Assad backers and the logic of the playground in Syria

Azeem Ibrahim – after mentioning Assad’s latest crimes on medical staff – writes in his latest article in Al-Arabiya English that “this is barbarism worthy of the worst monsters of global history. It is a marked regression in the application of the norms of war. And yet for reasons which I will come to, there is next to no prospect that Assad - the man in whose name those bombs fell - will appear at the International Criminal Court.”

The writer begins first by blaming the US, arguing that “at the very least the US could have enforced a no-fly zone. That, at least, would have prevented Assad’s planes dropping chlorine on his people. But instead, President Obama refused. The US could have enforced a safe area for refugees. That, at least, would have allowed the many innocent victims of Assad’s conflict to flee in safety. Instead, he dithered.”

“The geopolitical cover Assad receives is only half of the story. Assad is able to continue to commit his crimes in part because of the rhetorical cover provided by some journalists, political leaders and religious leaders. They have all stepped up to the plate to sow confusion,” the writer explains after mentioning Assad’s direct Iranian and Russian allies.

“By describing all opposition to Assad as “al-Qaeda” and painting Assad as the real victim of US aggression they seem to have muddied the waters. Arguments for action against Assad receive less public hearing thanks to the work of their pens,” the writer continues, listing out a number of Western politicians and journalists who have been blinded to believe that it is just a fight between two Manichaean forces - those of the “imperialist” United States and those who resist its advance; "any grouping allied with the former must be bad and any grouping allied with the latter must, in consequence, be beyond criticism."

“It is the logic of the playground. By muddying the case for action against President Assad, these analysts, journalists, and politicians become the accomplices to real suffering in Syria today,” the writer concludes.