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June 15th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda “A foreign military intervention is not the right path in Syria and there are no plans at this stage for a NATO operation,” Rasmussen said.
The NATO chief also said he was not sure whether the situation in Syria could be considered a civil war from a legal point of view.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Intifadh Qanbar, political analyst, to hear his opinion on this issue. The video also offers opinions of two additional guests: Bassam Abu Abdullah, professor at the Damascus University and political analyst, Richard Millet.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Press TV: With the call for an international conference on the issue of Syria which could be initiated by Russia, if the United States does agree to this, do you think that we might see finally a solution which starts with an agreement between Russia and the United States?
Qanbar: First of all I do not think internationalization of the Syrian issue would be helpful or useful to the Syrian people, nor the Syrian government. I think we suffered internationalization of Iraq in the Saddam era and we witnessed that Iraq has been fragmented and it led to huge political problems after the liberation of Iraq.
I think it is important to focus on helping Syrians to resolve their problems amongst themselves. I am for a conference supported by the international community to have all Syrian parties sit on one table and discuss the issue and quit violence from all sides to solve this issue.
I think the demands of the Syrian people are legitimate but also we shall not go to create warzone or create a mayhem in a country that is relatively considered stable in the Middle East and I think if we go that route we will be going to open a Pandora box for terror groups who are now using Syria as a place to practice their killings indiscriminately and I think again the solution is in the hand of the Syrian people and we must help them to do so.
Press TV: Yes but seems to have already become an international issue with the fact that you have international powers and world influential powers supporting each side of the crisis. So how could you find a solution to that in order to let the Syrians come together?
Qanbar: As I said, I think it is very wise to have the international community support dialogue between the Syrian opposition and the Syrian government. No one should consider, no party should consider himself or herself above the other. They should sit down around a table discuss the issues with complete commitment towards peace and rebuilding or building a country or new Syria based on democracy and freedom of rights. We all fought for rights but again internationalization does not mean or should not go to militarization and that is what is happening.
We have many [Persian] Gulf countries openly, they are not denying it, they are sending hundreds of tons of weapons everyday to Syria like Saudi Arabia and Qatar and we have the United States not denying either sending equipment to the rebels in Syria, to the [terrorist group which calls itself] Syrian Free Army.
I think this is not right. I think all parties should hold their fire and sit around a table and I always believe it is never late for a peaceful solution, never.
Press TV: Do you find any common ground that mean Mr. Kofi Annan’s plan and a call for an international contact group that could probably include United States, Russia, China and so on. I mean will Russia be able to be a forerunner in finding some kind of solution?
Qanbar: Let me borrow your first question about why the United States is hesitant. Yes, the United States is very clearly hesitant about military intervention in Syria for a simple reason. All the intelligence quarters in Washington and the Congress and military commanders have admitted openly that al-Qaeda is leading military operations in Syria.
The Secretary of Defense Mr. Panetta said it; the Director of Intelligence said it openly in the Congress and in many cases.
It is not a secret that al-Qaeda has a significant presence if not leading many of the operations in Syria. We have seen their fingerprints as the car bomb attacks in Damascus against civilian targets and with suicide bombers something very similar to what happened in Baghdad or rest of the country in Iraq by al-Qaeda groups.
So it is very clear. This basically makes the situation very dangerous. I do not think any of the Western countries is really taking a lead in this military intervention in Syria with exception of France’s Sarkozy and to less extent, much less extent, the United Kingdom. Everybody is hesitant about it but I think that people are taking lead in this military action is Qatar and Saudi Arabia through Turkey. Even the Turks have some hesitation…
Press TV: Before I ask you the next question Mr. Qanbar, do you have any comments on this before we go on, the issue of military? I mean, do you think that other sides perhaps also want to end this militarily perhaps before Ramadan?
Qanbar: I have noticed very clearly and I think Mr. Millet [the other guest of the program] might agree with me, many countries especially the [Persian] Gulf countries are pushing or pressuring the Syrian opposition not to sit down on a table and negotiate with the government.
I think the Russian plan is a good plan. I think the Annan plan is a good plan and you can build on it towards something more positive and more productive towards peace. I agree with Mr. Millet, it is unexplainable that 15,000 people are killed and we do not want any more people killed.
But the solution is not through military and to be honest with you, I am very skeptical about those safe havens or safe passes. I am not sure how could we guarantee those passes will be used by terrorists to smuggle. Now, when it has become safe, they will need it to smuggle, become like a highway transfer for weapons to inflame the conflict specifically there are parties, there are countries in this world who are very much interested to see this conflict goes on and on.
I think the wise thing to go and I agree with the Russian plan to sit in Moscow or Baghdad or wherever you want or in any country they have chosen to discuss this issue around table between the opposition and let the opposition put their demands on.
I think the Syrian government made some progress in specifically removing Article 8 from the constitution which makes the Ba’ath Party the leader of the country. I think that is a significant progress, should to be taken as a positive note on behalf of the Syrian government.
I think there were elections, I think maybe is not fast enough these changes but to make it compatible with what the people needs or what the opposition needs they have to sit down and negotiate and talk but not to fight from door to door.
We lost some precious people also, a friend of mine I am sure Mr. Millet knows, Marie Colvin who was killed in Homs and others which we miss today and I do not think this conflict is going to lead to anything positive neither for Syria or for the region or for the world.
Press TV: What do you think is behind the election of Abdul Basit Sida as head of the Syrian National Council? Do you think that the issue of Kurds is playing out here clearly?
Qanbar: I think the Kurdish issue is becoming a very important issue in the Middle East, starting from having their semi-independence, if you want to call it, in Northern Iraq.
We have now a federal system in Iraq. I think this federal system has proven to be successful and I think this is one of the solutions for the Kurdish problem in Turkey and partially in Syria although with the much less population in Syria.
I think the Kurds have played a positive role in this conflict and they have not been dragged into military confrontation as much as some Western powers wished to happen.
I think the Kurds also could play a good a positive catalyst for a peaceful negotiable solution for a new Syria. I do not think Syria could go back to its old times any longer and I disagree with my colleague Mr. Millet about Libya.
Syria is bordering Israel and Iraq and Turkey. These are one of the most dangerous areas in the world and Syria is much bigger than Libya and also there is a huge issue of minorities and Kurds and Christians and Alawites.
These problems are not balanced and also as you mentioned, I agree with you, President Bashar al-Assad is still much more popular than Gaddafi and interesting enough, I read a poll has been conducted by a Qatari foundation which discovered 52 percent of the Syrian people are still in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
So this is a country that is divided but it is still the government entertained some sort of popularity and support by the people.
AHK/SS
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