Dear brothers in the armed forces, officers, and soldiers,
I welcome you on the 33rd anniversary of the October War fought by our armed forces to liberate the land and ensure the national rights of the Palestinian people.
Since the change that took place on November 16, 1970, we have focused our efforts on achieving this goal and meeting its internal, Arab, and international requirements as follows:
• Our perspective was that the occupation targeted the homeland, and the responsibility for liberation is a national duty that necessitates the participation of all political, economic, cultural, and social forces in national action. This is aimed at strengthening the home front, consolidating national unity, and achieving political openness, economic openness, and the establishment of a democratic system.
• We also began with the historical fact that the liberation of the land requires a political and military partnership with Egypt. In the early days after November 16, 1970, we restored our broken relations with several Arab countries. Additionally, we engaged with Iraq in an effort to rectify relations, based on the understanding that Arab solidarity is an essential element in countering any threat to the Arab nation or its countries.
In this regard, we achieved significant success. Arab forces participated on the Syrian and Egyptian fronts. On the Syrian front, forces from Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Palestine participated. Financial assistance was provided for the war effort, and oil-producing countries made the decision to halt oil exports to the United States of America and the Netherlands.
The foundation of our success in the Arab sphere was our conviction that all Arabs are our partners in both good and bad times, especially in the face of aggression.
• Simultaneously, our efforts succeeded in meeting a large portion of the war requirements through our special relationship with the Soviet Union…
Our armed forces fought valiantly, but the evolution of combat operations led to a ceasefire without achieving our goals.
Following the cessation of hostilities, internal matters began to move in the direction we decided upon before the October 1970 movement. The phenomenon of exclusivity in power and the centralization of decision-making in the state and the party by the President of the Republic emerged. This led to the disruption and marginalization of constitutional and party institutions, the violation of laws, the spread of corruption, and the curtailment of political freedom. National dialogue with political forces and currents was replaced by repression, the confiscation of freedoms, displacement, and murder.
Parties allied with the Arab Socialist Baath Party have been marginalized, resulting in a crack in the internal front. One serious consequence of this crisis regime is the decline in the standard of living, widespread unemployment, poverty, and a decrease in economic growth. The regime has turned the country into a farm that benefits the Assad and Makhlouf families at the expense of the nation’s interests and the livelihood of its citizens. Many of you are aware of how the situation of the “Assad and Makhlouf” families was before they came to power – their modest income levels and how they transformed into owners of vast wealth not due to their economic brilliance, but because of the corruption they engaged in.
The policy of isolation and exclusion has resulted in internal crises within Syrian society, including the Kurdish crisis, which stems from the regime’s gross injustice towards a portion of our people who are our partners in our homeland and destiny. Efficiency has been replaced by opportunism, dialogue has been replaced by repression, and the rule of law has been substituted with a focus on security. The state has lost sight of its fundamental responsibilities. Furthermore, the emergence of powerful centers of influence has burdened the state, hindered law enforcement, and facilitated the spread of corruption.
One significant shortcoming during this period was President Hafez al-Assad’s weakness in front of his family and relatives. His personal desires took precedence over his national and political responsibilities, resulting in a system of family rule being imposed on the country, disregarding political and party values and traditions.
Dear military brothers, after six years of Bashar Al-Assad’s rule, have you ever questioned what he has accomplished for the country? Can’t you see the magnitude of the daily mistakes that not only harm the nation but also intensify the suffering of the Syrian people? Can’t you witness the further decline in the already low standard of living, the widespread poverty and unemployment that afflict your children and fellow citizens, exceeding five million in number? Can’t you perceive the isolation he has caused for Syria and the national damage resulting from his reckless and adventurous policies, particularly in Lebanon, which have led to the humiliating withdrawal of our forces from that brotherly country and the deterioration of Syrian-Lebanese relations?
Six lean years have exhausted and weakened the country, exacerbating the suffering of its people due to policies that prioritize the interests of the ruling family over the interests of the nation.
You are well aware of what the ruling family has done within the armed forces, how military rules and values have been disregarded when the president’s brother gained more power than the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff, and how they were not subjected to any form of military discipline. The same applies to their close officers, who consider themselves the only trusted circle.
You all know the distinction made between officers in terms of benefits. Relatives and opportunists are given preferential treatment, while the overwhelming majority of officers in the armed forces, who face significant hardships, are deprived of such benefits.
You are aware of how the regime has neglected the armed forces, weakening them and consequently weakening the nation’s defense.
Prioritizing personal interests and treating the country as a personal farm for the ruling family and their relatives has taken precedence over liberating the Golan Heights and alleviating the people’s suffering.
Fear has been instilled among the officers of the armed forces through the security services, disrupting the sense of camaraderie and making it easier for the regime to exploit them in serving the interests of the ruling family.
While political discourse has been accelerated, national unity has been weakened, and the armed forces have been neglected.
Dear military brothers,
Today you face a historic choice. The regime is on the brink of collapse, and you must decide whether to stand with the people and the country or with the ruling family.
Choosing to side with the ruling family would be a significant loss for both you and the country. It would deviate from the fundamental tasks upon which the armed forces were built since Syria’s independence and the establishment of the national army.
Choosing to stand with the people and the country reaffirms the historical and national role of the armed forces, a role that has been manipulated and weakened by the regime.
The ruling family will attempt to distance you from the people in order to protect itself. They may spread propaganda suggesting that any change will negatively impact the armed forces, similar to what happened in Iraq. I assure you that the National Salvation Front in Syria and all opposition parties in Syria are in agreement regarding the national role of the army and the need to maintain the military establishment as the protector and defender of the homeland.
The ruling family will attempt to sow discord within the country and involve you in it. Beware of their cunning. You are the army of the homeland, not their personal guards.
Dear military brothers,
I salute you on this anniversary of our history, hoping that our nation will regain its pride, dignity, and freedom, liberating every inch of occupied Arab territories and restoring the full national rights of our Palestinian brothers.
