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Al-Ahed Telegram

Fears of ‘Syria Quagmire’ Govern Western Media

Fears of ‘Syria Quagmire’ Govern Western Media
folder_openSyria access_time10 years ago
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‘Syria Quagmire' is the big title that made Western media headlines Thursday, reflecting fears that the US and its allies will reap losses similar to the earlier ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fears of ‘Syria Quagmire’ Govern Western MediaThe Independent British daily highlighted that: "Whatever the justification for the action by the US and its allies, it will be seen across the world as another American-led military intervention in the wider Middle East in the tradition of Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya and Lebanon over the last 35 years."

In this context, the daily quoted former US National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski as saying in an interview: "I am struck by how eager Great Britain and France appear to be in favor of military action. And I am also mindful of the fact that both of these two powers are former imperialist, colonialist powers in the region."

On another article, by Steve Richards, the daily raised questions on the form of striking Syria and to what end." What is the exact purpose of the proposed "strike"? What happens afterwards? Once more, Britain follows the US and, with big questions being posed, no clear answers are so far given."

For its part, the Guardian daily stated: "After eight western interventions in Arab or Muslim countries in 15 years, skeptical generals and a hostile western public at large are entitled to answers."
"Once we take action, we should be prepared for what comes next. Deeper involvement is hard to avoid," General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, wrote one month ago.

Under the title: "Feeding the Fire", the British newspaper wondered in its editorial: "What is the strategy behind an airstrike on Bashar al-Assad's command and control centers? What would a "limited action for a specific purpose" achieve? What would "limited" mean, if the specific purpose - stopping the use of chemical weapons in Syria - were not achieved?"

For its part, CNN revealed that more than 90 members of Congress, most of them Republican, have signed a letter to the president urging him "to consult and receive authorization" before authorizing any such military action, according to the office of GOP Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia.
"Shooting in some missiles isn't really going to take care of the situation and might aggravate the situation," Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez of California said Tuesday. "You have Syria tied to Iran. You've got the Hizbullah in neighboring Lebanon. The whole area is already a difficult area. You have refugees going into other countries."

Sanchez, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, added that "for Americans to believe that just by shooting a few cruise missiles, we've made our statement and away we go, it's just not the way that I believe this plays out, if that happens."
Her fellow California Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of the House Intelligence Committee, said the large-scale use of chemical weapons demanded an international response, but he called for a precisely defined mission intended to limit collateral political fallout or open-ended US involvement.

Source: Al-Ahed news

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