Bad Idea, Mr. President

[kpete]

By RAMZY MARDINI

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The Syrian revolution isn’t democratic or secular; the more than 90,000 fatalities are the result of a civil war, not a genocide — and human rights violations have been committed on both sides

Moreover, the rebels don’t have the support or trust of a clear majority of the population, and the political opposition is neither credible nor representative. Ethnic cleansing against minorities is more likely to occur under a rebel-led government than under Mr. Assad; likewise, the possibility of chemical weapons’ falling into the hands of terrorist groups only grows as the regime weakens.

And finally, a rebel victory is more likely to destabilize Iraq and Lebanon, and the inevitable disorder of a post-Assad Syria constitutes a greater threat to Israel than the status quo.

Not since the 2003 invasion of Iraq has American foreign policy experienced a strategic void so pervasive.

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MORE:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/opinion/sunday/bad-idea-mr-president.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[jsr]

1. Great piece

[NightWatcher]

2. If McCain and the pukes want it, it should be avoided like the plague

McCain is downright foaming at the mouth for some more war.

[JayhawkSD]

3. Remember Mali?

The disruption of Mali and victory of the rebels there was specifically the result of the turmoil in Libya, and the influx of weapons provided by Europe and the US. Those weapons flooded into Mali and into the hands of the Mali rebels, who took control of two thirds of the country. It was then up to the French to send troops into Mali to help put the rebellion doewn, something which has only partially succeeded even now.

The CIA station where people were killed in Benbghazi was there for the purpose of trying to get some of those weapons back, which is pretty stupid in itself.

In every president's term comes a moment when one says, "This is so stupid that I cannot believe he did it." Hopefully this is Obama's. That is, hopefully, this is the stupidest thing he ever does.