Origin and Perspectives of the Syrian Crisis
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the first Iraqi War, major strategic and geopolitical changes took place in the world. Therefore, the United States sought to consolidate its dominance over the world, in order to insure the continuity of its superiority also in the 21st century.
Photo: File/Reuters
By Abdalla Ahmad
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the first Iraqi War, major strategic and geopolitical changes took place in the world. Therefore, the United States sought to consolidate its dominance over the world, in order to insure the continuity of its superiority also in the 21st century.
Meanwhile, some experts began to preach the victory of the liberal democratic system , based on assumption that it’s a determining standard for the fate of the world. However, the domination of the world requires the control of Eurasia. According to the thinker Halford Mac Kinder, Eurasia is the island of the world, and who rules this island holds the leadership of the world. Therefore, Eurasia (Europe and Asia), represents the geopolitical chessboard (Eurasia extends from Lisbon to Vladivostok). So the power of land is more important than the power of the sea, according to this doctrine.
Europe was, and it is still, pro-US. Meanwhile, NATO has been extended in Eastern Europe till the Russian borders. Therefore, the US needed the subjugation on the Middle East, in order to create a route to the heart of Eurasia (Central Asia) and to isolate Russia. To try to achieve this aim, the United States used several methods and lunched a strategic project aimed to consolidate this hegemony, especially the project for a “New Middle East”
What about Turkey?
Turkey’s role in the Middle East project was important. Already several years before the crisis, Turkish President Erdogan announced that he was one of the leaders of the Greater Middle East project. So, we can understand the destructive role Turkey had in the war against Syria. Meanwhile Turkey offers antidote to Islamic fundamentalism, it trained and supported terrorist rebels and it occupied parts of the North of Syria. So Turkey remains one of the main tool in the war against Syria, and this role was arranged in advance, with the arrival of Erdogan and the Muslim Brotherhood to power in Turkey.
Why Syria and Iran are in the heart of the storm ?
Thus, the targeting of Iran and Syria can bee seen within the framework of the global struggle to control the Middle East, which could open the way to the domination of Eurasia. Therefore all the crises in the region are linked to each other. In addition, the United States seeks to achieve others several goals, including:
- Hegemony over Iran is needed to reach the heart of Eurasia and prevent Russia from reaching the Gulf water.
- Consolidate the US hegemony over the Arabian Gulf
- Control the oil resources in the region to exercise pressure on China
- Re-formulation of the map of the region with Israel as a dominant power
- Ensure that no single force can control this geopolitical area, and to link the gas and oil pipeline network across the Arab countries and the mainland of Mediterranean Sea, to prevent Russia from monopolizing it.
The conflict with Iran is not aimed to change the nuclear agreement or for limiting the Iran’s military capability. Rather, the US wants to move Iran to a pro-Western geopolitical position. Thus, the strategic dimension is the fundamental criterion in American policies. This confrontation could allow the United States to achieve gains in the Gulf states and in the economic war with China. But, it is not willing to reach a comprehensive or direct military confrontation with Iran because it carries great risks and is not considered as an American necessity at this stage.
Syrian crisis – Several solution scenarios
Despite the devastating war, Syria has been able to accelerate the establishment of a strong network to resist US projects in the region. The Syrian steadfastness and battle victories changed the geopolitical balances in the region . Therefore, The United States and its allies in the region (especially Turkey) are trying to prolong the crisis and to impose a political solution, with the introduction of a new constitution guaranteeing the US hegemony.
The political and military US escalation in the North and East of Syria is carried out with the support of mercenaries from private companies, French and British forces, and with the attempt to form a new alliance under the pretext of fighting ISIS, in an American effort to support Kurdish separatist groups. However, the most dangerous step is the support of terrorist groups, especially the army of Al AZAA, which is part of the Al Nosra terrorist group, which explains the terrorist attacks on the villages of Hama and Idlib provinces.
It is clear, that this escalation aims to prevent Damascus and its allies from achieving a final victory, because this will have significant repercussions on the regional level .
Unfortunately, it is difficult to reach a Russian-American consensus on Syria and on the region. Therefore, Damascus must include the military option to liberate the areas controlled by rebels.
- It is clear that a solution of the Syrian crisis can be reached only after the liberation of Idlib province, as well as the restoration in the East Syrian. Therefore, the only option remaining for Damascus is the military action, which might lead to a breakthrough in the Syrian east and push the separatist organizations into dialogue. It will put a great pressure as well on the United States in the east, where the force (civil resistance) must be exercised to force US to leave the Syrian land .
- The Syrian dialogue is the only way to overcome the crisis. But it is impossible to rely on the international organizations or on the United Nations, which are controlled by the United States, where its seek to penetrate the Syrian constitution through the so-called Constitutional Committee.
However, the main obstacle remains the unjust American and European sanctions against the Syrian people. Pressure must be exerted to stop them, or to find alternatives by strengthening cooperation with allies (Russia – China) and to build economic partnerships with those countries.
(The author is a Senior Researcher and Advisor in Geopolitical Affairs, Damascus, Syria. The article first appeared here and has been republished with the author’s permission. The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy and views of International Affairs Review).
