The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation remain committed to supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States and its allies continue to plot against the Syrian government in attempt to overthrow Assad. The United States and its allies either fail to see or do not care enough to understand that the removal of Assad will only further tear Syria apart and strengthen Daesh, as well as other terrorist groups. For those truly committed to stopping the expansion of Daesh and ending their reign of terror, it is critical that a regional coalition is formed. And the first step to forming an effective coalition that can defeat Daesh is to accept that President Assad must remain in power.

Daesh cannot be defeated in Syria, if Syria does not have an organized central government, which, at this time, is only possible if President Assad remains in power. The previously dubbed “Arab Spring Uprisings” are proof that the removal of Assad will only further strengthen Daesh and other radical groups.

The “Arab Spring Uprisings” have not made any of the countries, who successfully overthrew their governments, better. The governments of Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya were all overthrown in 2011. Tunisia has witnessed and an alarming increase in security risks and terrorist attacks, which threaten its very existence. Tourism is a crucial element of the Tunisian economy, and it is an industry that has been severely threatened by recent terrorist attacks. A decrease in tourism will negatively impact the Tunisian economy, which could pave the way for further radicalization and terrorism.

Although, the world watched Egyptians unite to oust former President Hosni Mubarak, the world also witnessed the union of Egyptian people unravel in the post-Mubarak era. Barely a year into his presidency, Mohamed Morsi was removed from office by the Egyptian military, which was prompted by popular demand. Egypt continues to struggle with the formation of a reliable and stable government. Moreover, the threats of radicalization, terrorism, and violence continue to expand and remain a deadly roadblock for Egyptian stability, unity, and prosperity.
During the uprisings in Libya, which escalated into a violent revolution, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) decided to support forces opposed to then-leader of Libya Muammar al-Gaddafi. This led to a series of NATO airstrikes that led to the quick defeat and execution of Gaddafi. After the defeat and death of Gaddafi, Libya failed to organize a stable government capable of unifying the country; instead a large portion of the Libya is controlled by various armed militias. To this day, Libya continues to heavily suffer from violence, radicalization, terrorism, and instability.

Although not classified as an Arab Spring Uprising, Ukraine faces almost an identical situation and fate as protests in 2014 led to the removal of President Victor Yanukovich from power. Once again the “unified” opposition to the president was not truly unified, and after Yanukovich was removed, Ukraine quickly fell into chaos. Radical pro-European factions attempted to reduce the rights of the pro-Russian population; they also disbanded the largely Russian-speaking elite Berkut security unit. These actions contributed to the referendum in Crimea, which reunified it with Russia. Furthermore, political differences and foreign interference in Eastern Ukraine led to the outbreak of a violent civil war, which continues to divide the country and escalate tension between Russian and the West to unprecedented levels. Ukraine is no longer a unified country, nor does the post-revolution government have the ability to unite the people and ensure security.

When examining the situation in Syria, it is critical to remember that Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Ukraine serve as perfect examples of what happens to a popular uprising, where the primary common interest of opposition groups is only the ousting of the current head of state. None of these countries are better off in their post-revolution era. Moreover, the overall regional security of North Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe has drastically declined.

The civil war in Syria combined with the aftermath of the U.S. expedition in Iraq has caused a critical threat to not only the region, but the world. The rise of Daesh should not be taken lightly. They are thriving in creating a global network to spread their radical ideology and commit acts of terrorism that will threaten more than just the Middle East and North Africa.

The governments opposed to President Assad need to get past their petty self-interest in trying to oppose Iranian regional influence and allies. Syria will not be better off without Assad, something that both Iran and Russia understood from the beginning, and is slowly being recognized by Europe. Moreover, Iran refuses to accept the demise and destruction of Iraq and Syria. Iran will continue to support Assad and the militias who are fiercely opposed to Daesh. Iran is striving to bring peace, security, and stability to the region. Opposing Iranian efforts in the region, only aids Daesh and other terrorist organizations in the region. The fight against Daesh should not be viewed as a competition for who could become a regional hegemonic power, but the very existence of each nation in the Middle East. Simply put, if Daesh wins, everyone else loses; therefore, it’s time for the United States and its allies opposed to Iran and the Syrian government to realize that both Iranian support and President Assad and his government are essential in defeating Daesh. The lessons of the previous “Arab Spring Uprisings” prove that removing Assad will only further fuel instability and terrorism.