Your trusted source

Press TV has conducted an interview with Nabil Mikhail, a professor at the George Washington University, to share his thoughts on the latest developments of the ongoing war of the Syrian nation on the Saudi, Qatari-backed terrorism.

- Professor, the celebration by the people of Syria today for the success of the army in driving terrorists out of the country, I mean what does it mean and what message does it send to those who try to topple the Syrian government?

- There are people who are happy and delighted and cheerful for what the army has scored but the country remains divided.

At least Syria has a standing army and this is very important because unlike the civil war in Lebanon back in the 1970’s, the Lebanese army has disintegrated along the sectarian and denominational lines.

So if you have an army in Syria and even if it is loyal to the government still, it is a very basic and important institution.

Can the army be the agent for change in Syria while the country is in a crisis; I believe that the Western analysts should study the behavior of the army carefully and see how it could be utilized to lay down (out) the foundation of a new Syria.

- So what you are saying is that the Syrian army is very unified in its essence?

- To a large degree. I mean I would assume there has been a number of dissentions, some basically, resignations, some people did not refuse their commission but more or less you can talk about an institution and I put emphasis on the word institution, the army is both an institution and an institutionalized organization.

So it is a very, very important unit in the body of politics of Syria and my modest advice is that, if you would like to proceed with a Syria solution in Syria tap the resources of the army, they can offer something.

- So how much can one be hopeful and optimistic of a political solution to the crisis in Syria?

- No one is hopeful for a crisis settlement, I am still hopeful and I have said it repeatedly.

Egypt is in a crisis, Syria is in a crisis, Iraq is in a crisis. So any Western power will be foolish if, basically, they cannot redeem the situation in one of them and just be happy that these three countries are in turmoil because they can offer later. No! At least you can do something. So I believe that the sense of crisis can still lead to a crisis resolution but I do not think that this will be found among European leaders.

I am not impressed by Hollande or Merkel or Cameron and frankly I am not impressed by Obama either.

So we need a strong leadership in America and Europe to resolve the Middle East crisis otherwise it will basically be a negative repercussion in world politics.