Dear Editor,

Months after a six-point proposal was reached in Syria to help curb the violence and unnecessary bloodshed, the revolution rages on with tremendous resilience. The United Nations and Kofi Annan are contemplating a new method of action, while Turkey wishes to convince the United States and other countries to attack Syria after Assad shot down a Turkish jet (over Syrian airspace, mind you).

But one needs to examine the roles these “anti-regime” countries have in continuing the violence. Voice of America news agency has confirmed that the United States is indeed funnelling arms to the rebels via the Turkish border, which would be illegal under international law, and answers the question: how can a horde of civilians sustain such a forceful revolution for over 15 months?

Is this the price the United States and its allies are willing to pay for “democracy”? How can peace be got through violence? Is it that the US desires to have peace or just the ousting of a leader with strong anti-American philosophies in a strategic geopolitical location? Thousands upon thousands of lives have been consumed in the fighting, and the majority of American news agencies are not hesitant in branding Assad as the terrorist and the aggressor in the violence. However, under international law, a legitimate government has the right to defend itself from an armed insurrection, and I do believe that at times reports of Assad’s villainy are grossly exaggerated.

It is also my belief that the United States is in no way interested in peace in Syria, that is, until Assad is ousted, and the longer Assad stays in power the more reason the USA will get to brand him a terrorist and foment international pressure against him. This is not to say that Assad may not be guilty of various crimes against humanity throughout his decades at the helm of Syria. No; I’m saying these crimes will be overstated to the point where “only an armed attack on Assad will put an end to his tyranny”. We have seen it before, highfalutin stories and accusations that deceive the gullible among us (still no sign of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction) and paint a “knight in shining armour” picture of the United States as they vanquish “tyranny”. I sincerely hope true peace will be achieved in Syria and the world won’t be convinced in carrying out the USA’s definition of “a peaceful outcome”.

K Lindsay

Kemoy.a.lindsay@gmail.com