Foreign Policy in Focus.
The brave, non-violent Syrian challenge to a brutal dictatorship
emerged as part of the Arab risings across the region. But that short
Syrian spring of 2011 has long since morphed into an escalation of
militarization and death. The International Committee of the Red Cross
acknowledged what many already recognized: Syria is immersed in
full-scale civil war. As is true in every civil war, civilian casualties
are horrific and rising.
Certainly the regime has carried out brutal acts against civilians,
including war crimes. The armed opposition is also responsible for
attacks leading to the deaths of civilians. Indications are growing of
outside terrorist forces operating in Syria as well.
Of course the normal human reaction is “we’ve got to do
something!” But however dire the situation facing Syrian civilians, the
likelihood that any outside military attacks would actually help the
situation is very remote. Despite defections, Syria’s military,
especially its air force, remains one of the strongest in the Arab
world, and direct outside military involvement, especially by the United
States, NATO, or other longstanding opponents of Syria would inevitably
mean even greater carnage. U.S./NATO military intervention didn’t bring stability, democracy, or security to Libya, and it certainly is not going to do so in Syria.
