Focus: Bernie Sanders on Assad - Jan 19, 2016

Sanders on Assad at the Democratic debate: "And we all know, no argument, the secretary is absolutely right, Assad is a butcher of his own people, man using chemical weapons against his own people. This is beyond disgusting. But I think in terms of our priorities in the region, our first priority must be the destruction of ISIS. Our second priority must be getting rid of Assad through some political settlement, working with Iran, working with Russia.”

Assad is not a ‘butcher of his own people'. Evidence suggests that a Syrian opposition group carried out the Ghouta sarin attack occurred on Aug 21, 2013 that killed hundreds of people. Since the beginning of the civil war the Syrian government and people has been the target of a ferocious, ruthless assault by armed rebel groups, Nusra, Islamic State, etc. The Syrian military bombs and sieges rebel-controlled areas killing civilians but the death toll has been exagerated by sources affiliated with opposition factions.

The language of the Sanders statement, ‘getting rid of Assad through some political settlement’, will be perceived as offensive by the counterparts, not facilitating a diplomatic solution. Assad is supported by Iran and Russia. Iraq share with Syria government the same enemy, i.e. Islamic State, and the same Shite religion. Assad is supported by a significant sector of the population comprised of Alawites, Christians and secular Sunnis. Syrian Kurds, who are battling Islamic State and Nusra, warn that “if the [Assad] regime collapses because of the salafis [fundamentalist Islamic militants] it would be a disaster for everyone.”

The Syrian State institutions are functioning, not near collapse. With Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah help the Syrian military is gaining territory. The Syrian government is open to talk with the opposition about a political settlement leading to U.N. supervised democratic elections. So far the opposition has refused any dialogue by setting the ouster of Assad and his inner circle as pre-condition which is not acceptable by the Syrian government, Russia and Iran.

Note: In general, unlike Clinton, the Sanders diplomacy-driven foreign policy platform is in sync with the world.

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