Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 8: Syria

[bananas]

http://nuclearrisk.wordpress.com/2013/08/27/avoiding-needless-wars-part-8-syria/

Avoiding Needless Wars, Part 8: Syria
Posted on August 27, 2013 by Nuclear Risk

There are strong indications that President Obama will take military action against Syria, even though several key questions have not been answered.

First, what good will an American attack do? Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey recently told Congress, “Syria today is not about choosing between two sides but rather about choosing one among many sides. … It is my belief that the side we choose must be ready to promote their interests and ours when the balance shifts in their favor. Today, they are not.”

Second, what harm will an American attack do? There is evidence that keeping this civil war going will increase the fighting strength of al Qaeda. In addition to threatening our own nation, that also increases the risk of chaos in the Russian Federation, particularly its Chechen Republic. Unrest in a nation with thousands of nuclear weapons – especially when pointed at us – is a threat to our national security. And, as the Boston Marathon bombing shows, Chechen jihadists are not solely a threat to Russia, but to us as well.

Third, how certain are we about who is responsible for the recent chemical weapons attacks? Today, George Kenney has an excellent article on the Huffington Post, which notes:

<snip>

Fourth, do we have any options other than doing nothing or attacking Assad? Most accounts assume those are our only two options, but as George Kenney’s article concludes:

<snip>

[yurbud]

1. good summary. It will do nothing but stir up shit AND the reasons stated are not the reasons

they plan to do it.