A demotivated army
By Ata Bahrami
Syria affairs expert
The armed groups that have been in control of the Syrian city of Idlib in recent years took advantage of one of the Syrian army’s mistakes. The army neglected Idlib completely during this time, allowing the militants to launch attacks on Aleppo. In this period, the militants managed to mobilize between 100,000 to 200,000 fighters in Idlib and received substantial logistical support from Turkey and Israel. As a result, these groups were able to capture Aleppo in a matter of days, achieving a stunning victory.
Unfortunately, the Syrian army did not put up a good fight in Aleppo, and if they had mounted a stronger defense, it would have been impossible for things to unfold this way. The Syrian army’s retreat was largely due to two major factors: firstly, there were widespread disruptions to communication between army units, and secondly, Syria’s state infrastructure had been severely worn down after years of war.
When a Syrian government employee earns a mere $30 to $40 per month, it is clear that they lack the resilience to withstand pressure, and the enemy can easily buy off many of the government’s forces, which is exactly what happened. A number of Syrian soldiers readily handed over their posts to the enemy.
When a Syrian colonel is paid just $50 a month, or a general earns only $280 — equivalent to the salary of an average employee in Iran — it is unrealistic to expect miracles. Meanwhile, the enemy is splurging $10,000 to recruit fighters. Some Arab states, Turkey, and Israel have all spent enormous sums of money in Syria.
The developments in Syria are, in a way, a continuation of the war the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. Israel failed to achieve its objectives in Gaza, and the cease-fire in Lebanon added to its setbacks, prompting them to turn their attention to Syria.