The Obama administration has reportedly decided to arm the Syrian rebels. While this will likely be welcomed by particular quarters within the US political sphere, the reality is that we - as a country - are undertaking this endeavor with a incredible degree of uncertainty. 1. We do not know much about the various individuals and groups who have currently aligned against Assad and the government. 2. We do not know whether the Syrian conflict will devolve into a sectarian conflict. 3. We do not know whether the conflict will remain bound within Syria or if it will spread into a regional conflict. 4. We do not know whether other governments, particularly those in Jordan and Turkey, will suffer additional destabilization due to this escalation. 5. We do not know to what degree groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad will attempt to draw Israel into any potential conflict. These are just a few of the numerous unknowns that surround the arming of Syrian rebels. While this should not necessarily dissuade American and international intervention in the Syrian conflict, we should enter this new phase of the conflict with eyes wide open and attempt to answer as many of these questions as possible in the shortest time possible.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:39:28 +0000
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