Strategic Expert Asserts Syrian Army is Still Strong after 7 Years of War

The expert in strategic affairs brigadier-general Turki Hassan has underscored that the war being waged on Syria is called ‘asymmetrical war’ and it is based on 5 external factors plus 2 internal ones.

Speaking to the state-run Tishreen newspaper [in Arabic], the expert said that what is going on in Syria is not a crisis as all studies centers in the world assert that there is foreign intervention in what is happening in the country.

 “The current war on the country is a war of the type IV, which is called asymmetrical war where the enemy is not clear. Your enemy is fighting you without using any soldier,” he added, clarifying that Syria faces a foreign invasion that costs planner, who benefits from selling arms to the conflicting parties at high prices, no bullet.

He sees that the best term for what is going on in the country is a ‘war in Syria’ which is based on two internal factors- corruption and social market economy- plus five external factors-  the U.S. project in region, Arab-Israeli conflict, conflict between Baath party and Muslim brotherhood, the danger of the Syrian example for Arab leaders, the Syrian geopolitical.

Stages of war in Syria

“The war in Syria went through four mainstages : irritation, mobilization, escalation and solutions. And the Syrian people proved their national awareness when settlement started and they were used as  basic means to end the war,” he said.

The expert affirmed that the Syrian state focused on three main axes: movement of Syrian armed forces, reconciliations and settlements and initiatives [ Geneva and Astana talks].

“The armed forces’ steadfastness and their advance on the ground played a key role in making progress in the political track,” he added, pointing out that the Syrian Arab army is still a strong army after seven years of war.

“The Syrian army was a classical army prepared to fight against a known enemy, i.e. Israeli enemy. But in the asymmetrical war it turned from classical fighting to special fighting in cities, mountains… etc. This required a change in fighting systems during the war and this was done. Therefore military units are now able to wage the next war against Israel after ending the war against terrorists,” he concluded.

Basma Qaddour