After the Paris carnage and further threats of terror attacks hurled forward by Islamic State (IS), better sense seems to have prevailed, as compulsive adventurists have shelved their plan of regime change in Syria, at least for the time being. On Saturday, the UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously adopted a counter-terrorism resolution based on a French draft with some changes, including the addition of a reference to the UN Charter as requested by the Russian federation. The resolution calls on all UN member states “to redouble and coordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by ISIL also known as Daesh or ISIS, as well as Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups.” This means that in addition to Daesh, other groups that had ganged up against Assad will be under fire. On November 14, 2015, top diplomats from 17 countries met in Vienna to discuss a way out of Syria’s nearly five-year conflict, which left more than a quarter of a million people dead. They produced a two-year timetable, which envisaged the formation of a transitional government and a new constitution written within six months to be followed by internationally monitored elections within 18 months after that. However, in a television interview with Italy’s Rai television, Bashar al-Assad rightly said that there could be no transition schedule for elections while swathes of Syria remained out of government control. There have been more than four million Syrian refugees in neighbouring Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Many more went to countries in the Caucasus, the Persian Gulf, North Africa and European countries. How can elections be held when 50 percent of the displaced population cannot vote? Indeed, Bashar al-Assad, the US and the west are to blame in equal measure; the former for his failure to reach an agreement with the opposition and the latter for funding and arming the Syrian rebels. After having recognised IS as the biggest threat (even more than the Al Qaeda), they should abandon the policy of regime change that throws into turmoil the unfortunate nations they intervene in, plunging the world into greater disorder and chaos. They have been on the mission of rank adventurism for too long. Earlier it was Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and now Syria, which is slipping down into a treacherous quagmire for their maddening and strategic designs. Last month, in a candid interview with CNN, former British Prime Minister (PM), Tony Blair, apologised for his ‘mistakes’ including lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and admitted that IS had emerged because of the invasion of Iraq. The trumped up charges against Iraq about weapons of mass destruction and import of uranium by Saddam Hussein to justify an attack on Iraq were proven wrong. In fact, the New Middle East project was deliberately devised to weaken or disintegrate the big Arab states so that they do not present any palpable threat to Israel. Furthermore, it was to make sure they do not become an obstacle in the way of the US’ global interests. However, in Iraq, like elsewhere, occupiers made many mistakes. One was the de-Baathification campaign launched by Ahmed Chalabi. The Sunni leaders had protested that the campaign was in effect a disguised device to throw them out of government services. And for them, when there was no way to eke out a living, they were free to fight the occupiers. However, no notice was taken of the widespread resentment among the Sunni community. Sectarian antagonism was further stoked when Ibrahim al-Jaafari’s interim elected government pursued the de-Baathification drive with renewed vigour and intensity. Had the Iraqi military not been dismantled, IS would not have had the chance to emerge and occupy large swaths of land in Iraq and Syria. They were responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Iraq where more than a million people, including men, women and children, were killed either in the civil war or died due to lack of medicines and other supplies. It was now Libya’s turn. Moammar Gaddafi had been tightly cornered by the rising Libyans. Although he had vowed not to cave in, his son and heir apparent, Saif-ul-Islam, had been frantically sending out strong conciliatory signals to the agitators. In so many words, he had been articulating seriously the desire and the need for discussions to sort out a plausible settlement. In this backdrop, Gaddafi had no choice but to step down. However, the European adventurers would have none of it; nothing short of his head would gratify them. Gulf sheikhdoms and monarchies — ironically no open polities but entrenched authoritarian rulers — were their allies in that project because Gaddafi was opposed to them, he was very vocal against their luxurious lifestyles and the raw deal given by them to their people. With massive military power, they not only toppled Gaddafi but also saw him assassinated by resistance gunmen. But what has become of liberated Libya? It has turned into a lawless land where no government worth its name is in power. The country stands parcelled out between numerous, uncontrollable militias on the eastern and western fault lines as well as on tribal and confessional lines, whereby the Libyans are living in turmoil.Earlier, they had fuelled the sectarian fracas by supporting Iraq in its war against Iran under Saddam Hussein and, in the process, strengthened Iraq with Arab countries’ funding. After both countries were weakened, their next target was Syria; they played the sectarian card and provided arms to Syrian Sunni rebels. Once again, Arab countries joined hands with European countries to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. Having realised that the al Qaeda militants had joined the ranks of the rebels, and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed himself as caliph on June 29, 2014, the US started distancing itself and refused to provide air support to the rebels. The UK and France would have had their way but Russia was not prepared to sign a UNSC decree authorising outside military assault on its ally, Syria. The moot question is whether these compulsive adventurists have learnt some lessons. The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at mjamil1938@hotmail.com