Syrian rebels still searching for friends: Column

Four years after the uprising against Bashar Assad began, the phrase "never again" has become meaningless in Syria.

The statistics are now depressingly familiar; nearly a quarter of a million people killed, seven million forced from their homes, three million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. Hundreds of thousands are inside Syria living under siege and suffering brutal torture in regime jail cells.

Despite all of this, the most concerning thing for us as Syrians — and global citizens — has been the transformation of red lines into green lights.

When our revolution first began with protesters coming out on to the streets to demand freedom from an oppressive police state, we — perhaps naively — thought those countries that champion freedom would take strong, assertive actions to support us. We have learned through experience that it's the regime's allies — countries that fear the idea that a population has a right to choose its government — that will do what it takes to support others like them.

Like this column? Get more in your e-mail inbox

The international community of free nations needs to realize that grand statements become meaningless if they are not backed up with action. Syria is a hemorrhaging wound on the conscience of the world. To stem the bleeding requires political will to support those fighting Iranian-led forces propping up a puppet tyrant and extremists exploiting our country for their own ends. To stop the nightmare we need to bring the regime to the negotiating table. To do this we need to make it understand it cannot get away with what it's been doing.

Four years into what has become a grinding conflict, green light after green light, the regime has understood that there are no consequences to its actions. The use of chemical weapons, chlorine gas, indiscriminate barrel bombing or the industrial-scale torture uncovered by the defector known as Caesar have not resulted in any serious consequences.

It is not that these crimes are hidden from view. Syrians are risking their lives to record, document and broadcast what is happening. The Syrian National Coalition has constantly warned the world of the regime's plans as well as the result of leaving Syrians to feel abandoned.

The existence of Islamic State and the presence of al-Qaeda-linked fighters of Jabhat al-Nusra are the direct result of the four years of fighting. The fact that both of these groups can pay and equip their fighters better than the moderate brigades of the Free Syrian Army makes a mockery of the Friends of Syria.

Iran uses the presence of these forces to justify its occupation of our country. There is a proxy war being fought between two brands of extremism, and both need the other to justify their actions. Assad has allowed this to happen in the hope that amid the chaos he can maintain his position.

The response of our allies has been haphazard and inconsistent. The air strikes against Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIL are not tied into a wider strategy aimed at bringing peace to our country. To do this would require removing Assad. Instead, we are seeing moderate Syrians — natural allies to the international community — lay down their arms after coming under coordinated assault from extremist groups.

The sad reality is that the situation has worsened; for Syrians, for our region and for the world. We say that enough is enough. We don't want to be here next year marking a fifth anniversary. What is needed now is a solution.

The Geneva Communique remains the basis for negotiations. The Free Syrian Army, which is actually fighting for the free and democratic Syria that most Syrians want, must be given the support it needs to take the fight to the regime and the extremists.

Train and equip programs should be accelerated.

We need our friends also to demonstrate at least some of the political will at the level of the Russians and Iranians. A no-fly zone would protect civilians from barrel bombs and give rebels an area where we can provide social services to our people. It is imperative that we demonstrate extremists are not the only solution to the regime.

After four years, it is time to translate words into real action.

Dr. Najib Ghadbian is the special representative to the United States for the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces.

In addition to its own editorials, Paste BN publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including our Board of Contributors. To read more columns like this, go to the Opinion front page or sign up for the daily Opinion e-mail newsletter .