Democratic Interventionism

Instigated and Armed

"The West," writes Reinhard Merkel, a professor of penal law and legal philosophy at the University of Hamburg, "has incurred a heavy degree of guilt in Syria." The reason is "not, as is often claimed" that "aid for the resistance" to the Assad regime "has been too cautious." "On the contrary," the blame resides in the fact that the West "has permitted, promoted, and managed the resistance into becoming a murderous civil war." Western countries are applying "a version of the process used since the invasion of Iraq, ten years ago, a process known as 'democratic interventionism'" - "managing regime change by military means." This version in Syria seems "milder," because "overthrowing the government is being left up to the domestic opposition," which "is being armed - and of course instigated - from abroad." As a matter of fact, this is "the most reprehensible sort" of interventionism - not only "because alongside the business of killing, and the risk of getting killed being left up to others," but particularly because it "helps to unleash the most devastating form of warfare - the civil war." Prof. Merkel reminds that, up to now, more than a hundred-thousand people "have paid with their lives for this alleged moralist advocacy." Certainly "many more" will follow.[1]

Internationally Illegal Policy

Prof. Merkel leaves no doubt that he sees the Assad regime "as a grim tyranny," - even though "less bleak than some of those of the Gulf countries," which "have suddenly discovered their love" for "democratic change (...) in Syria," - but "grim enough to justify any civic resistance." Merkel, despite all arguments to the contrary, does not consider "the unleashing of a civil war, with a hundred-thousand victims" to be legitimate in the case of Syria - "absolutely not." The law professor in Hamburg expresses particularly sharp criticism of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, which "not for moral" but "strategic reasons (...) involving Iran," are supplying the insurgents with weapons and thereby have rendered a civil war possible. But the "sinister, camouflaged and yet obvious support" provided by the West "for this internationally illegal policy of the direct interventionists" must also "be mentioned." Prof. Merkel has focused his strong criticism on the USA, Great Britain and France, but his criticism applies also to Germany, which has fueled the war in Syria by various means, including numerous talks the German government has held with Saudi, Qatari and Turkish representatives on the war as well as its direct support for Syrian insurgents.(german-foreign-policy.com reported.[2])

Without Prospect of Success

"This is all desolate," commented Reinhard Merkel, "and it is becoming even more so," when one considers the real prospects for success of "democratic interventionism (...), which, like in Syria, pursues its goal by instigating and promoting civil war in a foreign country." Available studies concerning "external putsch attempts" show that success depends less on the "power of those intervening" or "on the amount of effort," but rather on "certain prerequisites within the targeted country itself," - such as a "relative homogeneity" of the population or "economic prosperity of the majority of the society" - which are basically absent in Syria. Syria would be a prime "model of a country, where every form of democratic interventionism is doomed to fail" - especially since the population will be completely pulverized by the civil war. An armed insurgency's "halfway reasonable prospect of success" is "a genuine requirement for its legitimacy," which "as can be heard from all sides, is and has never been present in Syria." Prof. Merkel concludes with the warning "I do not believe that future historians will acquit the West on charges of complicity."

No Open Doors

While promoting support for the insurgents,[3] Berlin has persisted in denying asylum in Germany to Syrians fleeing the war. In early 2012, Syrian refugees were still being deported from Germany. In March 2012, the competent German authorities refused to implement a nationwide ban on deportations to Syria, until, in April 2012, it had to give in due to massive pressure from human rights organizations.[4] In late July 2013, it was made known that several aid organizations had filed complaints because reunification of families from the Syrian war zones had obviously been thwarted. In fact, the competent German embassy in Beirut does not accept appointments for relatives of Syrians granted asylum in Germany, applying for entry visas for family reunification. The embassy has officially announced that it is all booked out for the next few months. Not only are Syrians asked to present numerous documents, from birth to marriage certificates, but these must also be authenticated by the Syrian foreign ministry. Many refugees cannot meet these conditions, for obvious reasons.[5] The only thing left for them is to apply for one of the 5000 visas provided by the German government for refugees from Syria's combat zones. However, more than 5000 Syrians are forced to flee every single day. In the meantime, nearly 2 million Syrians are fleeing the combat. Refugee organizations are demanding in vain: "We need to open the doors for the persecuted."[6]

Germany's Problem: "Asylum Seekers"

While the media is speaking of "a new problem of asylum seekers" [7] in regards to Syrian refugees, acts of desperation have already begun occurring. Refugees, including Syrians, have recently entered a hunger strike in Munich, protesting the denial of asylum in Germany. Also in Munich, earlier this week, a Syrian man climbed up a crane more than 25 meters high and threatened to leap to his death, if his family is refused to reunite with him. The man was overpowered by a SWAT unit and admitted to a psychiatric ward. He will now be taken to court. As the federal Office for Migration and Refugees has confirmed, not even 20 percent of all asylum applications by Syrians are approved - even in face of the war in their country. The rest are given reassurance that they would not be deported for the time being. They will therefore not receive an opportunity to reunite with their families.

Other reports and background information on Germany's policy toward Syria can be found here: War Threats against Syria, Iran's Achilles Heel, War Scenarios for Syria, War Scenarios for Syria (II), With the UN toward Escalation, Market Economy for Syria, The Yemenite Solution, Smuggle Supervisors, The Day After, The Day After (II), The Day After (IV), The Islamization of the Rebellion, Air Defense for the Exile Leadership, A Proxy War, In Rebel Territory (II), In Rebel Territory (III), The End of Artificial Borders, In Rebel Territory (IV) and German War Assistance.

[1] Zitate hier und im Folgenden aus: Reinhard Merkel: Der Westen ist schuldig; www.faz.net 02.08.2013
[2] see also In an Alliance with the Dictatorship, Verdeckte Kriegspartei, In Rebel Territory (II) and Im Rebellengebiet (IV)
[3] see also German War Assistance
[4] see also Iran's Achilles Heel and Im Hungerstreik
[5] Syrische Flüchtlinge scheitern an deutscher Bürokratie; www.zeit.de 25.07.2013
[6] Wir brauchen offene Türen für Verfolgte; www.proasyl.de
[7] Deutschland hat ein neues Asylbewerber-Problem; www.welt.de 22.07.2013