders that he might end up hanging on to power. The Assad regime has shot, barrel-bombed, even gassed, its own citizens in a civil war that has claimed the lives of 240 000 people since 2011. But Assad has enjoyed the support of powerful allies, most notable Russia's President Vladimir Putin, and efforts led by the US to isolate him at the UN have invariably foundered.The rise, in both Syria and Iraq, of the brutish Islamic State has also come to Assad's assistance.As the jihadists intensified their onslaught, subduing other anti-Assad rebel groupings in the process, Damascus was able to present itself as an essential bulwark against anarchy.This was the argument Putin employed yesterday in his first address to the UN General Assembly in a decade."We must address the problems that we are all facing and create a broad anti-terror coalition," the Russian leader said, adding that failing to co-operate with the Assad regime would be "an enormous mistake''.The US has led air strikes against Islamic State positions in Syria but co-operating with the brutal Assad regime is not an option for President Barack Obama, who argued yesterday that Damascus's excesses against civilians were driving ordinary Syrians into the arms of the jihadists.At present, Russia, which has been sending soldiers and aircraft to Syria, has military bases there, and is striking agreements with Syria, Iran and Iraq to share intelligence on Islamic State, appears to hold all the aces.But Putin would be advised to consider seriously Obama's offer to work with Russia, and even Iran, if that's what it takes to end the bloodshed in Syria.For the sake of millions of ordinary civilians, a way simply has to be found to bring lasting peace to Syria - with or without Assad...

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