Extraordinary And Plenipotentiary Diplomatist July 19 Edition . | Page 36

PEOPLE’S POWER
IN TURBULENT MENA
BY DR. WAIEL AWWAD*
T
he onset of Arab Spring in 2011 saw people of the
Middle East and North African States (MENA), pour
out in the streets to topple regimes and seek freedom
and better life. The ecstasy was short lived with the alternative
to these regimes and the birth of more extremist group which
was called the Islamic States of the Levant (ISIL) from the
womb of Al Qaeda terrorist organization. The defeat of the
IS in Syria and Iraq did not bring relief to the region. It will
be a long way to recover from the devastation, slaughtering
of innocent people and total destruction of properties and
livelihoods. Not to mention the permanent scar in the hearts
of the families of the victims of its atrocities. The challenges
are tremendous for the people of Syria and Iraq and more so
to rehabilitate the mercenaries captured after the elimination of
Daesh from the region. There are hundreds of them unwanted
by their native country. There are more than 2000 children of
unknown fathers and hundreds of widowers. Ironically, the
Iraqi government under US and the West need to accommodate
them! While many intelligent reports reveal the transportation
of the hard core terrorists to other places to use terror as a tool
for political objectives by vested interest nations.
The region is in turbulent water once again with rising
tension between Israel and Palestinian people under
occupation in Gaza strip and West Bank. The proxy war
on Syria is far from over with foreign illegal occupation by
Turkey, which eyeing parts of Syria, US, French and British
troops, with US military bases in the northern eastern frontier
and shielding of Kurdish forces to create an autonomous
enclave against the will of the people.
In Idlib province, north of Syria, hundreds of terrorists are
still taking shelter and are protected by the Erdogan regime.
Syria is determined to liberate all its territories from occupied
forces by all means and eliminate internationally recognized
terrorist organizations: Al Qaeda and ISIS from all over Syria.
In Yemen, the catastrophe of the 21st century is beyond
imagination of the human loss, starvation, malnourished
children and disease with the Saudi led coalition continuing
unabated bombing the life out of the poor Yemeni.
On the other hand, US foreign policy toward regime
change in the region by force continues under president
Trump who at one stage was strongly opposing to it. Now,
USA is stationing its Centre Striking Group and Bomber Task
36 • Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 7 • July 2019, Noida