Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> PEGGY PICO: A research poll released today says 48% oppose military action against Syria
while 29% say they support military action, here with insight into the U.S. response to
chemical weapon attacks in Syria are UC San Diego professor, Michael Provence and Sohaib
Al agha, board member of the Syrian American council.
Sohaib you returned from a council meeting in Syria and Turk can I, what do they say
is happening. >>> Actually there is fear that the regime
will use massive chemicals. He exceeded the latest thousand victim number
and there is genuine fear that he may exceed substantially more if there is no international
reaction to this chemical attack in Damascus. We believe that elbows what he needs is to
crush the Syrians into submission. >> PEGGY PICO: So you believe that
>> Where the U.S. does or doesn't interfere it will escalate and by U.S. taking responsibility
and using its leadership, we hope to impose international will on the use of chemical
weapon as a prohibited use than maybe they will not be empowered to use again.
>> PEGGY PICO: Michael what is the history of the use of chemical weapons in Syria?
>> Chemical weapons have been used by the government a few times, not in the past.
The Syrian government fought an insurgency in the 70s and 80s and destroyed a city but
by air power. Of course chemical weapons were used in Iraq
and especially against the Iranians during the war but at the time the government was
allied with Iraq so covered up the use of that at the time.
So this is the history in the region. >> PEGGY PICO: There are about 300,000 Syrian
Americans living here in the U.S.? >> Correct
>> PEGGY PICO: Is there a divide among Syrian Americans and any support for the Assad regime?
>> There are a few illusioned who support the regime, based on the propaganda.
But majority of Syrian no longer believes the dictator.
He is only interested in maintaining his control over Syria and the largest portion of the
community would hope that the war can end in Syria which has lasted now two and a half
years and U.S. can use influence to bring the war to an end.
>> PEGGY PICO: Michael, what is the potential down side if the U.S. does go forward and
has a military strike against Syria? What is the down side to that?
>> The down side is that there is further escalation on the part of the Russians and
Syria becomes a battle field for rush, Iran and the Gulf states on the other side and
the U.S. which is not in the interest of the Syrian pickup or the interest of anyone in
the United States with the possibility exception of people who may profit from weapons or at
the petroleum prices going through the roof. >> PEGGY PICO: I understand the fear of escalation
is one major concern, but I also heard there is concern that opposition forces in Syria
is linked to Al Qaeda, from the U.S. concerns. Is there any confirmation of that?
>> More than 100,000 Syrians have died because of conflict, more than 2 million are refugees
outside of Syria, counted by U.N. Syrian people have been abandoned by the international
community and the U.N. and western power and left on their own.
Mostly moderate Syrian people left on their own to support against a third dictatorship
by Russia or Iran and against the vacuum left in Syria which allowed the extremists to have
a platform inside Syria so to answer your question, yes, there is element of Al Qaeda
and extremists in Syria and they have been employed as a vacuum.
The Syrian people have been abandoned and abandonment of moderate in Syria is not good
for the interest of the U.S. in the long term and in the short term.
>> PEGGY PICO: I want to ask you each, can you tell us, please, what you would like to
see the response be from the U.S.? >> Well, the government should be collecting
people, collecting other countries and other powers to try to negotiate a settlement by
pressuring the Iranians and Russia directly by stopping the support of their client, the
Syrian government. >> PEGGY PICO: What would you like to see?
>> We have been pressuring Russia and Iran for two and a half years and nothing come
out from it. The U.S. should exercise its responsibility
and change the formula in Syria to tip the balance for the revolution and for the uprising.
>> PEGGY PICO: Thank you both for your insight. >>> Thank you.
>>> Thank you.