Reasons for U.S. fear of Idlib operation

By Mohammad Ghaderi

TEHRAN - Developments in Idlib are accelerating and Damascus and its allies are ready to attack the terrorists. The Syrian army has deployed its forces and equipment around Idlib during recent weeks.

Meanwhile, three Western countries, the U.S., France and Britain have threatened to launch a military strike against Syria, and plan to use a potential false flag chemical attack as a pretext to launch an offensive against Syria.

Meanwhile, some analysts believe that if Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham has been dissolved, that there is no need for military operations in Idlib. It has been argued that Turkey may be involved in convincing Tahrir al-Sham (called also Jabhat al-Nusra) to merge with other armed groups.

“We would probably dissolve Tahrir al-Sham because it faces the pressure of Russia and even Turkey. If the Russians and the Syrian government attack Idlib, the door to Hell will open in the region because of all the Syrian dissident terrorists gathered in Idlib and its suburbs,” said one of Syrian. But Hayat Tahrir al-Sham spokesperson Emad Eddin Mujahid, denied any intention to dissolve Tahrir al-Sham.

At joint news conference, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem met his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on August 30, and said: “We will go all the way” in Idlib. Lavrov also warned the western powers against military action in Syria.

Abdel Bari Atwan, an analyst of the Arab world, wrote: “The sudden emergence of Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, and his position regarding the complex crisis in Idlib suggests a repetition of the eastern Aleppo scenario, with the difference that there will be no other Idlib situation afterwards. Two years ago, at a news conference in Geneva, he made a similar offer to terrorist groups in Aleppo. He announced his readiness to go to Idlib to help provide safe passage out for civilians.
The danger, said de Mistura, is that al-Nusra terrorists number 10,000 or more fighters, and that they deserve to be destroyed. Two points can be drawn from the words of the UN Representative for the Syrian affairs: first, the description of the Tahrir al-Sham (Jabhat al-Nusra) group as a terrorist group, which can be considered a green light to break them up and exclude them from any settlement plans.

Second is the position of de Mistura about chemical weapons. He sees  the use of chemical weapons as a dangerous ploy to justify a U.S., UK and French attack as insane.

On June 23, 2014 all of Syria's chemical weapons had been destroyed. However, the official announcement by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons on the extensive cooperation of the Damascus government with the organization has not prevented continued western allegations. The U.S. has deployed its navy in the Mediterranean to attack Syria with Tomahawk missiles while Russia has also deployed its warships in front of the U.S. warships.

The terrorists have said that there will be no dialogue with the Russians and the Syrian government to give up Idlib and its suburbs.

The U.S. is worried that the Syrian army will eliminate all the weapons that it and its regional allies can use to exert pressure on Damascus, especially since the battle of Idlib is the last stage of the liberation of Syria's entire geography. With the liberation of Idlib, the Syrian government will return to pre-crisis conditions, and those who launched the war over Syria for seven years will be defeated and Damascus will be victorious.

Russian analyst Andrei Ontikov spoke with Sputnik about Russia's reaction to a possible strike and said: “Russia has equipped the Syrian army with advanced missiles. In addition, Russian experts are among the Syrians. In particular, most of the U.S. missiles were destroyed in the previous attacks.”

The former commander of the Baltic Fleet Adm. Vladimir Valuev has announced in speaking with Sputnik: “ Russian forces in the Mediterranean aim to counter a possible missile strike against Syrian government forces. The massive presence of the Russian Navy is a necessary step in preventing an attack on Syria.”

It is certain in any event that the battle for the liberation of Idlib by the Syrian army and its allies will begin soon.