Rasha Saad discovers that the biggest battle in Syria might not be in its capital The Syrian issue and the final battle before the fall of Al-Assad's regime continue to be the focus of the pundits this week. In the London-based Al-Hayat, Ghassan Charbel focused on the disastrous impact of Bashar Al-Assad's ties with Iran. In his article 'Iran and the Syrian fire' Charbel wrote that when the Arab spring erupted, Iran tried to suggest it had intimate links to it and rejoiced in seeing the friends of the West ousted. But when the spring erupted in Syria, Charbel added, it fell into a costly trap and simply could not escape its deep and close alliance with the Syrian regime. Explaining its strategic importance Charbel wrote that Syria is not just a corridor to Hizbullah in Lebanon as it is usually portrayed. Charbel claims that the relationship with Syria is the most important achievement of Khomeini's revolution. "Having a presence in Damascus signifies being also present in Beirut, South Lebanon, the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Palestinian question. Being present in Damascus prevents the establishment of any serious Arab barrier to Iranian incursion into the region," Charbel explains. Iran's dilemma, adds Charbel, is that it cannot accept to lose Syria but cannot save the Syrian regime either. "The Syrian crisis has lured Iran into an overt and horrific clash with the majority in Syria and the region, a clash with a sectarian overtone highlighted by the repeated incidents of kidnapping of Iranian nationals in Syria," Charbel wrote. "The isolation that has blighted the Syrian regime has also affected Iran, despite the continued defiance shown by Russia," Charbel adds. In the Saudi-funded Asharq Al-Awsat Hussein Shobokshi focussed on the significance of the ongoing battle between the regime forces and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) over Aleppo. In 'The fight for Aleppo' Shobokshi maintained that the eyes of the world watching the impact of the Syrian revolution have turned to the city of Aleppo because it is the largest Syrian city and the heart of the country's economy. "The rebels are well aware that Aleppo is the grand prize; the greatest barrier that will bring down all the arguments, lies, myths and fraud of the Al-Assad regime. Therefore, it is not only the mother of all battles, but the battle itself," Shobokshi explained. According to Shobokshi, the fighting has not stopped in other Syrian cities, including the capital Damascus, as well as Deraa, Deir Al-Zour, Homs and Hama, but the focus remains on the first and greatest city. Despite the fierce fighting over the city Shobokshi maintains that the rebels' success in securing a border line connected to Turkey in order to deliver food, medicine and weapons "will give them the determination, encouragement and time necessary to go all the way, and victory seems very close." "Aleppo was known in the past for its cuisine and its festive nature, but now it is known for its resilience and dignity," Shobokshi wrote. Also in Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdallah Al-Otaibi warned that the bloody struggle in Syria will have a profound impact, and the later a solution is found, the more complex and costly the result will be. "The Al-Assad regime will fall, but the Syrian opposition remains dispersed, without solid leadership, and is now in disagreement and lacks coordination," Al-Otaibi wrote. As things stand, Al-Otaibi explained, the hesitant world will be complicit in the spread of backwardness across the Arab world, starting with Syria. "Sectarianism and tribalism will grow, and a free rein will be given to racism. In this new scene everyone will pay a price, and the impact will not be limited to the Syrians and their current struggle," Al-Otaibi concluded Over the same fears, Abdel-Bari Atwan warned against the unjustified spirit of vengeance spread among the FSA. In 'FSA executions' published in the London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Atwan described the scenes which showed a group of FSA fighters executing hostages belonging to the regime-loyal Berri clan in Aleppo as "extremely shocking." Atwan elaborated that the video documenting this incident shows gunmen who are shouting for the FSA while they lead the clan's leader whose face is covered with blood to a place where he joined other hostages who were lined up to a wall before being all shot dead by the gunmen, who had also cut the clan's leader dead body into pieces. "Whoever watched this scene must have felt sorrow and deep sadness, not based on sympathy with the slain men but over such a dreadful way of taking revenge," Atwan wrote. Atwan wrote he is well aware the Syrian regime has committed massacres that left many more victims dead, and its thugs had carried out more dreadful executions than this one. "However, the FSA and all the other factions of the Syrian opposition should supposedly introduce an ethical model contrary to that of the regime," Atwan wrote. The "New Syria", Atwan pleaded, is expected to be based on the foundations of justice, mercy, human rights and the rule of law, and the people who are trying to establish this new Syria are expected to rise above the feelings of revenge so they would reflect a civilised and humanitarian image of themselves, different from the hideous image of the regime. Atwan acknowledges that the high levels of rage in Syria amid the long and dreadful clashes in most Syrian cities is undeniable and could push a lot of people to undermine their ethical and humanitarian considerations and to focus only on the massacres and crimes committed by the regime. "But I insist that the ethics and manners of the revolutionaries must reflect the highest levels of self-control, respect of hostages, and protection of their lives," Atwan wrote.
