Experts Fear That U.S. Plan to Strike Syria Overlooks Risks
Last edited Sat Aug 31, 2013, 01:33 PM - Edit history (1)
from the NYT:
— Supporters of the president’s proposal contend that a limited punitive strike can be carried out without inflaming an already volatile situation. But a number of diplomats and other experts say it fails to adequately plan for a range of unintended consequences, from a surge in anti-Americanism that could bolster Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, to a wider regional conflict that could drag in other countries, including Israel and Turkey . . .
The American strike could hit President Assad’s military without fundamentally changing the dynamic in a stalemated civil war that has already left more than 100,000 people dead. At the same time, few expect that a barrage of cruise missiles would prompt either side to work in earnest for a political settlement. Given that, the skeptics say it may not be worth the risks . . .
In outlining its tentative plans, the Obama administration has left many questions unanswered. Diplomats familiar with Mr. Assad say there is no way to know how he would respond, and they question what the United States would do if he chose to order a chemical strike or other major retaliation against civilians.
For the United States, the challenge is to deliver the intended message to Mr. Assad without opening the door to a takeover by rebels linked to Al Qaeda, the collapse of state institutions, or a major escalation by Syria’s allies. Skeptics doubt that the United States — or anyone else — has the information to calibrate the attack that precisely.
That is partly because the United States is preparing to inject itself into a conflict that is no longer just about Syria, but has become a volatile regional morass that pits Iran and Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group in Lebanon, against Qaeda affiliates backed by Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf benefactors . . .
read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/31/world/middleeast/experts-fear-us-plan-to-strike-syria-overlooks-risks.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0
Justifying War; 'Just' Wars
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023568932
= new reply since forum marked as read
but I'm inclined to believe with the O man in charge of direction that whatever our government does will have a good lasting effect on the tyrant. I don't for a minute believe that Obama will go off on a tangent willy nilly with no real plan other than bomb them back to the stone age as the dick and w did in the Iraqistan wars.
I may be wrong but so far I've seen Obama make some pretty good decisions concerning what and how he approaches things. Time will tell if I'm really nuts or not though 
I'm against killing for any reason. So that is clear. I spent 15 months with people attempting to kill me and I'm here to tell you all it is not something I wish on to others whether they be americans or foreign
I also don't believe that we are the worlds policeman either. If we are who made us that? And why?
but lets put words in the mans mouth in the mean time 