VICTORY OR VICTORY by Ghassan Kadi 13 August 2015

VICTORY OR VICTORY:
Ghassan Kadi
13 August 2015

As the situation on the ground in Syria is very dynamic, we cannot expect all changes to be positive and most definitely we cannot expect even all of the positive ones to be recognised and perceived as being positive. The key to “feeling good” is proper understanding, resolve and patience.

Proper Understanding: this does not mean only reading the news. At best, news accurately describes the situation on the ground. More often than otherwise, most of what is reported on the news is either misconstrued, deliberately exaggerated to serve a political objective for the enemy, or an all-out lie...and we have seen many of these in the last four years.

At best therefore, we cannot expect “news” to tell us the full story. Proper understanding therefore should be based on sifting through the news to establish myths from facts, and then adding to it our own analysis or those of others whom we can trust.

Resolve: the biggest component of resolve is events on the battleground, the resolve of the soldier sitting in his position with his finger on the trigger, thinking least of his own safety, “ignoring” his family and loved ones and focusing on one thing and one thing only; protecting his post, obeying orders and winning the battle.

Proud nations have citizens that support their army and in doing this they provide the resolve that forms the backbone of that of their soldiers. This is exactly what we have seen in Syria in the last four years or so from both the military and the majority of Syrians. Never mind the minority of citizens who did not honour this pledge. Never mind the traitors and the cowards, every community has them. They come and go like the wind, and when they have gone all they leave behind is a tarnish of shame to their name.

Those with resolve, the ones who fell and died fighting for it, the ones who fight and achieve victory as well as those who protected their back, cooked them meals, kept the streets clean, kept the spirits up and kept smiling in the face of all difficulty will be the ones who will be remembered in shining colours.

Patience: this is the key missing element that will bring proper understanding and resolve together in order to achieve victory. The patient warrior, as well as the man and the woman and child behind him, do not count minutes, days, months or even years, for the moment they start counting they become impatient.

Patience has also been an attribute of all proud nations including Syria, and it is not time to give it up.

THIS IS THE TIME FOR HONOURABLE SYRIANS, MILITARY AND CIVIL TO CAPITALISE ON THEIR PROPER UNDERSTANDING, RESOLVE AND PATIENCE.

All indications point to the direction that the war on Syria is in its final stages. Informed analysts who are able to make a comprehensive sense out of the news all concur with this.

Intibah and I have recently translated two interviews that The Saker has made with prominent Levantine former military officers, turned analysts. One has already been published and the next one will be published soon. Both experts agree to what we have been re-iterating on this page for quite some time and, specifically after the “fall” of Palmyra. The gist of what they are saying is this;
(1) The Syrian army and the resistance have the upper hand on the ground;
(2) The enemies of Syria have failed in their plots time and time again;
(3) What is seen as SAA retreats in certain areas is a matter of actual re-deployment. The objective of the leadership is to bolster the position of the State and the Army in key areas within the main cities in order to secure the viability of the State and Army, continuity and to ensure preparedness for a long and protracted war need the case be. 
What is missing in those interviews are the recent developments and specifically the Russian initiative which is already underway. There is also an Iranian initiative that has been tossed around and a myriad of bi-lateral and tri-lateral talks involving Russia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, UAE, Oman and most certainly the United States. Little is known at this stage whether Turkey partook in any of these yet. The reason why this very pertinent development has not been mentioned in those interviews is because they were conducted prior to that.

So friends, comrades and members, do not lose your faith now.

It is hard to be in Damascus enjoying its ancient city and smelling its jasmine, and not be utterly bemused and shocked when a mortar shell falls and impact is felt. It is double hard when loved ones are affected, trapped or at worst harmed or killed. 
After four and a half years we have few choices left; more resolve and determination followed by victory or surrendering to the woes of depression.
The recent shellings of Damascus and the terrible massacre in Idlib plus other recent events, grave and disturbing as they are, are sadly the price that Syria is paying in the war against it.

On the other hand, the battle of the Qalamoun is almost finished, Zabadani has been almost fully liberated, the army is making many advances in Tadmor and other areas, and this is where we need to keep our eyes fixed upon because, in reality, the only choice we have is victory.