Truce in Syria brokered by US, Russia is sketchy

Although early reports of calm in war-torn Syria may indicate that the cease-fire brokered by the U.S. and Russia is holding, it would be foolhardy to believe that peace is at hand.

Indeed, just one day after the truce went into effect Monday, Jabhat Fatah al-Sham served notice that it would not honor the agreement.

Al-Sham, an affiliate of al-Qaida, the global terrorist network, and Islamic State (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) were excluded from the U.S.-Russian talks. Both groups have been designated terrorist organizations by the United Nations.

This week, all fighting between the forces of embattled President Bashar Assad and the rebel groups seeking to overthrow him has stopped. However, Assad’s forces can continue airstrikes against militants tied to IS and al- Qaida.

The Associated Press reported that if the calm holds for seven days, the U.S. and Russian militaries would then set up a new center to coordinate strikes against IS and Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, previously known as the Nusra Front.

But, given that a similar truce in February lasted only several weeks, the chances of this one taking hold permanently may be slim to none.

The reason can be found in the argument put forth by IS and al-Sham for opposing the truce. They contend that the real goal of the agreement is to keep President Assad in power.

Indeed, there is now talk of the Islamic extremist groups joining forces with various rebel factions to take aim at the Assad regime. Should that occur, it would put the U.S. and Russia on the side of a murderous, brutal dictator who has used his power to crush his perceived political enemies. Human- rights organizations have revealed that Assad used chemical weapons against his own people in his attempt to crush any uprising in the population centers.

Since the civil war began in 2011 inspired by the Arab Spring, more than 470,000 Syrians have been killed, according to a Syrian research group. That number is almost double what the United Nations counted more than a year and a half ago.

Life expectancy

The Syrian Center for Policy Research also says that life expectancy has dropped from 70 to 56 years, with men facing even bigger threats.

As for the cost of the war to the economically collapsed nation, the center says the $255 billion price tag has virtually wiped out the nation’s wealth.

For most Syrians, Assad is the devil incarnate, which is why Jabhat Fatah al-Sham has been pounding away at the prospect of his staying in power indefinitely.

“The aim of the Russia-American agreement is to defeat Syrian jihad, break its arm and cuts its teeth,” the group said in a statement.

The group’s director of media relations, Mostafa Mohamed, wrote on his Twitter account: “Let it be known. We don’t take orders from hypocritical tyrants. We will continue in this cause, standing in solidarity with our brothers.”

The Associated Press reports that al-Sham has been working to improve its image and distance itself from al-Qaida. In July, its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, publicly announced the group’s name change and said it was cutting ties with al-Qaida, the international terror organization.

With so many players in the bloody civil war that has displaced half the country’s population of 11 million, the future of Syria is uncertain and bleak.

Islamic State wants to get rid of Assad and any vestiges of Western-type government and create a Caliphate governed by Shariah law.

Russia wants to expand its sphere of influence in its bid to reassert itself as a world superpower.

The United States, the lone superpower, wants to make sure that a stable, democratic government is in power in Damascus to stop the spread of Islamic extremism that is sweeping the Middle East.

The rebel groups, while well intentioned, have shown themselves to be no match for Assad and his killing machine, the military.

With the battle for Syria being fought on so many fronts, the people are caught in the crossfire.

The U.S.-Russian cease-fire is nothing more than a stopgap measure.