Top Syrian defector: Assad’s army is close to collapse
In his first full-length newspaper interview, General Mustafa al-Sheikh, who has taken refuge in Turkey, gave an apocalyptic insider’s view of the state of the regime – despite its attempt to reassert control this weekend.
He said only a third of the army was at combat readiness due to defections or absenteeism, while remaining troops were demoralised, most of its Sunni officers had fled, been arrested, or sidelined, and its equipment was degraded…
“The army will collapse during February,” he said. “The reasons are the shortage of Syrian army personnel, which even before March 15 last year did not exceed 65 per cent. The proportion of equipment that was combat ready did not exceed that, due to a shortage of spare parts.
“The Syrian army combat readiness I would put at 40 per cent for hardware and 32 per cent for personnel.
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Well, I bet that will stop the killings and chaos, right quick! I’ll bet those level-headed, liberty-loving Syrians will settle right down and get those Democratic elections organized. I sure hope they consult Ruth Buzzi Ginsburg when they begin to draft their new Constitution.
cynccook on February 5, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Assad can always just invite Hizzbollah to come shoot some Syrians.
Akzed on February 5, 2012 at 2:18 PM
When you are talking about your army’s combat readiness inside your own country…
How much more could go wrong?
Difficultas_Est_Imperium on February 5, 2012 at 2:34 PM
I’m sure they’re already there, along with Iranian Basiji. Iran would hate to lose their only ally in the world.
slickwillie2001 on February 5, 2012 at 2:36 PM
Maybe but I hardly think that combat readiness alone is a criteria for judging the army’s ability to continue to kill unarmed civilians. Stop an intervention by another army? Certainly, but not for what we’re talking about here.
For one thing, it hasn’t sounded like the army was fully deployed and I’d suggest that this criteria would only be applicable if combat readiness fell significantly below deployment percentage and even then you’d need to address supplementary substitute forces like militias in the number necessary to continue.
Now if there was a rise in armed resistance, then I’d be inclined to pay more attention to what al-Sheihk’s saying.
This is reasonably good internal propaganda though, if his statements make it into Syria.
Dusty on February 5, 2012 at 2:37 PM
There’s some strong indication that they’ve already invited Hizbollah’s masters, the IRGC.
lester on February 5, 2012 at 2:47 PM
Don’t worry…Obama will find some way to save Assad and his army.
AUINSC on February 5, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Followers of a totalitarian mass-murderer of a “prophet” do the most predictable things.
For 1400 years, so far.
No Islam, know peace.
profitsbeard on February 5, 2012 at 4:17 PM
Sadly, the conditions are ripe for this to mean intervention from Russia and/or Iran.
J.E. Dyer on February 5, 2012 at 4:28 PM