After the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by rebels in Syria, the former Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) warned of a second Afghanistan scenario.
“Naturally, I’m happy about Assad’s overthrow” Gabriel told Focus Online. “Above all, I understand the jubilation of the people who have been incomprehensibly suffering under the regime of the old and young Assads for decades.” At the same time, he sees an unclear future for the country: nobody knew what kind of rule would emerge in Syria. “Not infrequently, one butcher of people is followed by the next.”
“A fragmented Syria, however, can also bring new uncertainties and instabilities for the entire region” the SPD politician added. “We should not forget that the leaders of the rebels feel connected to the Islamic State” Gabriel said. “How wrong that can go, we experienced in Afghanistan, where the Mujahideen initially were allies against the Soviet occupiers – and later our bitterest enemies.