>>> U.S. interests in Syria. <<<
Syria is a treaty ally of Russia. The US has exactly NO legitimate interests in a country that poses no threat to the US or our allies.
“The US has exactly NO legitimate interests in a country that poses no threat to the US or our allies.”
Well, if a country does pose a threat to the US or our allies, we do have legitimate interests? The Syrian regime does threaten Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan - as it has for decades. Is that of interest?
Syria allows the Russians their only warm water port, as well as airbases. Russia threatens the US and our allies - they are in fact the main reason for NATO. Russian presence and influence in Syria is growing. Interest?
But most importantly, Iran and Iranian surrogates like Hizbollah (which has already effectively taken over former US ally Lebanon with Iranian support) have large military forces (50,000 to 100,000) in Syria, and are preparing to stay in perpetuity (likely to eventually take over like Lebanon, without the US stopping them).
The same Iran whose catchphrase is Death to America! The same Iran which is on the cusp of becoming a nuclear power. The same Iran who is officially considered the world’s largest State supporter of terrorism by the US Government. What the hell more must one do to be considered a “legitimate interest”? What more could one do?
Iran has directed and supported the killing of THOUSANDS of Americans, from the Marine Barracks bombing in 1983, through the explosively formed penetrators they manufactured and provided to their militias in Iraq (specifically to kill American soldiers - the single largest cause of our casualties in Iraq). They still chant Death to America, they still mean it, and they are actively teaching that policy to the militias that they raise in other countries (Syria is now by far their biggest project).
Syria is also now al Queda’s largest base on this planet. ISIS is headquartered in Syria. Any of this ring a bell? Legitimate interest? Anyone? Buehler?