Abdul-Halim Khaddam, a prominent figure in the Syrian state during Hafez al-Assad’s era, has issued a strong open letter to Arab leaders, the international community, and the Syrian people. In it, he draws attention to the scenario of dividing Syria, emphasizing his commitment to the military option to overthrow the Assad regime.
In Paris, Abdul-Halim Khaddam spoke in an open letter addressed to Syrians about a serious threat facing Syria due to what he considers a strategy followed by the “butcher” Bashar al-Assad. This strategy aims to establish a state in the coastal region, including the provinces of Latakia and Tartus, the city of Homs, parts of its province, as well as a portion of the Hama countryside and southwest of Idlib province. This would be connected to eastern Lebanon and its south.
Khaddam’s message, received by Elaph, states that this information came from the mouth of a senior officer to one of the officials who defected from the regime. He calls on Syrians to unite their efforts, pool their energies, and set aside their differences because their strength lies in their unity, while the regime’s strength lies in their division.
The letter considers the nation to be in great danger and insists on putting aside narrow differences that only strengthen the regime and increase the danger to the country. It calls on the opposition to adopt a single project today: the struggle to protect the unity of the nation and work to overthrow the oppressive regime. The motto should be the liberation of the homeland, a responsibility on everyone’s shoulders.
Khaddam, the former vice president to the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, also urged Arab leaders to read the history of the fall of Muslim Arabs in Andalusia and the history of the Palestinian cause. This, he says, would lead them to realize the seriousness of the situation, not just for Syria but for everyone.
In his message, Khaddam clarified that Bashar al-Assad is implementing a project supported by Iran to eradicate the values and beliefs of the Syrian people, enabling Iran to increase its control in the region. He emphasized that Bashar al-Assad’s victory would change all equations in the region, making Iran the dominant power, and this situation would only be resolved through a major war.
Khaddam appealed to the international community to form an international military coalition to save the Syrian people, considering it the last resort.
He also addressed the leaders of major countries, urging them to carefully consider the danger of Iran’s control over Syria and its threat to the security and stability of the region. Through facts, he wanted them to understand that the alliance between Iran and the Syrian regime is adept at maneuvering and evading responsibility.
Khaddam concluded his message by stating that all political attempts to stop Iran’s strategy and Bashar al-Assad’s crimes have reached a deadlock. Therefore, he called for the formation of an international military coalition outside the United Nations, avoiding the use of the veto right by Russia and China. This, he argued, would not only save Syria but also the security and stability in the Middle East, along with the threatened interests of the West from this bloody alliance.
Syria Threatened with Division
In an interview with Elaph, Khaddam considered this message an expression of his stance and vision regarding the situation in the region and its danger, not only for Syria and its future but for the entire Arab world and the region. He pointed out that he occasionally sends messages to highlight the seriousness of what is happening.
Khaddam said: When I proposed military intervention to overthrow this regime, as happened in Libya, there was rejection from factions within the opposition who did not understand the nature of the regime, its position in Iran’s national and regional strategy, and the role of the regime in relation to Russia. They clung to peaceful solutions that resulted in people being killed under their slogans, and thousands of martyrs fell.
Regarding the current situation of the Syrian opposition, Khaddam said: Frankly, before the revolution, there was no serious opposition in Syria. There were voices of individuals opposing the regime living abroad, but after the revolution, attitudes changed, and there was an agreement on the opposition and its formation. Unfortunately, these opposition formations, with their diversity, programs, and contradictions, became a burden on the revolution.
He explained that what is required is the unification of all efforts in Syria with a single vision and a single program to overthrow the regime. As for who governs Syria after the regime’s fall, that is left to the Syrian people through free elections, and it is not decided by the opposition abroad or even the opposition inside. The Syrian people, deprived of freedom for many years, must take their freedom and express their aspirations and ambitions, and they are most capable of doing so when they take control of their affairs.
According to the content of his message, Khaddam affirmed that Syria is threatened with division, adding that this regime has no connection to Syria, neither a national nor a popular link. This regime has become completely estranged from everything related to Syria. The decision is not in its hands; it is in Iran’s hands, which directs and instructs it. Therefore, the major problem lies in the stance of some factions of the Syrian opposition that wasted months calling for peaceful demonstrations, which have never before overthrown a dictatorial regime in the world.
Military Coalition to Save the Syrian People
To motivate the Arab world and the international community to use military force against the Assad regime, the former Syrian diplomat mentions that the message is also directed at Arab countries falling within the scope of Iran’s strategy. If successful, Iran’s influence will cage the entire Middle East under its supervision.
Khaddam points out that the Syrian reality necessitates the formation of an Arab international military coalition because the international community has significant interests in the region. If Iran succeeds, the entire Middle East will be under its mercy and supervision. At that point, the West will face two choices: either reaching an agreement with Iran on its terms or waging a very unsettling war against it. On the other hand, creating an international military coalition outside the United Nations to save the Syrian people would be less costly and more reassuring for the stability and security of the region.
