Progressives are advised to temper their reflexive antipathy toward intervention.
My Non-intervention Problem
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Syria
Syria, the United States, and the El Salvador Option (Part One)
The United States has been funding Syria opposition groups since 2005.
U.S. in No Position to Condemn Alleged Russian Transfer of Helicopter Gunships to Syrian Regime
The Obama administration’s opposition to the alleged Russian arms sale is the result reflects a desire to weaken the Syrian regime’s ability to combat rebels armed by U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The Other Case for Intervention in Syria
The potential for a major escalation of the Syrian crisis exists due to an overlooked source.
Syria: America vs. Israel?
Security considerations surrounding the unknown variables of a post-Assad Syria appear to have created a divide between U.S. and Israeli strategies, as the Netanyahu government has not followed Obama’s course on Syria. The Israeli concerns surrounding the collapse of Syria’s Ba’athist party are legitimate. Washington should also consider the security consequences of Assad’s ouster and avoid intervention in Syria.
The Crisis in Syria Calls Out for an Intervention — with Russia
In the chorus of condemnation that resounded after the massacre, Russia’s voice stood out for its glaring ambiguity.
Syria’s Atamans
A political solution cannot occur without a military one, but a military solution alone does not guarantee stability or security, even in the short term.
Syrian Kurds Fleeing to Iraqi Safe Haven
It was a January evening when his Syrian army unit raided a house near the city of Zabadani, not far from Damascus, the former sergeant recalled. A 70-year-old man wearing a hospital gown was brought to the house, and the soldiers, including a colonel, interrogated him. When he wasn’t able to respond to their satisfaction, one of the guards beat him ferociously in the face with a helmet.
NATO vs. Rogues?
Institutions rarely vote themselves out of existence. Not if they still have money in their budgets. Large institutions in particular have an almost genetic propensity to cling to life even after their reasons for being have vanished. That’s why I don’t expect NATO, which will gather in Chicago later this month, to suddenly declare game over and disband – even though the alliance’s rationale has become wafer-thin. The Soviet Union is no more, al-Qaeda is a spent force, and NATO members are rushing for the door in Afghanistan. Indeed, most of Europe is cutting back on military spending, and the debt-saddled region has a diminished appetite for intervention.
Principled Intervention in Syria
Progressives must seriously consider intervention in Syria despite our misgivings. Such an intervention, however, need not impose hegemony on Syria. Unfortunately, so far no one advocating intervention has pledged to abide by fundamental moral principles of respecting Syrians, their independence, and their future government.