Rick Sterling is an investigative journalist. He has supported struggles against imperialism and for justice in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East since the early 1970′s. He is a member of Syria Solidarity Movement. In an interview with Khamenei.ir, Mr. Sterling answers questions on the Syrian conflict, US interventionist plans and Astana talks:
Do you think Iran, Turkey, and Russia have been successful in jointly resolving the common regional threats?
The negotiations and agreements on Syria reached in the Astana talks have been an important breakthrough. A key factor has been the inclusion of Iran and the willing participation of Turkey. While there is a long way to go, the de-confliction and de-escalation agreements which have resulted from the talks have helped reduce conflict and provided a positive model. Turkey has been the northern base of operations for the terrorist groups who have invaded Syria. Russian and Iran have provided crucial support to the Syrian government. Bringing them all together in Astana with positive outcomes has proven that progress, de-confliction and diplomacy can work.
Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said recently that the Zionist regime is pushing the region to war; what’s your take on that?
Zionist influence in Washington has been a big factor driving the US involvement from the start. Secretary of State Clinton's demands to Syria in 2010 all pertained to Israeli interests. These were big factors leading to the armed conflict and attacks beginning in 2011. They wanted to leave Syria broken and the Lebanese resistance and Iran weakened. Amazingly, Syria and its allies have withstood the onslaught funded and promoted by some of wealthiest countries on earth. Now, with the prospect of a decisive Syrian victory, the Zionist forces and their allies are pondering what they can do to prevent the total failure of their project. Going by past history, the Zionist forces may try some desperate measures to prolong the conflict. They may even try to instigate an international war. The situation is dangerous.
The Zionist regime’s “Defense” Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Tuesday Syria was winning the war and urged the US to weigh in. How do you see the future of the war on Syria?
It is a sign of the failure of the 'regime change' goal for Syria that Israeli hawks such as Defense Minister Lieberman are explicitly calling for increased US involvement. He is desperate to prolong the war and prevent the victory of independent Syria and its allies. We can expect neoconservatives and Zionists inside the US to echo and repeat these calls. These are many of the same individuals who pushed the US to violate international law and invade Iraq beginning in 2003. Now they want to prolong the conflict in Syria. The war on Syria has failed and progressive forces are advancing, but victory is still not assured or in sight. Lieberman and his cohorts may try something desperate to drag the US into the conflict even more. They prefer extremism, sectarianism, chaos and bloodshed to stability and independence which is not under the Zionist or imperialist thumb.
How have the continuous victories of the “axis of resistance” made the US to rethink American interests and reorder American politics?
Twenty years ago neoconservatives planned for a "new American Century" with one superpower ruling the world in terms of economics, militarily and diplomatically. They planned for the 21st Century to be dominated by the USA and allies such as Israel. But reality has intervened and there has been one failure after another. Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have been destabilized and partially destroyed. The war on Syria was intended to be another milestone along the path. The goal was to destroy the 'axis of resistance' at its center in Syria. So far they have failed and the resistance is winning. Will the US recognize the failure and change its goals? We don't yet know. There are still influential forces in the USA not willing to concede defeat and instead pushing for an escalation. The forces of moderation, inclusion, interfaith tolerance and respect for international law are winning but the struggle continues.
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