More than one sin is being committed by the symbols of the opposition in Syria. And more than a mere rumor is the talk about Lakhdar Brahimi's wish to sever his ties with the Arab League. Another advice was offered to Erdogan's Turkey by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the eve of his meeting yesterday with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu. He said: Do not wager on a military solution in Syria, knowing that this wager has become a bitter one – even for the Turks, who reiterated on many occasions that the days of the regime in Damascus and its head have become numbered, thus counting the days while the tragic killing and destruction continued. Hence, there is nothing new within the two camps of the conflict in Syria, although the timing of Lavrov's visit to Istanbul prior to the meeting of the Syrian People's Friends group in the city gives the impression that Moscow is trying to use the cards of its interests with Ankara, in order to convince it not to push towards the arming of the Syrian opposition. As for the minister's announcement of the fact that the discontinuation of the oppositionists' activities was a priority in preparation for the launching of the transitional period in Damascus, while assuring that President Bashar al-Assad's overthrow was not, it did not add anything new to the Russian interpretation of the Geneva Declaration. The same applies to Davutoglu's cries amidst the conflict and his calls for an international action to stop the bloodbath that is opening the Turkish border before the passage of more people fleeing hell to the flames, misery, and fires of the camps. There is nothing new about the Syrian explosion spreading terror throughout the neighboring states, which are worried about the "bomb" represented by the flow of refugees, as well as its demographic and economic repercussions. The killing operations and their daily numbers have become a regular Arab event while awaiting an unknown that is not coming and a difficult settlement. But what is not ordinary is for the symbols of the civil opposition to rush into the trap featuring the classification of the mujahedeen and their factions, while volunteering – for free - to offer the West another pretext to blow its concerns over the terrorism infiltrating the revolutionary ranks out of proportion. Indeed, at a time when Al-Nusra Front was pledging allegiance to leader of Al-Qaeda organization Ayman al-Zawahiri, head of the Syrian transitional government Ghassan Hitto was not embarrassed to describe the Front's fighters as being "brothers in arms to topple the regime," thus trying to fix the blunder by reassuring everyone that Syria's future will be democratic and guarantee freedom for its people. Hence, following the toppling of the regime, "each side will be free to advocate its opinion, without any restraints," although Hitto added that the Syrians rejected terrorism. So what would prevent Al-Qaeda from preaching its ideology like any other party?! For his part, Arab-UN Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi might also feel no embarrassment whatsoever, whenever diplomats leak information about his plans or efforts to activate the dead solution. But if they are truthful this time around, he is as frustrated as the Syrian people and preparing a divorce with the Arab League, after it let him down and sided with the revolution in a way that prevents him from acting as a neutral mediator on the League's behalf. Brahimi is thus reviving the obvious question related to the chances of success of his mission, which did not alter the killing rates in Syria, did not cease the destruction, and did not end the social divide, displacement, and thrashing of humanity whenever the shells tear the body of a child or elder person apart. It is the thrashing that condemns all the sides, especially those still defending a political solution between two rivals, each of which perceives the survival of the other as being its own funeral. Today, the realistic question probably revolves around whether Brahimi's mission is still alive, or has died and waiting for him to proclaim its death. Only the Americans have the courage to announce their pessimism towards the outcome of a conflict that might last decades. Therefore, is there any reason to rush and arm the opposition, at a time when all the regime practically wants is a military settlement and at whichever price? This is a setback for the Syrians, but also for the Arabs who have been watching their countries drowning in destruction and devastation since the occupation of Iraq, and after the revolutions confronted the arrogance of leaders, to whom their countries have one of two choices: their command or deluge. A diplomat who attended the Arab summit in Doha at the end of March, said that following the debates he reached the conclusion there was a consensus over pessimism towards the enduring suffering of the Syrians. During this setback stage, many are showing courage in the hope of reaching a meager settlement, the Arabs are awaiting an internal action to save the Security Council from its paralysis, while the world is waiting for the revolution to cleanse its ranks from the infection of Al-Qaeda, its sisters and offshoots.
