I write this new post after i’ve watched on the news that the US have decided to arm the rebels in Syria. I mean I can completely understand where they are coming from, wanting to protect these people from Assad’s chemical attacks, however the opposition are just the lesser of two evils and we should not be messing with this conflict. The US should learn from their mistakes, something they don’t do too well. Much like arming Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq war back in the 80’s, 10 years later they ended up invading Iraq in the first Gulf War after Iraq invaded Kuwait. Now i’m not for one minute suggesting should the opposition gain power and overthrow Assad, that they will go invading other countries, but instead we will be handing over money and arms to radical islamists, the people that we are trying to fight in the ‘war on terror’?
The region is in mass turmoil at the moment and this is just the next step to ‘pour petrol on the fire’. To the north, Turkey is on the brink of a civil war. Should Assad actually beat the opposition then tensions between Syria and Israel may escalate, which would drag Russia into the situation which is never good, as Russia seems to always side with the Middle-eastern arab states over western backed states. I have also read that Russia are putting their forces (as part of the UN peacekeeping troops) in the border area between Israel and Syria. Also if Assad does win, with the support of Hezbollah yet another factor in the tensions with Israel and could almost emit a preemptive strike from the Israeli’s on strategic targets and Hezbollah strongholds in Syria, as they have done in recent months already.
The point i’m trying to make is that we should not get involved, we should only move to strike if Assad wipes out the rebels and is still attacking his own people, then definitely send in the NATO forces and dislodge him from power the proper way. Sure it may mean more Syrians die, but there are no good outcomes from this situation. Either way lots of Syrians will die, whether we arm the rebels or not, so why waste money we don’t have on a war that doesn’t involve/concern us, until things completely spiral out of control and call for intervention. Let another country deal with it for once, why not ask France? We seem to follow everything they are doing at the moment ( see my article on gay marriage!) we might as well take something good from them like them banning the burkha! No don’t fancy it? okay then. Might I add that France has one of the most effective and powerful forces at it’s disposal (French Foreign Legion) yet all of the decisions and military responses always come from the US and the UK, what’s up with that? Let the French pull their weight for once, after all we did come save you back in ’45, just saying.
A Different Perspective 