WarSclerotic

Obama, Arab allies eye no-fly zone that could ‘paralyze’ Syrian military | World Tribune.

LONDON — The United States has drafted a plan with its Arab allies to establish a no-fly zone over Syria.

Western diplomatic sources said the administration of President Barack
Obama has reached agreement with Saudi Arabia and other Arab allies to
impose measures meant to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

An image from a video posted on the Internet purportedly shows demonstrators in Hama, Syria demanding a no-fly zone. /European Pressphoto Agency

“The no-fly zone does not have to be enforced throughout Syria, only in areas used by Assad’s military,” a diplomat said.

The sources said Washington and its Arab allies have concluded that a no-fly zone would result in immediate harm to the Assad regime and military. They said the plan does not envision NATO intervention, rather flights by the Turkish Air Force along with fighter-jets from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Under the plan, the United States would supply fuel, weapons and intelligence to maintain the no-fly zone. The sources said Turkish and Arab fighter-jets would challenge the Syrian Air Force as well as monitor Assad’s ground forces. Assad was believed to have control of no more than 40,000 soldiers, who comprised the army’s 4th Armored Division and the Republican Guards.

“The Syrian military can be paralyzed in less than 24 hours,” a European
source told the Kuwaiti daily Al Rai Al Aam on Nov. 22.

The sources said Turkey had been pressed by Washington to intervene to
stop the Assad attacks on the Syrian opposition, which resulted in more than
4,000 dead since March 2011. But they said Ankara demanded a NATO guarantee
that its members would send forces should Syria attack Turkey.

The no-fly zone plan was drafted as the rebels expanded operations
against the Assad regime. Many of the operations were attributed to the Free
Syrian Army, based in Turkey and commanded by Col. Riad Assad, not related
to the Syrian president.

FSA has been pressing Turkey to establish a no-fly
zone as well as a buffer zone along the border with Syria.

“FSA operations are still in the stage of defense,” FSA spokesman Maj.
Maher Naimi said. “This situation will remain until a no-fly zone and buffer
zone are established.”

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