A Syrian “No Fly” Zone and the PR Connection
Syrian refugees and Aleppo are all over the news and social media, and to a great extent that’s because of the efforts of a PR company called the Syrian Campaign. Yes, that’s right, though they say they are a non-political and impartial voice for the Syrian people. James Sadri, the strategy director for the PR firm, said: “We see ourselves as a solidarity organization. We’re not being paid by anybody to pursue a particular line. We feel like we’ve done a really good job about finding out who the frontline activists, doctors, humanitarians are and trying to get their word out to the international community.”
Despite their claims, it does not appear that they are without a political agenda. They frequently partner their efforts with a group called the White Helmets, a group of Syrian civil defense workers who helps get demonstrators on the streets in the West as well as workers in Syria. The White Helmets, along with the Syrian Campaign, have become the major media sources for what is happening in the six-year civil war in Syria, though the PR company is rarely directly referred to as a resource. Most pictures and video coming out of the battle areas are from them or the members of the White Helmets.
The agenda is clearly that the group is pushing for a no-fly zone in Syria. And many in the U.S., especially DC, are considering it, even though according to the Pentagon’s assessment, it will take at least “70,000 American servicemen” to establish and enforce. It will also require that the existing infrastructure for the country be destroyed along with their military bases and installations. There would be no point of establishing a no-fly zone without ousting the current government. Unfortunately, America’s record of similar actions in the Middle East is violent and troubled.
Just listen to any one of the Presidential debates and you’ll remember discussions about how getting rid of regimes through western intervention is why we now have ISIS to contend with. If we bow to what the Syrian Campaign pushes to achieve, we may be embedding our military into their country for decades to come. Such an action should not be taken lightly or at the behest of outside sources.
