NEWSLETTER
-LessMore Text+More
Print Share Article

August 13, 2012

A Tactic Without A Strategy

The U.S. will reportedly take on a "more visible" role in the Syria crisis in the coming weeks (see below). This according to "unnamed Turkish officials," who spoke following Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to Istanbul this weekend, to discuss options regarding Syria.

We (NSR) have been asked: What side of the debate are we on, i.e., the side that advocates U.S. involvement or the side that doesn't? We advocate smart involvement, but that requires an understanding of Syria and the dynamics of the Middle East.

Unfortunately, the current U.S. administration has difficulty differentiating between friend and foe, much less identifying U.S. national security interests, or understanding mindsets in the Middle East. It subscribes to a doctrine of leading from behind(?!), the behind being that of the "international community" or Cesspool Central (the UN), not a behind worth following.

The Obama administration likes to cite the Libya experience as a positive example of leading from behind. Except with Libya, the U.S. had to be pushed by Britain and France into getting involved; sent in an elephant (i.e., NATO) to kill a fly (i.e., Qaddafi et al); took 9 months to do it; and billions of dollars later, not to mention weapons and arms supplied to so-called rebels, has no idea who's running Libya today.

America's overall handling or rather mishandling of the so-called Arab Spring, the Syrian war, Iran's Green Revolution, and relationship with only ally in the Middle East, i.e., Israel, only added fuel to an already-raging fire.

So while choosing between worse and worst can be VERY difficult, especially for a philanthropic and humanitarian-centric country such as America, the choice has already been made.

It was made in 2008, when the American people chose a Commander-in-Chief with zero leadership experience and even less understanding of world affairs and U.S. national security interests/needs. Elections have consequences and sadly one of those consequences today is that America lacks the kind of leadership needed to lead the free world, much less come to its rescue.

CNSNews.com  |  August 13, 2012

'More Visible' U.S. Role Expected in Syria in Coming Weeks, Turkey Says

By Patrick Goodenough

Clinton-Turkey.jpg
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu speak to reporters after talks in Istanbul on Saturday, August 11, 2012. (Photo: State Department)

(CNSNews.com) – The United States will take on a "more visible" role in the Syria crisis in the coming weeks, a Turkish newspaper quoted unnamed Turkish officials as saying, after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a weekend visit discussed options that could include "no-fly zones" along Syria's borders.

"Officials underscored that 'a new stage' has begun in Syria, adding that American involvement in Syria will become more visible in the upcoming weeks," said the report in Today's Zaman.

Turkey, which is already providing shelter to than 55,000 Syrian refugees – a number growing by 3,000 a day, according to Ankara – has long been mulling the idea of some sort of no-fly zone or safe haven just inside Syrian territory, as requested by some Syrian opposition groups.

The calls have grown louder as the humanitarian crisis grows, and amid frustration over the failure of the U.N. Security Council to agree on steps to hasten an end to the violence. Russia and China have three times vetoed Security Council resolutions on Syria, most recently on July 19. Earlier this month the U.N. and Arab League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, said he was standing down.

Adding to the perceived urgency, the regime in the second half of July began using warplanes for the first time to strafe rebel-held areas, in addition to the helicopter gunships, tanks and artillery already being in response to the uprising.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting in Istanbul with Clinton on Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called for stronger action and suggested that such action was on its way.

"As soon as possible, we need to take decisive steps in order to stop the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Syria," he said. "The international community needs to take some very decisive steps in order to stop it."

"If they [Syrian civilians] are exposed to air strikes every day and bombardments every day, this might even be considered war crime," Davutoglu said. "So, in such a case, an international community can no longer keep its silence, and there are certain measures that need to be taken up."

"Turkey and the United States of America have been working in a coordinated manner already," he said a few minutes later. "But we need to brace for impact. So we need to focus on more practical, more pragmatic, and to-the-point solutions. This is the decision that we have taken."

'Intense analysis and operational planning'

For her part, Clinton indicated that options were now being actively discussed.

In reply to a reporter's question about "some kind of safe haven," she said "what the minister and I agreed to today was to have very intensive operational planning," adding that a formal working group was being set up that... more here.


Comments:

[Comment Rules]
We welcome your comments, but please comply with our Comment Rules. You must be registered and logged in to leave a comment. Comments will display your Username and location.

Log In »

Not a member? Register here!


Close