In These New Times

The problem with miscalculating, as the Americans have over Syria, is that you end up mired in double-speak. To translate Kerry’s bizarre “war on terror” rhetoric: if you don’t negotiate with Al Qaida, who have no intention of negotiating with you, then we will increase our support for Al Qaida. In practice, of course, the Americans will come up with some more or less respectable “opposition” leader to front negotiations with Assad but are worried that the Syrians won’t bother to show up since they are winning anyway. The Americans need the peace conference to cover for their defeat

More Help to Rebels If You Do Not Negotiate

John Glaser

Antiwar

Secretary of State John Kerry warned the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad that if it chooses not to participate in upcoming international negotiations aimed at ending the country’s two-year conflict, then “the opposition will be receiving additional support.”

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