Saudi Troop Deployment to Syria Illegal under Intl. Law: British Analyst

“Riyadh sending ground troops to Syria, with the support of US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, is illegal under international law but the flaunting of such laws is no longer shocking,” Vanessa Beeley, with Syrian Solidarity Movement, told Tasnim on Sunday.

Following is the full text of the interview.

Q: As you know the latest round of Geneva peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups has been suspended until the end of February following the recent major advances by the Syrian troops against Takfiri groups on the ground. The blame game has already started over the suspension of the talks with fingers pointed at the Syrian government and Russia. Earlier, the French foreign minister said that Moscow and Damascus are scuttling the talks with their airstrikes and ground operations. What is your take on this? Do you believe the Syrian crisis would finally come to an end through a political approach?

A: Let us be clear that it was Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey who scuttled the "peace" talks not the Syrian Government. In a clear demonstration that these three countries hold greatest sway over the terrorist factions waging the war on Syria, the Syrian Ambassador, Dr Al Jaafari, stated that they "instructed" the opposition factions to withdraw from the talks. This withdrawal was covered up by De Mistura who officially announced the postponement of the talks until February 25th without commenting on the influences dictating this decision. Once again, Saudi Arabia is being allowed to direct proceedings at the UN and to protect its assets on the ground in Syria.

That Syria should be expected to support a ceasefire with terrorists who adhere to no international law and are funded, armed and created by a despotic nation such as Saudi Arabia that is systematically ensuring the wholesale slaughter and starvation of the Yemeni people, is insane and another demonstration of the NATO, US collusion in this war on Syria via proxy armies and branded terror gangs. Syria is fighting terrorists on the ground in Syria, if they cease doing so, their people will be massacred. That the UN or NATO officials consider this to be "irresponsible" and harmful to the Peace talks, reflects more on their intentions towards Syria and cynical disregard of the suffering of the Syrian people at the hands of these murdering terrorist thugs.

What we are seeing is a reaction against Syrian, Russian, and Iranian and Hezbollah gains on the ground in Syria. The recent liberation of Nubbul and al-Zahra will cut off terrorists supply lines to Aleppo and is indicative of the Syrian Arab Army strategy to both drive terrorists out into open ground where they are easy targets for the Russian and Syrian airforce, and to sever their connections to their Turkish supply channels. This is hurting the "regime change" alliance, NATO, US, [P]GCC and Israel, who are seeing their agenda being dismantled piece by piece. Russia's intervention has dramatically highlighted the falsehood of US claims to be combating ISIS, in reality the US aided and abetted the expansion of ISIS in Syria. Put very simply, the Axis of Resistance is proving itself a formidable force to be reckoned with and the Axis of Interventionism is fumbling around trying to find ways to derail it, very unsuccessfully.

Under such conditions, it is very difficult to envisage the Syrian crisis coming to an end through political process when that process is de-legitimizing itself by its association with what should be considered illegal terror factions who can in no way represent the Syrian opposition when they are proxies of hostile nations such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar & Turkey.

Q: Riyadh on Thursday announced it plans to send ground troops to Syria to allegedly fight against the Daesh terrorists. Soon after the announcement, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter hailed the Saudi offer to contribute to the US-led coalition and said, "That kind of news is very welcome”. You know that the so-called US-led coalition against Daesh has been carrying out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since 2014, but it is accused of lacking seriousness in its campaign. What is behind this Saudi decision? Is the monarchy truly after fighting Daesh?

A: Riyadh sending ground troops to Syria, with the support of US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, is illegal under international law but the flaunting of such laws is no longer shocking. Western governments operate in a lawless vacuum where Syria is concerned, and not only Syria It is also ridiculous, Riyadh is already operating inside Syria, Riyadh already has proxy ground troops on Syrian soil. Sheikh Abdullah Muhaysini is the Riyadh educated and funded "General Judge" of the Jaish al Fatah coalition, comprising Jabhat al Nusra and Ahrar al Sham, both derivatives of Al Qaeda. He is chief head chopper, child fighter trainer, suicide bomber blesser and all round mass murderer with his headquarters in Riyadh.

Again, this posturing from Riyadh is in response to the damage being done to their assets and ambitions in Syria by the SAA (Syrian Arab Army) and their allies. There is a huge amount at stake here. The oil revenue for Turkey and Israel, the supply lines to the terrorists, Israel's “security” in the region and of course the ultimate goal to partition Syria into sectarian states that will include Sunnistan in an attempt to prevent a unified Kurdish canton on the Turkish border with Syria, currently known as the "safe zone".

Q: And what would be Iran and Russia’s reactions if Saudi boots find their ways on Syrian soil?

A: Should Turkey and Saudi Arabia be stupid enough to militarily step foot inside Syria, the response from Syria and its allies would be swift and lethal and rightfully so under international law. Would the US and NATO then use this as an excuse for all-out war with Russia on Syrian soil? Would Israel see it as an opportunity to finally engage with its arch enemy, Iran? Only the next few days and weeks will reveal if this is the ultimate goal.