Kurdish PYD leader details the real end game threat in Syria

From an Interview with the Democratic Union Party, PYD, Co-Chairman Salih Muslim in Turkish paper Radikal… April 15:

Very intelligent analysis… on several scores:

“…[A] Turkey’s relationship is with the opposition coalition, which is a political formation. But it does not have ties with a good many of the groups behind it. Essentially, the coalition does not, either. These groups operate on their own. The Coalition (the Syrian National Assembly), for instance, constantly says “we want democracy and pluralism.” But what do the groups on the ground speak of? Of a caliphate. Since the Turkish press does not follow publications in Arabic, it may not be aware of this, but these people are shouting this out very forthrightly. They do not conceal their dreams of an Islamic caliphate. Consequently, the rhetoric in the field does not match at all with what the Coalition is saying.

[Q] We are aware of talk of this sort by Al-Nusraha

[A] Not just Al-Nusrah, but almost all of the groups within the FSA. This is the reason for the prediction that, when Al-Asad falls, the civil war in Syria will continue. If we look at the latest decisions taken in the Arab League, we can see that everyone is supporting his own force for after Al-Asad. In fact, all the world’s jihadists have gathered in Syria. There are even people from Tora Bora.

[Q] What will the Kurds do, then?

[A] Nothing. We will once again be caught between the ambitions of the different states. We are going to continue to defend ourselves and our region. We have become accustomed to this over centuries; what else can we do?

[Q] No one had anticipated that Al-Asad would last this long; were you expecting it?

[A] Yes, because we know the regime very well. Since the 1960s, the Ba’th regime has worked its way into the roots of the country, and will not be easily rooted out as in Libya and Egypt. The Al-Asads have established an oligarchy by putting their men into all the important points of the state. This system does not consist solely of Alawites or Ba’thists. It was not known by the West that this system could behave very savagely. We were aware of it because we had experience. There is nothing to prevent the regime from killing people. And another reason for Al-Asad’s lasting is the position of Syria. The stability in Syria means the stability of the entire Middle East. Why does NATO not become involved in an intervention? Because of Israel’s security. Because the moment that Syria launches the Scud missiles with chemical weapons, which have a range of 300 kilometres, even if Israel’s defence system known as “Iron Dome” functions perfectly, the chemical weapons w! ill fall on Israel. In mountainous areas the range is 50 kilometres. This would mean a great massacre. Al-Asad is crazy enough to do this. For that reason, the West is unable to intervene.”