Blogs > To Save Syria, Washington Will Have to Confront Iran

Feb 25, 2013

To Save Syria, Washington Will Have to Confront Iran



As I stated on al Arabiya TV, it has become clear strategically that in order to save the Syrian people from violence and further massacres, an international intervention has to take place at different levels to force the Assad regime to stop military action and at the same time to stop the Jihadi militias from seizing further power. And in order to launch such an international campaign, there should be a U.S. central role in the leadership of such initiative.

But for Washington to engage in such a massive campaign, it needs to factor in the Iranian counterintervention in Syria. Without being ready to confront the Iranian countermove, it would be difficult to design a plan to single out Assad while avoiding the regional alliance that supports the Syrian regime. Iran, Iraqi militias, and Hezbollah will be siding with Assad's forces. And thus if decision is to mount a large-size campaign to unsettle Assad's regime there is no alternative than to design a plan that would integrate a multidimensional counter to Iran's capacities. Such a design isn't presently on the table, as far as we know. Certainly a long term and sustained uprising against the Syrian regime would weaken its foundation but the price for such a reality would be enormous to the Syrian people. This is why we presume, that the U.S. administration is attempting to find a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis through a joint initiative with Russia. But again, time is of essence and the humanitarian crisis is growing fast in Syria, millions are paying the price of this civil war.



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