Boris Johnson: Don't arm the Syria maniacs

[cqo_000]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Rhiannon12866 (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Telegraph

Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Mr Johnson says the only solution in Syria is a “total ceasefire” and claims that it will be “impossible” to arm the rebels without weapons ending up in the hands of “al-Qaeda-affiliated thugs”.

“This is the moment for a total ceasefire, an end to the madness,” Mr Johnson writes. “It is time for the US, Russia, the EU, Turkey, Iran, Saudi and all the players to convene an intergovernmental conference to try to halt the carnage. We can’t use Syria as an arena for geopolitical point-scoring or muscle-flexing, and we won’t get a ceasefire by pressing weapons into the hands of maniacs.”

His comments come after several leading figures opposed any move by Mr Cameron to join President Barack Obama in providing greater assistance to the forces fighting Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian leader.

But it is Mr Johnson’s comments that will do most to undermine Mr Cameron’s position on the issue.


Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10124089/Boris-Johnson-Dont-arm-the-Syria-maniacs.html

[David__77]

1. Words of sanity.

May he win over the rest of his party.

[AverageJoe90]

2. Sadly, this may be true.

Got no doubts in my mind that Obama's intentions are quite genuine; I don't think he wants Al-Qaeda to be armed, either.

But the sad thing is, though, this could happen, anyway, because there are BushCo people willing to sabotage the POTUS to make sure of just that.

[Bucky]

3. "Okay, everybody... put down your guns on the count of three. One... Two... Hey! You're cheating!"

“This is the moment for a total ceasefire... It is time for the US, Russia, the EU, Turkey, Iran, Saudi and all the players to convene an intergovernmental conference to try to halt the carnage."

No, it's long past time for a conference to end the fighting. But demanding that there be a sudden stop to the fighting isn't going to achieve it. Russia and Iran continue to arm the Assad government, which has no real motivation to stop the killing. They're winning the fight. Russia has nothing to gain and much to lose if it cooperates instead of just running out the clock and letting Syria's government wear down the rebels. I just don't think Mr. Johnson understands the game Assad's backers are playing.

[sigmasix]

4. who are the representatives of secular governance?

Is there a faction that backs a secular government to replace the present dictatorship? Isn't there anyone involved in this that could be considered the "good guys"? If there is no centralized voice for secular leadership, shouldn't America be working toward finding and empowering strong secular leaders already known to the native population?
It seems that religious fundamentalists are always ready to fill power vacumes left by failed dictators and criminal oligarchs. Why dont we have nationally funded and educated intervention specialist teams at the ready to help find the voices of secualr reason in hot spots like syria? Or do we?
For that matter- would a secular approach be popular enough to win an election?

[David__77]

5. The proven secular force is the existing government.

Why must the US intervene at all?

[Catherina]

6. Good! Keep talking Mr Johnson, keep talking! n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Locking, sorry, but this is opinion, analysis, not breaking news.

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