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Israel's Intelligence Chief: Syria as a State No Longer Exists
(Defense News) Barbara Opall-Rome - Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevy, Israel's military intelligence chief, told the Herzliya Conference on Tuesday, "The chances of a reunified Syria are very slim." Syria as a state no longer exists. "I can't predict a good end in Syria. There are 400,000 killed up until now," he said. "There are millions of refugees; 75% unemployment, negative growth; 80% live below the poverty line. You can't even measure [gross domestic product] in Syria." He noted that Islamic State has lost significant numbers of people and vast stretches of territory since U.S.-led coalition operations began last year. "The question is not how we would like this story to end, but how would we not like it to end," he said. "Let's say [ISIS] has been contained. The superpowers have left the area, and we are stuck here with the Iranian axis with caches of advanced weaponry." To avoid such an outcome, he said Israel would have to act "through coordination with the superpowers and through other means as well."