By EARL COX, ISRAEL ALWAYS—
President Obama would do well if he put aside his plan for peace in the Middle East and instead listened to the advice of people in the know. His way of peace will lead to, “One way in and no way out.” If he continues to ignore experienced wisdom, not only will America’s ally, Israel, suffer but so, too, will the United States.
U.S. Military intelligence warned President Obama in the early stages of the Syrian uprising that Assad would be able to hold on to power for years to come even in the face of tough opposition. However, this administration seems blind as to how to administer the proper prescription for intervention in Syria when advice is given by those who do understand how to cope with making the right decisions. Any military intervention by the United States will not abate the Syrian civil war. After all, blood is thicker than water. As it currently stands, the U.S. is damned if we do and damned if we don’t. Threats which prove to be without teeth are only a show of weakness. Obama has drawn “red lines” that have proven to be all rhetoric in dealing with conflicts or crises concerning Middle Eastern turmoil. If ever a red line should have been drawn and acted upon it should have occurred in Benghazi. Unfortunately, the prescribed prevention was ignored and it resulted in the deaths of four U.S. citizens.
The primary issue confronting the United States should be the continued focus on Iran’s march toward nuclear armament and not so much on Syria. This, by far, is the best use of our resources as Iran shows no sign of slowing down its uranium enrichment for military use. With Iran, Hezbollah and Assad fighting against factions of Al-Qaeda led by the Muslim Brotherhood, why should we intervene into Syria spending more money when we are nearing $17 trillion in debt?
Funding the rebels fighting against Assad will pour more gas on the radical Islamic fire whose true goal is to spread their power and control throughout the Middle East. We should have learned by now the cause and effect of the Arab Spring. The only winner springing forth from the Arab Spring was the Muslim Brotherhood. They gained more power thus allowing their well-organized faction to dig deeper into areas where they have troops thus furthering their goal of world domination.
Assad has allowed arms to flow through Damascus ending up in the hands of Hezbollah. Now we see many factions of rebel fighters entering the fray bringing with them the very arms that Syria has distributed through Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. America must not assist any extreme Islamic faction that could begin a provocation of aggression towards Israel.
The crucial considerations by the United States in the Middle East have come to critical crossroads. Our navigational course must be the protection of our key ally, Israel, while we keep our eyes on Egypt and the Iranian threat to the world. Let the cards fall where they will with respect to Syria. Any military intervention at this time against Assad is not in the best interest of the U.S. or Israel. A dose of strategic intervention by the Obama administration will not help. This is a battle beyond reproach. The cancerous tumor of the Assad led regime has already spread uncontrollably with an uncertain cure. We may not like it but Assad is the evil Syrian innkeeper. While the United States may be able to check in any time we want, we have to wonder if we would ever be able to leave. After all, checking in may be easier than checking out as the cost may be too much to bear. Remember the old song that says, “you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave?” Certainly this could be the case if the United States inserts itself into Syria’s civil war; we may never be able to leave.