Hillary Clinton’s discussion of a no-fly zone over Syria is a violation of the UN charter of the Geneva Accords, journalist and activist Don DeBar told RT.
The US Secretary of State discussed plans to undermine the Syrian government, during a meeting with Turkey’s Foreign Minister on Saturday. Clinton and her Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu, indicated they are exploring a number of measures to aid the Syrian opposition, Reuters reported. Don DeBar spoke to RT about the involvement of western powers in the Syrian conflict. RT: Hillary Clinton's visit comes as Ankara is stepping up threats to use force in the Syrian conflict. Meanwhile, the US and Turkey are also saying they're preparing for the ‘worst-case scenario’ of a chemical attack. Is that scenario a real possibility? Don DeBar: There’s been some discussion of the possibility of a so-called “black ops” chemical attack, where some of the US agent forces that are on the ground in Syria fighting the government would launch a chemical attack and attempt to lay the blame for that on the Syrian government. I think that’s a real possibility. The discussion of a no fly zone and aerial support for the insurgency is a violation of the UN charter of the Geneva Accords and just about all international law that bears on this. It’s a frightening continuation of the policy the US has conducted around the world in the past.RT: Western powers have long said their actions are all for the sake of the Syrian people. But with more cash and arms being given to the rebels, how's that going to help bring peace?DeBar: It’s actually antithetical peace. The conduct of war against the government on soil where the Syrian people live obviously cannot bring peace for Syrian people. It’s intended to provoke a response from the government. The government has the choice of either not responding and allowing armed terrorists to blow up their troops and to execute civilians, or to fight back – which of course means there are parts of the cities that get bombed and there are people that are displaced. These two choices are what are being presented by American policy in Syria.RT: Turkey's allegedly funneling weapons to the Syrian rebels through a secret base near the border. Has the country and its allies properly weighed up the dangers of supporting forces with links to al-Qaeda, and particularly on their own borders?DeBar: You might ask the same question of the US alliance with Al Qaeda on and off since its creation in Afghanistan in the early 80s. We know the answer to that. The answer is it’s a very dangerous game to play. You are, on the one hand, creating an enemy that has no state ties, really isn’t domiciled anywhere, and is highly weaponized, very angry, and extremely religious. So they go around and kill whoever they decide to kill. Sometimes it’s people in New York City. Sometimes it’s people in Afghanistan. Sometimes it’s people in Russia. Sometimes it’s people in Lebanon and Syria. Right now, the focal point is Syria. RT: Qatar has reportedly tried to bribe the Syrian ambassador in Mauritania to take the rebels' side, allegedly promising one-million dollars and political asylum. What does this tell us?DeBar: This effort to buy people off happened in Libya, also. Staged events on the ground are taking place with these staged defections. And now that the information is coming out, we understand the nature of the defections. These are people who are being purchased.