No moderate militants operating in Syria: Commentator

Press TV has conducted an interview with Christopher Walker, a London-based political commentator, to ask for his insight on the UK’s persistent support for foreign-backed militants operating in Syria.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: This policy from Mr. Cameron seems more of the same. Why does he keep going on the same road?

Walker: Yes, it is very much more of the same, the first speech by Mr. Cameron since he was re-elected as prime minister in the elections since they [took] place. It does seem that Britain has a sort of basically indecision over Syria. So, it supports fairly half-heartedly these so-called moderate opposition forces to President Assad, but frankly they are not getting anywhere very fast and the support is not terrific and it does lead Britain into a complication in that on one type [there is] ISIS (ISIL) as it were fighting against them and the other these groups in Syria. They actually regarded as the so-called moderate forces, are regarded as possibly the least significant players in the battle there at the moment. And the British support, although voiced publically in a speech by Mr. Cameron, is not huge and it doesn’t seem to be growing. He feels under pressure not to withdraw it because there was of course pressure inside Britain, which he didn’t take up to take more positive action against President Assad, feet on the ground and such like. So this is a sort of half way house rather saying if I could paraphrase it, ‘well chaps we are doing something I can promise you that’, but frankly nobody in the military side will take it terribly seriously.

Press TV: I would imagine that you know the threat from ISIL, considering these policies of the Cameron government, is very real to the UK because we’ve seen the sensational stories about people going from the UK to join the terror group. How do you feel about that?

Walker: Yes, I don’t think they come out sensationally but they’re true stories. I think over 700 Brits now have gone into Syria to fight for ISIL to join the caliphate, sometimes whole families. And that really is the emphasis of Britain’s policy trying to contain them at the moment. I see this continued support for the moderate forces against Assad, so-called moderate by the way. I don’t think many people on the ground would think of them as moderate. It is really a bit of sideline and it didn’t gain great prominence today with reports of the speech.

ABN/MKA

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