With all of the attention on Syria’s violent actions, it is too easy to miss the bigger picture of what is happening in the region. Let’s take a look at a few recent story to see where this all might be going.
I want to plant a thought for you to consider; the actions of the Syrian government are designed to suck the international community into a bloody military action and to provide a distraction for other events in the region. The actions are escalating in severity on a weekly basis, with attacks on innocent civilian populations growing more common. It is almost like Assad is thumbing his nose at the world, begging for their reaction, and worse yet, their involvement.
Syria’s biggest ally is Iran, and it can be said that nothing that happens in Syria has not been approved by Iran. Iran is providing manpower and expertise to help the Assad regime put down the protests in his country. Another thought to consider is who benefits the most from the turmoil in Syria? We will get back to that question in a moment.
One of Syria’s other main backers is Russia. At a breakfast meeting this morning, an assistant Secretary of State commented about the continued shipments of weapons into Syria from Russia and Iran. Let’s not forget that Russia has invested millions into their naval base at Tartus in Syria. In addition to its already formidable weapon stockpiles and massive availability of troops, Syria is being supplied and protected by two of the major militaries in the world. Just to keep your mind unsettled, let’s not forget Syria’s involvement with AQ Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program.
So, why I am I laying all of this on you? Syria is a component of the full Axis of Evil, answering only to Iran. You know the primary players; Iran, Russia, China, along with Syria, Pakistan, North Korea, Venezuela and few other minor players. Syria may be playing a role to distract attention from Iran’s preparations for war, and to help Iran pre-position fighters strategic to their stated of goal of destroying Israel.
While the world frets about the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the noose is slowly tightening around Israel, and the Islamic Caliphate championed by Iran is growing daily.
Open your map of the Middle East again. Plot the conflicts that exist in the region.
- Syria’s civil war, supported by Iran and Russia.
- Tens of thousands of Hezbollah fighters with their rockets stationed in Lebanon.
- Civil war in Iraq between the Sunni majority and Iranian backed Shi’a
- Shi’a uprisings in Bahrain, Yemen, Kuwait
- Muslim Brotherhood control of Egypt and their military
- American hostages in Cairo, with the Brotherhood demanding that any withholding of financial aid from the US will result in termination of peace treaties
- The Sinai peninsula and Suez canal under control of Brotherhood backed groups.
- Most of Northern Africa in turmoil with radical Islamists targeting and killing Christians in order to eliminate the infidels and impose Sharia.
We could go on, but I think that the picture should be pretty clear. Sitting in the middle of all of this is the small country of Israel; a country that will defend itself when attacked. The ‘Arab Spring’ , fueled by the motivations of the Theocracy in Iran have teamed to created a volatile situation that will result in a World War. It may start as a regional conflict, but it will quickly spread as terror groups throughout the world respond to actions against Iran.
Syria is a mess and we should be concerned about the atrocities that are being committed by the Assad regime. But, there is more to the picture than is being presented, and we need to stand back and acknowledge that this mess is by design. We are witnessing the slow motion beginning of WWIII, and we will become a major part of the war in the near future. We can be concerned about the victims in Syria, but our actions should be focused on the protection of our allies, our interests, and most importantly, the security of our country.
by Jack Woodward 2/16/12
This analysis like part one is one of the best I have read on this. I hope you are wrong of csorue in your conclusion that we are looking for a graceful way to surrender but I think it is very likely that we are right.The goals for Iraq should be: 1.) a situation where Iraq is allied with the US in the Global War on Terrorism and 2.) is a stable country. Implementation of the surrender plan you lay out may well lead to a stable Iraq but it will be allied with America’s enemies. If America fails to achieve the two things mentioned above, it will be the end of America as a major power. Also, it will likely place the very survival of the country in grave danger. The very best result from failure in Iraq will be the end of the US as a major power. If the US loses its status as a major power, this will result in a major life style adjustment for most Americans. In other words, many of the things we take for granted will no longer be available or they will not be affordable. The last sentence of your post sums it up perfectly. If we surrender to our enemies, in the region, the war will follow us home. Frankly the very survival of our country will probably be placed in grave danger.The policy you describe seems to be the one we may be following. The policy you describe involves undermining our two most valuable allies in the region. These are the Israelis and the Kurds. A policy that undermines your friends and empowers your enemis is no way to run a war. As I stated before, I hope the analysis is wrong but I think it is highly possible that you are right. Clearly much prayer is needed. America and Western civilization face an existential threat and few leaders within the Western world seem willing to face this threat. Finally, the only way we could possibly isolate ourselves from the Middle East would be if Congress would open the 140 billion barrels of oil or so for drilling that is available in the continental US and in US coastal waters. If we opened this oil for drilling, this would give us some leverage when dealing with Middle Eastern despots.