Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha
Moscow: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned the United States against any military intervention in Syria, saying that it would result in a failure and that the country will never turn into a Western puppet.
Speaking in an interview to a Russian newspaper Izvestia, Assad rubbished allegations of the Syrian government using chemical weapons saying the regime would never use toxic gases in a place where its own troops are stationed.
“This is contrary to elementary logic. How can the government use chemical - or any other weapons of mass destruction - in a place where its troops are concentrated,” said Assad.
Dismissing the statements of Western leaders as political accusations, Assad said that it was “nonsense” to first indict the government and then start collecting evidence.
“Statements made by politicians in the US, the West and in other countries - and an insult to common sense and disregard the public opinion of their people,” said Assad.
Slamming the idea of US intervention in Syria, Assad said that it would meet with failure just like it had in all previous wars.
“The US is waiting for failure.. as in all previous wars waged by them, from Vietnam to the present day.
Yes, indeed, great powers can unleash a war, but can they win?” Assad said.
“Have they learned the lessons of the past 50 years? At least through a document of his predecessors, who failed all the wars since Vietnam, and up to now?” Assad said in a glaring criticism of the US.
When asked to convey a message to world leaders, Assad said, “if someone wants to turn Syria into a puppet of the West, then it will not be.”
On the issue of UN probe into chemical attacks, Assad hailed the visit of experts, adding that “As for the investigation of war crimes in Syria, we are the first who demanded arrival of an international commission”.
“When terrorists fired a rocket with a poisonous gas at Aleppo, soon after numerous statements in the West about the readiness of government forces to use chemical weapons, we requested the visit of foreign experts,” said Assad.
Speaking further on military intervention in Syria, Assad claimed that the world’s understanding of the situation in Syria was false saying, “It is not the people`s revolution and demand reforms. This is terrorism”.
Assad regime uses the word “terrorism” for all rebels fighting to topple him since last two years.
The situation in Syria has come to a serious point as the chemical attacks in Ghouta reportedly claimed 355 lives.
The US and France have said they have “little doubt” that Assad regime used chemical weapons.
While Russia and Iran have warned against any military intervention, saying it would further aggravate the plight in Syria and set the Mideast ablaze.
A team of UN inspectors is in Syria to probe whether the chemical weapons were used in Ghouta on Wednesday.
The findings of the team could have serious implications for Syria as the US naval forces are already moving closer to Syrian coasts and position themselves for a military strike.
