Now that Assad has officially participated in the Arab Summit that was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19, the questions of why and how this was allowed to happen are no longer important. What should be paid attention to from now on is preventing normalization with Assad at the international level.
As most of the Arab countries are autocracies governed by dictatorships in varying degrees and forms, their decision to fully normalize with Assad has no real significance because much has been taking place under the table between the Assad regime and many Arab states for the past 12 years anyways. In reality, some of these regimes never severed their relations with Assad in the first place despite his suspension from the Arab League and his horrific crimes against innocent Syrian civilians.
“Normalizing with Assad, the butcher, at the international level would send a most dangerous message to other ruthless rulers in the region and elsewhere in the world”
The crucial turning point will come when countries of the Western and civilized world start approaching the Assad regime with the goal of welcoming it back gradually to the world forums as if nothing had happened in Syria.
Normalizing with Assad, the butcher, at the international level would send a most dangerous message to other ruthless rulers in the region and elsewhere in the world, namely: “If you systematically kill a large number of innocent civilians and destroy significant numbers of cities and villages in your own country, you will not be punished.” Ultimately, paying no price for any wrongdoing, be it an assassination of one person, or a war crime, will be the norm.
“if you follow the Assad Blueprint, most probably you will be the winner and you will be enabled to overcome a whole people”
Such normalization would tell current and potential dictators that if you follow the Assad Blueprint, most probably you will be the winner and you will be enabled to overcome a whole people regardless of how much blood is on your hands.
Likewise, it would send a clear-cut message that civilized concepts such as morals, conscience, and the rule of law, are no longer influential factors in any decision-making process or in any form of government. Oppressors would be free to use the most immoral tactics to rule without a shred of accountability. All of this will lead to the law of the jungle, and the survival of those who are willing to shed the most blood.
If Assad is permitted to return to the world, then no one should blame any past, current, or would-be criminal as no one in the 21st century did to his country and people what Assad has done to Syria and the Syrian people. In a way, the world would be writing a brand-new law: If you can do evil and make sure that you will not be held accountable for it, then go ahead and do it.
“For the people of Syria, the scenario of bringing Assad back to the world arena is their worst nightmare, and too big to swallow”
It is time now for the democratically-elected governments that truly represent their people to act against bringing Assad back to the world. In fact, this is also a test for the people of the free world to speak out loud against sparing the head of a criminal. They need to make sure that committing crimes against humanity and war crimes should not go unpunished.
For the people of Syria, the scenario of bringing Assad back to the world arena is their worst nightmare, and too big to swallow. The Hitler of the 21st century should not be allowed to resurface as the victor over millions of innocent Syrians. Until then, no stone should be left unturned while seeking justice for an entire country.
