Assad Dismisses U.S. Plans to Train Rebels
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian President Bashar Assad said U.S. plans to train vetted rebels to fight the Islamic State group were "illusory" as they would eventually defect to the jihadists, in an interview published Monday.
The Syrian leader also questioned talks to be held in Moscow this week, telling Foreign Affairs magazine that his government would attend but was not convinced the opposition figures taking part represented Syrians on the ground.
Washington has backed the Syrian opposition since early in the uprising and has unveiled plans to train more than 5,000 vetted rebels in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to fight IS.
Assad said the planned U.S.-trained force would be "illegal" and would be treated like any other rebel group.
"They are going to be fought like any other illegal militia fighting against the Syrian army," he said.
"Bringing 5,000 (fighters) from the outside will make most of them defect and join ISIS (Islamic State) and other groups.
"The idea itself... is illusory."
The Pentagon has itself acknowledged that identifying and vetting potential rebel recruits for training is a difficult task that cannot be accomplished quickly without significant risks.
Assad questioned the seriousness of the U.S.-led campaign against the jihadists.
"What we've seen so far is just, let's say, window-dressing, nothing real," he said.
"Did the United States put any pressure on Turkey to stop the support of al-Qaida? They didn't," Assad said.
He was referring to his government's longstanding accusations that Ankara has backed rebel groups including IS's jihadist rivals in al-Qaida affiliate al-Nusra Front.
Assad said the nearly four-year-old conflict could only be ended with a political solution, but cast doubt on the value of talks being organised this week by his key ally Russia.
The dialogue, which was due to open later on Monday, was intended to bring together government and opposition representatives, but the main exiled opposition bloc, the National Coalition, is boycotting.
Assad said his government would attend, but asked: "Who do you negotiate with?
"We have institutions, we have an army and we have influence," he said.
"The people we are going to negotiate with, who do they represent?"
His government has long argued that the exiled opposition does not represent people inside Syria, accusing it of being "puppets" of its main foreign backers, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States.
26 January 2015, 11:01
1213
"The people we are going to negotiate with, who do they represent?"
the love child of western imperialism and saudi obscurantism
26 January 2015, 13:32
1211
how come you didnt vote him up eagleyawn? I thought he was your buddy yet he has 0 up and 4 down. did you downvote him to emphasize the emphatic effect?
26 January 2015, 14:31
79
The U.S are going to train yet another group of takfiris that will join IS and Al Nusra later on.
26 January 2015, 13:15
127
So the Islamic Republic of Iran wants to fight the Jewsih State (JS) of Israel using the Islamic Party of God (Hezballah).
Along the way the Islamic Republic backs a one family dictatorship in Syria who decided to kill anyone protesting its dictatorial rule.
This turns into an ugly Islamic State (IS) vs Islamic Republic (IR) fight.
JS is happy that IS and IR are killing each other. IS and IR are also happy killing each other, afterall they are doing it in the name of their God.
The only unhappy people are the vast majority of citizens in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine that just want to live in peaceful, democratic and free societies.
Extremists are crazy by definition. I say to all those supporters of IS, IR and JS and all their supporters: We are in 2015 in the time of the hadron collider, and you look like ridiculous murderous barbarians.
26 January 2015, 13:21
106
Ya Iran, Israel/AIPAC, Hezbollah, ISIL, Al Nusra "7ello 3anna w'3an sama rabna"
26 January 2015, 13:29
85
They are bloody religious, (IS, Hezbollah and IR) and sectarian (the right wing Israeli and Assad regimes) cults killing one another in a land where the vast majority of people want to live in peace, have a roof over their heads and enough revenue for their family's food, health and education.
26 January 2015, 13:51
95
The only mad and sick people here are those killing in the name of god and the poor souls that believe them.
26 January 2015, 13:57
93
To be clearer:
- the Jewish state of Israel is killing in the name of a land promised by a god that speaks to bearded wizards like moses.
- the Islamic republic of Iran believes in an emminent end of times when their god told them to fight infidels.
- the Islamic state's god tells them to kill everyone who is not like them.
Those fairy tale killers are destroying the lives of millions and you call me mad?
26 January 2015, 15:02
95
anonymetexasusa,
The best thing Assad can do is kill and terrorize, like Hezbollah, Iran, Israel and IS.
He certainly cannot make love or peace.
26 January 2015, 15:12
81
Looking at Assad's picture above, he really looks like the criminal version of Laurel from Laurel and Hardy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurel_and_Hardy
26 January 2015, 15:17
84
Unlikely, because he only does it to his supporters!
For those who are not, he goes Jack the Ripper on them!
26 January 2015, 15:38
47
Nice analogy Machia! Jack the Ripper used to kill prostitutes, and Bashar kills takfiri mercenaries, which is basically the same thing.
26 January 2015, 15:49
74
I suggest you think about what you just wrote.
You are condoning the monstrous murders of poor exploited women.
In your barbaric vision of the world, prostitutes deserve to be butchered.
Heads ISIS, Tails Khamanei and his supporters.
26 January 2015, 16:35
57
lighten up machia, it was a joke
anonyme: the good thing about takfiris is that when they infest an area they tend to make everyone else flee. the millions of refugees inside and outside syria attest to that. this way the SAA can happily and safely smash their nests without worrying about human casualties.
now if you're really concerned with that issue, which is very noble of you, i suggest you catch up with reality and have a look at who fires the most inaccurate weapons
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/meet-the-hell-cannon-the-free-syrian-armys-homemade-ho-1628114916
26 January 2015, 16:50
47
that's not what i said anonyme. i suggest you read my comment before you answer, you always seem to be so far off
26 January 2015, 22:07
03
educate yourself and you ll discover all by yourself, that is if you are not afraid of having your certainties shaken....
even michel aoun said it...
