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Opening Borders with Assad regime...!
Opening Borders with Assad regime...!
Opening the borders to the Iranian, Baathist, and Russian occupation forces presents several challenges:
The security challenge arises as neighboring countries, with their technical and security capabilities, have been impacted by the smuggling and security penetration activities of drug and weapon cartels associated with the regime, Iran, and Hezbollah. Therefore, the liberated areas will continue to face these security challenges.
The occupation forces are the primary beneficiaries of any economic gains from the border crossings, prompting the residents of the liberated areas to question whether they have ever benefited from the crossings run by warlords.
The borders also provide an opportunity to establish economic ties between the occupying forces and those in the liberated areas.
The use of border crossings serves as a tool for soft normalization policies with Assad regime.
There is a concern that, over time, the regime will gain control over the liberated areas’ crossings, leading to them becoming tools of control in the regime’s hands amidst regional and international normalization efforts.
The decision to break ties with the regime and occupation forces is a strategic one that should not be compromised by economic or humanitarian considerations. The international community should push for regime change rather than pressuring for cooperation with the regime.
Regional and international actors need to stop engaging with the revolution in a naïve and indifferent manner and should avoid making arguments that do not serve the interest of the Syrian people.
The collaboration with the regime and occupation forces through border crossings is deemed a fatal strategic mistake for the Syrian revolution. The arguments in favor of such collaboration are seen as attempts to exploit the emotions of the revolutionaries, as well as the poverty and unemployment in the liberated areas, with false promises of improved conditions resulting from economic exchange.
Regional and international actors should alleviate the pressure and blockade on the liberated areas, cease using them as a market for their products, prevent warlords and corrupt individuals from controlling their resources, and work towards aiding their growth and prosperity. Additionally, efforts should be directed at compensating the displaced for their losses during the 13 years of the revolution and ending the guardianship in order to embody the desired idea of change.
As attempts to exploit the emotions of the revolutionaries, as well as the poverty and unemployment in the liberated areas, with false promises of improved conditions resulting from economic exchange.
Regional and international actors should alleviate the pressure and blockade on the liberated areas, cease using them as a market for their products, prevent warlords and corrupt individuals from controlling their resources, and work towards aiding their growth and prosperity. Additionally, efforts should be directed at compensating the displaced for their losses during the 13 years of the revolution and ending the guardianship in order to embody the desired idea of change.
Naif Shaaban
