The Urgency for a Transition Council in Syria

It is obvious that regime is destined to die. This is basically because the regime does not have the essential pillars of a functioning government. First, the president has no potential to be a president. He is immature, egocentric, apathetic, doubtful, indecisive and erratic. Second, the government institutions are dysfunctional, irrational and disharmonious; further, they are governed by corruption, idiocy and lunacy. Therefore, this regime is destined to die. This is similar to a cellular process called “Programmed Cell Death”. In this phenomenon, a healthy cell that suffer from an extreme injury or a sick cell that undergo a minimal stress will start a series of biochemical reactions that lead to the final demise of that cell. Once this series of reaction starts, nothing can stop it; cell death will surely ensue. The Syrian regime is like a sick cell, it needed only a minimal trigger to initiate its death. Ironically, the trigger was simply few young teenagers writing graffiti on the wall, and it is clear nothing can stop its programmed death.

Indeed, the regime is panting and feeling that its end is coming closer. However, it is fighting back by more oppression, persecution and killing. For long time, the regime was restricting the people’s claim for their basic rights by threats, oppression and persecution. For long, the regime thought it was successful doing so. But, when the people started to demonstrate asking for freedom and dignity, the regime was startled. The only answer it has was more oppression, persecution and killings, because this is the only the language the regime knows. Further, because the regime madness the persecution and oppression transformed into massive killings and crimes against humanity.

Thus, to reduce the death toll among the Syrian people, it is imperative to accelerate the regime demise. In my opinion, the best way to reach this goal is by forming a “transition council” that can lead the political fight against the regime inside the country and at the international scene. This council must be composed by politicians from the opposition and not by technocrats as it was proposed. These politicians must have the vision and charisma that permit to them to communicate and convince the Syrian people and the international community. One may ask: “how this transition council would help accelerate the end of this regime?!”

First, this “transition council” will help formulate concrete political objectives for the popular uprising. This formulation will further ignite this revolution and provide the demonstrators with additional courage and persistence. The demonstrators will feel that they are making history and a positive outcome for their sacrifices is looming.

Second, there is still a sizable portion of the Syrian people that wishes the end of the regime, but it is not participating in this popular uprising. This hesitation is mainly because this portion feels that the revolution is “faceless” and wonders concerning the political alternative that would replace the Assad regime. The presence of a thoughtful political face (a transition counsel) for the combative body (the people who protest in the streets) that can lay out a clear perspective regarding the future of the country may encourage this segment of the Syrian people to at least align with, or fully join, the revolution against the vicious regime.
Third, the formation of a “transition council” will increase the regime panic, leading it to commit more mistakes and to further exhaustion of its energy, which, consequently, will accelerate its demise. We saw such panic with every political move carried out by the opposition, as it happened during the Damascus Spring and after the formation of “The Damascus declaration for Democratic Change in Syria”. Despite is panic the regime was able to curb the first by closing its political forums and to impede the second by persecuting most of its leaders living inside Syria. What differs this time is that the regime is already overwhelmed by the demonstrations taking place almost in all Syrian cities, making this council a heavy burden that could break the regime’s back.

Fourth, the formation of such council will address many of the international community worries and concerns. This council will have the diplomatic mission to visit many countries in the world, including Russia, China, EU and USA, to convey the aspirations of the Syrian people and explain the opposition political vision as how it will work to fulfill these aspirations and to build a country that is respected and has good standing in the international arena. If this mission is successful, that would answer many of the international community concerns regarding the future of Syria post Bashar al-Assd and would put the last nail in the regime’s coffin.

Undoubtedly, the end of the Assad regime is approaching. But, the faster the regime dies, the less suffering the Syrian people will experience. For this reason, all efforts should be committed to accelerate regime’s demise and it is upon the Syrian opposition to make a historic decision by forming a “transition council”.

P.S. This paper was sent to the Antalya Conference on April 29, 2011