One of the key factors that have kept Syrian rebels weak and unable to portray an alternative to current government is divided leadership. The free Syrian army, consisting of army defectors and their supporters, who are deemed to be the military shoulder of the next government, have not shown that they might be willing to accept the leadership of key figures campaigning for collapse of the Syrian regime.
The lack of coordination and cooperation among different rebel groups has drawn a blurred picture even if President Bashar al-Assad leaves office by tomorrow. There is no guarantee that after the collapse of the regime, the thing which still looks far-fetching, different rebel groups come together and establish a coalition government which paves the way for a democratic establishment, the very Syrians have already made huge sacrifices.
Such lack of coordination among rebels has also put their international supporters in weaker position because it is hard to say that such armed groups wouldn't change into rival groups and start fighting against one another. Therefore, foreign countries were pressurizing them to avoid disunity and form a united front against the government.
According to reports, divided rebels have agreed to set up a joint leadership to oversee their battle to overthrow the Syrian regime. The decision, taken by dozens of rebels including Free Syrian Amy leaders at a meeting inside Syria on Sunday, aims to improve military coordination among fighters and create a single leadership which they hope outside powers would be prepared to arm with more powerful weapons.
Definitely the attempt aims to bring all opponents under one banner, some of whom are however nominally in line with Free Syrian Army (FSA), but in practice operated independently. The new leadership will include FSA leaders Riad al-Asaad and Mustafa Sheikh - criticized by many rebels because they were based in Turkey - and recently defected General Mohammad Haj Ali, as well as heads of rebel provincial military councils inside Syria like Qassem Saadeddine, based in Homs province.
Various issues are effective in ruling disunity, like sources of funding, tactics and rivalry who should lead the move. The agreement if be applied in practice certainly will help leaders to organize effective and damaging attacks on government headquarters. It also may draw a clearer picture from the global perspective. The Syrian revolt started nineteen months as civil movement for economic and political reforms but later on perverted into armed struggle to topple the government. During this period more than 33 thousands have lost lives, thousands other injured and myriads are forced to flee.
From the above figure, civilians have the largest percentage, which means that they have sacrificed more than military as well as rebellions. Indeed, both sides are guilty. Perhaps, nobody can defend the status of Syrian regime. Definitely, it is largely blamed for growing civilian casualties but it does not mean that armed oppositions have come from sky for salvation of Syrians.
They frequently put a spectacular show of bombings which are much similar to attacks being carried out by al-Qaeda and other like-minded groups in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Videos posted on social networks indeed send electrical shock down to spine because rebellions, who, after the collapse of the regime, will form a so-called democratic government! The videos show them with covered face whenever arresting or killing a Syrian army man and shout "Allaho Akbar". However, the Arabic sentence "Allaho Akbar" is very common and is a part of Islamic rituals as Muslims use it several times a day, but, in terms of military or war, it is used as slogan to differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims or Jihadists and non-Jihadists. Jihadists are those who fight for the sake of God.
They are waging war not in effect to establish a people-based government; instead a holy system to apply the commands of Allah on the earth. During the history, even right after the demise of Prophet Mohammad, in the so-called sectarian wars or in wars of Muslim against Muslim, both sides embark to this slogan and try their best to weaken the oppositions through introducing them as non-followers of Islam or perverted from Islamic path to common people.
Through such propaganda, people were mobilized to wage war and fight for the sake of Allah. Moreover, according to Islamic Jurisprudence, when the Jihad is announced, all Muslims are obliged to take part. If they avoid, it means they do not practice one of their key Islamic obligations and commit grand sin that might be enough to drag them to the hell in the resurrection day.
Meanwhile, it has been a challenge for war leaders and religious scholars to label the war between Muslims of similar or different sects as Jihad. But radical sects do not fear to do so. For instance, in Pakistan some radical groups preach that Shiites are non-Mulims and it is the obligation of each Muslim individual to kill them. Same is the case of Bahae, a small sect of Shiite, in Iran.
They have been attacked, imprisoned, killed and executed by Islamic Republic for past 30 years since the establishment of theocrat regime. Initially, they were persecuted merely for their religious believes, however, changed by the course of the time. t should be noticed, according to Islamic jurisprudence, a Jihadist, if gets killed, will go to paradise. If he kills, then he also finds a huge reward from Allah Almighty.
What is going on Syria is the same. A high Iraqi al-Qaeda figure once told that members of network had gone to Syria to wage Jihad. The fighters are trying to highlight the religious issue to justify theirviolence against government. However, the regime is secular and different sects are part of the government, but now it is labeled as Shiite government which is indeed strange.
The regime does not necessarily represent Shiite. Alawis, who just accept three Shiite Imams were introduced as Shiite by Ayatullah Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Republic of Iran three decades ago. The Fetwa was a political one rather than religion. Because many believe that the similarity between Alawaites and Sunni is far lager then that of Shiite and Alawites.
Any how I am trying to prove whether Alawites are Shiite or not, neither supporting President Assad to step down. What is important to be noticed is that those who are killing government supporters, followers of particular sects for the sake of God, and chanting "Allaho Akbar" will not establish a democratic government which is essentially secular and based on religious pluralism. Why we should close our eyes and hope a miracle happen and with glance of eyes will change the people from Jihadist to peaceful citizens.
Meanwhile, we cannot reject the influence of foreign factors and new global democratic environment. Indeed, nobody knows how the Western democracy this time aligned with Islamist Radicals. If the regional and global powers do something to set the next establishment on the path of democracy, it may achieve one.