Hezbollah: Partition of Iraq, Syria Remains Possible Outcome of War

Deputy Leader: Assad Best Chance to Keep Syria in One Piece

by Jason Ditz

Hezbollah Deputy Leader Naim Qassem, interviewed by Reuters, says that the ongoing wars in Iraq and Syria still have no end in sight, and that the partition of both Iraq and Syria could ultimately result from the open-ended conflicts.

Qassem insisted that Hezbollah, Iran, and Russia would all remain on Assad’s side until the end, and that he believes Assad is the best chance to keep Syria whole. At the same time, US officials remain determined to see Assad ousted, but also want Syria and Iraq to both remain whole.

There appears to be a growing recognition that this may not happen, however, with CIA Director John Brennan insisting over the weekend that he’s got no confidence it’s even possible for Syria to avoid partition at this point. The US has repeatedly rejected proposals that would see more regional autonomy within Syria, one plan to keep it at least nominally whole.

US officials aren’t as willing to discuss the partition of Iraq as the result of the current war, but many officials have expressed support for Iraqi Kurdistan’s eventual independence, which may reflect an effort to mention the possibility at least somewhat.

http://news.antiwar.com/2016/08/03/hezbollah-partition-of-iraq-syria-remains-possible-outcome-of-war/