Kingdom’s leading role in resolving Syrian crisis

The Kingdom can take no pleasure from the results of the refusal of the international community to listen to its advice over Syria. The tragedy that has struck the Syrian people has been compounded by the rise of Daesh. The terrorists have fed on the corpse of the Assad state.
But it did not have to be this way. As long ago as July 2013, Saudi diplomats had persuaded divided Syrian opposition parties to unite. Working with other Arab states, the Kingdom secured the agreement of the Syrian National Coalition to choose Ahmad Jarba as its leader.
Had the political coalition received immediate and material support from the outside world, history would surely have been different. That support really ought to have been there. Outside of Russia and Iran, there was a general agreement that Assad and his government had to go. A political settlement would only be possible without him.
But tragically there were outside forces pulling at different rebel groups. The political leadership remained divided. And behind all the strong words from North America and Europe there were no strong actions. Syria descended into deeper and deeper horrors. The Free Syrian Army never received promised support. And then it suddenly found that it was no longer simply confronting the Assad government. It was stabbed in the back by Daesh, which was supposed to be fighting alongside it.
There are now clearly two problems in Syria — Assad and Daesh. There is little to choose between them. Both are savage terrorists. Daesh is now faced with the military wrath of the international community. Had that military force been deployed four years ago to finish Assad and allow the triumph of the Syrian Revolution, Daesh would never have existed. Now there is a determination by virtually every state in the world to bring about the destruction of Daesh. It is not going to be easy. Airstrikes alone will only degrade the terrorists’ weaponry and infrastructure. It will require ground forces to finish the job.
But the Kingdom is already thinking beyond the destruction of Daesh. It is looking to a post-Assad Syria. It is therefore once more bringing Syrian opposition leaders to Riyadh. Now is the time for them to recognize their awful mistake of two years ago. Their disunity deepened their country’s tragedy. Now they must find more than promising words and hand shakes for the cameras.
For Daesh there can be no political solution, only extermination. But for the rest of Syria ultimately there can only be a political settlement. Assad clung to power at the time when he was most in danger, because his political opponents could not stand together. They collapsed into disunity. No doubt Assad’s agents as well as interference by other states had something to do with this lack of agreement. But now there is a new and arguably better window of opportunity. Russia has agreed that in principle, it does not see a long-term role for Assad as essential. Also, there is every reason to prepare a united front to take part in the political negotiations that must emerge as Daesh is destroyed.
The unity that is required now is not of political policies. The different political leaders have different models for the way they would run the country if they come to power. The unity that is essential at this hour, is of purpose. And that purpose is to create a country in which the interests of all communities are fairly represented and protected.
Those Syrian political leaders who come to Riyadh would do well to recognize the important opportunity the meeting represents. It is for the Arab world to take ownership of the Syrian political settlement. The region has suffered enough from the consequences of “solutions” imposed by outside powers. What Syria needs is a settlement that takes into account purely of what Syria needs.
The individual interests of Russia, America, the Europeans, the Turks and the Iranians have no place in the ultimate political deal that will emerge. Saudi Arabia and all other Arab states with Syria’s best interests at heart must form a protective cordon around its politicians.
At the end of the day, Syria must make its own peace. For every citizen of this tragic country, that word ‘Peace’ must seem a distant dream. Their torture must be brought to an end. Thus there is a huge responsibility on the shoulders of Syrian opposition leaders coming to meet in Riyadh. They must learn from their past errors. They must put their differences aside. They must cease their squabbles. They must unite for the sake of the people they represent.