The music winding down in Bashir Assad’s reign

Rastam Ruzhilla, Head of Syrian Intelligence Service, has reportedly defected and wisely disappeared to places unknown. Rastam Ruzhilla had been one of the closest of President Bashir Assad’s inner circle and is the latest in a growing string of defections. These earlier defections have included several command rank officers including a number of generals with some officers bringing their entire units with them joining the rebels. Some of those officers included those selected from among his fellow Alawite Tribesmen. Perhaps the world is finally reaching the end of this brutal and senseless slaughter which has been allowed to continue far longer than a civilized world should have allowed. Once the music halts and Bashir Assad is either put on trial for his brutality and dehumanizing treatment of his countrymen or finds refuge in whatever country would shame itself by accepting this monster allowing him to escape justice, we can only hope that the people of Syria manage to wisely choose new governance. Unfortunately, if the rest of the results which have been birthed by the Arab Winter, we refuse to refer to these disasters as a spring, is any indication of what to expect, the final stage of the Syrian Civil War will simply result in a new form of oppressive government. Perhaps that is the nature and simply the next step in the evolution for governance in the story of the Muslim Middle East.

The question now is how much longer will the violence and murderous use of heavy weapons on civilian residential areas continue to be perpetrated by loyal Assad forces willing to follow orders blindly. With the death toll close to surpassing 15,000 one can only wonder at the final cost of the seemingly endless carnage. Despite the world having reputed his claims, Bashir Assad continues to blame terrorists for almost all of the violence and uses this same absurd claim to absolve himself and troops from any responsibility for the continuing assaults against the Syrian people. The truth be told, the only fighters even remotely resembling terrorists are the Quds Force from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and mercenary forces known as the Shabiha which are known for their reputed cruelty. In addition, the reports of torture and summary executions without even the semblance of a trial have continued with the descriptions only growing more horrific as new details are learned. The only remaining question is what is it going to take to end the carnage ongoing in Syria. Will any country or world organization intervene or will it continue until either Syria runs out of citizens for the government forces to murder or Assad is hunted down and dealt with in similar manner as he has treated his country’s people. Whichever it turns out to take, it cannot come too quickly for the Syrian people or those throughout the world who feel for their torment but possess not the ability to bring peace to this battle torn nation.

Beyond the Cusp