Backed by their Western allies, Arab governments such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia are still insisting on the provision of weapons to the armed terrorist groups in order to facilitate the swift fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
However, supporters of political reform oppose military intervention and insist that dialogue between the government and the opposition is the only solution that can restore peace and security.
This was also emphasized in the United Nations Former Secretary General Kofi Annan’s peace initiative, which observers believe can still function if its terms and conditions are respected by the opposition and the government.
Thus, the current crisis in Syria is a battleground for the competition of these two groups. Some elements in the opposition decided to put down their weapons and participate in the recent parliamentary election by establishing two new political parties. But the others, including the Salafists, al-Qaeda and the so-called Free Syrian Army are still forging ahead with acts of sabotage.
The recent wave of explosions in Damascus and some other major cities clearly proves the inability of the terrorist groups to adopt a united policy or establish a social base for their efforts. Though they feel disappointed with Syrian society, the Syrian people have repeatedly expressed their resentment toward such acts of sabotage.
Public resentment is expected to boil over if the terrorists continue damaging public assets and infrastructure. This would create a new opportunity for the reform-minded groups to come to the fore.
Hossein Ruivaran is a Middle East expert based in Tehran.
MS/RMA
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MNA