Not long ago, the world was talking about how to best divide and monitor power in a post-Assad Syria. Such talk has quietly disappeared as Bashar al-Assad has regained momentum and retaken lost ground in his country’s civil war.
As the New York Times reports, just when Assad appeared to be at a point of capitulation he stepped up his warfare with broadened use of “fighter jets and SCUD missiles.”
He gained help from Hezbollah and also got somewhat lucky in that the various factions composing rebel forces began fighting among themselves as much as they were fighting against Assad.
And while Western nations like the U.S. have consistently called for Assad to step down, Russia has continued to support him.
All of these things have come together to give Assad the advantage at this point in the Syrian conflict.
In fact, he now has such an advantage that one rebel commander believes the Syrian people will soon revolt against the rebels if momentum does not shift.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins
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