Don't Forget Syria
Judith Levy ·
May 2, 2011 at 6:14am
I don't mean to rain on the parade -- I'm as thrilled as anyone about the death of bin Laden -- but the Klieg lights have now swung away from Syria, and very bad stuff is still going down up there. Assad's security forces are now raiding cities all over the country, going house to house and arresting everyone. Daraa has been without food, water, electricity or fuel since last Monday and Assad's snipers are positioned on rooftops, trapping the population in their houses. The dead are going unburied. This is most assuredly a day for celebration for Americans and the civilized world, but it will serve Assad's interests for us to forget about him.
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Re: Don't Forget Syria
Judith why do we attack Libya and not Syria? Both are Middle Eastern. Both have bad governments that are shooting their people. Both have 5 letters in their name.
What's different? Why does NATO/America attack one and not the other? I'd love your thoughts.
Jun '10
Re: Don't Forget Syria
I'm not forgetting. I hope Syria doesn't use this as cover for more atrocities. I do not trust Assad or Syria's best friend in the neighborhood, Iran.
Re: Don't Forget Syria
Good question. I'm on record as saying the Americans should consider the removal of Assad a strategic goal, because of the opportunity it would present for isolating Iran. It would be a very risky proposition -- as is the case everywhere, we cannot say for certain who will arise to take the dictator's place -- but Syria is not by any means an Islamist walkover. Attacking Libya and turning a blind eye to what's going on Syria is both illogical and morally questionable, in my view.
May '10
Re: Don't Forget Syria
Tommy De Seno: Judith why do we attack Libya and not Syria? Both are Middle Eastern. Both have bad governments that are shooting their people. Both have 5 letters in their name.
What's different? Why does NATO/America attack one and not the other? I'd love your thoughts. · May 2 at 6:34am
Because our elected officials are idiots?
Mar '11
Re: Don't Forget Syria
After Iraq and Afghanistan the US Administration (or the US public for that matter) has had no stomach for another military campaign that would involve having troops on the ground. Libya appeared easy since any ground fighting would be done by the rebels, with the US and NATO providing air and logistical support. Unfortunately this has not worked out that well but it's not a total bust either, at least not yet. And Syria does not even appear to have a domestic insurgency as organized or as committed or as capable as the one in Libya, that would be able to take over and retain a couple of important towns, basically an insurgency seen as a legitimate alternative to the Assad government. In the end, unlike Hungary in 1956 or Cuba in 1961, the US should not encourage rebels unless it is ready to back them up with actions, which, apparently, it is not. So now we change the discussion back to Bin Laddin.
Aug '10
Re: Don't Forget Syria
Exactly, thank you Judith .
I think Anna Wintour may have something to do with Syrian laissez faire.
So, that's one person in the US so far, and on the wrong side.