Kamal Alam iz think tanka
Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies (RUSI) piše da su istaknuti britanski oficiri od samog početka rata u Siriji gajili ozbiljne sumnje u moguću pobedu pobunjenika. Po njegovim rečima, uprkos očekivanjima i izdašnim finansijskim ponudama iz zemalja Zaliva, oficiri sirijske vojske najvećim delom ostali su lojalni Asadu.
General Jonathan Shaw, bivši komandant britanskih snaga u Iraku, smatra da je Asad odneo pobedu jer do današnjeg dana uživa podršku i sunita i alavita i sirijskih hrišćana.
Assad has genuine cross sectarian support and there was no need to fight him. It was always doubtful Assad would lose. He had support and a strategy to outdo his enemies, a loyal army, and security service which had Sunni, Christian, Alawi.
General John Holmes, bivši prvi čovek britanskog SAS-a, tokom rata je posetio Damask i bio iznenađen onim što je tamo video.
During my visits to Damascus I saw little evidence of a government in decline; in fact quite the reverse – it seemed to me that the government and the army were very much in control of a very challenging situation. I formed the impression that the government had its hands on all the levers of power and that security and stability were the order of the day in those parts of the country that they controlled. The army appears to have put difficult times behind them and are now successfully consolidating in the areas under government control.
General Lord David Richards, načelnik britanskog generalštaba u periodu 2010-2013. kaže da mu je oduvek bilo jasno da Asad uživa veću podršku Sirijaca nego što bi to mnogi želeli. Richards je mišljenja da je Asadova pobeda ujedno i najbolje rešenje.
Rather than fighting him, letting him win was the best prospect for peace in Syria. It is very clear why countries such as UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain are talking to Assad again. He has proved his Arab and Sunni credentials despite an Iran connection and they know, give or take, that he has won his war. I always thought he would outlive his enemies.
https://warontherocks.com/2019/01/kissi ... -in-syria/