By relying on Iran, Syria's Assad risks irrelevance
(Reuters) - Military support from Iran and its Shi'ite ally Hezbollah has given Syrian President Bashar al-Assad new impetus in his fight against the insurgents intent on ousting him, but at a price.
Assad now risks losing much of his autonomy to Tehran and becoming a pawn in a wider sectarian war between Sunni Muslims and Shi'ites that may not end even if he is forced to step down, military experts and diplomats in the region say.
Having lost thousands of troops and militiamen from his Alawite sect as the war grinds through its third year, and anxious to preserve his elite loyalist units, Assad is now relying on Hezbollah from Lebanon and other Shi'ite militias allied with Iran to turn the tide of battle.
Alawite army units with their vast arsenal of artillery and missiles have been taking a back seat in combat, using these weapons supported by the air force to obliterate rebellious neighbourhoods and blow holes in rebel lines for Iranian-and Hezbollah-trained local militias.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/21/uk-syria-crisis-assad-idUKBRE96K03A20130721
Syria's Assad is stronger now, says David Cameron.
David Cameron has admitted the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has strengthened his position in recent months as he warned that the country faced a "depressing trajectory".
In an interview on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, the UK prime minister also gave his clearest indication to date that Britain will not be supplying arms to the Syrian rebels despite pressing for the lifting of the EU arms embargo.
Cameron insisted he was still committed to helping the Syrian opposition but admitted its numbers included "a lot of bad guys". He also acknowledged that Assad had strengthened his position.
The prime minister said: "I think he may be stronger than he was a few months ago, but I'd still describe the situation as a stalemate. And yes, you do have problems with part of the opposition that is extreme, that we should have nothing to do with."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/21/syria-assad-david-cameron
= new reply since forum marked as read
