US seeks to figure out how to exit Syria

A prominent political activist says the United States is scrambling to find an exit strategy from the conflict in Syria, where the foreign-backed insurgents have failed to overthrow the government.

Syria has been the scene of unrest since March 2011 and many people, including large numbers of army and security personnel, have been killed in the turmoil.

Press TV interviews Dr. Randy Short, a member of the Dignity, Human Rights and Peace organization, from Washington, to further discuss the issue. The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: With incidents like these happening and the fact that we know the West is funding and arming the insurgents in Syria, it seems that the West is using the tactics of terror to achieve democracy in Syria. Very paradoxical.

Short: Yes. It’s paradoxical but then not paradoxical. They’re willing… the ends will justify the means as it did in Libya. They want to get rid of the Assad regime and they’re willing to break every rule. Their logic is if they win, in the final analysis, who cares how they’ve won?

Press TV: This wave of terrorism in the region caused by the West, wouldn’t it somehow backfire on the West itself?

Short: I think that the backfiring has already begun to happen if you look at the fact that they’ve failed to get rid of the Assad government, [which] has shown itself to be resilient and heroic at resisting literally much of the world; and its small minorities united, who may not necessarily love Assad but don’t want these pirates, these mercenaries, these tools, these crazy Salafists to rule them. So, that’s coming.

In all honesty, we’re at an age where the rest of the world is going to get tired of Western European white supremacy and imperialism. It’s taking time but it’s fast approaching.

Press TV: Very briefly, doctor, what will happen after the US elections, the policy towards Syria? How much will it change if there will be a change?

Short: There was a roundtable in Ankara, and one of the vice chairmen for the Joint Chiefs of Staff mentioned that the plan for Syria will be revealed after the election.

We know, more or less, what we’ve got with Obama, [he] is a person full of contradictions. We know with Romney, who I always described as Frankenstein with the screws removed, he’s clearly for Israel’s agenda to get rid of Syria, at least as it’s ruled by the Assad regime.

One way or the other, you will still have problems in that country with these upcoming meetings at Doha. The Syrian National Committee has a counter meeting to one that Mrs. Clinton and others are sponsoring for the new proxies that they want to rule Syria.

But it makes no difference who the president is. It really will be the prerogatives of those who control the presidents. I think that they’re losing. I think that now they’re trying to figure out how to withdraw.

As Nixon, our great war criminal President said ‘peace with honor.’ How could they get out of a situation where they clearly have lost and look good?