Syrian Transition Plan Reached by U.S., Russia in Vienna

[Independent voter]

you shouldn't vote because you don't seem to have a grasp on reality. Any removal of Assad virtually requires massive US deployment, but more importantly, any hope of getting something that is not a cluster fuck afterwards definitively requires it.
Think another Afghanistan or Iraq, those successes...

So if Assad losses in a free election, then what.

The only people who want to keep Assad in power are Russians, Alawite, and Iranians. Do you belong to one of these groups?

[turboether]

It's probably a good thing that the US have agreed to put their destabilization of Syria on hold to counter the greater evil. This conflict won't be over for a good while so you have plenty of time to microwave up some popcorn for the Syrian elections. History doesn't exactly show a good track record concerning western involvement in 'saving' the region from tyrants.

[Skroe]

It's probably a good thing that the US have agreed to put their destabilization of Syria on hold to counter the greater evil. This conflict won't be over for a good while so you have plenty of time to microwave up some popcorn for the Syrian elections. History doesn't exactly show a good track record concerning western involvement in 'saving' the region from tyrants.

First of all there is no evidence that it is on hold. A photograph of Obama and Putin talking means nothing, because policy isn't formulated in such meetings. They will only parrot what their staff has discussed ahead of time. After lunch I have a reply to a poster above to write, but the attacks haven't changed anything in the fact that the most significant strategic security threat to Europe remains Russia, not ISIS, and we'd be foolish to cede any ground to them over a terrorist group. ISIS can kill hundreds of people. Russia can do substantially more than that. It's a no-brainer.

Secondly the chief architects of the proxy war are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Turkey. And while Turkey probably cares (to a degree), you can take to the bank that the former 3 certainly do not. To be blunt, a 129 European citizens is not their problem, when Syrian intrigue has been so effective at wiping out experienced leaders of the Iranian Quuds Force and Hezbollah that Assad has used as front line forces.

That's kind fo the other subtext of the Syrian campaign - the ongoing Sunni Arab secret war against Iran. In Syria, they've managed to cost the Iranians several billion dollars of equipment, and moreover, have had experienced Iranian irregular forces commanders (Veterans from the Iran-Iraq War and Iraq War) killed. It's been nothing but win-win for them, especially when put in context against their more conventional military campaign (also against Iranian interests) in Yemen.

[Gumboy]

By "alevites" do you mean Alawite? Assad is a member of the Alawite, a group of Shiites in Syria. It's why Iran backs Assad cause Iran is mostly Shiite too. Alawites are a small minority in Syria.

Sunni Arabs make up 80-90% of the people in Syria. Even if most of the Sunnis fled Syria because of the civil war, there are still a lot of Sunnis there. I'm sure the UN will let Syrian refugees vote too.

Refugees that left the country? Why should they get to vote? How could that possibly be counted fairly across country borders?

[Gamevizier]

Saudis announced that even if Assad is chosen to be in power via the political process they will keep funding and supporting the rebels.

Looks like someone has to explain to them how diplomacy works.

[cFortyfive]

Who cares what the "rebels" say? They're mostly ISIS at this point. They don't get a vote, or atleast shouldn't.

Aren't the former rebels mostly the now allegedly moderates () meaning the fsa, aq, al nusra and so on ?

[Gheld]

So if Assad losses in a free election, then what.

The only people who want to keep Assad in power are Russians, Alawite, and Iranians. Do you belong to one of these groups?

The Kremlin really only cares that whoever runs Syria can maintain relative stability and is friendly towards them. Whether that guy is named Assad is of no concern to them.

[Independent voter]

Refugees that left the country? Why should they get to vote? How could that possibly be counted fairly across country borders?

The UN has done the same previously, Iraq comes to mind, refugees were allowed to vote.

Think about it, if you could just drive out all the Democrats in the US leaving just Republicans and staged and election, nobody would think it was fair.

[Deleted]

The UN has done the same previously, Iraq comes to mind, refugees were allowed to vote.

Think about it, if you could just drive out all the Democrats in the US leaving just Republicans and staged and election, nobody would think it was fair.

Seems most people think it's fair when you fill the country with democrats tho, maybe Assad should try to get some Iranian immigrants.

[PACOX]

Thats fine and all but how are they doing to get the two most important players, the Syrian government and the opposition, to agree to a resolution?

[sarahtasher]

After a civil war that displaced millions of people (that are not very welcome in the rest of the world according to some threads...) asking for the departure of Assad is very reasonnable. As people brought it, 80% of the Syrian population dislike him and the Alawites, it would be much easier to find a mutually acceptable compromise with someone else.

(Yes, killing ISIS is a priority, yes. But there need to be a plan for after the destruction of ISIS)

[Skroe]

Obama's former Turkey and Iraq Ambassdor just threw him to the wolves.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...483_story.html

[Deleted]

Obama's former Turkey and Iraq Ambassdor just threw him to the wolves.

And why would they do that?

[Hooked]

So if Assad losses in a free election, then what.

The only people who want to keep Assad in power are Russians, Alawite, and Iranians. Do you belong to one of these groups?

As an American I want to keep assad in power also. What happens to the Syrian Christians if the muslim brotherhood takes over Syria?.

- - - Updated - - -

[PACOX]

Saudis announced that even if Assad is chosen to be in power via the political process they will keep funding and supporting the rebels.

Looks like someone has to explain to them how diplomacy works.

I can't until the US can break up with the Saudis.

[Hooked]

The UN has done the same previously, Iraq comes to mind, refugees were allowed to vote.

Think about it, if you could just drive out all the Democrats in the US leaving just Republicans and staged and election, nobody would think it was fair.

It may not be fair but it sure would be utopia.

[Damajin]

It will be interesting to see how Russia responds to this. Will they back him to the very end, or throw him under the bus?

They'll back him as long as it's beneficial to them, and then move on to the next guy. Their interest in Syria has always been geopolitical positioning, they don't have this huge bond to Assad specifically. The thing is I'm sure Assad has an exit strategy that doesn't involve being thrown to the wolves which will be honored and unless they want the fighting to break out again any Syrian government post Assad as well as the people are going to have to learn to live with that.

Now onto the next part, sending back the refugees. Let's get on with that shall we?

[Kontinuum]

[Hooked]

I think Obama needs a mental evaluation to see if he is mentally fit for office. He obviously doesn't think the safety of americans should be his first obligation.

[Synadrasa]

I think Obama needs a mental evaluation to see if he is mentally fit for office. He obviously doesn't think the safety of americans should be his first obligation.

When did Obama ever say this? Or is this just another "Obama sucks and everything is his fault" cliche post.