Dealing with the IS threat - could we work with Assad?

Some have proposed that to deal with IS effectively, we should work with Assad as IS territory covers parts of both Iraq and Syria. But our government has ruled it out (for now, at least).

Such a move is unlikely at the moment, as it would be a massive u-turn on the policy on Syria for the past three years.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/22/philip-hammond-assad-not-ally-fight-isis-syria

This could open up debate as to whether we should support a dictator to defeat an even more brutal and oppressive enemy. Some may oppose this if they think that working with a military regime like Syria is unjustified. On the other hand, it's a bit pointless trying to defeat IS in Iraq only and leave their Syrian strongholds untouched.

What do you think?

Reply 1

reciproversexclu

If 'working' with Assad helped alleviate the utter shambles that we are partly responsible for in the Middle East and no better solution can be formulated, then we should 'work' with him.

Reply 2

Reform

Original post by RFowler

Syrians joining IS would increase exponentially if the west decide to work with Assad.

Reply 3

The Angry Stoic

Well, we supplied Saddam to fight Iran. That worked out well. So yeh...?

Reply 4

Stevelee

It is more likely the west will support the free syrian army currently fighting Assad. They were considering miltary intervention a few months back by airstrikes due to chemical weapons being "used".

But from the looks of it, the west are only willing to support one faction and they are the kruds at the moment.

Reply 5

pol pot noodles

Support the Kurds- they're pro-West, pro-democracy and pro-secularism. The fact we've neglected them for so long is an outrage.

Reply 6

mojojojo101

Could western governments work with Assad? Yes.

Will they? Probably not.

How much would really be gained by working with Assad? Hardly like he (or anyone else in particular) is in control of Syria.

Reply 7

Ggmu!

Maybe we are already are speaking to him behind closed doors and back channels. I think we should.

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Reply 8

sdotd

we should stop supplying the FSA and bomb isis areas. assad is the best hope of destroying isis and if we do destroy isis we must leave syria alone and allow assad to rule the country. before the west armed fsa and the terrorists, syria was one of the best examples of christians living side by side peacefully with muslims in a muslim majority country and now they are being wiped out

Reply 9

democracyforum

Original post by RFowler

We work with Israel.

i doubt Assad could be much worse.

Reply 10

RF_PineMarten

Original post by Reform

Syrians joining IS would increase exponentially if the west decide to work with Assad.

It's an interesting point, but I've been thinking about that and I'm not so sure.

ISIS are a Sunni Muslim extremist organisation. Some extremist Sunnis may join ISIS, but the majority of the Syrian soldiers are Sunni as well, so I'm not sure how many Sunnis in Syria would join with ISIS. As bad as the Syrian government is, it isn't really a sectarian government in the way it was/is in Iraq.

As long as we didn't also bomb the non extremist FSA, I think we'd be all right and while some would join ISIS, I don't think it would be so many that it becomes more difficult to deal with.

Reply 11

RF_PineMarten

Original post by pol pot noodles

Support the Kurds- they're pro-West, pro-democracy and pro-secularism. The fact we've neglected them for so long is an outrage.

According to the map below, the Kurds control parts of Northern Syria and they have frontlines with ISIS. Working with Kurdish forces would be a good idea.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Syrian_civil_war.png/800px-Syrian_civil_war.png
Red - government held
Green-FSA
Black - ISIS
Yellow - Kurds

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

Rakas21

Original post by RFowler

I would be opposed heavily to allying with Assad.

What we should do is the following..

Grant the Kurds an independent state consisting of their current region in Iraq and the Al Hasakah region of Syria on the condition that they give up all claims to Turkish territory (in return Turkey agrees to defend them should Iran attack them).

Grant Israel the Golan Heights and whatever region that is in.

Grant autonomy to the Russian base in return for them staying out of the conflict.

Rest of Syria either goes to the rebels or merge Iraq and Syria.