.
For highlighting this exchange!
Obama needed to break up his NST on the Syria issue asap. The FBI investigation into the email exchange between Petreaus’ lover Broadwell and Kelley was very timely. Also gives a whole new meaning to being “embedded” with the General in Afghanistan.
I have been most critical of the developments in Syria and the choices made by Hillary Clinton on urgent foreign policy issues in the Middle East. Clinton is a hardliner siding with policies set out by the Neocons, hired Dennis Ross and was not able to accept that after Libya, China and Russian wouldn’t be fooled again. There was no option available in Syria without a UN Security Council resolution. Clinton allies Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia wanted to enforce a no-fly zone in Northern Syria and follow the Libya or Kosovo playbook to go in without a UN resolution. See earlier Bush, B. Clinton and Blair. President Obama could not accept an illegal military action on a sovereign nation. Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice did everything to foil any path towards a political solution as the Syrian civil war became more ugly with suicide bombings in Aleppo and Damascus (foreign Sunni jihadists) and mass summary executions from both sides.
The inkt of the Geneva agreement wasn’t dry and Clinton already gave voice to more support for her Syrian Opposition Force which was never cohesive or could be seen by Syrians themselves as viable. The US and Western media have played a great propaganda war in support of one side, the outside “Free Syrian Army” rebels, called “revolutionaries” by Juan Cole.
The military intervention by NATO in Libya has not prevented the blow-back of armed milities, Salafist violence in the region, proliferation of Gadaffi’s weapon’s arsenal, Tuareg mercenaries returning to Mali causing trouble in a poor nation, bolstering AQIM groups in the Sahel countries leading to the Algerian hostage taking and massacre. The result can be seen in the recent developments in Tunisia – opposition leader Chokri Belaid assassinated – and Egypt – President Morsy in anti-semitic speech.
I expect Susan Rice to be assigned in a new role as she is not a diplomat who succeeds at the UN.
See my follow-up diary – Kerry Distances Himself from Clinton on Syria.
McCain says Obama administration’s stance on Syria risks undermining US ally Turkey
(The Hill) June 27, 2012 – “The situation in Syria cries out for U.S. leadership — not just to save Syrian lives, but to support our ally, Turkey, when they need our support the most,” McCain said. “The conflict in Syria is becoming a strategic threat to Turkey.
Obama’s Post-Election Pivot on Syria
(Al-Monitor) Feb. 6, 2013 – Soon after re-election Obama explained that Washington will not support an expansion of existing military efforts to topple the regime:
“In a situation like Syria, I have to ask: Can we make a difference? Could it trigger even worse violence or the use of chemical weapons? What offers the best prospect of a stable post-Assad regime? And how do I weigh tens of thousands who’ve been killed in Syria versus the tens of thousands who are currently being killed in the Congo?”
LATEST NEWS: Egypt’s Islam cleric: “God’s verdict is death” ; a fatwa on opposition leader Mohammad Al Baradei.