US began airstrikes on Syria last night in a campaign allegedly targeting the Islamic State. Its not clear how to restrict a bombing campaign against an amorphous network that stretches to Iraq and can potentially emerge anywhere i.e., drone strikes against Al Qaeda stretch from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, the Phillippines, to east Africa. This is to say nothing of mission creep within Syria itself. Than theres the question of end game: IS filled a power vacuum left as a result of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003- how does the bombing campaign fill that vacuum and prevent it from expanding throughout Syria? Where is the political work necessary to resolve the war in Syria or to restrict arms to IS or to prevent the movement of people eager to join its ranks? The USs alliance with five Arab countries also raises interesting questions about regional re/configurations and the forthright nature of using explicit force against a neighboring Arab country even if for the purpose of collective self-defense against IS. Im part of the unequivocal majority that opposes IS and its repulsive ways but there is no way to justify this bombing campaign and military intervention regardless of what you believe.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 18:27:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015