Obama retreats from Putin in Syria — again

WaPo ^ | July 2, 2016

[TigerLikesRooster]

Obama retreats from Putin in Syria — again

By Editorial Board July 2 at 4:46 PM

FOR SEVERAL years, the Obama administration’s Syria policy has been stuck in a cycle of failure. Secretary of State John F. Kerry negotiates deals with Russia to end the fighting or create a new government in Damascus, while warning that if they are not respected by Russian President Vladi­mir Putin or Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the United States will consider other options, such as stepping up support for Syrian rebels. In every case, the Russian and Syrian regimes have betrayed their commitments, continuing to bomb civilian areas, employ chemical weapons and deny aid to besieged communities. And no wonder: Each time the U.S. response has been to return to the Russians, offering more concessions and pleading for another deal.

/snip

As several experts on Syria told The Post, it is a deal whose only tangible result would likely be the reinforcement of the Assad regime — whose relentless brutality has empowered the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. The U.S.-Russian collaboration would target an offshoot of al-Qaeda called Jabhat al-Nusra, whose forces are fighting the Assad regime in several areas, including the key city of Aleppo.

In practice, the Jabhat al-Nusra forces are intermixed with other rebel units; many Syrian fighters joined the presumed terrorists for practical rather than ideological reasons. An assault on them could have the effect of allowing the Assad regime to achieve what it says is its foremost objective, the recapture of Aleppo, tipping the balance of the civil war in its favor.

The anti-Assad rebels backed by the West could be decisively undermined, even if Russia and the Syrian regime respected the no-bombing zones — which, given the history of past agreements, is a most unlikely prospect.

[TigerLikesRooster]

many Syrian fighters joined the presumed terrorists for practical rather than ideological reasons.

"presumed?" Al-Qaeda offshoot is not a terrorist organization?

"practical?" Is Al-Nusra a health club? People can go in and out of it casually, and membership counts for nothing?

When Al-Nusra overrun Damascus and become victors, are these practical guys all rise up and drive it out? Or would they want to stay in a winning team and become part of the new regime, relishing new-earned power and influence? It will be more likely to be the latter. This new regime would be more brutal than Assad's and more threat to U.S.. People are deluding themselves if their tender loving care can somehow mellow them out.

[Navy Patriot]

Obama retreats from Putin in Syria — again

Aww, those Russians ain't so bad, at Obama's request, they have been entirely hands off the ISIS, al-Qaeda and Jabhat al-Nusra propaganda and communications facility at the Washington Post.

[justa-hairyape]

Relentless brutality ? That is why those WAPO writers get the big bucks. How about describing ISIS that way someday, instead of the head of a state ?

[VTenigma]

the Obama administration’s Syria policy has been stuck in a cycle of failure.

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So actually we are “in a never ending nightmare”.

[FlyingEagle]

WaPo is amazing with propaganda drivel.

If the US truly wanted Isis neutralized, they would be toast by now.

[libertylover]

the Russian and Syrian regimes have betrayed their commitments, continuing to bomb civilian areas, employ chemical weapons and deny aid to besieged communities.

Now wait just a minute here. During the Bush administration the WP, NYT, even some FReepers insisted there are no chemical weapons in the Middle East, and used it as the basis of their hate.

[Tallguy]

Never forget that the Assad regime was friendly toward Iran and served as a corridor to Hezzbola in Lebanon.

Obama’s Syrian ‘plan’ isn’t a strategy. It’s cover for his real strategy — an ‘alignment’ with Iran. But contradictions abound in the Syrian fighting. So every time the battlefield swings toward a decisive conclusion, Obama himself confounds the end game.

Tactical problems must always be reconciled to the greater strategy. Obama has a strategy for the region and it is enhancing Iranian power. An Assad loss does not help further that strategy.

[Krosan]

I understand the ‘practical’ bit is like someone who would not like nazis while free joining a nazi gang in prison because it is better than being unaffiliated.