Syrians Turn Against Hezbollah and Iran

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A burning poster of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Screenshot of a video published on YouTube

By: Elliott Abrams

What kind of Syria might follow the fall of the Assad regime? For many years, a significant percentage of American and Israeli military officers thought things would get worse. A new regime would be dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, many said—including some of the highest-ranking American generals.

I have always thought this was a foolish position, given what Assad’s Syria was actually doing. How much worse could things get than a regime that was Iran’s only Arab ally, gave Iran a port on the Mediterranean and a border with Israel (through Hezbollah in Lebanon), helped Iran arm Hezbollah to the teeth, built a nuclear reactor with North Korean help, brought jihadis to Iraq to kill American soldiers, and viciously repressed the Syrian people. Moreover, the notion that the Muslim Brotherhood would rule after Assad was just that, a notion, never supported with hard evidence about their level of internal support.

The strategic argument for getting Assad out is powerful: it would be a huge defeat for Iran and Hezbollah, and indeed the greatest defeat we could administer to Iran short of ending its nuclear program. As to the argument that the successor regime may follow worse policies, recent reports suggest that in fact Syrians hate the Assad/Hezbollah/Iran alliance and will end it once he is gone. France 24 reports as follows:

“Syrian opposition protesters are not just calling for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad: they have recently begun directing their anger against his regional allies, Iran and Hezbollah. Our Observer says this is a new and unexpected turn of events.

“Videos of recent protests in Syria show demonstrators chanting slogans against Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the leader of Iran’s Islamic revolution, as well as the Hezbollah, an Islamist political party from Lebanon with a powerful armed wing. Even more surprising has been footage of protesters burning posters of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s secretary-general and a widely respected figure throughout the Middle East.

“Their anger is a result of Tehran’s and Hezbollah’s unwavering support for the Syrian government, even as it ruthlessly crushes its own people’s calls for more democracy.”

The alliance with Iran and Hezbollah is seen by increasing numbers of Syrians, then, as one of the characteristics of the hated Assad regime. When Syrians get the chance, they will end both the regime and that alliance. The sooner Assad falls, the better—from every moral, political, and strategic point of view.

cfr

Photo: A burning poster of Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Screenshot of a video published on YouTube

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16 responses to “Syrians Turn Against Hezbollah and Iran”

  1. 316909 Avatar

    Even if the brotherhood came to power it would not be that bad since they are like the brotherhood in Turkey witch is secular and democratic. HA biggest fear is not ending the alliance but if a post Assad Syria receives a request to send its huge army to crush HA.

    1. Beiruti Avatar
      Beiruti

      I agree with most of your views in general, but if Hezbollah could resist Israel, dont you think they can resist Syria? So how is Syria going to crush them in the future?

      1. 316909 Avatar

        If Israel loses 200 men in a war the government will collapse win or lose the Syrians can lose 10,000 and no one would care or riot. When Israel couldn’t end the PLO in Lebanon Syria did. Unless Israel is fighting for survival the people dont back the wars. HA cant threaten Israel as a nation. they cant invade Israel. The Syrians will be fighting for Survival because they will be a young new government filled with hate towards Iran and HA and out for revenge.

      2. 316909 Avatar

        If Israel loses 200 men in a war the government will collapse win or lose the Syrians can lose 10,000 and no one would care or riot. When Israel couldn’t end the PLO in Lebanon Syria did. Unless Israel is fighting for survival the people dont back the wars. HA cant threaten Israel as a nation. they cant invade Israel. The Syrians will be fighting for Survival because they will be a young new government filled with hate towards Iran and HA and out for revenge.

    2. leobetapar Avatar
      leobetapar

      c’mon if there is war it will end by the reunification of Syria and Lebanon in the great Syria and less than 1 year after the first form of the real UMMA will be born Great Syria plus Irak plus Iran at that moment the idiot commentators peudo analyst like this Elliot will tell you from new york or new jersey “oh it wasn’t previsible ….”but at least his people i mean the heretique_zioniste will pay the bill Just for that if it was not for the great numbers of deads i would have support such stupids analyses

    3. leobetapar Avatar
      leobetapar

      the turk like the arab my God  do u know what u say
      how many turks in alqaeda? don’t the the turk can acced the holy book in an understandable tongue when none of the arabs can understand the Koranic arab  and so lot more difference

  2.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Even if the brotherhood came to power it would not be that bad since they are like the brotherhood in Turkey witch is secular and democratic. HA biggest fear is not ending the alliance but if a post Assad Syria receives a request to send its huge army to crush HA.

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      I agree with most of your views in general, but if Hezbollah could resist Israel, dont you think they can resist Syria? So how is Syria going to crush them in the future?

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        If Israel loses 200 men in a war the government will collapse win or lose the Syrians can lose 10,000 and no one would care or riot. When Israel couldn’t end the PLO in Lebanon Syria did….

    2.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      c’mon if there is war it will end by the reunification of Syria and Lebanon in the great Syria and less than 1 year after the first form of the real UMMA will be born Great Syria plus Irak plus Iran at that moment the idiot commentators peudo analyst like this Elliot will tell you from new york or new jersey “oh it wasn’t previsible ….”but at least his people i mean the heretique_zioniste will pay the bill Just for that if it was not for the great numbers of deads i would have support such stupids analyses

    3.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      the turk like the arab my God  do u know what u say
      how many turks in alqaeda? don’t the the turk can acced the holy book in an understandable tongue when none of the arabs can understand the Koranic arab  and so lot more difference

  3. Look, I don’t like Bashar Al Assad, but Elliot Abrams represents the apologist camp for Israel. I don’t like the Israeli apartheid system or Syrian government.  They are all hellish products.

  4. Look, I don’t like Bashar Al Assad, but Elliot Abrams represents the apologist camp for Israel. I don’t like the Israeli apartheid system or Syrian government.  They are all hellish products.

  5. Look, I don’t like Bashar Al Assad, but Elliot Abrams represents the apologist camp for Israel. I don’t like the Israeli apartheid system or Syrian government.  They are all hellish products.

  6. leobetapar Avatar
    leobetapar

    france 24??????????? agence tass in soviet time was more credible/one critic v the value of his ref

  7.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    france 24??????????? agence tass in soviet time was more credible/one critic v the value of his ref

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